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THE SOUL OF THE BIBLE
^THE SOUL OF THE BIBLE
BEING SELECTIONS FROM
THE OLD AND THE NEW TESTAMENTS
AND THE APOCRYPHA
SYNTHETIC READINGS
ULYSSES G. B. PIERCE
EDWARD EVERETT HALE
BOSTON
AMERICAN UNITARIAN ASSOCIATION
1908
Copyright, 1907 American Unitarian Associatton
Entered at Stationers' Hall
Tarn UmvBsiTT Fimb, Cambbidob, U. 8. A.
INTRODUCTION
The mission of such a book as this, whether in churches or schools or families, is perhaps more apparent to a minister than to most men and women. For the preparation for the read- ing of the Scripture in the service of every Sun- day is one of the most important functions which comes upon a preacher. It has been well said by a leader of men in our time, that the only instruction in the Bible which most laymen re- ceive is in the reading of the Scripture by the minister at church from week to week.
Now in the selection of passages for reading it is not enough to choose a few verses separated from the rest of the Bible. What Mr. Pierce has done so effectively in this volume is to bring together in a natural way parts of the Bible which explain and supplement one another. I do not remember any other book which thus brings together in their vital relations the pas- sages of the Bible that are of permanent worth. Such comprehensive survey of the Scripture is not to be made in half an hour on a Saturday afternoon. It is the work of years : and the re- sults of such work are in the reader's hands in this volume.
EnwABD E. Hale , Washington, D. C.«
PREFACE
The following selections have been made solely for their religious value and suggestiveness. The aim has been to have each reading a literary unit, dealing with but one subject, and enforc- ing a definite religious lesson. This has in- volved some verbal changes, and the omisiSion of whatever would distract the attention, offend the moral sense, or start a divergent line of thought.
The readings are synthetic. In each selection the whole Bible has been drawn upon, as needed to develop the subject or to supplement the thought. Isolated passages have been brought into relation with the larger thought of which they are generic parts, thus utilizing many short passages which would otherwise be over- looked because of their fragmentary character.
Wherever practicable the classic chapters have been left undisturbed so far as their setting is concerned. But the purpose of the work has often necessitated some rearrangement of chap- ters. This is particularly true of the gospels, where the method of bringing together the various passages by subject rather than by chapter has occasioned some confusion. It is thus feared that the reader may experience some difficulty in finding a desired passage. To les-
. a
vu
viil PREFACE
sen this as much as possible, the volume is pro- vided with an index, which includes the various topics of religion, as well as indicating the read- ings suitable for special occasions. It is believed that this will put the conteills of the volume at the reader's service.
The design has been to make the selection rep- resentative and inclusive so far as the limits of the volume would permit ; but with so large a field to choose from there is ample room for difference of judgment. It is hoped, however, that the selection may be deemed fairly repre- sentative of what is best in the scriptures, and that the method adopted may serve to reveal to the reader the Soul of the Bible.
UiiYssEs 6. B. Pm&cE
CONTENTS
THE OLD TESTAMENT
PAGE
Genesis . 1
Exodus 14
Leviticus 38
Numbers , 35
Deuteronomy 48
Joshua 68
Judges 67
I Samuel 64
n Samuel 76
I Kings 86
n Kings 94
I Chronicles 98
Nehemuh 100
Job 104
Psalms 126
Proverbs 179
ecclesustes 189
Isaiah 197
Jeremuh 227
Lamentations 234
Ezekiel 237
Daniel • 246
HosEA 252
Joel 253
Amos 254
Jonah • . • ^ % % . . ^ . . . . 256
MicAH 259
Habakeuk 260
Haggai-Zechariah 263
Malachi 266
CONTENTS
THE APOCRYPHA
PAGE
I EsDBAS • 269
Wisdom 272
ecclesiastigus 277
THE NEW TESTAMENT
Matthew-Mark-Luke 293
John , . . 369
Acts . • 396
EoMANs • . • 422
I Corinthians 434
II Corinthians 449
Galatians 466
Ephesians 458
Philippians 463
colossians . . '. 468
Thessalonuns 472
I Timothy 476
II Timothy 477
Hebrews 481
James 490
I Peter 497
II Peter 503
I John 505
Eevelation 509
INDEX GENERAii Index • • . . • ^ . . . . 615
SYNTHETIC READINGS THE OLD TESTAMENT
THE SOUL OF THE BIBLE
THE BOOK OF GENESIS
GENESIS I
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.
And God said, Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together unto one place, and let the cb:y land appear: and it was so. And God saw that it was good.
And God said. Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yield- ing fruit after its kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. And God saw that it was good.
And God said. Let there be lights in the firma- ment of heaven. And God made the two great lights ; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night : he made the stars also. And God set them in the firmament of heaven to give light upon the earth, and to rule over the day and over the nighty and to divide
1
GENESIS
the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good. 'Ilta^i,i9 And God said, Let the waters bring forth
abundantly the moving creature that hath lifie, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. And God created great fishes, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abun- dantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
And God said. Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creep- ing thing, and beast of the earth after his kind : and it was so. And God saw that it was good.
And God said. Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. And God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them.
And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good.
/c ';'; \] GENESIS IX
And God blessed Noah, and said unto him. Behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your children after you; and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the cattle, and every beast of the earth with you. This is the token of the covenant which I make
GENESIS 8
between me and you and every living creature that is with you for perpetual generations: I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth. And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that ihe bow shall be seen in the cloud. This is the token of the covenant which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth. For while the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease. This is the covenant which I have established between me and all flesh for ever.
GENESIS XI Acts.ii
Now the whole earth was of one language and of one speech. And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and there they dwelt. And they said one to another. Come, let us make brick and bum them thoroughly, and let us build a city, and a tower, whose top may reach even unto heaven; and let us make a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for mortar.
And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded. And the Lord said. Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language ; and this is what they begin to do ! and nothing will be withholden from them, which they may purpose to doi
GENESIS
Come, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech. So the Lord scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off building the city. Therefore was the name of the tower called Babel, which is, by interpretation, Confusion.
Now when the day of Pentecost was fully come, the apostles were all with one accord in one place. And they went up into the upper chamber; and were continuing stedfastly with one accord in prayer. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them clover tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holj Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Now there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews devout men, out of every nation under heaven And when thi^ was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were astonished because tha every man heard them speaking in his own Ian guage the mighty works of God.
GENESIS XIII, XV, XVII
And the word of the Lord came unto Abrar in a vision, saying, Lift up now thine eyes, an< look from the place where thou art, northwar< and southward, and eastward and westward ; f o all the land which thou seest, to thee will I giv
GENESIS
it, and to thy children for ever. Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for unto thee will I give it. And the Lord brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward the heaven, and count the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said, Even so shalt thou be.
And the Lord said unto him, I am the Lord that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it. Walk before me, and be thou perfect. Fear not; I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. Be- hold, I establish my covenant between me and thee and thy children after thee in their genera- tions for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy children after thee. And I will give unto thee, and to thy children after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger; and I will be their God.
GENESIS XXVI
Now Isaac dwelt in the valley of G^rar: and he waxed great, and grew more and more, till the Philistines envied him. And Isaac digged again the wells of water, which they had digged in the days of Abraham his father; for the Philistines had stopped them and filled them with earth after the death of Abraham : and he called their names after the names by which his father had called them.
Now it came to pass, when Isaac's servants had digged in the valley and found there a well of springing water, that the herdmen of Grerar
GENESIS
did strive with Isaac's herdmen, saying, This water is ours ! So Isaac called the name of that well Esek, which by interpretation is Contention ; because there they contended with him. There- fore is it called to this day, The Well of Conten- tion. And they digged another well, and they strove for that also : wherefore he called the name of it Sitnah, which by interpretation is Enmity ; and so is it called to this day. And Isaac re- moved from thence, and digged another well: and for that they strove not. And he called the name of that well Rehoboth, which by interpre- tation is, A Broad Place. For, said Isaac, the Lord hath made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.
GENESIS XXVIII
And Jacob went out from Beer-sheba, and went toward Haran. And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night because the sun was set; and he took one of the stones of that place, and put it under his head, and lay down in that place to sleep.
And he dreamed ; and, behold, a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven : and, behold, the angels of God ascending and descending on it. And, behold, the Lord stood above it, and said, I am the Lord, the God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy children. And they shall be as the dust of the earth for multitude, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the
GENESIS 7
north, and to the south : and in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed. And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee whitherso- ever thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land ; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee.
And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not. This is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven, i i^ u^
^ p (^ \ GENESIS XXXII ""^
Now Jacob was left alone all night ; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. And when he saw that he prevailed not against Jacob, he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. And he said unto him. What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. And he said. Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel : for thou hast striven with God and with men, and hast prevailed. And Jacob asked him, and said. Tell me, I pray thee, tj^y name. And he said. Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there.
And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, which by interpretation is, The Face of God: For, said he, I have seen God face to face.
GENESIS XXXVIl; XXXIX
Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age:
8 GENESIS
and he made him a coat of many colours. And his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren; and they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him. Moreover Joseph dreamed dreams: and they hated him yet the more for his dreams.
And it came to pass on a day, that Israel sent Joseph down to Dothan to see how his breth- ren fared. And they saw him afar off, and be- fore he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him. And they said one to another. Behold, here cometh this dreamer! Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into one of the pits, and we will say. An evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams. And Reuben heard it, and said unto them. Shed no blood ; cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, but lay no hand upon him : that he might deliver him out of their hand, to restore him to his father. And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stripped Joseph of his coat, the coat of many colours that was on him ; and they took him, and cast him into the pit : and the pit was empty, there was no water in it.
And they sat down to eat bread: and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a caravan of Ishmaelites was coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing spicery and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt. And Judah said unto his brethren. What profit is it if we slay our brother and conceal his blood? Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and
GENESIS 9
let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother, our flesh. And his brethren hearkened unto him. And they lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver.
And Reuben returned unto the pit to deliver Joseph ; and, behold, Joseph was not in the pit ; and he rent his clothes. And he returned unto his brethren, and said, The child is not! and I, whither shall I go? And they took Joseph's coat, and killed a goat, and dipped the coat in the blood; and they sent the coat of many col- ours, and they brought it to their father, and said, This have we found: know now whether it is thy son's coat or not. And he knew it, and said. It is my son's coat! an evil beast hath de- voured him; Joseph without doubt is torn in pieces. And he rent his garments, and put sackcloth upon him, and mourned for his son many days. And all his sons and all his daugh- ters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted; and he said, I shall go to my grave mourning! And his father wept for him.
Now the Ishmaelites brought Joseph down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh's, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hand of the Ishmaelites. So Joseph was in the house of his master the Egyptian. And Joseph found grace in his sight: for he was a goodly person and well favoured; and Potiphar made him overseer in his house, and all that he had he put into his hand. And the
10 GENESIS
Lord blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's
sake.
GENESIS XLI, XLII
And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt. And in the seven plenteous years the earth brought forth by handfuls. And he gath- ered up all the food of the seven years which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities. And Joseph laid up grain as the sand of the sea, very much, until he left off numbering; for it was without number. And the seven years of famine began to come, accord- ing as Joseph had said: and there was famine in all lands ; but in all the land of Egypt there was bread. And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph to buy grain.
Now when Israel knew that there was grain in Egypt, he said unto his sons, Behold, I have heard that there is grain in Egypt: get you down thither, and buy for us from thence; that we may live, and not die. And Joseph's ten brethren went down to buy grain in Egypt. But Benjamin, Joseph's brother, Israel sent not with his brethren ; for he said. Lest harm befall him. And Joseph's brethren came, and bowed down themselves to him with their faces to the earth. And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spake roughly with them ; and he said unto them. Whence come ye? And they said. From the land of Canaan to buy food. And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him. And
GENESIS 11
Joseph said unto them, Ye are spies! to see the nakedness of the land ye are come. And they said unto him, Nay, my lord, but to buy food are thy servants come. We are all one man's sons ; we are true men, thy servants are no spies. And he said unto them. Nay! but to see the nakedness of the land are ye come. And they said. We thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is not. And Joseph said unto them. That is even what I spake unto you, saying. Ye are spies. Hereby ye shall be proved: by the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest brother come hither. Send one of you, and let him fetch your brother, and ye shall be kept in prison, that your words may be proved, whether there be truth in you: or else by the life of Pharaoh surely ye are spies. And he put them all together into ward three days.
And Joseph said unto them the third day. This do, and live ; for I fear God : if ye be true men, let one of your brethren be bound in your prison-house; but go ye, carry grain for the famine of your houses : and bring your youngest brother unto me ; so shall your words be verified, and ye shall not die. And they did so. And they said one to another. We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the an- guish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come i^pon us. And Reuben answered them, sayings
1« GENESIS
Spake I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the child ; and ye would not hear ? therefore also, behold, his blood is required. And they knew not that Joseph understood them ; for there was an interpreter between them. And Joseph turned himself about from them, and wept. And he returned to them, and spake to them, and took Simeon from among them, and bound him before their eyes. Then Joseph commanded to fill their vessels with grain, and to restore every man's money into his sack, and to give them provision for the way: and thus it was done unto them. And they laded their beasts with their grain, and departed thence.
GENESIS XLIII, XLV
Now the famine was sore in the land of Ca- naan. And it came to pass, when the sons of Israel bad eaten up the grain which they had brought out of Egypt, that their father said unto them, Gk> down again, buy us a little food. And Judah spake unto him, saying, The man did solemnly protest unto us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you. If thou wilt send our brother with us, we will go down and buy thee food: but if thou wilt not send him, we will not go down ; for the man said unto us. Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you. And their father said unto them. If it must be so now, let it be. Take your brother, and arise, go again unto the man: and God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may release
GENESIS 18
unto you your other brother and Benjamin. And I, if I be bereaved of my children, I am be- reaved. And the men took their brother Ben- jamin ; and rose up, and went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph.
And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house. Bring the men into the house, and make ready; fgr the men shall dine with me at noon. And the man did as Joseph bade; and brought the men to Joseph's house. And when Joseph came home, they bowed down themselves to him to the earth. And he asked them of their welfare, and said. Is your father well, the old man of whom ye spake? Is he yet alive? And they said. Thy servant our father is well, he is yet alive. And they bowed the head, and made obeisance. And Joseph lifted up his eyes, and saw Benjamin his brother, his mother's son, and said. Is this your youngest brother, of whom ye spake unto me? And he said, God be gracious unto thee, my son. And Joseph made haste; for his heart yearned over his brother: and he sought where to weep. And when Joseph could not refrain himself be- fore all them that stood by him, he cried. Cause every man to go out from me. And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known imto his brethren.
THE BOOK OF EXODUS
EXODUS I, II, IV
Now the children of Israel increased abun- dantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty, so that the land was filled with them. Wherefore the king of Egypt said. Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we; come, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they also join themselves unto our enemies and fight against us. Therefore did they set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and the more they spread abroad. Wherefore Pharaoh charged all his people, say- ing, Every son that is bom ye shall cast into the river, but every daughter ye shall save alive.
Now there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi. And the woman bare a son : and when she knew the com- mandment of the king, she hid him three months. And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch; and she put the child therein, and laid it in the flags by the river's brink. And his sister stood afar off, to know what would be done to him.
Now the daughter of Pharaoh came down to
14
EXODUS 16
bathe at the river ; and her maidens walked along by the river-side; and she saw the ark among the flags, and sent her handmaid to fetch it. And she opened it, and saw the child: and, be-- hold, the child wept. And she had compassion on him, and said. This is one of the Hebrews' children. Then said his sister to Pharaoh's daughter. Shall I go and call thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee? And Pharaoh's daughter said to her. Go. And the maiden went and called the child's mother. And Pharaoh's daughter said unto her. Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the woman took the child, and nursed it. And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses, which is by interpretation. Drawn out; For, said she, I drew him out of the water.
And it came to pass, when Moses was grown up, that he fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian. Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters: and as Moses was sitting by a well, they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father's flock. And the shepherds came and drave them away; but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock.
And when they came to Reuel their father, he said. How is Jb that ye are come so soon to- day? Ajid they Gaid, An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and moreover be drew water for us» and watered the flock.
16 EXODUS
And he said unto his daughters, And where is he? why is it that ye have left the man? call him, that he may eat bread. And Moses was content to dwell with the man : and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter. And Moses dwelt in the land of Midian.
;^ \r, H . . t_ EXODUS III, IV
Now Moses was keeping the flock : and he led the flock to the back of the wilderness. And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush : and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. And Moses said, I will turn aside now, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. And when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said. Here am I. And he said. Draw not nigh hither : put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground. I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face ; for he was afraid to look upon God. And the Lord said. Behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have seen the op- pression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them. Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my peo- ple the children of Israel out of Egypt. And Moses said. Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the chil-
EXODUS 17
dren of Israel out of Egypt? I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant, but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. And the Lord said unto him. Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh a man dumb, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? is it not I, the Lord? Now therefore go, and I will 'be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt speak.
And Moses said. Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them. The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you ; and they shall say to me. What is his name? what shall I say unto them? And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM. This is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all genera- tions. Thus shalt thou say unto them, i am hath sent me unto you. Arise therefore, and go : have not I commanded thee?
EXODUS V, VI, XII
Then went Moses and Aaron in, and told Pha- raoh, Thus saith the Lord, Let my people go, that they may serve me. And Pharaoh said. Who is the Lord, that I should hearken unto his voice to let Israel go ? I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go. Wherefore do ye, Moses and Aaron, hinder the people from their works? get you unto your burdens! And the same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters '>f the people, and their officers, saying. Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore; let them go and gather straw for
18 EXODUS
themselves. Yet the number of the bricks, which they did make heretofore, ye shall lay upon them ; ye shall not diminish ought thereof: for they are idle; therefore cry they, saying, Let us go and sacrifice to our God. Let heavier work be laid upon the men, that they may labour therein ; and let them not regard vain words. So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw. And Ihe taskmasters were urgent, saying. Fulfil your works, your daily tasks, as when there was straw. And the officers of the children of Israel were beaten.
Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried unto Pharaoh, saying, Wherefore deal- est thou thus with thy servants? There is no straw given unto thy servants, and they say to us, Make brick: and, behold, thy servants are beaten; but the fault is in thine own people^ But he said, Ye are idle! ye are idle! therefore ye say. Let us go and do sacrifice to the Lord. Go therefore now, and work! for there shall no straw be given you, yet shall ye deliver the num- ber of bricks. And the officers of the children of Israel did see that they were in evil case. And they met Moses and Aaron as they came forth from Pharaoh: and they said unto them. The Lord look upon you, and judge; because ye have made us to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their band to slay us.
And Moses returned unto the Lord, and said, Lord, wherefore hast thou so evil entreated this
EXODUS IV
people? why is it that thou hast sent me? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he hath dealt ill with this people ; neither hast thou delivered thy people at all. And the Lord said unto Moses, Now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh : for with a strong hand shall he let my people go, yea, with a strong hand shall he drive them out of his land. So will I bring you out from imder the burdens of the Egyptians^ and rid you out of their bondage.
And it came to pass at midnight, that Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said. Rise up, get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve the Lord, as ye have said. And the Egyptians were urgent upon the people, to send them out of the land in haste. And the children of Israel rose up ; and they came forth out of Egypt by their families.
EXODUS XIII, XL (Numbers ix)
Now: it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not by the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for he said. Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt: but God led the people round about, by the way of the wilderness. And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them the way, and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light. So it was alway, that there was the cloud by day, and the appear-
20 EXODUS
ance of fire by night. And whenever the cloud went forward, the children of Israel went on- ward, throughout all their journeys: and in the place where the cloud abode, there they pitched their tents. And sometimes the cloud tarried from evening until morning ; and when the cloud moved forward in the morning, they set forth on their journeys: or if it tarried by night and by day, when the cloud went forward, they jour- neyed: but if the cloud went not forward, then they journeyed not till the day that it went for- ward. Yea, whether it were two days, or a month, or a year, that the cloud tarried, the chil- dren of Israel remained in their tents ; but when the cloud went forward, they went onward, throughout all their journeys. At the com- mandment of the Lord they rested in their tents, and at the commandment of the Lord they jour- neyed. â– j^ , ; (, , (J EXODUS XIV. XV
Now when it was told the king of Egypt that the children of Israel had fled, the heart of Pha- raoh and of his servants was turned against the people, and they said. What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go from serving us ? And he made ready his chariots, and pursued after them, and overtook them encamping by the sea.
And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians were marching after them; and they were sore afraid. And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast
EXODUS «1
thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to bring us forth out of Egypt? Is not this the word that we spake unto thee in Egypt, saying. Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it were better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness !
And Moses spake all these words unto the Lord. And the Lord said unto him, WTheref ore criest thou unto me? speak unto tiffH^hildren of Israel, that they go forward, ^^nd thou, Uf t thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go into the midst of the sea on dry ground.
And it came to pass, that the angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud removed from before them, and stood behind them: and it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel ; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these : so that the one came not near the other all the night. And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the waters were divided. And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left. Thus the Lord saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyp- tians.
Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the Lord, saying:
22 EXODUS
The Lord is my strength and song, And he is become my salvation : He is my God, and I will praise him; My father's Grod, and I will exalt him. Thy right hand, O Lord, is glorious in power : Yea, thy right hand hath gotten us the vic- tory.
EXODUS XVI Deuteronomy viii. Psalm cvii
Then came all the congregation of the children of Israel unto the wilderness of Zin. And they murmured against Moses and Aaron, saying. Would to God we had died in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full! for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole as- sembly with hunger. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel : speak unto them, say- ing. In the rooming ye shall be filled with bread ; and ye shall know that I am the Lord your God.
And it came to pass, that in the morning the dew lay round about the camp. And when the dew that lay was gone up, behold, upon the face of the wilderness there lay a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost on the ground. And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another. Manna: which by interpretation IS, What is this? for they wist not what it was. And Moses said unto them. This is the bread which the Lord hath given you to eat. This is
EXODUS 28
the thing which the Lord hath commanded, Gather of it every man according to his eating, an omer for every man, according to the number of your persons; take ye every man for them which are in his tents. And the children of Israel did so, and gathered, some more, some less. And when they did mete it with an omer, he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack ; they gathered every man according to his eating. And the house of Israel called the name thereof, Manna. And the children of Israel did eat manna forty years, until they came to a land inhabited; even as it is written:
They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way;
Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them.
Then they cried unto the Lord in their trou- ble,
And he delivered them out of their distresses.
The people asked meat,
And he satisfied them with food from heaven ;
That he might humble them.
And make them to know.
That man doth not live by bread only.
But by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord.
24 EXODUS
EXODUS XVII
(Numbers xx)
Isaiah xlviii. I Corinthians x. John vii
Then came the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, into the desert of Zin. And there was no water for the congregation: and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. And the people strove with Moses, and spake, saying, Would God that we had died when our brethren died before the Lord ! Why have ye brought up the congrega- tion of the Lord into this wilderness, that we should die here? And wherefore have ye made us to come up out of Egypt, to bring us into this evil place? it is no place of seed, or of figs, or of vines, or of pomegranates ; neither is there any water to drink !
And Moses went from the presence of the assembly unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they fell upon their faces : and the glory of the Lord appeared unto them. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying. Take the rod, and assemble the congregation, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes, that it give forth water; and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock; so shalt thou give the congregation drink.
And Moses took the rod from before the Lord, as he commanded him. And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice : and water came forth abundantly, and they did
EXODUS StB
all drink. So it was that they thirsted not when the Lord led them through the deserts : he caused waters to flow out of the rock for them ; yea, he clave the rock, and fountains gushed forth.
Now these things happened unto them by way of figure; and they were written for our admoni- tion« I speak as unto wise men; judge ye what I say. For I would not have you ignorant, how that our fathers did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of a spiritual rock that followed them; and that rock was Christ. For he that believeth, as the scripture hath said, from within him shall flow forth streams of living water. And he that drinketh of this water shall never thirst.
EXODUS XVII
And all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Zin, according to the commandment of the Lord, and pitched in Rephidim. Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim. And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek; to-morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand.
So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hilL And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed : and when he let down his band, Amalek prevailed. But Moses' hands were heavy ; and they took a stone, and put it under
26 EXODUS
him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. And the Lord said unto Moses, Write this in a book for a memorial, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua, that it be laid up in the hearts of the people of the children of Israel for ever.
EXODUS XVIII Deuteronomy 1, x, xvi
And Moses chose from among the people able men, such as feared God, men of truth, hating unjust gain, and set them over the people to judge them at all seasons. And Moses charged the judges, saying:
Hear the causes between your brethren, and judge righteously between every man and his neighbour and the stranger that is with him. Ye shall not respect persons in judgment, but ye shall hear the small as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man: for the judgment is God's. Neither shalt thou take a gift : for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the cause of the righteous. Take heed what ye do: for ye judge not for man, but for the Lord, who is with you in the judgment. Wherefore let the fear of the Lord be upon you; take heed and do it: for there is no in- iquity with the Lord our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of gifts. That which is al- together just shalt thou follow, that it may be well with thee, and with thy children after thee, for ever.
EXODUS 87
^^^ EXODUS XIX, XX
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Write thou these words ; for after the tenor of these words I have made a covenant with thee . and with Israel: / I am the Lord thy God, who brought thee out
of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bond- age. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. â– ^ / Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in the heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: . for I am the Lord thy God. 3 ^ Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy^ God in vain ; for the Lord will not hold him guilt- less that taketh his name in vain.
Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work : but the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God : in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates.
Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord /r thy God giveth thee. Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not commit adultery. u Thou shalt not steal.
.:; Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy
' neighbour.
V
7/
88 EXODUS
/. ,
/ 0 / Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, ' thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his cat- tle, nor anything that is thy neighbour's.
And the Lord said unto Moses, Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto my- self. Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then shall ye be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine : and ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation.
EXODUS XXIV, XXXI, XXXII, XXXIV
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying. Hew thee two tables of §tone, and be ready by the morning, and come up in the morning unto mount Sinai, and present thyself there to me on the top of the mount ; and I will give thee com- mandments, that thou mayest teach them. And no man shall come with thee; neither let any man be seen throughout all the mount; neither let the flocks nor the herds feed before that mount.
And Moses hewed him two tables of stone ; and he rose up early in the morning, and went up unto the mount, as the Lord had commanded him. And a cloud covered the mount, and the glory of the Lord abode upon mount Sinai. And the sight of the glory of the Lord was like de- vouring fire on the top of the mount. And there was under his feet as it were a paved work of sapphire stone, and as it were the very
EXODUS 29
heaven for clearness. And Moses went up into the midst of the cloud, and gat him up to the top of the mount. And Moses was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water, until he had made an end of communing with the Lord upon mount Sinai. And it came to pass, when the Lord had made an end of communing with Moses upon mount Sinai, that he gave unto Moses the two tables of testimony, even the tables of stone, written with the finger of God* And the tables were written on both their sides ; on the one side and on the other side were they written,
And when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in his hand, he called «J1 the children of Israel, and they came nigh unto him; and he gave them in command- ment all that the Lord had spoken with him in mount Sinai.
EXODUS XXIII, XXXII
Now when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mount, they gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him. Up, make us a god, which shall go before us ; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we know not what is become of him. And Aaron said unto them. Break off the golden rings, which are in your ears, and bring them unto me. And all the people brake off the golden rings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron.
80 EXODUS
And he received it at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, and made it a molten calf: and they said, This is thy God, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt! And Aaron built an altar before it; and he made proclamation, and said, To-morrow shall be a feast to the Lord. And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.
Now after forty days Moses came down from the mount. And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said unto Moses, There is a noise of war in the camp ! And Moses said. It is not the voice of them that shout for mastery, neither is it the voice of them that cry for being overcome; but the noise of them that sing do I hear. And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp that he saw the calf and the dancing. And when he was come into the camp, Moses took the calf which they had made, and burnt it with fire, and ground it to powder, and strewed it upon the water, and made the people drink of it.
Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said. Ye have sinned a great sin! and now I will go up unto the Lord; peradventure I shall make atonement for your sin. And Moses returned unto the Lord, and said. Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them a god of gold! Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin — ; and if not, blot me, I pray thee.
EXODUS 81
out of thy book which thou hast written. And the Lord said unto Moses, Go now, and lead this people unto the place of which I have spoken unto thee. Behold, I send my Messenger before thee, even the angel of my presence, to keep thee in the way. Take ye heed before him, and hearken unto his voice ; rebel not against him ; for if ye rebel against him, it will surely be a snare unto thee, as ye have seen this day.
EXODUS XXXIII, XXXIV
And Moses spake unto the Lord, saying, If now I have found favour in thy sight, shew me, I pray thee, thy ways, that I may know thee. Shew me, I beseech thee, thy glory. And the Lord said. Thou canst not see my face; for man shall not see me and live. But, behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon the rock: and it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a cleft of the rock, and will cover thee with mine hand until I have passed by: and I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back ; but my face shall not be seen. And the Lord descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and pro- claimed the name of the Lord. And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, the Lord Grod, merciful and gracious, longsuf- fering, and abundant in lovingkindness and truth; keeping mercy for thousands, and for- giving iniquity and transgression. And Moses made haste, and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshipped. And he said, If now I
82 EXODUS
have found favour in thy sight, O Lord, pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for thine inheritance.
EXODUS XXXV, XXXVI
And Moses gathered the people together, and said unto them. Take ye from among you an offering unto the Lord, wherewith to make him a sanctuary ; whosoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it, an offering unto the Lord. And they came, every one whose heart stirred him up, and every one whose spirit made him willing^ and brought the Lord's offering to the work of the tabernacle of the congregation. And they came, both mea and women, as many as were willing-hearted, and brought gold and silver in abundance. And every man, with whom wa9 found acacia wood for any work of the service, brought it. And all the women that were wise- hearted did spin with their hands, and brought that which they had spun. Thus they brought a freewill offering unto the Lord ; every man and woman, whose heart made them willing.
And Moses called Bezalel and Aholiab, men filled with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in under- standing, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship ; and to devise skilful works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, and in cutting of stones, and in carving of wood, to work in all manner of skilful workmanship : and they received of Moses all the offering which the people had brought for the work of the service of the sanctuary.
THE BOOK OF LEVITICUS
LEVITICUS XIX, XXVI Deuteronomy x, xxii, xxiv
Now these are the statutes and judgments which ye shall observe to do in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee :
Thou shalt reverence every man his father and his mother. Before the hoary head thou shalt rise up, and the face of the old man shalt thou honour.
Thou shalt not vex a straneer, nor oppress him ; for ye know the heart of a strange?, see- ing ye yourselves were strangers in the land of Egypt.
Thou shalt not oppress an hired servant that is poor and needy, whether he be of thy brethren, or of the strangers that are in thy land: thou shalt remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt.
Thou shalt not afflict any widow, or father- less child. If thou afflict them in any wise, and they cry at all unto me, I will surely hear their cry.
Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart. Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. And if a stranger sojourn with thee in thy land, he
S3
34 LEVITICUS
shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself.
And now what doth the Lord require of thee, but to f^^^ ^^" ^ """^ ^^y ^""^J to walk in all hi? ways, wnd tn 1nn<> hinrvy and to serve the Lord thy Gk)d with all thine heart and with all thy soul? And It shall come to pass, if ye walk in these statutes, and keep these commandments, and do them, that the Lord will give peace in the land, and ye shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid.
THE BOOK OF NUMBERS
NUMBERS XI
A.nd it came to pass, that Moses complained
to the Lord and said, Wherefore hast thou
Icted thy servant? and wherefore have I not
ind favour in thy sight, that thou layest the
Hen of all this people upon me? Have I
hceived all this people? have I brought them
rth, that I should carry them in my bosom as
father carrieth the nursing child? I am not
ue to bear all this people alone.
And the Lord said unto Moses, Gather unto
B seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom
iou knowest to be the elders of the people, and
Beers over them ; and bring them unto the tent
f meeting, that they may stand there with thee.
md I will come down and talk with thee there:
nd I will take of the Spirit which is upon
piee, and I will put it upon them ; and they shall
tear the burden of the people with thee, that
hou bear it not thyself alone. Is the Lord's
>and waxed short? now shalt thou see whether
jfiy word shall come to pass unto thee or not.
And Moses went out, and told the people the rords of the Lord : and he gathered seventy men >f the elders of the people, and set them round nbout the tent. And the Lord came down in the cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the Spirit that was upon him, and put it upon the
35
86 EXODUS
him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. And the Lord said unto Moses, Write this in a book for a memorial, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua, that it be laid up in the hearts of the people of the children of Israel for ever,
EXODUS XVIII Deuteronomy i, x, xvi
And Moses chose from among the people able men, such as feared God, men of truth, hating unjust gain, and set them over the people to judge them at all seasons. And Moses charged the judges, saying:
Hear the causes between your brethren, and judge righteously between every man and his neighbour and the stranger that is with him. Ye shall not respect persons in judgment, but ye shall hear the small as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man : for the judgment is God's. Neither shalt thou take a gift: for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the cause of the righteous. Take heed what ye do: for ye judge not for man, but for the Lord, who is with you in the judgment. Wherefore let the fear of the Lord be upon you; take heed and do it: for there is no in- iquity with the Lord our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of gifts. That which is al- together just shalt thou follow, that it may be well with thee, and with thy children after thee, for ever.
EXODUS 27
^^^ EXODUS XIX, XX
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying. Write thou these words ; for after the tenor of these words I have made a covenant with thee . and with Israel:
/ I am the Lord thy God, who brought thee out
of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bond- age. Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
^ / Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in the heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I am the Lord thy God.
Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy^ God in vain ; for the Lord will not hold him guilt- . less that taketh his name in vain.
^/ Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work : but the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God : in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates.
Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord
/ thy God giveth thee. / Thou shalt not kill.
/ Thou shalt not commit adultery.
0 Thou shalt not steal.
^ Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy
neighbour.
3/
34 LEVITICUS
shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself.
And now what doth the Lord require of thee, but to f"^"^ ^-^^ T n»rT 4-iijT r<«J,.| to walk in all his ways, wnd tn ](rwt hinrvy and to serve the Lord thy Gk)d with all thine heart and with all thy soul? And it shall come to pass, if ye walk in these statutes, and keep these commandments, and do them, that the Lord will give peace in the land, and ye shall lie down, and none shaU make you afraid.
NUMBERS 89
sayest unto me: come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people. And Balaam said unto Balak, Lo, I am come unto thee. Also the word that God putteth in my mouth, that will I speak. But if Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord my God, to do less or more.
And it came to pass on the morrow, that Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into an high place, that thence he might see the utmost part of the people. And Balaam took up his parable, and said:
Balak the king of Moab hath brought me
from Aram, Saying, Come curse me Jacob, and defy
me Israel. How shall I curse whom God hath not
cursed? Or how shall I defy whom the Lord hath
not defied? For from the top of the rocks I see him, And from the hills I behold him. Who can count the dust of Jacob, And the number of the fourth part of
Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous. And let my last end be like his !
And Balak said unto Balaam, What hast thou done unto me? I took thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast blessed them al- together! And Balaam answered and said. Must I not take heed to speak that which the Lord hath put in my mouth?
40 NUMBERS
And Balak said unto him. Come, I pray thee, with me into another place, from whence thou mayest see them: thou shalt see but the utmost part of them, and shall not see them all; and curse me them from thence. And he brought Balaam into the field of Zophim, to the top of Fisgah. And Balak said unto him. What hath the Lord now spoken? And Balaam took up his parable, and said:
Rise up, Balak, and hear;
Hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor.
God is not a man, that he should lie;
Neither the son of man, that he should re- pent :
Hath he said, and shall he not do it?
Or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?
Behold, I have received commandment to bless ;
Yea, he hath blessed ; and I cannot reverse it.
Then Balak said unto Balaam, Neither curse thou them at all, nor bless them at all! But Balaam answered and said unto Balak, Told not I thee, saying, All that the Lord speaketh, that must I do?
Then was Balak's anger kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands together, and said unto Balaam, I called thee to curse mine enemies, and I was minded to reward thee richly. And Balaam said unto Balak, Spake I not unto thee, saying, If Balak would give me his house
NUMBERS 41
full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the commandment of the Lord, to do either good or bad of mine own mind? but what the Lord saith, that I will speak.
NUMBERS XXXII Romans
Now the children of Reuben and the childrefn of Gad had a very great multitude of cattle. When therefore they saw the land of Jazer, and the land of Gilead, that, behold, the place was a place for cattle, they came and spake unto Moses, saying. Behold, this is a place for cattle ; and thy servants have cattle. If now we have found favour in thy sight, let this land be given unto thy servants for a possession ; bring us not over the Jordan with our brethren.
And Moses said unto them. Shall your brethren go to war, and shall ye sit here? And wherefore discourage ye your brethren from gCHng over into the land which the Lord hath given them? Thus did your fathers, when I sent them from Kadesh-bamea to see the land. For when they went up unto the valley of Eschol, and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of their brethren, that they should not go into the land which the Lord had given them; so they wandered to and fro in the wilderness forty years. And, behold, ye are risen up in your fathers' stead, to sin against the Lord by discouraging the heart of thy brethren! And if ye turn away from them, then shall these thy brethren also be left to wander in the wilderness.
4& NUMBERS
Then came they near unto Moses, and said, This will thy servants do: We will build sheep- folds here for our cattle, and cities for our little ones ; but we ourselves will go before our brethren until we have brought them unto their place. We will not return to our houses, until every man of them has entered into his inheritance.!/ And Moses said unto them. If ye will surely do this thing, ye shall be guiltless towards the Lord, and towards thy brethren; and this land shall bo unto you for a possession, as ye have said. But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the Lord ; and be sure your sin will find you out. Ye shall therefore go before your brethren, and help them; until the Lord have given rest to your brethren, even as he hath given you.
For we that are strong ought to help them that are weak ; not looking each one to his own things, but each one also to the things of others. For he that herein serveth his neighbour is well- pleasing to God, and approved of men.
THE BOOK OF DEUTERONOMY
^/^7f^< DEUTERONOMY IV *-*-*^ ^\ •' *
Behold, I have taught you statutes and ordi- nances, even as the Lord my God commanded me. Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, that shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people. vFor what great nation is there, that hath God so\iigh unto them, as the Lord our God is whensoever we call upon him ? And what great nation is the'l^e, that hath statutes and ordinances so righteous \as all this law, which I set before you this day?^ For ask now of the days that are past, which were before thee, since the day that God created man upon the earth/ and from the one end of heaven unto the othei whether there hath been any such thing asilhis great thing is, or hath been heard like it ? ^ Did ever a people hear the voice of God as thou hast heard? \0r hath God as- sayed to go and take him a V^-tion from the midst of another nation, by a mighty hand, and by an outstretched arm, according to all that the Lord your God did for you? '* Unto thee it was shewed, that thou mightest know that the Lord he is God; there is none else besides him. Out of heaven he made thee to hear his voice, that he might instruct thee; and upon earth he
43
44 DEUTERONOMY
made thee to see his great works^^ And because he loved thy fathers, ther^fcjre he chose their children after them, and hrougfat thee out with his presence, wit)i his great power, out of Egypt ; to bring ihfit in, to give thee this land for an inheritance, as at this day.
Know therefore this day, and lay it to thine heart, that the Lord he is God in heaven above and upon the earth beneath; there is none else. And thou shalt keep his statutes and his com* mandments, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, and that thou mayest prolcmg thy days for ever.
- *^ t ^ DEUTERONOMY VI. XI
1^1 Now this is the commandment which the Lord
thy God commanded to teach you, that ye may live. Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish from it, that ye may keep the commandment of the Lord thy God.) Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord: and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
And these words, which I command thee this day, thou shalt lay up in thine heart and in thy soul; and ye shaU bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and thev shall be for frontlets be- tween thine eves. And thoa shalt write them upon the door-posts of thine house, and upon thy gates. And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, talking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by
DEUTERONOMY 46
the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up; that thy days, and the days of thy children, may be even as the days of heaven upon earth.
DEUTERONOMY VIII, X, XV
Beware lest thou forget the Lord thy God, in not keeping his commandments, which I com- mand thee this day. Take heed to yourselves lest, when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein ; and when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied ; then thine heart be lifted up above thy brethren, and thou forget the ccnnmandment of the Lord thy God.
If therefore there be within thy gates any man waxen poor, or fallen in decay, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother ^ut thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him, and shalt surely help him : yea, though he be a stranger or a sojourner among you^ Beware that there be not a wicked thought in thine heart, and thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou give him nought; and he cry unto the Lord against thee./ Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him; be- cause that for this thing the Lord thy God hath blessed thee.
And now what doth the Lord require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy Grod, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the Lord
46 DEUTERONOMY
thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soul? For the Lord thy God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a God great, glorious, and mighty, who regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward: he doth execute justice for the father- less and the widow, and loveth the stranger, in giving him food and raiment. Thou therefore shalt love the Lord thy God, and keep his com- mandments, alway.
DEUTERONOMY XVIII Jeremiah, Ezekiel
The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren ; and will put his words in his mouthy and he shall speak unto thee all that the Lord shall com- mand him. And it shall come to pass, that who- soever will not hearken unto the words which he shall speak, it shall be required of him.
And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the prophet, that the Lord hath sent him? hereby shall ye know: The prophet that prophesieth of peace, of truth, and of righteous- ness, when the word of the prophet shall come to pass, then shall the prophet be known, that the Lord hath truly sent him. And when this Com- eth to pass (behold, it will come), then shall ye know that a prophet hath been among you.
^ ^ *" ^ • ' ^ DEUTERONOMY VIII, XXVI
When the Lord thy God hath brought thee in unto the land which he promised unto thy f ath- erS} thou shalt bless the Lord thy God for the
DEUTERONOMY 47
good land which he giveth thee. For the Lord thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, flowing forth in valleys and hills; a land of wheat and barley, and vines and fig trees and pomegranates ; a land of olive trees and honey ; a land wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarce- ness, thou shalt not lack any thing in it ; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills thou mayest dig copper. Beware lest, when thou •hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein; then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord thy God.
When therefore thou art come unto the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, and dwellest therein, thou shalt take of the first of all the fruit of the land, and thou shalt put it in a basket, and shsilt go unto the priest that shall be in those days, and say unto him, I profess this day unto the Lewd, that I am come unto the land which the Lord promised unto our fathers to give us. And the priest shall take the basket out of thine hand, and set it down before the altar of the Lord thy God. Then shalt thou answer and say before the Lord thy God, A Syrian ready to perish was my father; and he went down into Egypt, and sojourned there, few in number ; and he became there a nation, great, mighty, and populous. And the Egyptians dealt ill with us, and afflicted us, and laid upon us hard bondage: and we cried unto the Lord, the God of our fathers, and the Lord heard our voice, and saw our affliction, and our toil, and
48 DEUTERONOMY
our oppression ; and the Lord brought us forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm; and he hath brought us into this place, and hath given us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. And now, behold, I have brought the first of the fruit of the land, which thou, O Lord, hast given me. Look down from thy holy habitation, from heaven, and bless thy people, and the land which thou bast given us.
So shalt thou bless the Lord thy God for the good land which he hath given thee, and wor- ship before the Lord thy God.
^ t^^l » > C DEUTERONOMY XXVIII, XXIX, XXX
J y ., Ye stand this day all of you before the Lord
ry^/S^j your God ; your heads, your tribes, your elders, and your officers, your little ones, your wives, and the stranger that is within thy gates; that thou mayest enter into the covenant of the Lord thy God, that he may establish thee this day for a people unto himself.
Beware lest there be any man or woman among you whose heart tumeth away this day from the Lord our God ; and he say within himself, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of my wicked heart. For if ye will not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to keep this covenant and to observe to do all his command- ments, ye shall find no ease, neither rest ; but ye shall have a trembling heart, and pining of soul ; and thy life shall hang in doubt before thee ; and thou shalt fear night and day, and shalt have
DEUTERONOMY 49
none assurance of thy life. In the morning thou shalt say, Would it were even ! and at even thou shalt say, Would it were morning! for the fear of thine heart wherewith thou shalt fear, and for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see. But if thou shalt cleave unto these statutes and keep this covenant, then shall the Lord thy God open unto thee his good treasuj:e, and shall make thee plenteous in every good^ork, and shall re- joice over thee for goodrm thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to keep this covenant and this commandment, to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soul.
For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not too hard for thee, neither is it far off. It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say. Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, and make us to hear it, that we may do it? Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, and make us to hear it, that we may do it.? But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thine heart, that thou mayest do it.
See, I have set before thee this day^life and good, and death and evil; in that I command thee this day to love the Lord thy God, and to walk in his ways. I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that I have set before thee life and death, the blessing and the curse/ therefore choose life, that thou mayest
â– sey
Iive,Vthou and thy children; to love the Lord
60 DEUTERONOMY
thy God, to obey his voice, and to cleave unto him; for this is thy life, and the length of thy days.
DEUTERONOMY XXXI Numbers xxvii. Joshua i
And Moses prayed unto the Lord, saying. Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, ap- point a man over the congregation, who may go out before them, and who may come in before them, and who may lead them; that the congre- gation of the Lord be not as sheep which have no shepherd. And the Lord said, Take thee Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay thine hand upon him; and set him before all the congregation ; and give him a charge in their sight.
And Moses did as the Lord commanded him ; and he called unto him Joshua, and set him be- fore all the congregation, and laid his hands upon him, and gave him a charge. And Moses said unto Joshua in the sight of all the congre- gation :
Be strong and of good courage: for thou must go with this people unto the land which the Lord hath sworn unto their fathers to give them; and thou shalt cause them to inherit it. And the Lord, he it is that doth go before thee ; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither will he forsake thee. Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest
DEUTERONOMY 61
prosper whithersoever thou goest. This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein : for then shalt thou make thy way prosperous, and shalt have good suc- cess. Be strong and of good courage; fear not, neither be thou dismayed : for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
DEUTERONOMY XXXIII
And this is the blessing, wherewith Moses the roan of God blessed the children of Israel before bis death. And he said :
There is none like unto the God of Jes-
hurun for help. Who rideth upon the heavens. And in his majesty on the skies. The eternal God is thy refuge. And underneath are the everlasting arms.
Happy art thou, O Israel!
Who is like unto thee, a people saved by
the Lord, Who also is the shield of thy help. And the sword of thine excellency! Thou shalt be shod with iron and brass; And as thy days, so shall thy strength be.
DEUTERONOMY XXXII, XXXIV Numbers xxvii
And the Lord SDake unto Moses that self- same day, saying, Get thee up into this mountain
82 DEUTERONOMY
of Abarim, unto mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab, that is over against Jericho; and behold the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel for a possession. And thou shalt see the land before thee ; but thou sbalt not go thither : for in the mount whither thou goest up shalt thou die, and be gathered unto thy fathers; as Aaron thy brother died in mount Hor, and was gathered unto his fathers.
And Moses went up from the plains of Moab unto mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, that is over against Jericho. And the Lord shewed him all the land of Gilead, unto Dan, and all Nap- thali, and the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, and all the land of Judah, unto the western sea, and the south, and the plain of the valley of Jericho, the city of palm-trees, unto Zoar. And the Lord said unto him. This is the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, saying. Unto thy children will I give it. I have caused thee to see it with thine eyes ; but thou shalt not go over thither. So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord. And he buried him in the valley in the land of Moab, over against Beth-peor: but no man knowetb of his sepulchre unto this day.
And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated. And the children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days. And there hath not arisen a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face.
THE BOOK OF JOSHUA
JOSHUA VI
Now the gates of Jericho were straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out and none came in. And the Lord spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, saying, I have given this city into thine hand. Take therefore seven priests, and let them bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the covenant, and let the priests blow the trumpets. And ye shall compass the city, going round about it once. Thus shalt thou do six days; and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times. And it shall be, that, when the priests make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout ; and the wall of the city shall fall down of itself.
And Joshua called the priests, and said unto them. Take up the ark of the Lord, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the Lord. And he said unto the people. Pass on, and compass the city. Ye shall not shout, nor let your voice be heard, neither shall any word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I bid you shout ; then shall ye shout. And it was so, that, when Joshua had spoken unto the people, the seven priests bear- ing the seven trumpets oi rams' horns before
53
C'^*
64 JOSHUA
the ark of the Lord passed on, and blew the trumpets. So he caused the ark of the Lord to compass the city, going about it once: and they came into the camp, and lodged there. And Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the Lord. And the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the Lord went on con- tinually, and blew the trumpets. And the sec- ond day they compassed the city once, and re- turned into the camp : so they did six days.
And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they rose early about the dawning of the day, and compassed the city after the same manner seven times. And it came to pass at the seventh time, when the priests blew the trumpets, that Joshua said unto the people, Shout ! for the Lord hath given you the city. So the people shouted, and the priests blew the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, that the people shouted with a great shout, and the wall of Jericho fell down of it- self, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took
^ thj^city.
tK^C^ I i, t J S JOSHUA XXIV
And Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and called for the elders of Israel, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers; and they presented themselves there before God.
And Joshua spake unto all the people, saying. Your fathers dwelt of old time beyond the River ;
JOSHUA 66
and they served other gods. And now, behold, the Lord hath given you a land whereon thou didst not labour, and cities which ye built not, and ye dwell therein ; of vineyards and oliveyards which ye planted noi^do ye eat. Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in truth; and put away the gods which your fath- ers served beyond the River, and in Egypt ; and serve ye the Lord.-'^ And if it seem evil in your sight to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve ; whether the gods which your fathers served that were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell : but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lordj^ And the people answered and said. Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord, to serve other gods; for the Lord our God, he it is that brought us and our fathers up out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and preserved us in all the way wherein we went. Therefore we also will serve the Lord ; for he is our God.
And Joshua said unto all the people, TKe Lord, he is an holy God; if ye forsake him, it will turn to your hurt. And the people said unto Joshua, Nay! but we will serve the Lord. The Lord our God will we serve, and unto his voice will we hearken. And Joshua said unto the people. Ye are witnesses against yourselves that ye have chosen you the Lord, to serve him. And they said, We are witnesses. And Joshua took a great stone, and set it up under the oak that was by the sanctuary of the Lord. And he said
66 JOSHUA
unto all the people, Behold, this stone shall be a witness against you, lest ye deny your God.
So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and set them a statute and an ordi- nance in Shechem.
THE BOOK OF JUDGES
JUDGES VII
Now the Midianites came up against Israel, as locusts for number: and they came into the land to destroy it. And Israel was brought very low because of Midian. Wherefore Gideon, and all the people that were with him, rose up early, and encamped beside the spring of Harod: and the camp of Midian was on the north side of them, in the valley.
And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me. Now therefore proclaim in the ears of the people, saying. Whosoever is fearful and trembling, let him return and depart. And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand; and there remained ten thousand. And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people are yet too many; bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there: and it shall be, that of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee; and of whcHnsoever I say unto thee, This shall not go with thee, the same shall not go. So Gideon brought down the people unto the water; and the Lord said unto him. Every one that standeth and lifteth the water to his mouth with his hand
67
68 JUDGES
and lappeth of the water from his hand an a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by him-splf ; like- wise every one that boweth down upon his knees to drink. And the number of them that lapped, lifting their hand to their mouth, was three hun- dred men: but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink. And the Lord said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and dehver the Midian- ites into thine hand; and let all the other people go every man unto his place. So Gideon sent all the rest of Israel every man unto his tent, but retained the three hundred men.
And Gideon divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put into the hands of all of them trumpets, and empty pitchers, with torches within the pitchers. And he said unto them, Look on me, and do likewise; and, behold, when I come to tlie outermost part of the camp of the Midianites, it shall be that, as I do, so shall ye do. When I blow the trumpet, I and all that are with me, then blow ye the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and cry. The sword of the Lord and of Gideon !
Then Gideon, and they that were with him, came unto the outermost part of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch, when they had but newly set the watch : and they blew the trum- pets, and brake in pieces the pitchers that were in their hands. And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the torches in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands wherewith to blow; and
JUDGES 69
they cried. The sword of the Lord and of Gid- eon! And they stood every man in his place round about the camp; and all the host of the Midianites ran, and cried, and fled. And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and scattered abroad the hosts of the Midianites.
So it was that day, that the Lord delivered Israel from the hosts of the Midianites by the hand of Gideon, and the three hundred men that lapped. .
JUDGES VIII, IX ^^ '' ' ^
Proverbs, Ecclesiastes
Now it came to pass as soon as Gideon was dead, that Abimelech went to Shechem, and spake with the men of Shechem, saying, Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, and say. Whether is better for you, that all the sons of Gideon, who are threescore and ten persons, rule over you, or that one rule over you? re- member also that I am your bone and your flesh. And they spake of Abimelech in the ears of all the men of Shechem all these words: and their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech. Moreover Abimelech hired vain and light persons, who fol- loi^ed him. And all the men of Shechem assem- bled themselves together, and went and made Abimelech king.
And when it was told Jotham, he went and stood on the top of mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried, and said unto them:
Hearken unto me, ye men of Shechem, and bear ye this parable. The trees went forth on
60 JtTDGES
a time to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive-tree, Reign thou over us. But the olive-tree said unto them. Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honour God and man, and go to wave to and fro over the trees? And the trees said to the fig-tree, Come thou, and reign over us. But the fig- tree said unto them. Should I leave my sweet- ness, and my good fruit, and go to wave to and fro over the trees? And the trees said unto the vine, Come thou, and reign over us. And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my new wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to wave to and fro over the trees? Then said all the trees unto the bramble. Come thou, and reign over us. And the ))ramble said unto the trees. If in truth ye anoint me king over you, then come and take refuge in my shade; and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon. Now, therefore, if ye have done truly and uprightly, in that ye have made Abimelech king, then rejoice ye in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you: but if not, know of a truth that ye have done fool- ishly in that ye have made this man to reign over you.
For thus it is written :
Woe to thee, O land, when thy king committeth wickedness,
And thy rulers are light and treacherdus per- sons!
Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles.
JUDGES 61
And thy rulers are men of righteousness !
For when the righteous are in authority, the
people rejoice: But when the wicked beareth rule, the land
moumeth.
JUDGES XV, XVI
Then three thousand of the men of Judah went down to the cleft of the rock of Etam, whither Samson had fled, and said unto Samson, We are come down to bind thee, that we may deliver thee into the hand of the Philistines. And Samson said unto them. Swear unto me, that ye will not fall upon me yourselves. And they spake unto him, saying. No; but we will bind thee fast, and deliver thee into their hand. And they bound him with two new ropes, and brought him up from the rock.
Now as they led Samson toward the city, a band of Philistines met him, and shouted against him: and the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him, and the ropes that were upon his arms became as flax that is burnt with fire, and the bands dropped from off his hands.
When the Philistines saw this, they went unto a woman in Sorek, whose name was Delilah. And they said unto her. Entice him, and see wherein his great strength lieth, and by what means we may prevail against him, that we may bind him ; and we will give thee eleven hundred pieces of silver.
And Delilah said to Samson, Tell me, I pray thee, wherein thy great strength lieth, and
62 JUDGES
wherewith thou mightest be bound. And he said unto her. If they bind me with seven new bow- strings that were never dried, then shall I become weak, and be as another man. Then the Philis- tines brought up to her seven new bowstrings which had not been dried, and she bound him with them. Now she had liers-in-wait abiding in the inner chamber. And she said unto him, The Philistines are upon thee, Samson! And he brake the bowstrings, as a string of tow is broken when it toucheth the fire. So the secret of his strength was not known.
And Delilah said unto Samson, Behold, thou hast mocked me, and told me lies ; now tell me, I pray thee, wherewith thou mightest be bound. And he said unto her. If they only bind me with new ropes wherewith no work hath been done, then shall shall I become weak, and be as another man. So Delilah took new ropes, and bound him therewith, and said unto him, The Philistines are upon thee, Samson ! And the liers-in-wait were abiding in the inner chamber. And he brake the ropes from off his arms like a thread.
And Delilah said unto Samson, Hitherto thou hast mocked me, and told me lies ! tell me where- with thou mightest be bound. And he said unto her, If thou weavest the seven locks of my head with the web. And she fastened it with the pin, and said unto him, The Philistines are upon thee, Samson! And he awaked out of his sleep, and plucked away the pin of the beam, and the web. And Delilah said unto Samson, These three times hast thou mocked me, and hast not told me
JUDGES 63
wherein thy great strength lieth. And it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with her words, and urged him, that his soul was vexed unto death. And he told her all his heart, and said unto her, It is because of my vow. There hath not come a razor upon my head ; for I have been a Nazirite unto God from my birth; but if I break my vow and be shaven, then will my strength go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man.
And when Delilah saw that Samson had told her all his heart, she sent and called for the Phil- istines, saying. Come up this once, for he hath told me all his heart. Then the Philistines came up unto her, and brought the money in their band. And when she had caused Samson to sleep, she called for the men, and shaved off the seven locks of his head. Then she began to afflict him, and said, The Philistines are upon thee, Samson! And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times, and shake myself free. But he wist not that his strength had left him, and that the Spirit of the Lord was departed from him. And the Phil- istines laid hold on him, and brought him down to Gaza; and Samson did grind in the prison- house.
THE FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL
I SAMUEL II, III
Now Samuel began to minister unto the Lord before Eli the priest, 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 the child Samuel grew on, and increased in favour.
Now the word of the Lord was rare in those days ; there was no frequent vision. And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place, and Samuel was laid down to sleep, in the temple of the Lord, that the Lord called Samuel. Howbeit Samuel did not know the Lord, neither was the word of the Lord vet re- vealed unto him. And he ran unto Eli, and said. Here am I; for thou calledst me. And Eli said, I called not; lie down again. And he went and lay down. And the Lord called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I ; for thou didst call me. And he answered, I called not, my son ; lie down again. And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said. Here am I; for thou didst call me! And Eli perceived that the Lord had called the child. Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down; and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt
64
I SAMUEL 65
say, Speak, Lord ; for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in his place. And the Lord came, and called as at other times, Sam- uel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered. Speak, Lord ; for thy servant heareth.
And Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the house of the Lord. Then Eli called Samuel, and said, Samuel, my son. And he answered, Here am I. And he said, What is the thing that the Lord hath spoken unto thee? And Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from him. And Eli said. It is the Lord ; let him do what seemeth him good.
And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him,
and did let none of his words fall to the ground.
And all Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba knew
that Samuel was established to be a prophet of
the Lord.
I SAMUEL IX, X, XI
There was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish; and he had a son, whose name was Saul, a young man and a goodly : yea, there wais not among the children of Israel a goodlier per- son than he. And the asses of 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 Saul passed through the hill- country of Ephraim, and passed through the land of Shalisha, 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.
66 I SAMUEL
And when they were come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant, Come, and let us re- turn, lest my father leave off caring for the asses, and be anxious for us. And the servant said unto him. Behold now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is a man that is held in honour; all that he saith cometh surely to pass: now let us go thither; peradventure he can tell us concerning our journey whereon we go. And Saul said to his servant. Well said; come, let us go. So they went unto the city where the man of God was.
And when they were come into the city, be- hold, Samuel, the man of God, came out against them, on his way to the high place. Now the Lord had told Samuel in his ear a day before, saying. To morrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be ruler over my people. When therefore Samuel saw Saul, the Lord said unto him, Behold, the man whom I spake to thee of ! this same shall reign over my people. Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said. Tell me, I pray thee, where the seer's bouse is. And Samuel answered Saul, and said, I am the seer. But as for thine asses that were lost three days ago, set not thy mind on them; for they are found. And on whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not on thee.? And Saul answered and said. Am not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? wherefore then speakest thou to me after this manner?
I SAMUEL' 67
And as they were going down to the end of the dty, Samuel said to Saul, Bid the servant pass on before us (and he passed on), but stand thou still awhile, that I may cause thee to hear the word of God, Then Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured it upon Saul's head, and said, Surely the Lord hath anointed thee to be captain over his inheritance. And thou shalt rule the people of the Lord, and shalt save them out of the hand of their adversaries. And thou shalt go on be- fore me; and I will come unto thee, and shew fhee what thou shalt do.
Then Samuel called the people together unto the Lord; but when they sought 'Saul, he could not be found. And it was told, Behold, he hath hid himself among the baggage. And they ran and fetched him thence; and when he stood among the people, he was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward. And Samuel said to all the people, See ye him whohi the Lord hath chosen, that there is none like him among all the people. So they made Saul king before the Lord; and all the men of Israel re- joiced greatly.
I SAMUEL X A< rr . "O -4.
Esekiel xxxvi
Now as Samuel and Saul were going down to the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Stand thou still awhile, that I may cause thee to hear the word of God. And Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured it upon Saul's head, and said, Surely the Lord hath anointed thee to be captain ovar
68 I SAMUEL
his inheritance. And thou, when thou art de- parted from me, shalt meet a band of prophets; and they will be prophesying: and the Spirit of the Lord shall come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man.
And it was so, that, when Saul had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart. And as he went on his way, 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? And they were all amazed.
ThuB was fulfilled the word of the Lord, say- ing:
A new heart will I give you. And a new spirit will I put within you: And I will take away the stony heart, And I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, That ye may fear me for ever.
*.* ^.* ri. V f s'
* I SAMUEL XV
And Samuel came unto Saul, and said to him^ Hearken thou unto the word of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt.
I SAMUEL 69
Now, therefore, go and punish Amalek ; but take heed that thou take from them no spoil, neither ox nor ass nor sheep nor camel. And Saul gathered the people together, and went and smote the Amalekites. But Saul and bis men took for themselves spoil, even the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs; but everything that was vile and re- fuse, that they took not.
And Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning. And Samuel came to Saul ; and Saul said unto him, Blessed be thou of the Lord: I have performed the commandment of the Lord. And Samuel said. What meaneth then this bleat- ing 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 took the best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God. And the Spirit of the Lord came upon Samuel, and he said:
The Lord loveth righteousness.
And hateth robbery for a burnt offering.
Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt
offerings and sacrifices. As in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice. And to hearken than the fat of many
beasts.
I SAMUEL XVI
Now the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit troubled him. And
70 I SAMUEL
Saul's servants said unto him, behold now an ev3 spirit troubleth thee. Let our lord therefore 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 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 an- swered one of the young men, and said. Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Beth-lehemite, that is skilful in playing, and a mighty man of valour, and withal a comely person; and the Lord is with him.
Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said. Send me David thy son, who is with the sheep. And Jesse took 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 Saul loved him greatly. And it came to pass, when the evil spirit was upon Saul, that David took the harp, and played with his hand: and the evil spirit departed from him; and Saul was refreshed, and was well.
I SAMUEL XVI Psalm Ixxvili
And the word of the Lord came unto Samuel, saying. Fill thine horn with oil, and go: I will send thee to Jesse the Beth-lehemite ; for I have provided me a king among his sons. Take therefore an heifer with thee, and go up to sac- rifice unto the Lord. And call Jesse to the
I SAMUEL 71
sacrifice, and I will shew thee what thou shalt do: and thou shalt anoint unto me him whom I name unto thee. And Samuel did that which the Lord spake, and came to Beth-lehem. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.
And it came to pass, when they were come, that Samuel looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the Lord's anointed is before me ! But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have rejected him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appear- ance, but the Lord looketh on the heart. Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass be- fore Samuel. And he said, Neither hath the* Lord chosen this. Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And he said, Neither hath the Lord chosen this. And Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, None of these hath the Lord chosen. And he said unto Jesse, Are here all thy sons.'' And he said. There remaineth yet the youngest ; but, behold, he is tending the sheep. And Sam- uel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him ; for we will not sit down till he come hither. And Jesse sent, and brought him in. And the Lord said to Samuel, Arise, anoint him; for this is he. Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed David in the midst of his brethren to be king over Israel ; even as it is written :
12 I SAMUEL
He chose David to be his servant,
And took him from the sheepfolds:
Yea, from following the sheep he brought
him; To be the shepherd of his people. That he might be their shepherd According to the integrity of his heart.
I SAMUEL XVII
Now there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Groliath, whose height was six cubits and a span. And he had an helmet of brass upon his head, and he was clad with 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, Choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me. If he be able to fight with me, and to prevail, then will we be your servants ; but if I prevail against him, then shall ye be our servants. And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, were sore afraid, and fled from him. But David said. Let no man's heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine.
And this word was brought to the ear of the king, and Saul sent for David, and said to him. Thou art not able to go alone against this
I SAMUEL 78
Philistine; for thou are but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth. So Saul clad David with his apparel, and he put an helmet of brass upon his head, and he clad him with a coat of mail, and girded his sword upon his apparel ; and David assayed to go. 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 shepherd's bag which he had; 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 the shield went before him. And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him; for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and withal of a fair countenance. And the Philistine cursed David. Then said David to the Philis- tine, Thou comest to me with sword, and with spear, and with javelin: 'but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts ; that all the earth may know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord's. And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh to meet David, that David hasted, and ran to meet the Philistine. And David put his hand into his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philis- tine 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
74 I SAMUEL
sling and a stone ; but there was no sword in the hand of David.
I SAMUEL XXIV
And it was told Saul, saying. Behold, David is in the wilderness of En-Gredi. 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 into the cave to refresh himself.
Now David and his men were hiding in the innermost parts of the cave. And the men of David said unto him, Behold, the day of which the Lord said unto thee, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. And Da- vid said unto his men. The Lord forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the Lord's anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him ! So David stayed his men with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. Howbeit David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul's robe privily. 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, Where- fore hearkenest thou to men's words, saying, Be- hold, David seeketh thy hurt? Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the Lord had de-
I SAMUEL 76
livered thee to day into mine hand in the cave: and some bade me kill thee ; but mine eye spared thee ; and I said, I will not put forth mine hand against my lord. 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 mine hand, and I have not sinned against thee, though thou huntest after my life to take it. The Lord judge be- tween me and thee; but mine hand shall not be upon thee.
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 rewarded unto me good, where- as I have rewarded unto thee evil. And thou hast shewed this day how that thou hast dealt well with me, forasmuch as when the Lord had delivered me into thine hand, thou killedst me not. For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away? wherefore the Lord reward thee good for that which thou hast done unto me this day.
THE SECOND BOOK OF SAMUEL
II SAMUEL I
Now It came to pass as David abode in the city, 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 unto David, that he fell to the earth and did obeisance. And David said unto him. From whence comest thou? And he said. Out of the camp of Israel. And David said unto him. How went the matter? I pray thee, tell me. And he answered. Many of the people are fallen in the battle; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also. 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 the Lord; because they were fallen by the sword.
And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son :
Thy glory, O Israel, is slain upon thine 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. And the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.
76
n SAMUEL 77
Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew,
Nor rain upon you, O ye fields of death !
For there was the shield of the mighty vilely
cast away. The shield of Saul, as of one 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 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 ;
weep and say, How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the
battle !
0 Jonathan, slain upon thine high places !
1 am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan! Very pleasant hast thou been unto me:
Thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of woman.
How are the mighty fallen.
And the weapons of war perished !
78 II SAMUEL
, / ,/ > II SAMUEL II
i Psalm xlvi. Hosea i. Zechariah ix
r, . . * Now it came to pass in those days, that Joab
and his men pursued after Abner ; and the bat- tle was very sore. And when the sun went dawn the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together after Abner, and became one band, and stood on the top of a hill. Then Abner called to Joab, and said. Shall the sword devour for ever? kriowest thou not that it will be bitterness in the latter end? how long shall it be then, ere thou bid the people return from pursuing their brethren ? And Joab said, As God liveth, tlie people shall no more pursue every man his brother ! So Joab blew the trumpet ; and all the people stood still, and pursued after them no more, neither fought they any more.
Thus they fled away that day from the battle, from the drawn sword, and from the bent bow, and from the grievousness of war; even as it is written :
I will have mercy upon them.
And will save them by the Lord their God ;
And will not save them by bow.
Nor by sword nor by battle,
By horses nor by horsemen.
But I will make war to cease ;
And I will break the bow, and cut the spear
in sunder; And burn the chariots in the fire. And the battle bow shall be cut off; And I will speak peace unto the nations.
n SAMUEL 79
II SAMUEL XII
Now the child of David was very sick. Da- vid therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in 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. 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 would not hearken 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 whispering to- gether, he perceived that the child was dead; and he said unto his servants. Is the child dead? And they said. He is dead. Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed him- self, and changed his apparel ; and he came into the house of the Lord, and worshipped: then he came to his own house ; and when they set bread before him, he did eat.
Then said his servants unto David, What thing is this that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, while he was alive; but when the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread! And David said. While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept; for I said. Who knoweth whether the Lord will be gracious to me, that the child may live? But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him
80 II SAMUEL
back again? He will not return to me, but I shall go to him.
II SAMUEL XIV, XVIII, XIX
Now the battle was sore that day : and David was sitting between the two gates of the city; and the watchman went up to the roof of the gate unto the walls, 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. And the watchman saw another man running; and the watchman called unto the porter, and said, Behold, another man running alone. And the king said. He also bringeth tidings. And the watchman said. Me thinketh 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 came, and bowed himself be- fore the king with his face to the earth. And the king said. Is it well with the young man Absalom? And Ahimaaz answered, 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 other messenger came; and he said, Tidings for my lord the king! And the king said unto him, Is it well with the young man Absalom? And he answered. The enemies of my lord the king, and all that rise up against thee to do thee hurt, be as that young man is !
II SAMUEL 81
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 thee,
O Absalom, my son, my son !
And the victory that day was turned into
mourning unto all the people; for the people
heard say how the king was grieved for his son.
And the king covered his face, and the king
cried with a loud voice, O my son Absalom, O
Absalom, my son, my son! For in all the land
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.
II SAMUEL XXIV
(I Chronicles xxi)
Psalm xxxiil. Isaiah xxxl. Jeremiah xvii. Zechariah iv
Now the heart of David was stirred up that he should number Israel. And the king said to Joab the captain of the host. Go now to and fro through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, and number ye the people, that I may know the sum of them, and their strength. And Joab said unto the king. The Lord make his people an hundred times as many as they are: but, my lord the king, are they not all the king's servants? why doth my lord the king delight in this thing? Nevertheless the king's word prevailed against Joab. Where- fore Joab went out from the presence of the king, to number the people. And at the end of nine months and twenty days Joab returned,
88 n SAMUEL
and gave the sum of the numbering of the peo- ple unto David.
And David's heart smote him after that he had numbered the people. And David prayed unto the Lord, and said, I have sinned greatly in that which I have done : but now, O Lord, put away, I beseech thee, the iniquity of thy servant ; for I have done very foolishly.
For thus it is written :
Cursed is the man that trusteth in man. And maketh flesh his arm. And whose heart departeth from the Lord. Woe to them that trust in chariots because they
are many, And in horsemen because they are very strong ! For there is no king saved by the multitude of
an host, Neither is a mighty man delivered by great
strength. For it is not by might, nor by an army, But by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.
II SAMUEL XXIII, XXIV (I Chronicles xxi)
Now it came to pass in those days, that three of the thirty chief men went down, and came to David in the harvest time unto the cave of Adullam; and the troop of the Philistines was encamped in the valley of Rephaim. And Da- vid was then in the stronghold ; and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Beth-lehem. And David longed, and said. Oh that one would give
II SAMUEL 8S
me water to drink of the well of Beth-lehem, which is by the gate! And when they heard this saying, the three mighty men brake through the camp of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Beth-lehon, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David. But he would not drink thereof; for he said. Be it far from me, 0 Lord, that I should do this! shall I drink the blood of the men that went in jeop- ardy of their lives ? Therefore David would not drink it ; but poured it out unto the Lord. QLcT'^y* ^^'
And it came to pass on a day, that David went up to rear an altar unto the Lord in the thresh- ing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite. Now Arau- nah was threshing wheat. And as David came to Araimah, Araunah looked forth and saw the king and his servants coming on toward him: and Araunah went out, and bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground. And he said. Wherefore is my lord the king come to his servant? And David said. To buy the thresh- ing-floor of thee, to build thereon an altar unto the Lord. And Araunah said unto David, Take it thee, and let my lord the king do that which is good in his eyes : lo, I give thee the oxen for burnt offerings, and the threshing instruments and the furniture of the oxen for the wood, and the wheat for the meal offering: all this, my lord, doth Araunah freely give unto the king. And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will verily buy it of thee for the full price: for what is thine I will not take for the Lord, neither will I offer unto the Lord my God burnt offer-
84 II SAMUEL
ings which cost me nothing! So David bought the threshing-floor and the oxen for six hun- dred shekels of gold.
These things did David; being therefore, as it is written, A man after God's own heart.
THE FIRST BOOK OF THE KINGS
I KINGS II '
I Chronicles xxvlll
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 shew thyself a man. Keep thou the charge of the Lord thy Grod, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou tumest thyself. 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 the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts. If thou seek him, he will be found of thee ; but if thou forsake him, it shall turn to thine hurt. And now, O Lord, give unto Solomon my son a per- fect heart, to keep thy commandments, and to do all these things, for ever.
I KINGS III {
(I Chronicles i)
The Lord appeared unto Solomon in a dream by night; and Grod said, Ask what I shall give thee? And Solomon said, Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my father great mercy,
85
86 I KINGS
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 kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day. And now, 0 Lord 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 peo- ple which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude. Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people^ that I may discern between good and evil ; for who is able to judge this thy great people?
And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solo- mon 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 words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart. ^ And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, even riches and honour. And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then will I also lengthen thy days.
And Solomon awoke: and he came to Jerusa- lem, and stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and worshipped.
I KINGS 87
I KINGS VIII, IX (II Chronicles vi, vii)
And it came to pass, when Solomon had fin- ished the building of the house of the Lord, that he assembled all the congregation of the chil- dren of Israel. And Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord, in the presence of all the assembly, and spread forth his hands toward heaven, and said:
The Lord hath said that he would dwell in the thick darkness. I have surely built thee an house of habitation, a place for thee to dwell in for ever. But will God in very deed dwell on the earth? Behold, the 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 Lord my God, to hearken unto the cry and to the prayer which thy servant prayeth before thee this day; that thine eyes may be open toward this house night and day; to hearken unto the prayer which thy servant shall pray toward this place. And hearken thou to the supplication of thy servant, and of thy people, when they shall pray toward this place: yea, hear thou in heaven thy dwelling-place ; and when thou hearest, forgive.
Moreover concerning the stranger, when he shall come out of a far country for thy name's sake (for they shall hear of thy great name, and of thy mighty hand, and of thine out- stretched arm); when he shall come and pray
88 I KINGS
toward this house; hear thou in heaven thy dwelling-place, and do according to all his â– prayer; that all the peoples of the earth may know thy name, to fear thee, and that they may know that this house is called by thy name.
If a man sin against his neighbour, and he come and pray before thine altar in this house; then hear thou in heaven thy dwelling-place, and do, and judge thy servants, reproving the wicked, and justifying the righteous, to give him according to his righteousness.
If they sin against thee (for there is no man that sinneth not), and if they shall bethink themselves, 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, and pray unto thee : then hear thou their prayer and their supplication in heaven thy dwelling-place; and when thou hearest, for- give.
What prayer and supplication soever be made by any man, or by all thy people, who shall know every man the plague of his own heart, and spread forth his hands toward this house: then hear thou in heaven thy dwelling-place, and forgive, and do, and render unto every man according to all his ways, whose heart thou knowest; (for thou, even thou only, knowest the hearts of all the children of men ; ) that they may fear thee all the days of their life.
And it was so, that, when Solomon had made an end of praying all this prayer and supplica- tion, the word of the Lord came to him, saying.
I KINGS 89
I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication, that thou hast made before me. If now thou wilt walk before me with integrity of heart and. in uprightness, even thou and this people, then will I hallow this house, which thou hast built, to put my name there for ever; and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually. But if ye shall at all turn from following me, ye or your children, then shall this congregation be a proverb and a byword among all people; and at this house, though it is so high, every one that passeth by it shall be astonished, and shall hiss. Howbeit, if thou wilt walk in my stat- utes, thou and this people, and execute my judg- ments, and keep all my commandments to walk in them ; then shall this house be hallowed, and I will dwell among this people. / ^ iT* ' >
I KINGS XVIII
Then Ahab sent and gathered together the prophets of Baal unto mount Carmel. And £lijah came near unto all the people, and said. How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him ; but if Baal, then fol- low him. And the people answered him not a word. Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, am left a prophet of the Lord; but BaaPs 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
90 I KINGS
under. And call ye on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the Lord : 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 morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that an- swered. 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 sleep- eth and must be awaked ! And they cried aloud, and cut themselves 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 offer- ing of the evening sacrifice ; but there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that re- garded.
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 the Lord that was thrown down; and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two meas- ures of seed. And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid it on the
I KINGS 91
wood. And he said, Fill four jars with water, and pour it on the burnt offering, and on the 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 the trench also he filled with water. And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, O Lord, the God of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God. Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that thou, O Lord, art God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again. Then the fire t^' of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt offer-f ing, 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. The Lord, he is God ! the Lord, he is God!
I KINGS XIX
Then Elijah arose, and went for his life, and came to Beer-sheba, and left his servant there. But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juni- per-tree: and he requested for himself that he might die, and said. It is enough! now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers. And he lay and slept under the juniper-tree fand, behold, an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat. And he looked, and, behold, there was at his head a cake
92 I KINGS
baken on hot stones, and a cruse of water. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again. And the angel of the Lord came again the sec- ond 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 meat 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 the Lord came to him, and said iinto him. What doest thou here, Elijah? And he said, I have been very jealous for the Lord, 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 the Lord said. Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before him; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake : and after the earthquake a fire ; but the Lord 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 the Lord, the God of hosts; for the children of Israel have
I KINGS 98
forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine al- tars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. And the Lord said unto him. Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus. And Elisha the son of Shaphat shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy place. For the Lord seeth not as man seeth: for yet have I left me in Israel seven thousand men, whose knees have not bowed unto Baal, and whose mouths have not kissed him.
THE SECOND BOOK OF THE KINGS
II KINGS II
And it came to pass, when the Lord would take up Elijah into heaven, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. And Elijah said unto Elisha, Tarry here, I pray thee; for the Lord hath sent me as far as Beth-el. But Elisha said unto him. As the Lord 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 the Lord will take away thy master from thee to day? And he said. Yea, I know it. And Elijah said unto him, Elisha, Tarry here, I pray thee; for the Lord hath sent me to Jericho. But he said. As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee ! So they came to Jericho. And the sons of the prophets that were at Jericho came to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Lord will take away thy master from thee to day? And he answered. Yea, I know it. And Elijah said unto him. Tarry, I pray thee, here; for the Lord hath sent me to the Jordan. But he said. As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee ! And they two went on, even to the Jordan.
And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall
94
II KINGS 96
do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double por- tion of thy spirit be upon me. And he said» Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee. And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder. And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father ! my father ! the chariot of Israel and the horseman thereof! And he saw him no more.
II KINGS V
Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honourable : he was also a mighty man of valour, but he was a leper. And the Syrians 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 lep- rosy. And one went in, and told the king, say- ing. Thus and thus said the maiden that is of the land of Israel. And the king of Syria said to Naaman, Go now, and I will send thee unto him. And he departed, and took with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiment.
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
96 II KINGS
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. Behold, I thought. He himself will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place, and recover the leper! Are not Abanah and Phar- par, 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. Then came his servants 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! Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of Grod ; and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.
II KINGS VI
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 Elisha 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 troubled for this thing; and he
II KINGS 97
called his servants, and said unto them, Will ye not shew 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 of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy bedchamber. And the king 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.
Now when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host with horses and chariots was round about the city. And the servant said unto Elisha, Alas, my master ! how shall we do ? And the man of God answered. Fear not; for they that are with us are more than they that are with them. And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord 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.
THE FIRST BOOK OF THE CHRONICLES
I CHRONICLES XXIX II Samuel vii. Psalm cxxxii
Now it came to pass when David dwelt in his own house, that the king spake unto all the peo- ple, saying, Lo, I dwell in an house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of the Lord dwelleth still within curtains. Therefore I will not come into my house, nor go up into my bed;. I will not suffer mine eyes to sleep, nor mine eyelids to slumber, until I find out a place for the Lord, even a dwelling-place for the Most High. And now because I have set my affection on the house of my God, I have provided for all manner of work to be made by the hands of artificers. Who then is willing this day to consecrate his service unto the Lord?
Then the people offered willingly; and they gave for the house of God gold and silver in abundance. And they with whom precious stones were found gave them to the treasure of the house of the Lord. And the people re- joiced, for that with a perfect heart they of- fered willingly. Wherefore David blessed the Lord before all the assembly ; and he said :
Blessed be thou, O Lord, the Grod of our fath- ers, for ever and ever. Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in
98
J CHRONICLES 99
the heavens and In the earth is thine. Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou rulest over all ; in thine hand is power and might ; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all.
Now therefore, our Gods we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name. But who am I, and what is this people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, yea, of thine own have we given thee. O Lord our God, all this store that we have prepared to build thee an house for thine holy name cometh of thine hand, and is all thine own. I know also, my God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness. And now have I seen with joy thy people, that are present here, offer willingly unto thee.
Vo/* \\ I
THE BOOK OF NEHEMIAH
NEHEMIAH II, IV, VI
Now it came to pass, after that I was come to Jerusalem, that I arose in the night, I and some few men with me ; and I went out by night and viewed the walls of the city, which were broken down, and the gates whereof were con- sumed with fire. Then I went on to the foun- tain gate and the king's pool : but there was no place for the beast that was under me to pass. Then went I up in the night by the brook, and viewed the wall ; and I turned back, and entered by the valley gate, and so returned. And none knew whither I went, or what I did ; neither told I any man what my God had put into my heart to do.
Then called I the people, and said unto them. Ye see the evil case that we are in, how the city lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall, that we be no more a reproach. And I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. But some, when they heard that we pur- posed to build the wall, laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said. What are these feeble peo- ple doing ? will they fortify themselves ? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rub-
100
101
bish? Nevertheless we went all of us to the wall, every one unto his work; for the people had a mind to work.
Then I set in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, in the open places, I set there the people after their families. And I said un- to them, The work is great and large, and we are separated upon the wall, one far from an- other: in what place soever ye hear the sound of the trumpet, resort ye thither unto us. Like- wise at the same time said I unto the people, Let every one with his servant lodge within the city, that in the night they may be a watch, and may labour in the day. And neither I, nor my brethren, nor my servants, nor the men that followed me, none of us put off our clothes. So we wrought in the work, from the rising of the morning till the stars appeared.
So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty and two days. And it came to pass, that, when they that were round about us saw that the wall was builded, and that there was no breach left therein, they perceived that this work was wrought of God.
NEHEMIAH V
Now it came to pass, while we were building the wall of Jerusalem, that there arose a great cry of the people against their brethren, because of their burdensome exactions. For there were that said. We, our sons and our daughters, are Tnanj; yet have we nought to eat: let us get grain, tiiat we may eat and live. Some also
168 NEHEMIAH
there were that said, We are mortgaging our fields, and our vineyards, and our houses, be- cause of the dearth. There were also that said. We have borrowed money for the king's tribute upon our fields and our vineyards. Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our chil- dren as their children: and, lo, we are bring- ing into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants, and some of our daughters are brought into bondage already: neither is it in our power to help it ; for other men have our fields and our vineyards.
And I was much grieved when I heard their cry and these words. Then I consulted with myself; and afterward I called a great assem- bly. And I said unto them, We after out ability have redeemed our brethren, that were sold unto the nations; and would ye even sell your breth- ren, and should they be sold unto us? Then held they their peace, and found never a word. Also I said. The thing that ye do is not good, seeing that he that oppresseth his brother re- proacheth his Maker: ought ye not to walk ia the fear of our God? Now restore to this peo- ple, even this day, their fields, their vineyards, their olive-yards, and their houses, also the money, and the grain, the new wine, and the oil, that ye exact from them. Then said they, We will restore them, and will require nothing of them ; so will we do, even as thou sayest. Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they would do according to this promise.
NEHEMIAH 108
NEHEMIAH VIII
Then all the people gathered themselves to- gether as one man into the broad place that was before the water gate; and they spake unto £zra the scribe to bring the book of the law. And he brought the book before the assembly of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding. And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose. And he opened the book in the sight of all the people, and read therein from early morning until midday; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law. And he read in the book, in the law of God, dis- tinctly ; and he gave the sense, so that the peo- ple understood the reading.
And Ezra, said unto all the people. This day is holy unto the Lord your God ; mourn not, nor weep. (For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law. ) Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy unto the Lord: neither be ye grieved; for the joy of the Lord is your strength. And all the people went their way with gladness of heart, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them.
THE BOOK OF JOB
JOB I, II
There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and turned away his heart from evil. And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters. His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred cattle, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east.
Now it fell on a day when his sons and daugh- ters were feasting in their eldest brother's house, that there came a messenger unto Job, and said. The oxen were plowing, and the cattle feeding; and the Sabeans fell upon them, and took them away: yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword ; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. While he was yet speaking, there came another, and said. Fire is fallen from heaven, ancl hath burned up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them ; and I only am es- caped alone to tell thee. While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said. The Chaldeans made three bands, and made a raid upon the camels, and have taken them away, yea, and have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone
104
JOB 106
to tell thee. While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were feasting in their eldest brother's house; and, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead ; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
Then Job arose, and rent his robe, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped; and he said. Naked came I into the world, and naked shall I return hence: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord. And his wife said unto him. Dost thou still hold fast thine integrity.'^ renounce God, and die! But he said unto her. Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What! shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips, nor charge God foolishly.
JOB IV, V
Now a thing was secretly brought to me. And mine ear received a whisper thereof. In thoughts from the visions of the night. When deep sleep falleth on men. Fear came upon me, and trembling. Which made all my bones to shake. Then a spirit passed before my face; The hair of my flesh stood up. It stood still, but I could not discern the appear- ance thereof;
106 JOB
A form was before mine eyes:
There was silence, and I heard a voice, saying.
Shall mortal man be more just than God?
Shall a man be more pure than his Maker?
Behold, he putteth no trust in his servants;
And his angels he chargeth with folly:
How much more them that dwdl in houses of clay,
Whose foundation is in the dust!
But as for me, I would bow before the Almighty,
And unto God would I commit my cause ;
Who doeth great things and unsearchable,
Marvellous things without number:
Who setteth up on high those that are low.
And exalteth to safety those that mourn.
He disappointeth the devices of the crafty,
So that their hands cannot perform their enter- prise.
They meet with darkness in the daytime.
And grope at noonday as in the night.
But the meek he saveth from the sword of their mouth.
Even the needy from the hand of the mighty.
So the meek hath hope,
And iniquity stoppeth her mouth.
JOB V
Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: Therefore despise not thou the chastening of the
Almighty. For he maketh sore, and bindeth up ; He woundeth, and his hands make whole. He will deliver thee in six troubles;
'^^-M^. U^wv ^ JOB 107
Yea, in seven there shall no evil touch thee. In famine he shall redeem thee from death; And in war from the power of the sword. Thou shalt be hid from the scourge of the
tongue ; Neither shalt thou be afraid of destruction when
it cometh. At destruction and dearth thou shalt laugh ; Neither shalt thou be afraid of the beasts of the
earth. For thou shalt be in league with the stones of the
field; And the beasts of the field shall be at peace with
thee. And thou shalt know that thy tent is in peace ; And thou shalt visit thine habitation, and fail
not. Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age, Even as a shock of grain cometh in in its season* Lo this, we have searched it, so it is ; Hear it, and know thou it for thy good.
JOB IX, XI, xxm Aiu^ ^ o J 0.9 *^ ^' ^
Then spake Job, and said: ^^' j". '/;Vv.^'c ^7 Oh that I knew where I might find him! ^z. y^
^--^^Efcat I might come even to his seat! ^ ^
^/-^^^Behold, I go forward, but he is not there ; And backwardji but I cannot perceive him ; On the left hand, when he doth work, but I can- not behold him; He hideth himself on the right hand, that I can- not see him. £0, he goeth by me, and I see him not: He passeth on also, but I perceive him not.
108 JOB
Then answered Zophar, and said unto Job : Canst thou by searching find out God? Canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfec- tion? It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? Deeper than the abyss; what canst thou know? The measure thereof is longer than the earth, And broader than the sea. And though thou say, I behold him not; Yet are all thy ways before him. If thou set thine heart aright,
nd stretch out thine hands toward him; If iniquity be in thine hand, put it far away,
nd let not unrighteousness dwell in thy tents: Surely then shalt thou lift up thy face without
spot ; Yea, thou shalt be stedf ast, and shalt not fear. Then shall thy life be clearer than the noonday ; Though there be darkness, it shall be as the
morning. And because there is hope, thou shalt be secure ; Yea, thou shalt look about thee, and shalt take > *. thy rest in safety ;
^ ^ Thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee
afraid.
. I>^ • ' <i JOB XIV, XVI, XIX Psalms xvi, Ixxi, Ixxiii
If a man die, shall he live again?
Oh that thou wouldest appoint me a set time^
and remember me! All the days of my warfare would I wait.
Till my release should come.
.5
/*
V
JOB 109
Thou wouldest call, and I would answer thee: Thou wouldest have a desire to the work of thine
hands. £ven now, behold, my witness is in heaven, |id he that voucheth for me is on high, or I know that my Redeemer liveth, nd at last he will stand up above the earth: And after my skin, even this body, is destroyed. Then without my flesh shall I see God ; Whom I, even I, shall see for myself. And mine eyes shall behold, and not as a stran- ger.
Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory re- joiceth:
My flesh also shall dwell in hope.
For thou wilt not leave my soul in the grave;
Neither wilt thou suffer thy beloved one to see corruption.
Thou, who hast shewed me many and sore trou- bles.
Wilt quicken me again.
And wilt bring me up from the depths of the earth.
Thou wilt increase my greatness.
And comfort me on every side.
Thou wilt guide me with thy counsel,
And afterward receive me with glory.
JOB XX, XXI 7^'^^ / r / O -
Then spake Job, and said: ^/(^y^'
Wherefore do the wicked live. Become old, yea, wax mighty in power?
110 JOB
Their children also are established in their sight.
And their offspring before their eyes.
Their houses are safe from fear,
Neither is the rod of God upon them.
They spend their days in prosperity,
And go to their graves in peace.
Nevertheless they said unto God, Depart from
us; For we desire not the knowledge of thy ways. What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? And what profit should we have, if we pray ua-
to him?
Then answered Zophar, and said: Knowest thou not this of old time. Since man was placed upcm earth], That the triumphing of the wicked is short. And the joy of the ungodly but for a moment? Though his height mount up to the heavens, And his head reach unto the clouds; Yet shall his pride pass away as vapour, And flee away as a vision of the night. At the last his children shall beg favour of the
righteous. And unto thqir hands shall his goods be
stored. Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth. Though he hide it under his* tongue. Though he spare it, and will not let it go, But keep it still within his mouth; Yet shall it be turned to poison within him, ^^.,,,^11^1 become even aa the gall of asps. If he have swallowed down riches.
JOB 111
So also shall he vomit them up again.
Because he knew no quietness within him»
He shall not save aught of that wherein he de*
lighteth. ^^Piere was nothing left that he devoured not ; ^ Therefore his prosperity shall not endure.
In the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in
straits: ' The hand of every one that is in misery shall
come upon him. The heavens shall reveal his iniquity, And the earth shall rise up against him. £ven this is the portion of a wicked man. And the heritage appointed unto him by God.
JOB XXII
Then answered Eliphaz, and said: Is not God in the height of heaven? And behold the vault of the stars, how high it
is! And thou sayest, What doth God know? Can he judge through the thick darkness? Wilt thou keep the old way Which wicked men have ever trodden? Who said unto God, Depart from us; And, What can the Almighty do unto us?
Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: Thereby good shall come unto thee. Receive, I pray thee, instruction from his mouth, And lay up his words in thine heart. If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up,
11» JOB
If thou put away unrighteousness far from thee.
And lay thou thy treasure in the dust,
And the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks ;
And the Almighty shall be thy treasure,
More than precious silver unto thee.
For then shalt thou delight thyself in the Al- mighty,
And shalt lift up thy face unto God.
Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he will hear thee;
And thou shalt pay thy vows.
Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee ;
And light shall shine upon thy ways.
Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace.
JOB XXIV, XXXIV, XXXV, XXXVII
Then spake Job, and said: Why are not judgment-times appointed by the
Almighty? And why do not they that know him behold his
judgments? For there are that remove the landmarks ; They violently take away flocks, and pasture
them. They drive away the cattle of the fatherless ; They take the widow's ox for a pledge. They turn the needy out of the way: The poor of the earth all hide themselves. All the night they lie naked without clothing^^ And have no covering in the cold.
JOB lis
They are drenched with the rains of the moun- tains,
And for want of shelter hide in the clefts of the rocks.
There are that pluck the fatherless from the breast,
And take in pledge the little that the poor hath.
These are of them that rebel against the light;
They know not the ways thereof,
Nor abide in the paths thereof.
The murderer riseth with the light;
He killeth the poor and needy.
From out of the populous city men groan,
And the soul of the wounded crieth out:
Yet God regardeth not !
Then answered Elihu, and said:
Far be it from God, that he should do wicked- ness,
And from the Almighty, that he should commit iniquity !
For the work of a man shall he render unto him.
And cause every one to find according to his ways.
For his eyes follow all the ways of man.
And he beholdeth all his goings.
There is no darkness nor thick gloom.
Where the workers of iniquity may hide them- selves.
Yea, of a surety, God will not do wickedly.
Neither will the Almighty pervert justice.
How could one that hateth justice order the world?
114 JOB
But shall the government of God be according
to thy mind? Shall his recompense be as thou wilt, that thou
dost refuse it? Is it meet to say, My righteousness is more than
God's? Look unto the heavens, and see; And behold the skies which are higher than thou. But now, because God doeth not according to thy
mind, Sayest thou, He careth nothing for transgress
sion? And now, because God doth not visit in his an- ger, Shalt thou say, He regardeth not arrogance? He is excellent in power and in majesty: And to justice and plenteous xighteousness he
doeth no violence. Men do therefore trust in him: But he regardeth not any that are wise in their
own eyes.
^ j ^ JOB xxvm
V Surely there is a vein for silver.
And a place for gold which they refine. Iron is taken out of the ground. And copper is molten out of the stone. Man setteth an end to darkness, And searcheth out, to the furthest bound. The stones that lie hid in darkness and the shad- ow of death. Far from the abode of man he breaketh open it shaft,
JOB 115
Whither they lower themselves, and swing to and
fro, In a region forgotten of every foot. As for ihe earth, out of it cometh bread ; And underneath Jt is turned up as it were by
fire. /
The stones thereof are the place of sapphires, .And it hath dust of gold. "That path no bird of prey knoweth, Neither hath the falcon's eye beheld it: The proud beasts have not trodden it, naNot hath the 6crce lion passed thereby. ^o man putteth forth his hand upon the flinty
rock; He overtumeth tihe mountains by the roots. He cutteth out channels among the rocks; And his eye 4seeth every precious thing. He bindeth the streams that they overflow not; And the thing that is hid bringeth he forth to
light. I
But w]8d<Hn, where shall that be found?
And where is the place of understanding?
Man knoweth not the »cipe thereof;
Neither is it found inule land of the living.
The deep saith, It is not in me;
And the sea saith, It is not with me.
Destruction and Death say,
We have heard but the whisper thereof with our
ears. It cannot be gotten for gold. Neither shall silver be weighed for the price
thereof.
^ -^ ^
116 JOB
It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, With the precious onyx or the sapphire. Gold and cr3'stal cannot equal it. Neither shall it be exchanged for jewels of 6ne
gold. No mention shall be made of corals or of pearls : Yea, the price of wisdom Is above rubies. The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, Neither shall it be valued with pure gold.
Whence then cometh wisdom? And where is the place of understanding? Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living. And kept close from the birds of the heavens. Xlod understandeth the way thereof, And he knoweth the place thereof. For Ee looketh to the ends of the earth. And seeth under the whole heaven. When he made a weight for the wind. And meted out the waters by measure; When he made a decree for the rain. And a way for the lightning of the thunder ; Then did he see it, and declare it; He established it, yea, and searched it out. ^And unto man he said:
Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom ; And to depart from evil is understanding.
JOB XXIII, XXIX, XXXI
When the ear heard me, then it blessed me: And when the eye saw me, it gave witness unto
me: Because I delivered the poor that cried^
JOB 117
The fatherless also, and him that had none to
help. The blessing of him that was ready to perish
came upon me^ . And I caused the widow's heart to sing for ^oy. I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: Justice was to me as a robe and a diadem. I was eyes to the blind, And feet was I to the lame. I was a father to the needy: And the cause of him that I knew not I search^
out. The unrighteous I reproved, And plucked the prey out of his hand. Unto me men gave efar, and waited. And kept silence for my counsel : They waited for me as for the rain, Yea, as for the latter rain; And my speech distilled upon them. I smiled on them, when they haid no confidence; And the light of my countenance upheld man^. I chose out their way, and sat among them. As one that comf orteth them that mourik. -i#/l)oth not God behold my ways. And number all my steps? Surely he knoweth the way that I take! 1 When he hath tried me, I sbaB come fbrth as
gold
JOB XXIII, XXXI
Then spake Job and said:
If I have walked with vanity. And my foot hath hasted to deceit
118 JOB
(Let me be weighed in an even balance,
That Grod may know mine integrity) ;
If my step hath turned out of the way,
And mine heart walked after mine eyes,
And if any spot hath cleaved to mine hands :
Then let me sow, and let another eat ;
Yea, let the produce of my field be rooted up!
If I have despised the cause of my man-servant or of my maid-servant,
When they contended with me;
What then shall I do when God calleth to ac- count ?
And when he visiteth, what shall I answer him?
Did not he that created me make him also?
And did not the selfsame fashion us both?
If I have withheld the poor from their desire.
Or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail.
Or have eaten my morsel alone,
And the fatherless hath not eaten thereof;
If I have seen any perishing for want of cloth- ing.
Or that the needy had no covering;
If his heart hath not blessed me.
And if he hath not been warmed with the fleece of my sheep;
If I have lifted up mine hand against the father- less,
Because I saw my help in the gate:
Then let my shoulder fall from the shoulder- blade.
And mine arm be broken from the bone!
JOB 119
If I have made gold my hope,
And have said to the fine gold, Thou art my
confidence ; If I have rejoiced because my wealth was great, And because mine hand had gotten much: This also were an iniquity to be punished; For I should have denied the God that is above !
If I have rejoiced at the destruction of him that
hated me. Or lifted up myself when evil found him (Yea, I have not suffered my mouth to sin By asking his life with a curse) ; If the men of my tent have not said. Who can find one that hath not been filled with
his meat? (The sojourner hath not lodged in. the street; ^But I have opened my doors to the traveller) ; If like Adam I have covered my transgressions. By hiding mine iniquity in my bosom, Because I feared the great multitude. And the contempt of families terrified me, So that I kept silence, and went not out of the
door; If my land crieth out against me. And the furrows thereof weep together; If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money. Or have caused the owners thereof to lose their
life: Xet thistles grow instead of wheat, And cockle instead of barley!
Doth not God behold my ways, And number all my steps?
120 JOB
My foot hath held fast to his steps ;
His way have I kept, and turned not aside.
I have not gone back from the commandment of
his lips; I have treasured up the words of his mouth more
than my daily food. Surely he knoweth the way that I take! When he hath tried me, I shall come forth as
gold.
JOB XXXIII, XXXIV
Why dost thou strive against God,
Saying, He giveth not account of any of his matters ?
For there is a spirit in man.
And the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.
For God speaketh once.
Yea twice, though man regard it not.
In a dream, in a vision of the night,
When deep sleep falleth upon men,
In slumberings upon the bed;
Then God openeth the ears of men.
And sealeth their instruction.
That he may withdraw man from his evil pur- pose.
And remove pride far from him.
If then there be with him an interpreter.
To shew unto man what is right for him;
Then is God gracious unto him, and saith,
Deliver him from the path of evil;
For I have found a ransom.
Then shall his flesh be fresher than a child's;.
JOB 121
Yea, he retumeth to the days of his youth.
He prayeth also unto God, and is accepted ;
So that he beholdeth his face with joy :
And he restoreth unto man his righteousness.
He rejoiceth before men, and saith,
I have borne chastisement, I will offend no more:
That which I see not teacK thou me:
I have sinned, and perverted that niiiich was
right, And it profited me not: But now hath he redeemed my sold. And my life shall behold the light. Lo, all these things doth God work. Twice, yea thrice, with a man, To bring back his soul from the way of evil^ That he may be enlightened with the light of
life.
JOB XXXVIII, XL, XLII
Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said:
Who is this that darkeneth counsel By words without knowledge? Gird up thy loins like a man ; For I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.
Where wast thou when I laid the foundations
of the earth? Declare, if thou hast understanding. Who determined the measures thereof, if thou
knowest? Or who stretched the line upon it?
122 JOB
Whereupon were the foundations thereof
fastened? Or who laid the corner stone thereof, When the morning stars sang together, And all the sons of God shouted for joy?
Or who shut up the sea with doors.
When it brake forth, as if newly bom;
When I made clouds the garment thereof.
And thick darkness a swaddling-band for it,
And marked out for it my bound.
And set bars and doors.
And said. Hitherto shalt thou come, but no
further ; And here shall thy proud waves be stayed?
Hast thou commanded the morning since thy
days began. And caused the dayspring to know its place? Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea ? Or hast thou walked in the recesses of the deep? Have the portals of the grave been revealed
unto thee? Or hast thou seen the gates of the shadow of
death? Hast thou comprehended the earth in its
breadth? Declare, if thou knowest it all !
Where is the way to the dwelling place of
light? And as for darkness, where is the place there-
of,
JOB 1S3
That thou shouldest take it to the bound there-
of, And that thou shouldest discern the paths to
the house thereof? Doubtless thou knowest, for thou wast then bom. And the number of thy days is great !
Canst thou bind the clusters of the Pleiades,
Or loose the bands of Orion?
Canst thou lead forth the signs of the Zodiac
in their season? Or canst thou guide the Bear with her train? Knowest thou the ordinances of the heavens? Canst thou establish the dominion thereof in the
earth?
Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, That abundance of waters may cover thee? Canst thou send forth lightnings, that they
may go, And say unto thee, Here we are? Who put wisdom in the inward parts? Or who hath given understanding to the mind?
Gird up now thy loins like a man,
And declare unto me all these things.
Wilt thou even annul my judgment?
Wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be
justified? Deck thyself now with excellency and dignity; And array thyself with honour and majesty. Pour forth the overflowings of thine anger; And look upon every one that is proud, and
abase him.
124 JOB
Look on every one that is haughty, and bring
him low. Then will I also eonfess of thee, That thine own right hand can save thee!
Then Job answered the Lord, and said: I know that thou canst do all things, And that no purpose of thine can be restrained. Therefore have I uttered that which I underr
stood not. Things too wonderful for me, which I knew not. I had heard of thee by the hearing of the ear; But now mine eye seeth thee: Wherefore I humble myself, And repent in dust and ashes.
And it was so, after these things, that the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My heart is sore displeased with thee, and with thy two friends ; for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath. Now therefore, take unto you seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Jdb, he shall pray for you : for him will I accept, lest I deal with you after your folly: for ye have not spoken of me the thii)g that is right, as my servant Job hath. And the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends ; and he blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning.
THE PSALMS j^: H, ^ f
PSALM I
Blessed is the man
That walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly.
Nor standeth in the way of sinners.
Nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful :
But his delight is in the law of the Lord ;
And in his law doth he meditate day and night.
He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers
of water, That bringeth forth its fruit in its season; Whose leaf also doth not wither; And whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. The ungodly are not so: But are like the chaff which the wind driveth
away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the
judgment, Nor sinners in the congregation of the
righteous. For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous ; But the way of the ungodly shall perish.
PSALMS III. IV . >^ 2- 1 » /O
Many there be that say of my soul, Tliere is no help for him in God. But thou, O Lord, art a shield about me; My glory, and the lifter up of my head. I cry unto the Lord with my voice,
1«5
126 PSALMS
And he answereth me out of his holy hill.
I laid me down and slept ;
I awaked ; for the Lord sustained me.
Many there be that say,
Who will shew us any good?
Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance
upon us. Thou hast put gladness in my heart, More than they have.when their grain and their
new wine are increased. In peace will I both lay me down and sleep ; For thou. Lord, alone, makest me dwell in safety.
Stand in awe, and sin not:
Commune with thine own heart upon thy bed,
and be still. Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, And put thy trust in the Lord.
PSALM V
Give ear to my words, O Lord,
Consider my meditation.
Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God:
For unto thee do I pray.
My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord;
In the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.
For thou, O Lord, hast no pleasure in wicked- ness :
Neither shall evil dwell with thee.
PSALMS 127
But as for me, I will come into thy house in the
multitude of thy mercy: And in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy
"""â– ^ PSALM vm "-f^:""-
O Lord our God, "V^iJi^iLj '3 * *^ ' "^
How excellent is thy name in all the earth, ivy^^^' Who hast set thy glory upon the heavens ! Sjli. ^6 %
When I consider thy heavens, the work of thyj^fi^ i7t fC>^
The moon and the stars, which thou hast
ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him P C^nd the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him but little lower than
the angels, And crownest him with glory and honour. / Thou makest him to have dominion over the
works of thy hands ; Thou hast put all things under his feet: All sheep and oxen. Yea, and the beasts of the field. The birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea. Whatsoever passeth through the paths of the
seas. O Lord our God, How excellent is thy name in all the earth!
PSALM XV vW JOli^ lA>rd, who shall abide in thy tabeme||ble? Who shall dwell in thy holy hill? He that walketh uprightly, and worketh right- eousness,
128 PSALMS
And speaketh the truth in his heart; He that slandereth not with his tongue, Nor doeth evil to his friend, Nor taketh up a reproach against his neigh- I hour:
[In whose eyes a vile person is contemned, ^ut who honoureth Hiem that fear the Lord; He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth , not;
[He that putteth not out his money to usury, N^f or taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved. He shaB receive a blessing from the Lord, And righteousness from the God of his salva- iion»
PSALM. XVI
I will bless the Lord, who hath given me counsel ;
Yea, my heart instructeth me in the night sea- sons.
I have set the Lord always before me :
Because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
Tlierefore my heart is glad, and my glory re- joiceth:
My flesh also shall rest in hope.
For thou wilt not leave my soul in the grave ;
Neither wilt thou suffer thy beloved one to see corruption.
Thou wilt shew me the path of life: [n thy presence is fulness of joy ;
At thy right hand there are pleasures for ever- more.
PSALMS 129
PSALM XVII ^ft^Yt 1/
Attend unto my cry, O Lord,
Give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of
false lips. Let my sentence come forth from thy presence ; Let thine eyes see what is right. Prove my heart ; visit me in the night ; Try me, my thoughts shall not vary from my
speech. Hold up my steps in thy paths. That my feet slip not.
I call upon thee, for thou wilt hear me, O God: Incline thine ear unto me, and hear my words. Shew thy marvelous lovingkindness,
0 thou that savest by thy right hand them that
take refuge in thee.
Keep me as the apple of the eye ;
Hid? me UBd.r J^hadow of 4y wing..
As for me, I shall behold thy face in righteous- ness;
1 shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy like-
ness.
PSALM XVIII
The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my
deliverer ; My God, my rock, in whom I will take refuge. I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be
praised : So shall I be saved from mine enemies. The cords of death compassed me. And the floods of ungodliness made me afraid. In my distress I called upon the Lord,
ISO PSALMS
And cried unto my God:
He heard my voice out of his temple,
And my cry came before him into his ears.
He sent from on high, he took me;
He drew me out of many waters.
He brought me forth also into a large place;
He delivered me, because he delighted in me.
For all his ordinances were before me.
And I put not away his statutes from me.
Therefore hath the Lord recompensed me ac- cording to my righteousness,
According to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.
With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merci- ful;
With the upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright ;
With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure;
And with the froward thou wilt shew thyself f re- ward.
For thou wilt light my lamp:
Yea, the Lord my God will lighten my darkness*
As for God, his way is perfect:
The word of the Lord is tried ;
He is a shield unto all them that take refuge in him.
For who is God, save the Lord?
And who is a rock, besides our God?
It is God that girdeth me with strength,
And maketh my way perfect.
Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salva- tion;
PSALMS 181
Thy right hand hath holden me up, And thy gentleness hath made me great. The Lord Hveth ; and blessed be my rock ; And let the God of my salvation be exalted.
PSALM XIX ^^(^ ^l if^'l
The heavens declare the glory of God; ^npw*^"*^ ^^
And the firmament sheweth his handiwork.
Day unto day uttereth speech,
And night unto night sheweth knowledge.
Tliere is no speech nor language;
Their voice is not heard.
Their line is gone out through all the earth.
And their words to the ends of the world.
Li them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun,
Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his
chamber. And rejoiceth as a strong man to run his course. His going forth is from the end of the heavens, And his circuit unto the ends of it ; And there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.
The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the -^ J.
soul: >4r^0^r|
The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise ^. '^^ '*^ the simple.
The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart:
The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlight- ening the eyes.
The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever:
The judgments of the Lord are true, and right- ^
eous altogether.
132 PSALMS
More to be desired are they than gold^ yea, than
much fine gold; Sweeter also than honej and the droppings of
the honeycomb. Moreover by them is thy servant warned: ^In keeping them there is great reward. / Who can discern his errors?
Cleanse thou me from secret faults.
Keep back thy servant also f rmn presumptuous
sins; Xict them not have dominicm over me: ''Then shall I be upright. And I shall be innocent from great transgres-
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation
of my heart Be acceptable in thy sight,
0 Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.
PSALM XXIII
The Lord is my shepherd ; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures ;
He leadeth me beside still waters.
He restoreth my soul:
He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for
his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the
shadow of death,
1 will fear no evil ; for thou art with me ; Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. Thou anointest my head with oil ; My cup runneth over.
vV*
PSALMS 183
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all
the days of my life ; And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for
ever. ^^ ^
PSALM XXIV V
The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof;
The world, and they that dwell therein.
For he hath founded it upon the seas,
And established it upon the floods.
Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord?
And who shall stand in his holy place?
He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart;
Who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity,
Nor sworn deceitfully.
He shall receive a blessing from the Lord,
And righteousness from the God of his salvation*
This is the generation of them that seek him.
That seek thy face, O Jacob.
Lift up your heads, O ye gates !
And be ye lifted up, ye everlasting doors I
And the King of glory will come in.
Who is the King of glory?
The Lord strong and mighty.
The Lord mighty in battle.
Lift up your heads, O ye gates !
Yea, lift them up, ye everlasting doors!
And the King of glory will come in.
Who is this King of glory?
The Lord of hosts.
He is the King of glory.
4r.
1»4 PSALMS
Y*»jt
1
JltH PSALM XXVII
The Lord is my light and my salvation;
Whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the strength of my life;
Of whom shall I be afraid ?
Though an host should encamp against me,
My heart shall not fear:
Though war should rise against me.
Even then will I be confident. , > ji
H "\h^ hrr^l^ One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will
-^ ^^"^<^"^ I seek after; ^ -^\j_ That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all ^^*^ * the days of my life,
To behold the beauty of the Lord,
And to inquire in his temple.
For in the day of trouble he shall hide me in
his pavilion : In the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me. And I will ofi^er in his tabernacle sacrifices of
joy;
I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord.
PSALM XXX
Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of his. And give thaiiks at the remembrance of his holi- ness. For his anger is but for a moment; His favour is for life: Weeping may tarry for the night. But joy Cometh in the morning.
PSALMS 185
As for me, I said in my prosperity,
I shall never be moved.
Then when thou didst hide thv face,
I was troubled.
I cried to thee, O Lord ;
And unto the Lord I made supplication.
So hast thou turned for me my mourning into
dancing ; Thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me
with gladness ; To the end that I may sing praise to thee, and
may not be silent.
0 Lord my God, I will give thanks unto thee
for ever*
PSALM XXXII
Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,
Whose sin is covered.
Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth
not iniquity. And in whose spirit there is no guile.
1 acknowledged my sin unto thee. And mine iniquity did I not hide:
I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the
Lord; And thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Therefore let every one that is godly pray unto
thee In a time when thou mayest be found : Surely in the floods of great waters they shall
not come nigh unto him. Thou art my hiding place; thou wilt preserve
me from trouble;
186 PSALMS
With songs of deliverance wilt thou compass me
about, saying, I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way
which thou shalt go : I will guide thee with mine eye. Many sorrows shall be to the wicked ; But he that trusteth in the