INTRODUCTION

CONTENTS

PAGE

xvii

ERRATA

Page xv, Booklet VI. line 2: for Jeremiahan, read Jeremianic
Page xv, Poem of Nahum, title: for or, read on

Page xxxv, Introd. line 36 to the right: for prophets, read proph-
ecies

Page 25, Proverbs, Ref. to A. V.: for xxi, 17-xxiii; read xxii,
17-xxiii

Page 86, line 38 should be a blank space; verse intruded from 1.
54, below

Page 119, line 14: for eahweh, read Yahweh

Page 164, last line of note; for xvii, read xviii

Page 270, X. strophe 3, line 4: for give up, read, give thee up

Page 279, III. 4: for eaves, read leaves

Page 288, I. strophe 4, line 4: for plate, read gate

Page 312, Ref. to A. V. for Exordium: for iii, 1; iv, 28 read, iii,
1-iv, 28

Page 419, Append. A, II, b: for Aqila, read Aquila

CHAPTER I. TO THE DEATH OF JACOB

SECTION

I. The Creation of Man and the founding of nations

II. The origin of the Israelites

III. Their early life in Canaan

IV. How they came into Egypt

29

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

Necessity for a revision and re-arrangement of the Old

Testament. How the apparatus for revision was obtained.

Failure of early attempts at revision. Geographical posi-

tion of the nation, and foreign influence upon its liter-

ature. Analysis of the so-called "Historical Books." Their

four major writers, J, E, D, P. Character, purpose and set-

ing of J's work. His place in Hebrew Literature. Character

of E's work. Combination of the works of J and E by JE.

The Book of Deuteronomy, by D. When written and for

what purpose; the result. The scope of the Book of

Jeremiah.

Special difficulties in the revision of the "Books of the

Prophets." The work of the Masoretes. The formal char-

acteristics of Hebrew Poetry. Analysis of the book of

"Proverbs." Early folklore of the Israelites. Influence of

Assyrian Literature. The Golden Age of Hebrew Liter-

ature. The formation of the Book of Jeremiah.

PAGE

xvii

THE LITERATURE OF ISRAEL

DATE B.C.

PAGE

THE DECALOGUE, or THE TEN WORDS given by MOSES

FIRST COLLECTION OF PROVERBS (Prov. x-xv)

SECOND COLLECTION OF PROVERBS (Prov. xvi-xxii, 16)

Appendix (Prov. xxii, 17 - xxiv, 24)

THE HISTORY OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL

By the Judaic Author, J.

CHAPTER I. TO THE DEATH OF JACOB

SECTION

I.

The Creation of Man and the founding of nations

II. The origin of the Israelites

III. Their early life in Canaan

IV.

How they came into Egypt

c. 850

29

III.

IV.

The call of Moses to deliver his brethren

The journey to Sinai

The Feast of the Covenant and the Giving of the

Law

The last years of their wandering in the desert,
and their first conquests

I. Joshua leads the tribes across the Jordan; con-

quers Jericho and Ai

II. Joshua's conquests towards the North and assign-
ment of the tribal possessions

III.

The various tribes win their allotments and estab-

lish their tribal government

IV.

The last of the Warrior-Judges, and the first

aggressions of the Philistines

CHAPTER IV. THE KINGSHIP OF SAUL

(c. 1050 B.C.)

SECTION

I. The Israelites demand a king. Samuel the Seer

anoints Saul, son of Kish. Saul rescues Jabesh-

Gilead from the Ammonites

Saul,

II. Saul forfeits the kingship over all Israel. David

slays Goliath and routs the Philistines.

maddened by jealousy, pursues him

III. Saul is slain by the Philistines. David becomes

King of Judah and conquers Benjamin

I. David becomes King of the Twelve Tribes. Takes

Jerusalem and brings the Ark there. Expands

the Kingdom beyond the Jordan. His intrigue

with Bathsheba

II. Revolt of Absalom. David flees to Hebron. Absa-

lom is slain by Joab, General of the Army

III. David returns in triumph to Jerusalem. Regulates

the internal affairs of the Kingdom. His last

days

100

120

CHAPTER VI. THE REIGN OF SOLOMON. THE

SUCCESSION OF REHOBOAM AND THE DIVI-

SION OF THE KINGDOM

SECTION

He

I. The troubles attending Solomon's succession.

dreams that he is endowed with wisdom. He

contracts for the building of the Temple, and

dedicates it. (980-973)

II. Solomon's building enterprises.

His navy. His

The

son Rehoboam refuses to lower the Taxes.

Northern Tribes secede and form the Kingdom

of Israel, the Southern Tribes take the name

Kingdom of Judah. (c. 937 B.C.)

CHAPTER VII. THE REIGNS OF REHOBOAM,

ASA AND JEHOSHAPHAT IN JUDAH, AND OF

OMRI AND AHAB IN ISRAEL

SECTION

I. The apostasy of Rehoboam and his son Abijah.

The long and righteous rule of Asa and his son

Jehoshaphat. In Israel, Omri usurps the throne

and builds Samaria. His son Ahab succeeds

him. (913-819 B.C.)

II. Benhadad of Aram (Syria) wars against Israel.

Jehoshaphat of Judah joins forces with Ahab.

Ahab is killed. His son Ahaziah succeeds him.

(885-854 B.C.)

158

I. OF ABRAHAM AND HIS SON ISAAC
II. OF ESAU AND JACOB, Twin Sons of ISAAC
III. OF JOSEPH, and HIS CAREER in EGYPT
IV. OF MOSES, the Liberator of his PEOPLE
V. OF JOSHUA, who Led Israel into CANAAN
VI. OF DEBORAH AND BARAK, who Conquered SISERA

VII. OF GIDEON, who Stopped the Raids of the MIDI-

169

172

176

184

199

203

VIII. OF ABIMELECH AND JOTHAM, Sons of GIDEON

IX. OF JEPHTHAH, who Conquered the AMMONITES

X. OF ELI THE PRIEST, and the Childhood of

206

207

SAMUEL

209