A Class-Book of Biblical History and Geography with numerous maps

=1. The first book= of the Bible, which is Genesis, begins with a history of the Creation. The words “In the beginning,” with which it opens, give us no chronological data by wh...

=1. In the earliest periods= of human history names, either for persons, places, or things, had meanings which were in some sense applicable to the person, place, or thing named...

=1. As the history proceeds= it becomes very plain that the descendants of Adam are selected with a purpose, which a general acquaintance with Scripture reveals. That purpose wa...

=1. Ten generations are given=, from Adam to the Flood, and the remarkably long lives of the Patriarchs have suggested to many the probability of error or misunderstanding. Some...

=1. The Scripture statement= of the occasion of the Flood is very brief. It is made plain, however, that the wickedness of men was so great that “_the earth was filled with viol...

=1.= Although =the tradition of the Flood= seems to have reached to almost every nation, it has been referred locally to some part of Western Asia, and particularly to that part...

=1.= (a) =Cush= was the first mentioned son. Dr. Franz Delitzsch has shown that the Assyrian monuments now prove that Cushites settled in the early ages of the world near the no...

=1. The descendants of Shem= are next given: (a) ELAM was north of the Persian Gulf and east of the Tigris; Shushan was its capital in later times. (b) ASSHUR was the origin of...

=1.= The next subject which is presented in the sacred text is =the confusion of tongues= at the building of the tower of Babel, Gen. 11:1‒10. In this passage of the Scripture h...

=1.= The promise that in his seed should all the nations of the earth be blessed renders the history of Abram one of great interest, especially as recent discoveries of the monu...

=1. Isaac=, as appears from sacred history, towards the close of his father’s life, dwelt in the “south country,” a term given to the large district far to the south of Hebron,...

=The recovery of the meaning= of the Egyptian hieroglyphics, and the many discoveries of monuments illustrating the early history and literature of that nation, have added great...

=1. How long after the death= of Joseph the Israelites remained in Goshen until they were enslaved has not as yet been determined. The account in the book of Exodus opens with t...

=1. It is necessary= that we should obtain a general knowledge of the country over which the Israelites were now to travel. The land of Goshen, where the great majority of the I...

=1. After the long residence= in the region of Kadesh the Israelites =took up their march= to Canaan. The generation now existing had been almost altogether born in the desert,...

=1. The capture of Jericho= was not the result of battle, but was due to the divine interference in behalf of the Israelites. Jericho was a strong city and well defended by stro...

=1. During the life of Joshua= and of the elders or officers who outlived their leader and were acquainted with the early history of the nation, the Israelites held to their obe...

=1. Soon after the death of Joshua= the conquest of the land was continued under the lead of the tribe of Judah. But the Israelites soon began to be affiliated with the inhabita...

=1. It should be remembered= that during these ages in all prominent nations =the office of scribe= or historian was a very important one, the existence of which was very genera...

In the transition from the era of the Judges to that of the Kings =there arose a man= whose earliest days had been passed in the precincts of the Tabernacle at Shiloh under the...

=1. Upon the death of Saul= and Jonathan the kingdom of Israel was ruled by =two kings=, David and the son of Saul, Ish-bosheth, whom Abner, the captain-general of Saul’s host,...

=1. Solomon after a reign of 40 years=[87] was succeeded by his son Rehoboam, who, through the adoption of evil counsel, brought on a great rebellion and division which resulted...

=1. Of the twenty sovereigns of Judah=, Manasseh reigned the longest, namely fifty-five years. He was the fourteenth king and began to reign at twelve years of age, B. C. 698.

The name “prophet” was originally given by God to Abraham, Gen. 20:7, and seemed to imply a familiarity with God, or that the one to whom it was applied had divine authority to...

=1. By the words= “the captivity” is generally meant the final captivity of Judah, which was the last of a series of captivities both of Israel and of Judah. As a knowledge of t...

=1. As a people=, the Jews of the northern kingdom never were so warmly attached to the Temple worship as those of the southern, and hence all the Psalms which alluded to Jerusa...

=1. In the first year of his reign=, B. C. 536, Cyrus issued a decree of liberty to the Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple, Ezra 1:2‒4.

=1. The word “Canon”= is a Greek word and means a “measure,” or “rule.” It was first used in the fourth century of the Christian era to designate the authorized books of the Bible.

=1. The first five books=, called the books of Moses, seem always to have existed in one roll, and these constituted “The Law,” and were the only Scriptures read in the synagogu...

=1. It will be remembered= that although under Cyrus the Jews were permitted full liberty to return to Palestine, not all the Jewish nation accepted the privilege. A very large...

=1. There never was a time= when the Jewish people exhibited such a humble and yet determined spirit of obedience to the Mosaic Law as when they returned from the Captivity. All...

One of the most important sources of Jewish pride was found in their =genealogical records=. The history of the return from captivity and of the renewed settlement in Palestine,...

=1. As soon as Jesus arrived at the age= of about thirty he left Nazareth, and probably passing down the valley of the Jordan, went on his way to Bethabara, John 1:28.

=1. As is generally supposed=, the first miracle, at Cana, was performed during the first year of our Lord’s public ministry. His attendance upon the first Passover at Jerusalem...

=1. Very recent discoveries= have led to the belief that this pool was not at the so-called Birket Israel on the left hand of the entrance through the gate of St. Stephen――the e...

=1.= Many =incidental circumstances= have led commentators to suppose that the third Passover transpired about this time. The following incidents are therefore attributed to him...

The first act of the apostles was to restore their number to twelve, made eleven by the apostasy of Judas. Two nominations were made of men who, like themselves, had been compan...

=1. It is a remarkable fact= that, although the apostles were so fully persuaded of the verity and power of the gospel, they had not yet learned the intent and universality of i...

=1.= A. D. 53. =A few days afterward=, Acts 15:36, Paul and Silas set out upon a second journey. The expressed object was to revisit the churches they had planted. Barnabas pref...

=1. After their arrival= at Rome, Paul was permitted to dwell by himself with a soldier who kept him and to whom he was bound with a chain, Acts 28:20. For two years Paul remain...

154 – The books are “Jasher,” Josh. 10:13; 2 Sam. 1:18; “The Acts of Solomon,” 1 Kings 11:41; “The Book of Nathan,” 1 Chron. 29:29; 2 Chron. 9:29; “The Prophecy of Ahijah, the S...