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OTHER BOOKS BY PROFESSOR ROGERS

THE RELIGION OF BABYLONIA AND ASSYRIA

CUNEIFORM PARALLELS TO THE OLD TESTAMENT

A HISTORY OF BABYLONIA AND ASSYRIA

THE RECOVERY OF THE ANCIENT ORIENT

GREAT CHARACTERS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT

A BOOK OF

OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

For Public Reading in Churches

A LECTIONARY

Edited '••

With Introduction and Notes ^<i^l^f-_^

By .
ROBERT WILLIAM ROGERS

Ph.D. (Leipzig), S.T.D., LL.D.

Hon. Litt.D., University of Dublin

Professor in Drew Theological Seminary

VOLUME II
INTRODUCTION AND NOTES

THE ABINGDON PRESS

NEW YORK CINCINNATI

Printed in the United States of America

CONTENTS

PAGE

Preface 7

Introduction 13

I. First Sunday in Advent. Jeremiah 31. 10-14, 27-34. 37

II. Second Sunday in Advent. Micah 4. 1-7; 5. 2-4. . . 39

III. Third Sunday IX Advent. Isaiah 40. 1-17, 27-30.. 41

IV. Fourth Sunday in Advent. Isaiah 10. 33 — 11. 9 and

12. 1-6 43

V. Christmas Day. Isaiah 7. 10-14; 9. 2-7 46

VI. First Sunday After Christmas. Isaiah 32. 1-5; 35.

1-10 49

VII. Second Sunday After Christmas. Isaiah 42. 1-16. 51

VIII. First Sunday After Epiphany. Isaiah 44. 6-23 ... 53

IX. Second Sunday After Epiphany. Isaiah 55. 1-13. 55

X. Third Sunday After Epiphany. Hosea 11.1 — 12. 6 57

XI. Fourth Sunday After Epiphany. Amos 8 59

XII. Fifth Sunday After Epiphany. Ezekiel 33. 1-20 . . 62

XIII. Sixth Sunday After Epiphany. Ezekiel 34. 1-16,

25-31 64

XIV. Septuagesima Sunday. Genesis 1. 1 — 2. 3 66

XV. Sexagesima Sunday. Genesis 3 68

XVI. QuiNQUAGESiMA SuNDAY. Genesis 6. 5-8, 13-22; 7.

23, 24; 9. 8-17 71

XVII. First Sunday in Lent. Jeremiah 8. 4-22; 9. 1 73

XVIII. Second Sunday in Lent, Genesis 22. 1-19 75

XIX. Third Sunday in Lent. Genesis 37. 3-12, 17-35 ... 77

XX. Fourth Sunday in Lent. Exodus 3. 1-15 79

XXI. Fifth Sunday in Lent. Exodus 33. 7-23 82

XXII. Palm Sunday. Zechariah 8. 14-23; 9. 9, 10 84

XXIII. Good Friday. Isaiah 52. 13—53. 12 86

XXIV. Easter Day. Exodus 12. 1-14 89

XXV. First Sunday After Easter. Isaiah 52. 1-12 91

XXVI. Second Sunday After Easter. Exodus 16. 2-15. . 93

XXVII. Third Sunday After Easter. Deuteronomy 4. 1-20. 95
XXVIII. Fourth Sunday After Easter. Deuteronomy 6.

4-25 97

XXIX. Fifth Sunday After Easter. Deuteronomy 8. 2-20. 99

XXX. Sunday After Ascension Day. Deuteronomy 30.. 101

XXXI. Whitsunday. Joel 2. 21-32 103

XXXII. Trinity Sunday. Isaiah 6. 1-13 105

XXXIII. First Sunday After Trinity, Joshua 1. 1-17 107

XXXIV. Second Sunday After Trinity, Judges 4. 1-16, 23. 109
XXXV. Third Sunday After Trinity, 1 Samuel 1. 1-5,

9-28 112

XXXVI. Fourth Sunday After Trinity. 1 Samuel 3. 1—4. 1, 114
XXXVII, Fifth Sunday After Trinity. 1 Samuel 17. 1-4,

8-11, 32-37, 40-54 115

XXXVIII, Sixth Sunday After Trinity, 2 Samuel 12. 1-23. . 117
XXXIX. Seventh Sunday After Trinity. 2 Samuel 18. 1-15,

24-33 119

XL. Eighth Sunday After Trinity. 1 Chronicles 29.

1-20 121

CONTENTS

XLI. Ninth Sunday After Trinity. 1 Kings 3. 4-15 .... 123
XLII. Tenth Sunday After Trinity. 1 Kings 6. 1, 38;

8. 12, 13, 22, 23, 27-40, 54-58 125

XLIII. Eleventh Sunday After Trinity. 1 Kings 10. 1-13. 128

XLIV. Twelfth Sunday After Trinity. 1 Kings 12 130

XLV. Thirteenth Sunday x\fter Trinity. 1 Kings 17. . . 132
XL VI. Fourteenth Sunday After Trinity. 1 Kings 18. 1,

2, 17-39 134

XL VII. Fifteenth Sunday After Trinity. 1 Kings 19. . . . 136

XLVIII. Sixteenth Sunday After Trinity. 2 Kings 5. 1-19. 139
XLIX. Seventeenth Sunday After Trinity. 2 Kings 6.

8-23 141

L. Eighteenth Sunday After Trinity. 2 Kings 22.

3-20 142

LI. Nineteenth Sunday After Trinity. Jeremiah 5.

1-6, 15-29 144

LII. Twentieth Sunday After Trinity. Jeremiah 7.

1-15 and 26. 7-16 146

LIII. Twenty-first Sunday After Trinity. Daniel 5 . . . 148
LIV. Twenty-second Sunday After Trinity. Proverbs

3. 1-20 151

LV. Twenty-third Sunday After Trinity. Proverbs 8.

1-21 153

LVI. Twenty-fourth Sunday After Trinity. Proverbs

31. 10-31 155

LVII. Twenty-fifth Sunday After Trinity. Job 5. 6-26. 157

LVIII. Twenty-sixth Sunday After Trinity. Job 28 ... . 159
LIX. Sunday Next Before Advent. Ecclesiastes 11. 1-4,

6-10; 12. 8, 13, 14 161

ALTERNATIVE LESSONS

PAGE

I. First Sunday in Advent. Isaiah 1. 1-20 167

II. Second Sunday in Advent. Isaiah 5. 1-20 169

III. Third Sunday in Advent. Isaiah 25. 1-9 171

IV. Fourth Sunday in Advent. Zechariah 2 173

VIII. First Sunday After Epiphany. Isaiah 51. 1-16.. . 175

X. Third Sunday After Epiphany. Hosea 14. 1-9.. . . 177

XIII. Sixth Sunday After Epiphany. Micah 6. 1-8 179

XVII. First Sunday in Lent. Genesis 18 181

XXIV. Easter Day. Ezekiel 37. 1-14 184

XXVII. Third Sunday After Easter. Isaiah 60 186

XXXI. Whitsunday. Exodus 34. 1-10, 29-35 188

XLIV. Twelfth Sunday After Trinity. Habakkuk 2.

1-14 190

XL VI. Fourteenth Sunday After Trinity. Amos 5. 4-24. 193
L. Eighteenth Sunday After Trinity. Jonah 3.

1—4. 11 195

LIII. Twenty-first Sunday After Trinity. Ezekiel 14. 198
LIV. Twenty-second Sunday After Trinity. Nehemiah

8. 1-12 200

LVI. Twenty-fourth Sunday After Trinity. Haggai 2.

1-9 202

PREFACE

The public reading of the Holy Scriptures has fallen
upon very sad days, in respect of the Old Testament, in
all churches which have no lectionary established and
commanded. The duties of a professorship, rather than
the care of a church, have for a third of a century carried
me on various errands of preaching, lecturing, attendance
upon committees or conventions into many Baptist, Con-
gregational, Methodist and Presbyterian churches. In
them all I have seldom found provision made for anything
like a regular reading of two lessons, one from the Old
and the other from the New Testament. In many a selec-
tion of the Psalter is read responsively, and then the New
Testament lesson, while the Law, the Prophets and the
Wise Men bring no word to common worship and instruc-
tion. If the preacher intends to preach from an Old Testa-
ment text, he may read the passage, or one related to it;
or if his text be from the New Testament, he may make
use of some Old Testament lesson which points toward
it or gives it some light or contrast. Apart from these or
other more or less related instances the reading of the Old
Testament in the ears of a worshiping congregation has
disappeared from among us, but for the few, here or there,
who love it and are deeply conscious that it has a living
message for to-day.

Wherever and whenever the Old Testament is read at
all the selection from it tends strongly, among these great
and powerful churches, toward the repetition of a few
favorite passages which run in a little round and very
largely in Isaiah. Beyond this the great deeps of the
divine story, or address of God to the souls of men, lie un-
explored, or but lightly traversed. So much is this true in

OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

my experience that I used to say at times in my Old Testa-
ment lecture room that I had never heard a passage from
Jeremiah read in the public congregation. Then one day
one of my own students, preaching in the chapel, read
from the greatest of the prophets, having quietly remarked
to his fellows in advance that I should never be able to
say that again! The sense of humor has happily not de-
parted from theological students!

As the years went forward I found myself more and
more lamenting the neglect of the Old Testament, and as
far as my feeble voice could reach urging young men enter-
ing the ministry to find some way, each for himself, to
better the condition, to make the prophets, at least, vocal
once more. Perhaps it helped. I do not know. But I
kept turning it over in my mind seeking some way of en-
couragement and help until in 1912 I began to make a
little Old Testament lectionary, and only now is it finished
and very humbly and earnestly and imploringly offered
for any use little or much that few or many may find for it.

In the Introduction I have written a little sketch of
the story of the rise and development of lectionaries; I
would it might be read, for it should suggest that we
have made far less use of the Old Testament in these
days than our fathers, whether spiritually ours in Judaism
or more closely ours in Protestantism. I could not look
forward very hopefully toward the adoption of any scheme
of lessons for twice on Sunday, nor for lessons that were
very long. I have therefore made lessons for but one service,
but with a goodly selection beyond the ordinary year and
alternatives from which an evening lesson might be drawn
when occasion served. The lessons are arranged according
to the Church Year, but there is no special need so to use
them unless one wills. Very few are so closely attached
to any church season that they might not be quite appro-
priately read at any other season. If one would follow

PREFACE

closely or slightly the Church Year, the calendar will make
it easy to find the day; if not, the lessons are numbered
simply, and the index will make it easy to find any one.

The choice of these lessons has been spread over years.
Some come from the old Church of England lessons, others
from the new plan of the same church, to which allusion
is made in the Introduction. Some come from John Wesley's
selection, others from the lectionaries of the churches of
Lutheranism both European and American; still others
have been suggested by selections made for literary quality
such as the beautiful one by Sir James George Frazer,^
and perhaps a very few are personal. The list has suffered
many revisions, passages have gone in and been taken out,
some have been shortened and others lengthened. The
order has been bettered, and, alas! perhaps worsened,
while the list has lain for weeks or months before another
revision; but enthusiasm and interest never died out.

The text chosen is in the most part simply the Revised
Version, not the American Standard. It has been care-
fully compared with the Hebrew Text and then treated con-
servatively and tenderly but with the eye ever fixed on its
purpose. It is not for the study, but for public oral read-
ing. It ought not to have a strange, but a familiar sound,
yet, if possible, it should convey meaning to the ear, not
merely to the eye. Therefore, when sense demanded and
Hebrew permitted or required, I have changed a word or
altered a phrase; or when the Septuagint offered what seemed
a better sense, it has occasionally been followed, and in a
very few cases even a conjectural emendation adopted.
I hope this has all been done discreetly; it has surely been
done cautiously and advisedly. Let him who likes it not
change it with his pen before he reads.

If these lessons are to be of real use and value to God's

^ Paasages from the Bible Chosen for Their Literary Beauty and Interest. 1895.
2nd Ed., 1909.

10 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

people, they must be taken seriously and used after every
effort has been made to make intelligent practice of them.
No man will move a congregation to interest or give it
real instruction who is not instructed and interested him-
self. If it be well worth while to preach the word after
all possible preparation, it is siu*ely well worth while to read
with understanding from the Holy Scriptures. As a slight
help I have been so bold as to write a few words of intro-
duction and annotation for each lesson. They are offered
very modestly and with much hesitation. They make not
the slightest pretension of forming a Conunentary, and
there are no earthquaking discoveries in them. They may
be too slight to be of use — ^then pass them by and take
time and pains to consult the great commentaries. They
may contain suggestions as to date, authorship, or meaning
contrary to your views, dear Reader — then leave them
coldly alone and betake you to the text itself. Do not
permit them to spoil your hope of instructing the people
out of God's Word simply because man's comment has
seemed unwise, ill advised, unnecessary, or even foolish.
But in your own way and after your own general view of
the Scriptures as a whole make yourself familiar with the
lesson you are to read and then read it as though you thought
it was really a message from God through his servants
or an account of his dealing with them. Read weightily,
earnestly, at times with deep solemnity and God's people
will listen. How should one expect them to listen or to
care if the Bible be read, as I have sometimes heard it, as
though preacher or pastor cared nothing for it, and would
hasten swiftly over it?

Should you sometimes pause in the reading to give an
explanation or a word of exposition and enforcement? I
dare not answer that with any assurance. I have heard
Spurgeon do it with telling effect, with perfect taste and
quite evidently with profit. But it was not done by chance

PREFACE 11

or in a passing whim. He had thought it out in advance,
and the congregation was prepared and expectant. It
was indeed a wonderful sight to see six thousand people
open their Bibles when the moment for reading had come,
and then find the place when he had announced the passage
to be read. He waited until the whisper of swiftly turned
pages had ceased, and then read and paused over a difficult
phrase and spoke when he thought it was needed. It was
wonderfully done. But he was a consummate master of
the art. If it be not very well done, perhaps 'twere better
left undone.

How should the lesson be introduced.? This also must
have a very doubtful answer. The committee which car-
ried out a Revision of the Lectionary of the Church of
England has a word in its report about this, which runs
thus: "We are of opinion that the reading of Lessons in
church would become more generally instructive if they
were prefaced by a brief Introduction; and that an Author-
ized Book of such Introductions might advantageously be
issued." This has not yet been done, but I should like to
venture a suggestion to the Reader that he sometimes try
to give a few words to an effort to prepare the people's
minds for the lesson which is to follow. But, again, it
were better left undone than done without thought and
care. Let us do honor to the Scriptures by the word with
which we introduce them, not dishonor them with some
lightly tossed word, cheaply bought, pointless and without
weight. Yet it were easier to omit than to make wise
comment before or during the reading and somebody should
be wisely daring and try it.

Finally, O thou that shall read to God's people out of
Holy Writ, dost thou miss here some great passage? I
should not wonder at that. Never mind. Use your lib-
erty which this book is not intended to abridge and read
what you will. I have meant only to help, but I plead

12 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

in extenuation of faults and omissions that I have not
been hasty, for eight years have passed since the book was
begun, and much thought and time and care, aye, and labor
also have gone into it. May God bless the effort and the
result to the good of Christ's Church.

Robert W. Rogers.
The Bodleian Library,
Oxford,
October 25, 1920.

INTRODUCTION

The practice of reading a portion of Holy Scripture as
a part of divine service in the Christian Church derives
from the synagogue of the Jews. Much in the early wor-
ship of Christians, in the ordering of services and in the
building of churches comes from the same source, but
nothing taken by Christianity from Judaism was so important
in itself and so far reaching in its influence as this. It has
been most justly said that "the custom of reading portions
of the Pentateuch at the synagogue on Sabbath and holy
days and at other stated times of the year, [was] an insti-
tution which made Judaism one of the most powerful fac-
tors of instruction and education of the world. Through it
the Torah became the property of the whole people of
Israel; and through it also the Gentiles were won for
Judaism; even the rise of Christianity and Islam was
made possible chiefly through the customary reading
from the Law and the Prophets."^ The meaning of
this is that the early Christians who came out of the
synagogue into the fellowship of Christ came instructed
in the Law and with ears attuned to the preaching of the
prophets, and their Christian teachers, who declared that
Christ was the fulfillment of the law and the Messiah of
the prophets, were speaking to men who had heard the
very words of the Law and the predictions of the prophets
read in their hearing and had carried away in mind and heart
many a phrase which made music in their ears as their
teachers declared that it was of Jesus that the prophet spake,
that it was toward him that the law was a schoolmaster.

How early the public reading of the Old Testament
began in Judaism is unknown. Josephus quite character-

^Kohler, Kaufmann, Reading from the Law. Jewish Encyclopedia, vii, 647.

14 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

istically ascribes it to Moses himself, saying, "The lawgiver
showed the Law to be the best and the most necessary
means of instruction by enjoining the people to assemble
not once or twice or frequently, but every week while ab-
staining from all other work in order to hear the Law and
learn it in a thorough manner — a thing which all other
lawgivers seem to have neglected."^ In this he was prob-
ably relying upon a biblical allusion which does not support
his sweeping statement, yet has an interest of its own,
*'And Moses commanded them, saying, At the end of
every seven years, in the set time of the year of release,
in the feast of tabernacles, when all Israel is come to appear
before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall choose,
thou shalt read this law before all Israel in their hearing"
(Deut. 31. 10, 11). This passage shows that by the time
of Josiah (B. C. 621), and perhaps as early as Hezekiah
(circa B. C. 700) it had become a practice among the Jews
to read publicly certain writings counted as of value for
religious instruction. What these were no one knows,
and it is hazardous to speculate. We are upon safer ground
when we come down to the period of Ezra-Nehemiah, when
Ezra brought from Babylon a roll of the Law and caused
it to be read publicly in the people's hearing (Neh. 8. 1-18).
This was but a single reading, not likely to have been re-
peated soon, nor have we the slightest clue as to when the
custom of regular reading may have been introduced, nor
where, nor by whom. Where fact is wanting conjecture
has been frequent and enthusiastic, and it has been as-
sumed, again on the basis of Deuteronomy (31. 10), that a
seven-year cycle of readings was devised, and that from
this two three-and-a-half-year cycles of readings were de-
vised. There would appear to be no sound reason for this
supposition, and the earliest known system divided the
Pentateuch into one hundred and fifty-five sections by

* Contra Apionem, ii, 17.

INTRODUCTION 15

which the Law was read through in three years. This
was the Palestinian system and prevailed, apparently, until
the thirteenth Christian century. This was succeeded by
the division, now generally considered to be the normal
standard, by which the Pentateuch is divided into fifty-
three or fifty-four sections, by which the Law was read
through in one year. By the Sephardim, or Jews of Spain
and of the western countries generally, these sections of
the Law are called Parashah (plural, Parashiyyoth), while
the Ashkenazim, or Jews of Germany call each section a
Sidra (plural, Sidroth) and give the name "Parashah" to
the smaller portions read on festivals, or to one of the seven
subsections of the Sabbath-morning lesson. These sections,
thus appointed would seem very long to Christian congre-
gations. Thus, for example, the whole book of Genesis
is read in twelve Sabbaths, as follows: I. Gen. 1. 1 — 6. 8;
11. Gen. 6. 9—11. 32; III. Gen. 12. 1—17. 27; IV. Gen.
18. 1—22. 24; V. Gen. 23. 1—25. 18; VI. Gen. 25. 19—28. 9;
VII. Gen. 28. 10—32. 3; VIII. Gen. 32. 4—36. 43; IX.
Gen. 37. 1—40. 23; X. Gen. 41. 1—44. 17; XL Gen. 44.
18—47. 27; XII. Gen. 47. 28—50. 26. This may serve as
an example of the high importance attached by the Jewish
Church to the Law and indicate the passionate desire to
educate her people in the sacred law. To accomplish the
reading of such long passages it was necessary to give a
large part of the service to this one exercise, and in order
that the reading might never take place with a wearied
voice it became customary to divide each of these long
passages into seven sections, each to be read by one person.
The persons thus called to read were the seven elders who
sat upon the platform. Besides the Sabbath reading
chapters were selected for reading upon the various fast
and feast days, as, for example :

Passover: first day, Exod. 12. 21-51;
second day. Lev. 23. 1-44;

16 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

Passover: third day (half holy day), Exod. 13. 1-16;

fourth day, Exod. 22. 24—23. 19;

fifth day, Exod. 34. 1-26;

sixth day. Num. 9. 1-14;

seventh day (holy day), Exod. 13. 17—15. 27;

eighth day, Deut. 15. 19—16. 17.
The Law was read always from a parchment roll, written
by hand upon calfskin or sheepskin with an ink most care-
fully and skillfully made from lampblack. The text was
Hebrew, without vowel points, accents, or any verse di-
visions, but with the Parashah (or Sidra) divisions marked
either by a new line, or by a space left blank in a line. This
roll or scroll was mounted upon rollers, then wrapped in
a white band and richly encased in a silk or velvet robe.
The rollers had usually tips elaborately ornamented with
silver. Three or more such rolls were in the possession of
every synagogue, and at the eastern end of the edifice
there was a cabinet in a recess in which the rolls were kept.
This was called the Hekal (Temple) or Kodesh (sanctuary)
and before it was suspended the Ner Tamid, a lamp kept
perpetually lighted. To give yet greater honor to the Law,
the sanctuary was opened with much ceremony, both
solemn and fitting. When that point in the service is
reached the Minister announces the names of those who
are to have the honor of bringing the Roll of the Law from
the Hekal or "Ark," whom he precedes thither, and the
congregation rises as he says: "Let thy priests be clothed
with righteousness, and thy pious ones shout for joy. For
thy servant David's sake, turn not away the face of thine
anointed.'* As the doors of the Ark are opened, the min-
ister chants: "O magnify the Lord with me, and let us
together exalt his name." As the sacred roll is borne to
the reading desk the congregation, still standing, repeats
a declaration of faith and joy beginning, "Exalt ye the
Lord our God, and worship at his footstool, for he is holy"

INTRODUCTION 17

and continuing: "The Law which Moses commanded us,
is the inheritance of the congregation of Jacob. It is a
tree of life to those who lay hold of it; and the supporters
thereof are happy. Its ways are pleasant ways and all
its paths are peace. Abundant peace have they who love
thy Law: and none shall obstruct them. The Lord will
give strength unto his people: the Lord will bless his people
with peace." Then when the Law has been divested of
its coverings, it is elevated by one of the bearers, who turns
it to the four sides from right to left, pausing at each, so
that all the congregation may see the writing, whereupon
they say: "And this is the Law which Moses set before
the children of Israel. The Law which Moses commanded
us is the inheritance of the congregation of Jacob." "The
way of God is perfect: the word of the Lord is tried: he is
a shield to all those who trust in him."^

After all this the readers read the lesson of the day. How
wonderful is the care of modern Judaism to honor the Law,
how anxious that all who attend the Sabbath service should
be made to feel that the word of God is central and para-
mount. Who shall say that the continuance of Jewish
faith, amid many temptations to forsake or forget or even
to pass to Christianity is not largely due to this honoring
of the Book, this serious effort to make every one attend
to its reading and to learn to honor it himself f

Splendid and wise and good as all this was in itself and
for its purposes, there still remained a great gap in the public
instruction of the people, and that was the absence of the
prophetical Scriptures, without which no fully rounded
view of the faith of Israel could possibly be presented.
To meet this need a scheme for the reading of selections
from the Prophets appeared in the synagogues, but at

' The liturgical forms here quoted are taken from "The Book of Prayer and Order
of Service, according to the custom of Spanish and Portuguese Jews," edited and
revised by Moses Gaster. Oxford, 5661-1901; Vol. i, pp. 110, 111.

18 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

what period it is no longer possible to learn. It has been
suggested that it originated in the time of Antiochus IV,
Epiphanes, whose persecution of the Jews (B. C. 168-165)
was supposed to have led to the reading of the Prophets
when he forbade the reading of the Law, but there is not
a scintilla of evidence to support the suggestion. It seems,
however, reasonably certain that the Prophets were read
before the Christian era, though the order and form may
not have been quite definitely fixed at so early a date.

The portion from the Prophets which was read on the
Sabbath after the reading of the Law is called Haphtarah
(conclusion), the plural of which is Haphtaroth. The
selection of appropriate passages was diflScult; and there
was no absolutely definite standard on which the selection
was based. Whenever it was possible to find some link
it was done. Thus, for example, when Section II of Genesis
was read (6. 9 — 11. 32) it was followed by Isaiah 54 because
of verse 9, which reads, "For this is as the waters of Noah
unto me : for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should
no more go over the earth, so have I sworn that I would
not be wroth with thee nor rebuke thee.'* The case here
was excellent, but often the appropriateness was very
shadowy, resting only upon a remote similarity of ideas
as when Section I, Gen. 1. 1 — 6. 8, was coupled with Isaiah
42. 5 — 43. 11 because of its first verse (5) which reads,
"Thus saith God the Lord, he that created the heavens,
and stretched them forth; he that spread abroad the earth
and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath
unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein."
A still more weak connection is to be found when the Law
passage Num. 1-4 is followed by Hos. 2. 1-22, solely be-
cause of one word in Hos. 2. 2.

The length of the Haphtaroth is much less than the length
of the passages from the law, being only from ten to fifty-
two verses, and the selection came to be definitely fixed

INTRODUCTION 19

so that it was possible to provide for every synagogue a
list of the passages from the Law (Sidroth) and the corre-
sponding lesson from the Prophets (Haphtaroth). It is to
be remembered that the word "prophet" as used by the
Jews includes books which among Christians are com-
monly though erroneously called historical books. The
arrangement followed in the Hebrew Bible divides the
Scriptures into three classes — the Law, the Prophets, and
the writings (Heb., Kethuhim; Gr., Hagiographa). The
Prophets are subdivided into the Early Prophets (Joshua,
Judges, Samuel, and Kings) and the Latter Prophets (Isaiah,
Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the Twelve, that is, the Minor
Prophets). This corresponds to a real difference in character
between the different books, and it is to be lamented that
the early English versions followed the arrangement of
the Vulgate, which depended upon the Septuagint. The
books of Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings are written
by prophetic hands and in the prophetic spirit and are
different in spirit from Chronicles, Ezra, and Nehemiah,
which represent the interpretation of God's will and works
as the priests understood them. To classify Joshua, Judges,
Samuel, and Kings with the prophets is to recognize this
difference and make a proper use of it. With this in mind
we can understand the choice of the Haphtaroth, the selec-
tions from which are taken from Joshua, Judges, I and II
Samuel, I and II Kings, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Hosea,
Amos, Jonah, Micah, Habakkuk, Zechariah, and Malachi.
The favorite book is Isaiah, which appears on fifteen of the
fifty-four Sabbaths.

It is believed that the selections of the Haphtaroth for
feast days may have been made as early as the second
century of the Christian era, but the definite selection for
Sabbaths came much later, for as late as the second cen-
tury the choice of a prophetic passage was still left to the
last of the readers of the Tor ah. In early times it was

20 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

customary to follow the reading of the prophetic passage
with comment or an address. The classic instance is
narrated by Luke (4. 17ff.) in which Jesus having read the
lesson from Isa. 6L 1, 2 interpreted it, applying it to him-
self. In the Jewish Calendar of lessons as later arranged
this passage from Isaiah is not read, the passage which is
read beginning at 61. 10 (61. 10 — 63. 9) with which is read
from the Law Deut. 29. 10—30. 20.

The honor paid to the reading of the Law is hardly
equaled, in modern times, when the prophets are read, yet
have they also their praise in good measure. After the Law
has been read and the time has come to read the Haphtarah,
or lesson from the prophets, a blessing is pronounced in
these words: "Blessed art thou, O Lord, our God! King of
the universe; who hast chosen good prophets; and found
delight in their words, which were delivered in truth.
Blessed art thou, O Lord! who hast chosen the Law, thy
servant Moses, thy people Israel, and the true and righteous
prophets." And after the reading follow the words, "Our
Redeemer! the Lord of Hosts is his name, the Holy One
of Israel," and there follows a long prayer which is here set
down in part: "Blessed art thou, O Lord, our God! King of
the universe; Protector of all the worlds, who art righteous
in all generations; the faithful God, who promisest and
performest; speakest and accomplishest; for all thy words
are true and just. Faithful art thou, O Lord, our God!
and thy words are faithful; for not one of thy words shall
return back fruitless. . . . For the sake of the Law, the
worship, and the Prophets, and this Sabbath . . . blessed
be thy name in the mouth of every living creature, con-
tinually, and for evermore."

So down the ages, not in less but in greater measure,
has the Jewish Church honored the Holy Scriptures and
given them a place above all else in public worship. From
the synagogue the Christian Church learned to make the

INTRODUCTION 21

reading of Scripture a part of divine service, and to this
we must turn to see, so far as scanty materials will permit,
how the Scriptures found a place and how in the course
of time an order for their reading was established, or how
in other branches or parts of the universal Christian Church
the order disappeared and the reading was left to choice
or even to caprice.

The earliest allusion to public reading of the Scriptures
in the Christian Church is found in the injunction laid upon
Timothy, "Till I come give heed to reading, to exhortation,
to teaching" (1 Tim. 4. 13). This command did not con-
cern his private but his public reading, as the words "ex-
hortation" and "teaching" make plain, and is further sup-
ported by the command, "Take heed to thyself and to thy
teaching. Continue in these things; for in doing this thou
shalt save both thyself and them that hear thee" (verse
16). There is no specification of that which was to be
read, but it was the Old Testament, upon which the Lord
himself had fed his soul, and upon which his church should
be nurtured both then and forever afterward. By the
side of the Old Testament lessons there were soon Chris-
tian documents to be read, as we are reminded in the com-
mand, "When this epistle hath been read among you, cause
that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans, and
that ye also read the epistle from Laodicea" (Col. 4. 16);
and again, "I adjure you by the Lord that this epistle be
read unto all the brethren" (1 Thess. 5. 27); and yet again
in the words, "Blessed is he that readeth, and they that
hear the words of the prophecy, and keep the things which
are written therein: for the time is at hand" (Rev. 1. 3).
Here we have the beginnings of the custom of public read-
ing of the Scriptures, but there is no hint of any order or
prescription about them. As the early church was much
busied with the effort to convince Jews of the Messiahship
of Jesus, we shall probably not go far astray if we surmise

n OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

that the Messianic parts of the prophets would be those
chiefly used, and they for controversial purposes with the
Jews, or to establish Jewish Christians in the new faith.

When the second century is reached the custom of read-
ing lessons has become fixed, and Justin Martyr is able
to mention it as well known: **0n the day called Sunday
all who live in cities or in the country gather together to
one place, and the memoirs of the apostles, or the writings
of the prophets are read as long as time permits."* Within
half a century later TertuUian makes several references to
the reading of Scripture and the singing of Psalms,^ and
again of the reading of Scripture in the ordinary worship,^
and still further of the reading of the Epistles,^ and in some
other passages makes allusion to the Prophets and Gospels.
There was then a steady progress toward a regular system
of reading, and in the first half of the third century Hip-
polytus gives this direction: "Let Presbyters, subdeacons,
and readers, and all the people assemble daily in the church
at time of cockcrow, and betake themselves to prayers, to
psalms, and to the reading of the Scriptures, according
to the command of the apostles; until I come attend to
reading."^ There is still no prescribing of what was to be
read, but in this same century the first traces of fixed lessons
are to be discerned. Origen^ gives the first known hint
when he says that the book of Job was read in Holy Week.
And John Cassian goes so far as to seek a heavenly sanction
(circa A. D. 380) for the order which he knew, saying,
* Throughout the whole of Egypt and the Thebaiad the
number of Psalms is fixed at twelve both at Vespers and
in the office of Nocturns, in such a way that at the close

* Apology, 1, 67.
" de Anima, 9

» Apol. 39.

' de Praescript. Haeret., 36.

* Canon xxi.

» Commentaries on Job, lib. i.

INTRODUCTION

two lessons follow, one from the Old and the other from
the New Testament. And this arrangement, fixed ever so
long ago, has continued unbroken to the present day through-
out so many ages, in all the monasteries of those districts,
because it is said that it was no appointment of man's in-
vention, but was brought down from heaven to the fathers
by the ministry of an angel." ^'^ It is clear that there was
a fixed order for the use of the Psalms, and it seems here
to be implied that there was likewise a fixed order for other
books. However that may then have been in Africa, there
were certainly such lessons elsewhere, for Saint Basil the
Great ^^ mentions fixed lessons for certain occasions as taken
from Isaiah and Proverbs, while from Chrysostom^^ and
Augustine^^ we learn that Genesis was read in Lent, and
Job and Jonah in Passion Week. There was then a clear
tendency toward prescribing lessons for certain great periods
in the Church Year, but there must have still been large
liberty of choice during the rest of the year.

By the time when the Apostolical Constitutions was
written, probably by a Syrian Christian and perhaps as
early as A.D. 340 or as late as A. D. 380, we have a still
more plain declaration about the progress toward a definite
lectionary. The passage is so interesting in itself, that it
needs no apology for lengthened quotation. It is addressed
to the Bishop and begins: "When thou callest an assembly
of the Church, as one that is the Commander of a great
ship, appoint the Assemblies to be made with all possible
skill, charging the Deacons, as mariners, to prepare places
for the brethren, as for passengers, with all due care and
decency. And first let the building be long, with its head
to the east, with its vestries on both sides at the east end,
and so 'twill be like a ship. In the middle let the bishop's

^"de caenob. inst., ii, 4.
»i Horn, xiii, de bapt.
1* Horn. Ixiii in Act.
"Tract vi in Joann.

24 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

throne be placed; and on each side of him let the presbytery
sit down; and let the Deacons stand near at hand, in close
and small girt garments; for they are like the mariners
and managers of the ship: With regard to these, let the
laity sit on the other side, with all quietness and good order.
And let the women sit by themselves, they also keeping
silence. In the middle, let the reader stand upon some
high place; let him read the Books of Moses, of Joshua the
son of Nuriy of the Judges, and of the Kings and of the
Chronicles, and those written after the return from the
captivity; and besides these, the books of Job and of Solo-
mon, and of the sixteen prophets. But when there have
been two lessons severally read, let some other person sing
the hymns of David, and let the people join at the con-
clusions of the verses. Afterward let our Acts be read, and
the Epistles of Paul, our fellow worker, which he sent to the
Churches under the conduct of the Holy Spirit; and after-
ward let a Deacon or a Presbyter read the Gospels, both
those which Matthew and John have delivered to you, and
those which the fellow workers of Paul received and left
to you, Luke and Mark. And while the Gospel is read,
let all the Presbyters and Deacons, and all the people stand
up in great silence; for it is written. Be silent and hear,
O Israel. And again. But do thou stand there and hear.
In the next place, let the Presbyters, one by one, not all
together, exhort the people, and the Bishop in the last
place as being the commander."^^

There is here no indication whether the lessons were
according to a fixed system or a free choice, but the in-
teresting and important matter is that two Old Testament
lessons were to be read, then the Psalms sung, and after
that came readings from the Epistles and then the Gospel,

"The Apostolical Constitutions ii, 57. For translation into English compare
William Whiston, Primitive Christianity Revived, Vol. ii, section xxviii, p. 260ff.
(London, 1711).

INTRODUCTION 25

which even at that early date was to be heard by the whole
congregation standing. The influence of the example of
the synagogue is seen plainly in the double lesson from the
Old Testament, of which it may safely be surmised that
one was from the Law and the second from the Prophets.
When to these there are added passages from the Epistles
and Gospels there were sure signs of the formation of a
system to which was applied the technical term Pericope,
The word comes directly from the late Latin pericope,
meaning a section of a book, which derives from the Greek
word of the same form, the origin of which is from the
Greek peri, "around," and kope, "cutting." Used in the
sense of a scriptural passage, the word appears early, for
Justin Martyr^^ classifies under the word pericope, the
passages Isa. 42. 5-13; Jer. 11. 19; Isa. 33. 13-19 and Mic. 4.
1-7 — all these being from the Old Testament.

As the tendency toward a fixed system of lessons in-
creased and passages more or less suited to the portions
of the Church Year were chosen there grew up a custom
foreshadowed in the reference to exhortations by the Pres-
byters and bishops in the Apostolical Constitutions. This
was the reading of a homily or the preaching of a sermon
based upon the lessons which had been read, and as the
lesson for the day was called a Pericope, the method by
which the sermon was based on a verse or verses from the
appointed section was called a pericopic system of preach-
ing. Luther generally, if not always, followed this plan,
taking a passage, and commonly a long one, or at least
of considerable length, from the lesson of the day, and
usually from the Gospels or Epistles. This is still com-
monly the use on the Continent of Europe, and the influ-
ence of it is to be seen in the frequency with which clergy-
men of the Church of England and of the Episcopal Church
in America take a text from the Gospel or Epistle of the

"Dial. c. Tryph. c. 65, 72, 78, 110.

^6 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

day. The system had a great disadvantage, it must be
admitted, for after a preacher had discoursed for several
years upon selections from the same lesson he was much
disposed to seek after novelty by some ingenious twist
or turn which a strict interpretation of the passage could
not justify. It had, however, a great compensating advan-
tage in that the preacher was forced to cover the whole
field of biblical teaching and was so prevented from slipping
into the constant iteration of fads or fancies of his own.
There is, then, something to be said for pericopic preaching,
and wise men might well consider whether the adoption
of it, with due allowance of divergence to suit some new
condition, were not a wise procedure. Indeed, in recent
times unless one had some system of one's own to which
general heed might be given, the various philanthropic
organizations would tend to occupy one Sunday after
another with multitudinous causes (Prison Day, Divorce
Day, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Red Cross Day, Near
East Relief, City Missions, Home Missions, Foreign Mis-
sions), and the whole glorious preaching of the Word in
its message of God and redemption would give way to
practical, legislative or eleemosynary agitation. Then the
minister or the preacher will turn reformer, and religion
lose the mystery and glory of God.

The earliest lectionaries of which a memory has been
preserved date from the middle of the fifth century, both
from France. The oldest is reported to have been made
by Claudianus Mamercus, and was arranged not for the
entire year but rather for the church festivals. It has
perished, and we know of it only by the scant allusion made
to its compiler after his death by Bishop ApoUinaris Si-
donius of Arverni, the modern Clermont." There is record
of another made A. D. 458 for the church at Massilia, the

" "Hie solemnibufl annuls paravit quae quo tempore lecta convenirent" (Epist. IV,
N. 11, MSL. T. 58).

INTRODUCTION 27

modern Marseilles, by Musaeus, which was likewise made
only for the festivals, and has also perished. ^^

The oldest lectionary still surviving was prepared in the
eighth Christian century, found at Luxeuil in Burgundy
and known generally as the Lectionarium Gallicanum which
provided lessons from the prophets one or more readings
for most of the church festivals preceded by headings such
as ''Lectio Libri Esaye Prophetae.^* From this time onward
lectionaries were numerous in all the churches, west and
east, Syrian as well as Latin, Armenian as well as Greek.
For this present purpose the most important lectionaries
are those of the western churches. The most far-reaching
of these is the lectionary of the Roman Church, whose
beginnings may certainly be traced as far back as the eleventh
century, from which there has come down the great lec-
tionary called variously Comes, or Liber Comitis or Liber
ComicuSy which began its readings with the first Sunday in
Advent, placing all the way through the year the emphasis
upon the Epistles and Gospels, yet substituting for the
Epistle an Old Testament passage on certain days. Thus
upon Epiphany Sunday Isaiah, chapter 60, was read instead
of the Epistle, and in the Passion Week Hosea, Genesis,
Exodus, Deuteronomy, and Jonah all found mention.
The passages read in this lectionary were very brief, and it
is not surprising that an attempt should be made to revise
its order and extend the length of the readings. This was
accomplished in the lectionary made by a renowned Fran-
ciscan, Francisco da Quignonez (Francis de Quinones), who
brought out in 1535 a Breviary with a revised form of lessons.
It was printed and widely used until 1558, when it was
suppressed by papal authority, and ceased to be printed.
It was exceedingly well done, and gave a wider and better

" "Musaeus, Massiliensis ecclesiae presbyter hortatu S. Venerii episcopi excerpsit
de Sanctis scripturis lectiones totius anni festivis diebus aptas, responsoria etiam
psalmorum capitula tempwribua et lectionibus apta." (Gennadius, De script, eccles.
c. 79, MSL. I, 58.)

28 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

view of the Old Testament. It began with Isaiah at Advent,
followed by other Prophets, and the Wisdom books came
after Christmas, to be followed at Septuagesima by Genesis
and again by the Prophets until Easter. Later portions
of Exodus, Samuel, Kings, Daniel, Tobit, Judith, Esther,
and Job all made contributions to the knowledge of hearers.
It was a sore pity that after Francisco's death (died 540)
the book should have come under censure and finally to
suppression, but it was not possible to break off its influence.
Its principle of two lessons, one from the Old and the second
from the New, was destined to live on in the influence which
it exerted upon the lectionaries of the Anglican Church.
Cranmer had drawn up a Litany in 1544 and, influenced
chiefly by the Breviary of Francisco, in the First Book of
Common Prayer of the Church of England (1549) adopted
the scheme of two lessons, the one from the Old and the
other from the New Testament. Cranmer abandoned the
Church Year system and began his lessons with January
instead of with Advent, but made a great advance in the
length of the Old Testament lessons by which the greater
part of the canonical books and a lesser portion of the
Apocrypha were read through once a year. In the Prayer
Book of Elizabeth (1559) a return was made to the Ecclesi-
astical year and the lessons began with Advent. The
variations from this scheme of Lessons were very slight
until the Lectionary was revised in 1871, in which the
length of many lessons was much reduced, but the general
principles were retained. Criticism of this lectionary was
widespread, chiefly because of certain unfortunate be-
ginnings or endings of the New Testament lessons which
were believed to break the sense in unhappy fashion. An
attempt to introduce a better lectionary in 1878 failed, but
a great step forward is now in process in the Church of
England in a revision of the lectionary begun in 1913 and
published in 1917. This is the most elaborate lectionary

INTRODUCTION

ever made. It not only provides lessons for Sundays, for
the great festivals and for certain outstanding Saints' days,
but also for every day in the week, and besides all this
gives in many cases alternatives. The principle followed
by the committee upon these points is thus declared:

(i.) First Lessons. — Following ancient precedent, we have set
down Isaiah for reading during Advent and until the second Sunday
after Epiphany, and for the remaining Sundays after Epiphany cer-
tain of the minor prophets (Hosea, Joel, Amos, Micah). Again in
accordance with ancient precedent, we begin the reading of the Penta-
teuch on Septuagesima Sunday. The historical books follow, and
extend from the first Sunday after Trinity until the fourteenth. The
books of Daniel, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, are read from Evensong on the
fourteenth Sunday after Trinity to Evensong on the twenty-second.
Lessons from the book of Proverbs are assigned to the remaining
Sundays after Trinity. Special Lessons are chosen for the great
festivals, and also for the first Sunday after Easter and for the Sunday
next before Advent.

Influenced by a desire (a) to meet the needs of different types of
congregations, (6) to provide a certain amount of variation for suc-
cessive years, (c) to make it possible for congregations to hear in church
on Sunday selections from the less familiar parts of the Old Testa-
ment and from some books of the Apocrypha, we have provided
alternatives to the lessons taken from the Pentateuch, from the his-
torical books, and from the book of Proverbs. We have deliberately
refrained from providing alternative Lessons on Septuagesima (when
the story of creation is read), the fifth Sunday in Lent, Palm Sunday,
and Easter Day. We desire to put it on record that in this part of
our work we have gone on the assumption (which we earnestly hope
will be fulfilled) that the choice between alternative lessons will not
be made capriciously, but according to some definite principle or
plan.^^

This splendid lectionary has not yet passed the long range
of constructive criticism and the test of time, but one may

18 Convocation of Canterbury, Report of Joint Committee. Society for Pro-
moting Christian Knowledge, 1917 [1917, No. 501]. The Committee was composed
of the following:

Bishop of Ely (Dr. Chase, Chmn.). Dean of Ely (Dr. Kirkpatrick).

Bishop of Norwich (Dr. Pollock). Chancellor Bernard.

Bishop of Oxford (Dr. Gore). Canon Dalton.

Bishop of Truro (Dr. Burrows). Canon Lake.

Dean of Westminster (Dr. Ryle). Canon A. W. Robinson.

Dean of Winchester (Dr. Furneaux). Canon Southwell.

30 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

hope that wherein it falls short of the great ideal of public
instruction by the reading of Scripture in the hearing of
the people time and use and the advice and experience of
others may bring improvement, and the way appear for
other churches to imitate a good example in so far as sug-
gestions from this may fit special conditions of their own.
Having followed somewhat the history of the making
and promulgation of lectionaries or Pericopes in the Western
church, and thence on into England, we should now see
briefly how the Reformation in Germany met the problem.
Luther criticized the Roman system with courage and a clear
mind and apparently intended or at least hoped to make
a new Pericope for the churches of the Reformed Faith.
This failed, nor apparently did he ever begin it. His atti-
tude to the old system finally crystallized into this, that
as far as the Roman Comes was a lectionary, in the strict
sense of the word, he was entirely dissatisfied with it and
desired either its enlargement and improvement or, failing
that, its entire supersession. As far, on the other hand,
as it was a Pericope in the narrower sense of the word,
a system for providing texts and an order for preaching
according to the Church Year, he did not disapprove of it
as a whole, but was of the opinion that large liberty of choice
should come to the ministry. These declarations of the
great Reformation master had influence which began at
once and was long extended. One may discern this as
early as 1528, when the Church Order in Brunswick
(Braunschweig) made a substitute for other lessons and
bade the reading of Isa. 40. 1-11, and 11. 1-10. Other
minor variations which provided chiefly for longer New
Testament lessons began in Brandenburg in 1533 and in
Wurttemberg in 1536. A much greater effort was made
in Pommern (Pomerania) in 1568, when ministers were
bidden so to arrange the lessons for Sundays and week days
that the most important and useful books of the Bible

INTRODUCTION 31

should be publicly read in order. This was a difficult, if
not, indeed, impossible, command if it were to be inter-
preted literally, but it displayed at least a proper recog-
nition of the importance of the instruction of the people
in the Bible itself for its own sake.

In Switzerland the Reformed Church began early to
cast aside the brief portions and the sharply defined Pericopes
to determine order and content of preaching. Zwingli in
Zurich preached over great areas of Scripture, and with
very definite purposes in each case — thus the Gospel of
Matthew and then the Acts — that his church might learn
how the gospel was "propagated and promulgated," and
passed thence onward into the Epistles of Paul. But his
greatest move was taken in July, 1525, when he began to
preach upon the book of Genesis, though before this, preach-
ing had been altogether from the New Testament. And
Bullinger, who was his successor, is said to have preached
from nearly all the books of the Old and the New Testa-
ments. For such a man as he there were no Pericopes,
and it is not surprising that they vanished out of Zurich
never to return in the old form. At the other side of Switzer-
land Calvin carried on a vigorous polemic against the same
old system, though admitting advantages which it did
possess, as others had pointed out.

Among the Lutherans of Germany the old system died
of its own unfitness for the practical purposes of a new and
living church. The critical, historical, and scientific study
which Ernst Ranke^^ made of the old system was enough
to convince all who were capable of conviction that a newer
and better lectionary was essential, yet was it impossible
to secure it. The old always has a certain strength because
of its possession, and as Germany was then broken up

" Das kirkliche Perikopensystem aus den dltesten Urkunden der Romischen Liturgie
dargelegt und erlautert. Ein Versuch von Dr. Ernst Ranke, Pfarrer zu Buchau in
Oberfranken. Berlin, 1847. The book is still important, nor has its influence en-
tirely disappeared.

32 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

into small states, each ordering its own worship in its own
way, unity of effort was impossible. For about one hun-
dred and fifty years the various Lutheran churches in the
German states went as it willed, some holding in consider-
able measure the Roman method, while others made ten-
tative experiments in the attempt to construct a new order
that might seem to fit better into the theory which Prot-
estantism held concerning the Holy Scriptures. Thus, for
example, Hannover in 1769 ordered the introduction of
quite a new system of Pericdpes and commanded that at
every "ordinary and public divine service" there should
be read "a selected especially instructive yet not too long
a passage from the canonical books of the Bible." In
1793 Baden set forth a system which recognizes the virtues
of a free choice of passages to be read, yet is unwilling to
give up altogether the Roman Pericopes, but supplies a
new suggestive plan of readings to begin not with Advent
but with January. In 1881 in the same kingdom the be-
ginning with Advent was reestablished.

In 1896 a move was made in a conference of German
evangelical churches to secure a radical revision of the
old Pericopes and the adoption of a lectionary. The at-
tempt was honorable and worthy, but various local interests
and customs prevented its complete adoption. The churches
in Germany still, therefore, continue in possession of sys-
tems each with values of its own, yet each, at least in some
cases, strangely neglectful of the Old Testament. In this
respect the Lutheran churches of America have made a
substantial as well as admirable advance upon their mother
church in Germany. ^^

20 The system of Scripture Lessons adopted by the United Lutheran Church in
America richly deserves study, and, indeed, imitation in many respects. It is pub-
lished by (a) The General Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the United
States of America, (b) The Trustees of the General Council of the Evangelical Lu-
theran Church in North America, and (c) The United Synod of the Evangelical Lu-
theran Church in the South, and is to be found in the "Common Service Book of the
Lutheran Church, authorized by the United Lutheran Church in America." Phila-

INTRODUCTION 33

In this little sketch of the rise and progress, as well also
as the decay of systems of public reading of the Scriptures
many attempts in other churches than those specifically
mentioned have necessarily been passed over in silence,
and no allusion has been made to the use of the New Testa-
ment except as the necessities of the better understanding
of the Old had made it necessary. I can make no pre-
tensions to New Testament scholarship and should be
chary of expressing any opinion as to how it should be or
could be more systematically read. There can be no doubt
that for every Christian church the New Testament is
fundamental; if it be not made known among the people,
there can be no sound Christian thinking, and ignorance
or fanaticism must rule the church — and they are equally
dangerous. The case for the Old Testament is different,
yet has it a proper place of dignity and importance. It
needs often be said that the Old Testament was the Bible
of the men who founded the early church. It provided
the occasion and was the subject of the earliest contro-
versies with those who came from Judaism as well as with
those who did not come. The apostles held it to be in-
spired and so used it, but far above all these was the Lord
himself, whose sword it was, and whose soul was fed upon
these words of wonder and of life. It is madness and folly
to talk of making any Christian life rounded and complete,
fully furnished and richly adorned, without its ministry of
knowledge, its magic of words, splendor of images, and
store of inexhaustible power. Yet has it been sorely ne-
glected. We who have been teaching in colleges, univer-
sities and theological seminaries have been watching whole

delphia, The Board of Publication of the United Lutheran Church in America, n. d.
(issued and copyrighted in 1917). See especially pp. 298-303 which contain not only
the revised table of lessons, but also tables showing the lectionaries of Thomasiua,
Hannover, and Eisenach. The same book contains also a "Table of Lessons for Morn-
ing and Evening throughout the year," which is arranged for week days only with a
New Testament lesson in the morning and an Old Testament Lesson in the evening,
pp. 304-312 (Hymn and Tune Edition).

34 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

generations of bright and happy youth, who are Christian
at heart and more or less instructed in the doctrine and
message of the church, yet have next to no knowledge of
the origins of all this in the progressive revelation of God
in the Old Testament. Worse still, most of them know
little — often almost nothing — of the great names and mighty
deeds and living words of the heroes of literature and his-
tory there preserved. The lecturer who lets fall an allusion
to some Hebrew name, some melodious phrase, some deed
of heroic struggle for the religion of Jehovah sees at once
in some of the eyes before him the telltale glance of strange-
ness— the word was unfamiliar, it awakened no response.

The fundamental fault is with the home, but the church
must bear a full share of it. How often or how widely
have these youth heard the Old Testament read with any
breadth or comprehensiveness in the church? Except in
those churches that have possessed a lectionary prepared
by authority and imposed by law, the reading of the Old
Testament has been casual, capricious, or according to
some fancy or familiarity of the preacher or pastor. Small
wonder is it that youth wins no large familiarity, no ease
of memory in these rich and glorious words and ways. The
Sunday school has tried hard to fill the gap, and never
harder than in recent years. Its whole scheme of study
has been recast, its method revised and modernized; it has
enlisted the best scholarship in the preparation of note and
comment, and trained teachers in schools and conventions.
From this a great and beautiful harvest may justly be
hoped. Let us now crown this by restoring the Old Testa-
ment to a place of honor and dignity in the church service.
Let the youth before they come to study the prophets hear
Isaiah and Jeremiah read aloud in the congregation of God's
people. If the man who reads has prepared himself to
read by knowing that which he is reading, by putting mind
and heart upon it in advance, so that his heart burns with

INTRODUCTION 35

a translated passion, and his mind flames with a recreated
message, then shall these books live again and generations
of God's people feel and know them. To this end and
purpose, in this hope and desire, is this little book com-
piled and edited. If some would now care about this
matter as much as the mind, heart, and hand that made it,
there would be a better day in God's house for God's ancient
Scriptm-es.

FIRST SUNDAY IN ADVENT 37

jFirjSt ^unbap in ^bbent

Jeremiah 31. 10-14, 27-34
[Alternative on p. 167.]

The greatest of the prophets is Jeremiah, and the suffi-
cient justification for so declaring him is in the few verses
(31-34) which come at the end of this passage. Born at
Anathoth, a small village three and a half miles northeast
of Jerusalem, about the year 650, and called to be a prophet
in B. C. 6'26y he survived the utter destruction of Jeru-
salem by Nebuchadrezzar in B. C. 586. He saw the storms
gathering, watched with his own keenly observant eyes the
madness, folly, and sin of his people, and then their fearful
sufferings. He was perfectly clear in his own mind that
the sufferings were the direct consequence of the divine
displeasure, and that the origin of the wrath of God was
to be found in the faithlessness of the people. God had
sought them for himself and at Sinai had made a covenant
with them. It had failed of its purpose, because they had
broken it. It is the greatness of Jeremiah that he per-
ceived that an external covenant could not save the people,
and great as was the Mosaic covenant, it was nevertheless,
in greater part at least, an external covenant. There was
needed an internal covenant, a changed heart, and this
is the covenant which is here set forth. The description
of the covenant is placed as a climax, and to introduce
it to the hearer's ear there are a few preliminary verses,
part of which, namely, 10-14, would by some be ascribed
to another prophet. The authorship of them is, however,
of little importance; the main point is that there is no
longer any sufficient reason for doubting Jeremiah's author-

OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

ship of the covenant passage, which is the real point in
this lesson.

12. goodness; here it means, bounty, in the material
and physical sense.

32. took them by the hand. The metaphor is a father
gently leading his children's tottering steps. It is the child-
hood of Israel as a nation.

33. their God . . . my people. This intimate personal re-
lationship was intended to be secured by the older cove-
nant (Exod. 19. 5, 6; 2 Sam. 7. 24), but it had failed, simply
because the people had broken it. The new covenant
would succeed because the hearts would be changed.

This doctrine of the New Covenant advances far beyond
all other of the prophetic doctrines, and marks Jeremiah
as the greatest of the prophets. In him the climax was
reached. None other was to surpass him until He should
come of whom the prophets had spoken. The Lord himself
took Jeremiah's doctrine, made it his own, and pointing out
all its implications and suggesting its applications advanced
as far beyond Jeremiah as he had beyond all who had gone
before him.

SECOND SUNDAY IN ADVENT 39

II
^econb ^unbap m ^bbent

MiCAH 4. 1-7; 0. 2-4
[Alternative p. 169.]

MicAH prophesied, according to the superscription of

his book, during the reigns of Jotham (739-734), Ahaz

(733-721 (?) ), and Hezekiah (715-689 (?) ), and the first

three chapters of his book reflect the situation, with a fair

degree of clearness, which we know to have obtained at

least in the period of Hezekiah. The rest of the book is of

doubtful origin, and some of it seems clearly to be late.

It is, however, timeless in application, and the passage

here chosen is beautiful in itself and well fitted for public

reading in the season approaching Christmas.

4. I. In the latter days, or, rather, in the issue of the

days, that is, at the dawn of the Messianic age. The

passage verses 1-3 is inserted, with slight variations,

also in Isa. 2. 2-4.

established . . . exalted not literally, but in repute
and honor above all else.

peoples shall flow unto it. All nations shall come
to bring honor to Jehovah and to learn of him.

2. instruction. R. V. translates "law," but that
technical word would be unsuited to the other peoples
and the Hebrew word Tor ah means literally "instruc-
tion," "teaching."

3. arbitrate for. R. V., "reprove"; margin, "decide
concerning."

6-7. The sequence of thought with what precedes is
not clear. The verses seem to belong to the exilic
period and to refer to the return. They are, how-
ever, not unsuitable for this present reading.

40 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

5. 2. As Bethlehem was the home of David, so is it to
be the birthplace of the Messianic King who is to con-
tinue the line of David.

from ancient days. The phrase is indefinite, as
may be seen by a glance at its use elsewhere, for exam-
ple in the passage, "In that day will I raise up the
tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the
breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and
I will build it as in the days of old" (Amos 9. 11),
and again in the prediction, "Then shall the offering
of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto Jehovah,
as in the days of old, and as in ancient times" (Mai.
3. 4).

3. give them up, that is, Jehovah will permit his
people temporarily to suffer until he raises up the
Messianic King. The verse is a gloss.

4. shall stand, that is, stand firm, steadfast.

unto the ends of the earth. The Messiah will
meet universal acknowledgment unto the ends of the
earth.

THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVENT 41

(irtiirb ^unbap m ^bbent

Isaiah 40. 1-17, 27-30
[Alternative p. 171.]

The passage is from a sermon by an unknown prophet
of the Exile, now commonly called Second or Deutero-
Isaiah, and was uttered or written probably between B. C.
546 and 538, and spoken as a word of comfort and exhorta-
tion to those in Babylonia who were depressed and dis-
couraged. The first deportation from Judah had taken
place in B. C. 597, when Nebuchadrezzar carried away
about eight thousand inhabitants, among whom the man
Ezekiel, afterward a prophet to his people, was conspicu-
ous. The second deportation was in 586, when Nebuchad-
rezzar destroyed Jerusalem and took a much larger body
away to Babylonia. Many of both of these companies
had died before this passage was spoken, and the hope
of a restoration so long deferred had made many hearts
sick. To these came this thrilling message of hope, a very
gospel of good news, that God had forgiven his people, and
would grant them the blessings of salvation, and through
them to all peoples.

2. to Jerusalem. This is a synonym for "my people."

3. the voice . . . crieth. This is an angel's voice calling
to beings of the same order to prepare the road for the
exile's return. The phrase has the effect of an interjection,
and its tone might be given in English by "Hark! — one
crying."

6. All flesh is grass. While this is true of humanity in
general, the prophet is here thinking especially of Israel's
enemies, whose transitory life he contrasts with the eter-

42 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

nity of God — the kingdoms of men pass quickly when God
intervenes.

10. his reward, probably the gifts which he will bestow
on his restored people.

11. Few indeed are the Old Testament verses which
surpass or even equal this as a portrayal of God*s care for
his people, his tenderness, gentleness, and solicitude.
He who is fierce against the enemies of goodness, is him-
self goodness itself. Who can read this verse so that the
hearer shall feel it?

12. with the span, the distance between the thumb and
the little finger of a hand when extended.

15. the isles, properly the Mediterranean coast lands,
then a general term for habitable, or habited lands, and
especially the far away.

16. Lebanon . . . not sufficient. God is so great that all
the animals of Lebanon though burned with all her trees
would be a sacrifice insufficient for him.

17. vanity. The Hebrew word is tohu, which means
"waste,'* and is used in Gen. 1. 2 and there applied to Chaos
(A. v., "without form," R. V., "waste"). It here signifies
nonentity.

27. But this great God has been doubted by his people,
who have said, "My way is hid from the Lord. . . ."

31. mount up with wings. The sense is both beautiful
and attractive, but it is grammatically doubtful. The
Septuagint reads, "shall put forth pinions," which may be
correct. The meaning, then, would be that if Israel but
put her faith in God she shall acquire new powers, shall
fly with wings like those of eagles. So have the saints
verified it in many days since the prophet spoke as they
have been borne upward on wings of faith and hope.

FOURTH SUNDAY IN ADVENT 43

Jf ourtlj ^unbap in ^bbcnt

Isaiah 10. 33—11. 9 and 12. 1-6
[Alternative p. 173.]

The passage has been frequently doubted as of Isaiah's
authorship in whole or in part, and the grounds for this
dubiety may best be sought in Gray, Isaiah^ but whatever
weight these doubts may have, they do not make the in-
struction of the passage less or diminish its value for public
reading. If Isaiah wrote all or a part of it, it must belong
to the period just before the year 701, before Sennacherib's
invasion of Judah. The passage I2. i-6 belongs to a later
period and is probably not by Isaiah. Its connection is,
rather, with Isa. 11. 10-16 than with verses 1-9, but it
is here pardonably used for reading as a hymn of praise
to follow verse 9.

10. 33. lop the boughs. The Assyrian army has been
advancing against Jerusalem and is now very close, "he
shaketh his hand at the mount of the daughter of Zion"
(verse 32). Then his great host is compared with a moving,
menacing forest, and just when the danger is greatest
Jehovah moves upon it, lops its boughs, and lays it low.
This is the beginning of the overthrow of the mighty world
power which had dared to set itself against God and his
world government. Immediately that this is accomplished
there begins the setting up of a new power, even the Mes-
sianic kingdom.

11. I. a shoot . . . out of the stock. The figure is that
of the stump of a tree left in the ground after the tree
has fallen or been felled, and from the old stump there
bursts forth a little slender twig, the promise of a

44 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

new life. There seems good ground for the assumption
that a contrast is intended with 10. 33, for there the
Assyrian tree is stricken down to rise no more, while
from the dynasty of Judah there springs a new shoot
greater than ever in its assurance of power and help-
fulness. This new shoot is the Messiah, who comes
from the dynasty of David, though his exact relation
to it is here left indefinite.

2. The Messiah is supernaturally endowed for his
supreme mission, and the endowments are grouped
into three of two each. The first two — wisdom and
understanding — are intellectual; the second two —
counsel and might — are practical; while the last two
— the knowledge and fear of the Lord — are religious.

3. sight of his eyes . . . hearing of his ears. With
the infallible guidance of his supernatural endow-
ments he shall have no need of judging by the eyes,
that is, mere appearances; or the hearing of the ears,
that is, the testimony of witnesses.

4. reprove. So R. V.; should be "decide."

the earth. So the ordinary text, which gives no
good sense, read with the Septuagint "the violent,"
"the ruthless," a sense also suited to the unpointed
Hebrew text.

8. asp . . . viper. The identification of the species of
serpents here signified by the Hebrew words is quite
doubtful, and fortunately the general sense is not
affected. It matters next to nothing what particular
serpents are meant. The English translations are
little more than guesses.

9. the mountain; that is, Zion; but here the meaning
is the whole extended kingdom of the Messiah.

12. 1-6. The passage consists of two little hymns of
praise, verses 1, 2 and 3-6. They are postexilic in origin
and liturgical in character. Both are echoes of earlier

FOURTH SUNDAY IN ADVENT 45

literature, especially of the splendid hymn of triumph
Exod. 15, after Israel's deliverance from the Egyptians at
the Red Sea, with which are interlacings of phrase from
Isa. 24-27 and from Psalm 105. For public reading they
form a not unsuitable shout of praise for the deliverance
which the Messiah is to bring, and the beautiful words,
"therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells
of salvation" constitute an exhortation not unsuited to
his kingdom.

46 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

Ciirt£(tmafi( Bap

Isaiah 7. 10-14; 9. 2-7

These two brief but beautiful passages have been sancti-
fied by long use, and have gathered tenderness and power
also from many associations not only in church services,
but, wedded to undying strains of music in oratorio and
in anthem, have come echoing down the years. It were
a sore pity to read them in public, as not a few have done,
in careless haste or purposeless tone. Whatever their
origin or original meaning, the centuries have given them
rich significance. Let us see, however, what was their
place and time as the prophet uttered them, so far as these
may now be determined.

The entire passage 7. 1 — 9. 7 forms the remains of a series
of prophecies belonging to the reign of Ahaz (B. C. 736-725).
It was a period of painful anxiety to king and people, and
many hearts failed and not without much cause. The
peace, and perhaps the very existence of Judah were at
stake because of the advance of an army of Aramaeans
and Ephraimites about the year B. C. 735, to attack the
kingdom, dethrone Ahaz, and reduce his land to depend-
ence. It is easy from our vantage ground to speak of the
king as weak, or vacillating, or incompetent, and these,
indeed, were in one way or another expressions of his charac-
ter; but the situation was dangerous, and places of recourse
were not easy then to find. The king sought help by
appealing to Tiglathpileser IV (B. C. 745-727), king of
Assyria. As we now see the case, knowing what afterward
was to follow at the hands of the Assyrians, this was mad-
ness as well as folly. Isaiah opposed the plan in a passion
of earnestness on grounds political as well as religious.

CHRISTMAS DAY 47

Isaiah went out to meet the king, and standing on the
same ground where thirty-four years later the representative
of the Assyrian king Sennacherib demanded the surrender
of the city, addressed him in solemn words, urging first
the wise counsel, *'Take heed and be quiet, fear not, neither
let thine heart be faint," and giving assurance that the
coalition against Judah should not prevail. Then he
added another word of incalculable importance, saying,
"If ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be established."
The meaning of them is plain enough. The two great
words which express God's movement toward man and
man's proper attitude toward God are "grace" and "faith.'*
Everything which is comprehended in God's loving and
yearning approach to man may be comprehended and
expressed in the word "grace," and man's duty toward
it is "faith." He must accept it all as of God and from
God, must believe it and by that belief enter into the pos-
session of it. In this verse we have probably the very
first expression of this doctrine of faith as a religious prin-
ciple. It is here made the touchstone for Ahaz of his destiny.
Isaiah has given the king a great assurance that his king-
dom will not be destroyed by Syria and Ephraim. This
is an act of divine grace. Let Ahaz believe it, and he
will be established. Then Isaiah offers the king a sign
in support of the assurance just given (Isa. 7. 5-9) and
Ahaz refuses to ask it, perhaps because he would rather
go his own way and wished no religious interference with
plans already made. The prophet then gives the sign.

7. 14. a virgin, or maiden. The Hebrew word means
a young woman of marriageable age. It may signify
virgin, but does not necessarily mean virgin.

Immanuel, "with us is God."
In the second passage 9. 2-7 the prophet bursts into a
rapturous strain of poetry, celebrating the great salvation.
It belongs presumably to a little later period in the prophet's

48 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

mission, but there is no conclusive reason for denying the
authorship to Isaiah. It may belong to the body of teach-
ing communicated to his pupils.

9. 4. yoke of his burden, his burdensome yoke.

staff of his shoulder, the staff with which his enemies
have beaten his shoulders.

day of Midian: the day on which the Midianites
were defeated by Gideon (Judg. 6-8).

5. all the armor of the armed man in the tumult.
The words are difficult, but the probable meaning is
that suggested by Gray, "Every shoe worn in tumult"
(of battle). The general significance is that all the
paraphernalia of war shall be burned up, at the usher-
ing in of the Messiah's kingdom.

6. The child who shall be born is to be a royal and
a reigning prince and his name consists of eight words
in four clauses, of two each.

(a) Wonderful Counsellor. This is a royal prerog-
ative and is also a divine attribute. It is specifically
applied to God himself by Isaiah (28. 29) and is a
king's function in Micah (4. 9).

(6) Mighty God. There is no sound reason for
departing from this translation in favor of "God like
Hero" or "Hero God." This child is to be mighty
in a sense undreamt before, not a mighty man (1 Sam.
14. 52), not a mighty king (Dan. 11. 3), but a mighty
God. (See the admirable comment by Gray, Isaiah,
pp. 173, 174.)

(d) Prince of Peace. A natural function of the
Messiah is to bring peace (Micah 5. 5; Zech. 9. 10),
and this glorious hope is in one form or another often
in the prophetic message.

FIRST SUNDAY AFTER CHRISTMAS 49

jfitfit ^nnbap ^ftet €f^xi%tmai

Isaiah 32. 1-5; 35. 1-10

Having had, in the Christmas Lesson, a picture of the
Messiah in person, it is fitting that we come now to his
Commonwealth, to read publicly of the kind and beneficent,
the just and righteous, kingdom which the ruler of such
wondrous endowments was to govern. The verses 1-5
are by Isaiah and belong to his characteristic doctrine.
The second passage which is here grouped with it is post-
exilic, and has echoes of the second part of Isaiah.

32. I. a king shall reign. What manner of king he is
has been sufficiently declared in the richly beau-
tiful Christmas Lesson. Here attention is focused
upon his reign. He shall be surrounded by princes
worthy in person and labor to share the exercise of
dominion with him.

2. a man, that is, each one of these princes. They
shall be utterly unlike the oppressive nobles under
former kings, but instead a protection to the people.

shadow of a great [lit., "heavy"] rock, a cooler
shelter than a tree would afford against the heat of
an Oriental sun.

3. shall not be dim; rather, shall not be closed.

4. the heart . . . the tongue. The hasty are prom-
ised understanding, and they who had spoken in
stammering or hesitating words are henceforth to
speak plainly.

5. vile person. The fool; compare Nabal as an
example (1 Sam. 25).

churl in the R. V., perhaps better "crafty," as in
margin of the R. V., or "knave," as Cheyne suggests.

50 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

bountiful. This is another difficult word, only in
Job 34. 19. Skinner suggests "lordly" as a trans-
lation. This would serve well, but is uncertain.
35. I. rose, uncertain. It may be the narcissus of the
springtime growing abundantly on the plain of
Sharon, or perhaps more probably the autumn
crocus.

7. in the habitation. From here on to the end of
the verse the sense is obscure and the text probably
mutilated in transmission.

SECOND SUNDAY AFTER CHRISTMAS 51

VII

S^econb ^unbap lifter Cfirtsitmase

Isaiah 42. 1-16

The passage belongs to the Second Isaiah, and the first
four verses form the first of the Servant passages (42. 1-4,
49. 1-6, 50. 4-9, 52. 13—53. 12). The whole passage be-
longs to the series of brilliant and moving addresses, di-
rected to the exiles, and intended not only to encourage
them to hope for and expect an end of their captivity, but
also to point the way toward a greater destiny for the
nation. In this first Servant passage the Servant seems
to be Israel, but it is Israel glorified, Israel not as it was
in captivity but as it was called to be in its mighty mis-
sion to the world for which God was preparing it. There
are in some of the lines a wavering between the people and
the person, but the person is not so clear as he is to be in
a later Servant passage (see especially the Lesson for Good
Friday).
42. 2. When the Servant begins his mission he shall
work unobtrusively, not, for example, as did Elijah;
and the words here make one think of how he came
to recognize the quiet way, the "still small voice"
as God*s way (1 Kings 19. 12f.); and one must not
forget the impressive application made of these words
to the Lord himself (Matt. 12. 17fiF.).

3. smoking flax, margin, "dimly burning wick."
This means the faint, flickering light of goodness
and of the knowledge of God found among the nations.
The Servant will not put out that light however
faint it be.

4. his law, his revelation of the truth. Here ends the
Servant passage, and now Jehovah makes a promise.

52 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

6. covenant of the people, a very obscure phrase.
Perhaps the people are conceived as a covenant
linking God to the nations, the Servant embodying
the covenant, which the nations are to accept.

9. the former things. These which have been pre-
dicted are now come to pass. Cyrus has been pre-
dicted, and is now come. The new things are these
which form the substance of the present prophecy.

10. new song. The new things such as the appear-
ance of the Servant and the conversion of the nations
deserve a new song.

11. Kedar, the people of the villages and Sela, the
people of the Rock, the mountain people, let all sing
together of Jehovah's triumph.

14. I have long time holden my peace. Jehovah has

kept silent while his people were in captivity; he

will now cry out in agony.

16. This is the homebringing of God's people from

captivity.

FIRST SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY 53

VIII
Jf irjft ^unbap lifter Cpipfjanp

Isaiah 44. 6-23
[Alternative p. 175.]

This forms a part of the message of the Second Isaiah
to the exiles in Babylonia. It begins with the assertion
of Jehovah's position as the only God, and of him is Israel
a witness. The whole passage is 43. 1 to 44. 23, and in it
there has been inserted by a later hand the fine didactic
passage 44. 9-20, with its ringing exposure of the utter
futility of idolatry. That it is not by the same hand as
the rest matters nothing. It is its own complete justifica-
tion and shows how the religion of Israel rose far above
the neighboring polytheistic or pantheistic faiths.

44. 6. the first . . . the last. As an assertion of mono-
theism this surpasses the declaration in Isa. 43. 10.
Remember the sonorous echoes and expansion of it
in Rev. 1. 8, 17 and 22. 13.

7. The verse as a whole is extremely difficult in the
Hebrew text, and the ordinary English version
would scarcely be intelligible if read aloud to any
congregation. I have tried to improve it somewhat
by following the Septuagint in the opening clauses.
There still remains the difficulty made by the tem-
poral clause, "since I appointed the ancient people,**
which must mean that prophecy has been continu-
ous since God founded Israel. That gives a fairly
good sense, but it is not perfectly blended with the
former clause. The difficulty is removed by a con-
jectural emendation first proposed by Oort, and
widely accepted. According to this, instead of

54 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

reading, "since I appointed the ancient people? and
the things that are coming, and that shall come to
pass let them declare,'* we should read, "Who hath
announced from of old future things? and things to
come let them declare." This is very tempting, but
is, after all, conjectural and not based on the au-
thority of the ancient versions, and I have not quite
the courage to introduce it into the text.
12. strength faileth. He that makes these false gods
exhausts himseK at his labor.

20. feedeth on ashes. The sentence in Hebrew
yields no satisfactory sense nor has any successful
proposal been made for altering it.

SECOND SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY 55

Isaiah 55. 1-13

This splendid evangelical passage belongs among the
chief glories of Holy Scripture and is well worthy of a place
with the richest and the best. It may well be compared
with John 4. 10-25; 7. 37-44; Rev. 21. 6, 22. 17. It was
addressed, in the first instance, to the exiles in Babylonia.
They had at first resented sorely their deportation and
enforced residence in a strange land (Psa. 137), but many
had later accepted the advice of Jeremiah (29. 6), and some
had made so complete a change as to have become to alj
practical purposes Babylonians, and had even lost their
ancient and far superior faith (see verse 2), and from all
the things which could never satisfy the soul the prophet
calls them back, in words of tenderness, yet of power and
eloquence.

55. I. wine and milk. God will give his people material
prosperity, typified by these two constituents of daily
food in Israel, but symbolical also of spiritual food.

2. not bread. Let these exiles not give themselves
over to luxuries in an alien land, but obey God's
call and enjoy his bounty at home.

fatness, the highest spiritual blessings. Contrast
Psa. 106. 15, "And he gave them their request; but
sent leanness into their souls."

3. everlasting covenant. The early covenant was
abrogated at the Exile; the new covenant will endure
forever.

David. Under the old covenant it was promised
that David's kingdom should never cease (2 Sam. 7.

56 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

8-16; Psa. 18. 50), and this is to be realized under
the new covenant.

5. The heathen peoples are to be called, and shall
come in haste, to the redeemed Jerusalem to acknowl-
edge Jehovah as the true God.

6-13. A call to repentance and an assurance of
acceptance and of blessing. In verses 8, 9 God's
willingness to pardon is contrasted with man's little
faith that salvation could be possible, and in 10, 11
the thought is presented that God's Spirit is cease-
lessly operating upon the hearts of men, as rain
upon God's vegetable world. Out of the world of
exile (verse 12) Israel shall pour forth joyously,
and as in the old covenant a rainbow was the token,
so in this new covenant a blossoming desert shall be
the name and sign that God shall be ever with his
redeemed people.

8. my thoughts . . . your thoughts. The thoughts
here meant are Jehovah's purposes of redemption
which far surpass any that men would dare to hope
or think. Compare, *'I know the thoughts that I
think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace,
and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope"
(Jer. 29. 11).

ID, II. God's redemption is embodied in a word,
which has an energy of its own, and its power is com-
pared with the beneficent operations of nature.
12, 13. This is the exodus from Babylon, and as a
memorial of it there is to be a wonderfully fertile
growth in the wilderness through which the returning
exiles pass.

THIRD SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY 57

tlTiiirb ^unba? litter (Cptplbanp

HosEA 11. 1—12. 6

[Alternative p. 177.]

Hose A began his public prophetic ministry about B. C.
746 in the northern kingdom. His married life was a cruel
tragedy narrated in chapters 1-3, but he rose above it, and
gave forth to his people a view of God tender, loving, gentle,
yet ethically high, that affords a most valuable [addition to
the attribute of justice and righteousness which formed the
body of the teaching of his elder contemporary, Amos.
The lesson of the day is characteristic of the book, and
is fittingly described by George Adam Smith's title to the
chapter, "The Fatherhood and Humanity of God."

II. I. my son. The son is Israel the people. In the
Gospel of Matthew (2. 15) it is applied to the child-
hood of Jesus.

2. The Hebrew text as translated in R. V., reads
thus: "As they called them, so they went from them.'*
This makes no sense, and I have boldly followed the
Septuagint, as G. A. Smith and others, and have sub-
stituted "and the more I called them, the farther
they went from me."

3. to walk. I have substituted "to walk," for the
R. V. "to go," as that is clearly what is meant.

healed. In the childhood of the race God healed
their diseases.

4. Here the figure changes to the heifer, whose kind
master eases its yoke when it is used as a draught
animal.

5. not return. So R. V. The negative spoils the sense.

58 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

and I have followed the Septuagint and taken it
as "to hun," connecting it with the preceding verse.

to retixm, that is, to Jehovah.
6, 7. The text is certainly in disorder in verse 6 and
the versions do not help. Emendations have been
proposed, but I do not feel justified in introducing
them. In even worse case is verse 7, and the English
translations are deceiving. It seemed, therefore,
wisest to omit these two verses from public reading,
as they could not possibly convey any sense to the
hearer, and there is no jar when one passes directly
from 5 to 8.

8-1 1. The divine love will triumph over Israel's
faithlessness and bring them back, even though they
deserve to be destroyed, as were Admah and Zeboim,
cities of the plain (Deut. 29. 22, 23).
9. I will not come to destroy. This is an emendation
for the Hebrew "I will not enter into the city" —
which makes no sense. Verses 10 and 11 are prob-
ably an addition.

12. This verse makes no satisfactory sense in either
A. V. or R. v., and I have followed the margin of
the latter with slight change partly suggested by the
Jewish version. The context shows clearly enough
that Judah also is rebuked and not approved, as the
ordinary translations suggest.
12. 3-6. Two episodes from Jacob's life are here used
for the spiritual edification of his descendants.

FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY 59

Jf ourtj feunbap iKtter €piptanp

Amos 8

Amos was the first of the written prophets, and his mes-
sage was delivered in Bethel, one of the chief cities of the
northern kingdom, during the reign of Jeroboam II and
about B. C. 760. The victorious campaigns of the king
had restored to Israel's rule the valuable territory east of
the Jordan which had been lost to Hazael, king of Damas-
cus, during the reign of Jehu. This great success had pro-
duced effects of sure and dangerous tendency in the lives
of the people. A modest and quiet reliance upon God
had given way to a boastful assurance in their own prowess,
and the spiritual religion was much obscured by a confidence
in the power of sacrifices and offerings to blot out the guilt
of sin, and so open the way to their repetition. To these
people, thus minded, came Amos from the southern king-
dom to preach God's demand for righteousness of life as
the sole ground for the securing of his favor. The mes-
sage was most unwelcome, and as it found little willing
acceptance, the prophet thunders denunciation upon them,
and predicts the destruction of the kingdom. The little
book is amazingly rich in illustration, in deft turns of ex-
pression, in skillful adaptations of the message to objections
which were probably directly voiced by his hearers, and
in the variety of form in teaching. The lesson of to-day
comes from a passage containing a series of visions by
which the prophet enforces his conviction of the imminence
of a destructive divine judgment. It is a brilliant example
of the prophetic method of enforcing the immediate duty
of a reformation.

60 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

1. summer fruit. The Hebrew word in sound suggests
the Hebrew word for "end." The end is coming soon, just
as the soft fruits of summer quickly decay.

2. pass by them — pardon them. It is too late for pardon
or mercy. Judgment is coming.

3. temple. There was a temple in Bethel, but it shall
no longer be a place of joyous praise, but a place of mourn-
ing for the numerous dead. It is the Assyrian invasion
which the prophet has in mind, for he foresaw that it was
sure to come, with silence, lit., "hush." There will be
too many dead to secure an honorable and ceremonious
burial.

4. swallow up — destroy the poor.

5. 6. The new moon, the first day of the month was ob-
served religiously and as a holiday with business suspended,
but the grasping merchants hated to lose the opportunity
of gain on that day and on the Sabbath. They would
keep up religion indeed, but were unwilling to give time
for its service. They would cheat their customers by
making an ephah measure smaller than it should — with
a false bottom perhaps — and then again by changing the
money balances by which the silver payments were weighed,
for there was then no coined money; and to these two frauds
there was added a third in the selling of the refuse of the
wheat probably mixed with the good.

7. God is a God of ethical righteousness, and he will
never forget these dishonest dealings.

8. The figure is that of an earthquake heaving up the
land.

9. Here the figure is of an eclipse, and it may have been
suggested to the prophet by the eclipse of June 15, B. C.
763, which would be visible at Jerusalem as a fairly large
partial eclipse (so Driver).

ID. sackcloth . . . baldness — both signs of mourning.

II, 12. When these dreadful events take place men will

FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY 61

be eager for some word of God which now is spurned and
despised, but there will be no divine message.

13. faint for thirst, that is, when the Assyrians begin a
siege and water is dij65cult or impossible to secure.

14. Men swear by that in which they believe. The
people of Israel were bidden to swear by Jehovah (Deut.
6. 13; 10. 20). There was a "calf" at Samaria and the
people who swore by that were swearing idolatrously, and
showing disrespect to Jehovah. At Dan also was a calf,
and the same applies there. The calf was really a bull
intended to represent Deity and worshiped originally as a
symbolic figure, as a visible object signifying Jehovah. The
practice was dangerous, and when the prophets spoke
against it they sneeringly called it a "calf."

the way of Beersheba. The expression is strange, and
the sense not quite certain. The most probable explana-
tion is that the oath was "by the road that ran to Beer-
sheba," which was a sacred place, as Mohammedans some-
times swear by the road to Mecca.

62 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

XII
Jf iftj) ^unbap lifter Cpipftanp

EZEKIEL 33. 1-20

The prophet Ezekiel was carried into captivity by Nebu-
chadrezzar in 597, and about 593 was called to be a prophet
among his eight thousand fellow exiles. His book offers
none of the critical problems, so trying to the investigator,
and at times so vexing to the ordinary reader, which con-
stantly arise in the book of Isaiah. The book as a whole
comes from Ezekiel's own hand. It can, nevertheless, hardly
be said that the book is popular among Christians generally
or even widely or generally read. This is, however, a
passage well known and deservedly popular. It is the
chapter of individual responsibility, and no prophet before
Ezekiel's day ever so clearly enunciated it. The doctrine
is, indeed, implicit or latent in many prophetic utterances,
and in other parts of the Old Testament. Here it rings
strong and clear and well deserves a public hearing.

4. upon his own head, individual responsibility. If the
watchman gives warning, he has done his duty. After
that whatever befalls the citizen he may blame no one but
himself.

7-9. As in the illustration of the watchman, so is it
with the prophet. If he give warning and the warning is
unheeded, his responsibility is fully absolved.

10. It is now necessary to remove from the people a false
impression. They feel that the sins of themselves and
their fathers had produced the terrible catastrophe of the
captivity, and that as this was so great, their sins must
be crushing in the eyes of God, and likely ultimately to
destroy them utterly. From this sense of still further

FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY 63

calamity the effort is made to arouse them by the beau-
tiful assurance from God given so tenderly in verse 11.

12. The past life does not determine the future. Right-
eousness will only deliver when maintained to the end,
wickedness cannot ultimately destroy if the sinner turn
from it. This does not mean that at the moment of judg-
ment whatever a man is then doing is the basis upon which
God judges. So to interpret the prophet's great message is
to do him a grievous injustice. The sins of the past do
have a continuing influence, and a sudden break with the
past is difficult, yet such is the power of God's grace that it
has often been achieved, and it is upon this great encourage-
ment that the prophet's mind is focused. He would hft
his people out of despondency into a great hope.

18-19. These verses summarize the whole argument.
They are worthy of its eloquence and importance, and the
whole passage should increase in us a reverence for the
prophet and a sense of his greatness.

64 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

XIII

^ixtfi ^unbap lifter (£pip|janp

EzEKiEL 34. 1-16, 25-31

[Alternative p. 179.]

EzEKiEL is in Babylonia among the eight thousand
exiles, and his mind, traveling backward over the past
history of his people, meditates upon the ill treatment
which evil rulers have given them, and then moves for-
ward toward a better day to come under good rulers. He
describes his people under the allegory of a flock of sheep,
and the shepherds are the rulers. The passage is very
plain and needs little annotation.
34. 2. the shepherds, that is, the rulers.

the fat. The Septuagint translates "the milk."
In Hebrew the two words have the same consonants.
5. The allegory is a picture of Israel's history. Her
rulers have governed so ill that the people have
become a prey to other nations and are widely scat-
tered. Because of this failure to govern and pro-
tect the people, these governors are to be removed
(verse 10) and Jehovah himself will deliver the
people from their captors and bring them home to
their own land (verses 12-15).
25. covenant of peace, that is, a covenant which secures
peace, by which everything that might destroy the
peace is removed.

evil beasts is used figuratively for foes, or savage
and destructive men. The wilderness and the woods
signify the uncultivated and waste places where
there are no dwellings of men; even in such places
God's people, still under the figure of sheep, will be

SIXTH SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY 65

safe. This peaceful situation is Messianic; not the

Messiah personally, but his age of peace is before

the prophet's mind.

26. showers of blessing, that is, showers that bring

blessing.

29. a plantation of renown, that is, a plantation

renowned for its fertility in the Messianic age.

famine. The land of Israel had often experienced
famine but this will be true no more.
31. The Hebrew text has "are men" after the word
pasture, which does not appear in the Septuagint
and seems clearly to be superfluous.

66 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

XIV

^eptuage£(tma §^mtiap

Genesis 1. 1 — 2. 3

This lesson, in its present form, came into being during
the Exile in Babylonia and probably about B. C. 500. The
literary materials which underlie it are derived from Baby-
lonia, and it is now possible to compare and contrast this
passage with the Assyrian story of creation which had its
origin early in Babylonia, but took final form in the reign
of Ashurbanipal about B. C. 650. The immeasurable
superiority of this Genesis story springs at once to eye
and mind. The priestly writer whose high privilege it
was to write these verses has left far behind the polytheism
of the Babylonians, and the nature myths associated with
it, and taking only the literary materials in selective part
has used them as the vehicle for setting forth a knowledge
of God revealed to him and to his fellows. The scheme of
six days is found nowhere else and is probably of Hebrew
origin. It has no special significance and is but a frame
for the larger idea, and that idea is God. The writer is
not focusing attention upon the works of creation, but
upon God the Creator. The attempt to reconcile the simple
elements of this creation story with the elaborate theories,
hypotheses, and facts of modern science has led only to
peril to faith, and the consequences have sometimes been
disastrous to seriously minded persons whose faith was
uprooted while still tender and delicate. It should ever
be kept in mind that the value of the narrative lies in its
power to reveal God, not to make nature and her works
known. If we keep its purpose in mind, we shall find
God. If we attempt to reconcile its artless phrases with
the language of science, we shall lose God, and be ever
driven to new reconciliations as geology or biology makes

SEPTUAGESIMA SUNDAY 67

progress. If we look upon the story as representative of
views current in the ancient world about earth and man,
and are quick to observe how the scriptural writer uses
these as vehicles to carry forward a lofty view of God,
we shall really come into the inner secret of Genesis.

1. I. created. The word does not necessarily mean
created out of nothing. In use it is, however, restricted
to God, and it is therefore syntactically sound to trans-
late it by the word "create," as it seems to point
forward toward the deeper views of God which later
and larger revelations were to bring forth.

3-5. The creation of light. Light and darkness

were to the Hebrews essences, and when light first

streamed forth it mingled with the darkness, and

God now divided the two.

6-8. The creation of the firmament, which is a solid

body whose purpose is to separate the waters of the

abyss into two portions, the one above the firmament,

and the other beneath, with a space between the two

for further works of creation. From the upper body

of water comes the rain, while from the lower body

the ocean streams forth (Job 38. 8-11).

9-13. This is the third day, and to it are ascribed

two works: first, the making of the dry land, by

draining off the waters into the sea, and, second,

the creation of vegetation.

14-19. The creation of the heavenly luminaries.

20-23. The creation of the animals of the water and

the birds of the air.

24-31. To the sixth day two works are assigned.

2. 1-3. The works of creation are finished and God rests.
So also must man at the end of every week. The
origin of the Sabbath is found in the divine act of
creation and not, as in Deuteronomy (5. 12-15), as
an act of mercy and good will to servants.

68 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

Genesis 3

This lesson belongs to the writings of the Judaistic narra-
tor (J) and was probably composed about B. C. 850. It
gives in a symbolic form an account of man's temptation,
his fall from rectitude, the origin of sin and its insidious
advances, and in this early case its triumph. But the
writer goes on to teach that this which thus began was
to be an age-long struggle, that to every man and woman
temptation was sure to come, and that at last the victory
was to lodge with man and not with temptation (3. 15).
3. I. the serpent. Here only one of the animals which
were introduced to man. It has in the beginning
some sort of erect attitude, which it afterward loses.
In this passage it is not identified with the Evil One,
that idea being a later development in the Hebrew
religion and appearing first in the apocryphal Book
of Wisdom (2. 23f.) — In this passage the serpent
represents the power of temptation, of which it is the
symbol, or the expression, or the type. The serpent
here puts forward in an artful manner the advantages
of breaking the divine command, and even more art-
fully suggests that there is no real danger in doing it.
As revelation proceeds the devil represents the methods
and the powers which are here in the serpent's power,
until at length our Lord is manifested that he might
destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3. 8). There
is no dualism. God and the devil are not equal.
^'Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the
world" (1 John 4. 4).

SEXAGESIMA SUNDAY

2, 3. The woman corrects the serpent, and shows
her sense of the importance and preciseness of the
prohibition, which the serpent follows up (verses 4, 5),
by suggesting an unworthy motive on God's part,
and coupling with that a promise of great intellectual
gain.

7. After both had eaten they passed suddenly out of
innocence into knowledge, typifying the change in all
mankind from the innocence of childhood slowly
accomplished by the flight of time and not, as here,
at once.

8. voice, rather "sound." They heard the footsteps
of God. The representation is, of course, anthro-
pomorphic, and no other was or is possible without
the danger of slipping into pantheism.

cool; lit., the breeze, or wind of the day. After
the day's heat in Oriental countries comes the evening
breeze, and man may come out of his house.
12, 13. From the man and the woman confession is
compelled, as they were moral agents, but no such
demand is made of the serpent, as it was only an animal.

14. dust. The serpent is not to live by eating dust.
It crawls upon the ground, and may therefore be sup-
posed to swallow some dust as animals that live above
the ground do not.

15. This splendid verse has long been called the
Protevangelium, and so it is. We must not ask too
much of it, or read a whole system of Christian theol-
ogy into it, but neither should we strip it of all meaning.

bruise. The meaning is doubtful, but no better
translation has yet been suggested. The general sense
of the verse is clear, however dubious may be the
exact rendering of this word.

The verse holds out a hope of victory in the cease-
less antagonism between the moral nature of man

70 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

and the power of temptation which the serpent repre-
sents, but victory is not definitely promised, but only
hinted in the very conditions of the contest.
i6. Woman's sentence is labor in childbearing, and the
domination, practiced, in the ancient Orient especially,
by men. It is not that her physical nature was to
be changed as a result of her sin. We must not force
modern physiological knowledge upon this ancient
writer. His interest was moral and religious, and he
is using his material accordingly.

17-19. The sentence upon man is not work, but the
laboriousness of his work. Man had to work before;
he will now work at a great disadvantage.
20. Eve, Hebrew Khawwdh, "life." She is so called
because all human life originates with her.
22-24. Man was created mortal. It is implied, though
not quite stated, that had he remained innocent, he
might have been permitted to eat of the tree of life
and become immortal. This cannot be granted a sin-
ful being, and he is therefore expelled from Paradise.
This is indeed a rich, fruitful, eloquent, and noble passage,
and well deserves a public reading, year after year in the
churches, and such an exposition of its significance as a
lecture or prayer meeting might afford. A sound under-
standing of its age and its simple symbolism should enhance
its value to every thoughtful man, and not strip it of any
religious power and moral value.

QUINQUAGESIMA SUNDAY 71

XVI

(©umquasesstma ^unbap

Genesis 6. 5-8, 13-22; 7. 23, 24; 9. 8-17

The story of the Deluge belongs to mankind in a very
peculiar way. Some narrative of a flood, local or extended,
seems to be found almost everywhere. The origin of the
biblical account is traceable to the Babylonian flood legends
which had their origin in remote antiquity, and were founded
originally upon some great cataclysm of nature in the
Tigris-Euphrates valley. After many literary vicissitudes
the story reached us in a recension belonging to the library
of Ashurbanipal. How or when or in what stage it passed
to the Hebrews has been the subject of much speculation,
but without any sure result. The Hebrew Judaistic writer
(J) about B. C. 850 wrote its earliest form, and the book
of Genesis now preserves his narrative with portions de-
rived from the priestly story (P) written in Babylonia
probably about B. C. 500. The two strands have been
separated by modern investigation, and shown to be differ-
ent in many particulars. They both, however, have a
religious value immeasurably superior to their Babylonian
relatives. They are made the vehicle for lofty views of
God never attained by the peoples of the Tigris-Euphrates
valley.
6. 6. repented . . . grieved. These strong anthropopathic
expressions are necessary for man*s comprehension
of God as a person, not as a force or as a power.

13. is come before me, that is, is resolved upon.

14. ark: tebdhy an Egyptian word used only of Noah's
ark and of the ark in which Moses was hidden (Exod.
2. 3, 5).

72 OLD TESTAINIENT LESSONS

gopher. Only found here, and of uncertain sig-
nification, perhaps cypress.

pitch, that is, bitumen, still used for the same
purpose in the Tigris-Euphrates valley.
15. The ark, as here described, would be about 450
feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high (so Driver).
18. my covenant. This is the covenant which fol-
lowed in 9. 8-17.

9. 8. my covenant. It is not only with Noah, but
with all men and all animals.

12. token of the covenant. A covenant must have
some sign as a guarantee, and for this purpose God
appoints the rainbow. Whenever it appears man
shall know that God remembers and will keep his
covenant.

FIRST SUNDAY IN LENT 73

XVII

Jf irsit ^unbap in Hent

Jeremiah 8. 4-22; 9. 1
[Alternative p. 181.]

The lesson is taken from a part of Jeremiah's teaching
uttered early in the reign of Jehoiakim (B. C. 608-604)
and is devoted to a denunciation of Judah's disobedience
and sin.

8. 4. fall . . . not rise. When a man falls he rises again,
but Judah is unnatural; she falls but does not rise;
in other words, she continually persists in her evil way.

7. The instinct of the animals sets the time for their
appearance in the proper season. "What instinct is
for the beast, that religion is for man" (Cornill).

8. Israel now had the Law found in 621 in the reign
of Josiah, but already there were falsifications of it
or regulations which destroyed its value, or dimin-
ished men's reverence for it or use of it. This Law
book was our book of Deuteronomy, or its kernel,
chapters 12-26.

13. grapes . . . figs. The state of the people is pre-
sented under the figure of vines and trees which are
barren, producing no fruit. For an interesting and
beautiful parallel see Isa. 5. 1-7, and for a contrast
compare, "For he shall be as a tree planted by the
waters, and that spreadeth out his roots by the river,
and shall not fear when heat cometh, but his leaf
shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of
drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit"
(Jer. 17. 8).

and the things . . . from them. This whole clause
is in Hebrew expressed by three words, and the trans-

74 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

lation of them is doubtful. Furthermore, they are
entirely omitted in the Septuagint and the Syriac
Hexaplar version, and these omissions give good
reason to suspect the Hebrew text. The Jewish
translation gives as the meaning, "And I gave them
that which they transgress." This is ingenious, gives
an interesting sense, but is doubtful.
14 and 15 are spoken by the people who are in dis-
tress and in flight from invaders.

water of gall. Gall is a plant, not yet identified,
possessing a bitter flavor.

16. Dan is the extreme northern part of the territory
of Israel, and from that quarter the enemy is heard
approaching.

17. adders. The particular kind of serpent here
meant is not known.

18. This is an expression of the prophet's grief over
his people.

19. He is carried forward in thought to the time
when the people shall be in exile.

20. This is quite likely a popular proverb. The har-
vest would be from April to June, while by "summer"
is meant the later period in which the fruits are gar-
nered. If the crops failed in harvest, there was still
a hope in the fruits. If both failed, famine was certain.

9. I. This verse really belongs to chapter 8. The di-
vision which assigns it to chapter 9 is unfortunate. It
expresses the prophet's deep sorrow at the sufferings of his
people.

SECOND SUNDAY IN LENT 75

XVIII

^econti ^unbap in Hent

Genesis 22. 1-19

The narrative comes from the Elohistic or Ephraimistic
writer and was set down probably about B. C. 800 and
later incorporated in the Pentateuch. It has always been
deeply admired by all who have had any real interest in
literary or religious literature. Nothing else preserved
from this writer's work equals it in simplicity, restrained
emotion or the delicacy of handling a tragic situation.
The appreciation of the beauty and moving pathos of the
story is far more easy than its explanation. This is, however,
no place for the discussion of certain modern theories which
propose for it an setiological meaning as an explanation of
animal for human sacrifices. For our purpose we are quite
justified in taking it in its simple religious significance.
Here is a man, Abraham, surrounded by a society in which
child sacrifice was usual and ordinary. How easy it was,
under the taunts of neighbors, or in the secret of his own
meditation, for Abraham to conclude that his God also
demanded his best, his only son. On the very moment
of accomplishing this awful deed his hand is stayed,
and it is made clear to his intelligence that God's real de-
mand is the surrender of his will. He has made that sur-
render, and God's joy in him is expressed in a glorious
promise.

22. I. God did prove. The translation is a great im-
provement upon the Authorized Version which
translates "tempt." God does not "tempt" men
(see James 1. 13). He does try men to test their
faith and obedience. See, for example, 1 Cor. 10. 13;
Heb. 11. 17; 1 Pet. 1. 6, 7.

76 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

and said unto him, perhaps in a dream.

2. Moriah. The site has never yet been satis-
factorily identified.

3. rose early. He would act at once. Had he
waited, courage might have failed him and disobedi-
ence triumphed.

4. afar off. The site was then upon a height visible
from a distance. After they had traveled two days,
on the "third" it was visible. They will have cov-
ered thirty or forty miles.

6. *'The boy carries the heavier load, the father the
more dangerous: knife and fire" (Gunkel).

7. This is the pathetic climax. The boy*s childish
curiosity, the father's grim determination.

8. God will provide. It is this which makes the
possible typical application to Christ. See how the
New Testament writers do it in John 1. 29, 36;
1 Pet. 1. 19; Rev. 5. 12.

14. "In the mount of the Lord it shall be provided."
The Hebrew text is diflScult and yields no sense
suited to the context, nor do the versions supply any
reasonable substitute. If we would be perfectly
honest with ourselves, we must admit this, and
failing any worthy conjectural emendation must
read the text as the R. V. has translated it.
18. be blessed; rather, "bless themselves," the idea
being that all successive generations shall look back
upon Abraham as blessedness incarnate, and when
they would wish a blessing upon any one would say,
"May God make thee like Abraham."

THIRD SUNDAY IN LENT 77

XIX

tlTfitrb ^unbap tn Htnt

Genesis 37. 3-12, 17-35

This lesson introduces reader and hearer to the most
beloved, as well as the best known and most delightful of
Old Testament biographies. The story is of Joseph and
his unparalleled providential career. It is continued to
the end of the book (with exceptions in chapters 38 and
49. 1-28) and so simple, yet so thrilling is the story, and
so brilliantly and skillfully yet so restrainedly is it told
that one might well long for the pleasure of reading the
whole of it in public instead of this introductory passage
only, beautiful and instructive though it is. The story
of Joseph began to be written by the Judaistic writer (J)
about B. C. 850, and by the Ephraimistic (E) about 800,
and the two were woven into one perhaps during the reign
of Hezekiah when there would appear to have been con-
siderable literary activity. (Compare Prov. 25. 1.)

37. 3. coat of many colors; rather, a "tunic of palms
and soles," by which is meant a garment reaching
to the hands and feet.

4. loved him. The emphatic pronoun, loved him.

5. 9. The double dream is intended to indicate
the certainty of fulfillment.

12. in Shechem. There was good pasturage in the
plain east of Shechem, and better at Dothan, fifteen
miles further north.

25. from Gilead. The regular trade route from
Gilead still crosses the plain north of Dothan.

spicery, probably gum tragacanth; balm, a resinous
gum, probably the exudation of the mastic tree, and
specially associated with Gilead (Gen. 43. 11; Jer.

78 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

8. 22); myrrh, that is, ladanum, the fragrant gum
of a species of cistus rose. These gums were highly
esteemed in Egypt for medicinal, liturgical, and
embalming purposes.

28. twenty pieces of silver. The price, about twelve
to thirteen dollars, was two thirds of that of an or-
dinary (adult) slave (Exod. 21. 32), but may have
been such as would be usual for a youth. Compare
Lev. 27. 5.

30. The child. The Hebrew word yeled would prop-
erly be used for a small boy, and is frequently so used
in the Bible.

33. an evU beast, Jacob draws at once the conclusion
which they desired. They had not spoken, but acted
a lie, and the old man was readily deceived.
35. the grave. The Hebrew is Sheoly the abode of
the dead, which corresponds to the Greek Hades, Acts
20. 27. Jacob here means not only that he shall die
mourning, but even enter mourning into Sheol. There
the son will meet the father and behold his grief. It
must be remembered that the Hebrew view of the
place of the dead was gloomy at the best. The glory
of heaven and its joys is a later idea, and in its full-
ness Christian.

FOURTH SUNDAY IN LENT 79

jf ourtift S>ttnliap in Hent

Exodus 3. 1-15

After Moses had slain an Egyptian who was oppressing
an Israelite, he had fled to the wilderness of Midian and
lived there, according to the priestly records, forty years,
which means simply a generation. When the divinely
providential plans for Israel's rescue from the intolerable
bondage in Egypt were mature, it was necessary to prepare
Moses for his great task, and in this passage we have the
story of his call to duty in behalf of God and men by an
immediate revelation of God to him. In its present form
it is composed of passages taken from the Judaistic writer
(J) about B. C. 850, and the Ephraimistic (E) about B. C.
800, and the resulting narrative belongs to the greatest
utterances of Holy Scripture. The dialogue is in the words
of men, "seen," "heard," "come down," for there is no
other way by which its lesson could be brought home to
men, but we shall do well to conceive of this great revela-
tion of God as having come, as others like it, to the inner
eye and ear, to the mind and heart of Moses as he com-
muned with God in lonely and silent abstraction from the
ordinary affairs of life. So interpreted it loses nothing of
reality; it is still actual, it describes a true contact between
the soul of a great man and his God.

3. I. back of the wilderness, that is, the western portion,
as distinguished from the eastern or front. The site
cannot be identified, but was probably somewhere in
the region of Sinai. The region is called Sinai by J,
and Horeb by E, and there is no sufficient reason yet
brought forward for doubtmg that the same place
is intended.

80 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

Mountain of God, that is, a sacred mountain, a
mountain held to have been sacred long before the
days of Moses. Sinai is derived from Sin, the name
of the moon god in Babylonian.

2. angel of Jehovah. "The angel of Jehovah is a
temporary, but full, self-manifestation of Jehovah, a
manifestation usually, at any rate, in human form,
possessing no distinct and permanent personality, as
such, but speaking and spoken of, sometimes as Jehovah
himself (e. g., v. 4a here, comp. with v. 2; Gen. 16.
10, 13; 31. 11, 13; Jud. 6. 12, 14; 13. 21f.), and some-
times as distinct from him (e. g.. Gen. 16. 11; 19. 13,
21, 24; 21. 17; Nu. 22. 31)" (Driver).

flame of fire. This was a frequent form of divine
manifestation.

6. God of thy father. It was no new God whom Moses
was to introduce to Israel, but the same God who had
manifested himself to Abraham.

8. honey. The word includes, with the product of
the bee, also the widely used Oriental condiment now
called in Arabic dibs, which is made by boiling grape
juice into a dark brown and intensely sweet syrup.

Hittite, the name of a powerful and widely extended
people now known by the recovery of hundreds of
monuments, inscriptions, and inscribed tablets, and
represented by one of their branches in the northern
part of Canaan, and by still another in the neighbor-
hood of Hebron.

Amorite. Here probably a general designation of
the early inhabitants of the country when the Hebrews
entered it, and practically synonymous with Canaanite.

Perizzite. Not certainly identified as any particular
people. The word may perhaps come from perdzly
"country folk," and so mean not a tribe or clan, but
merely "peasantry."

FOURTH SUNDAY IN LENT 81

Jebusite, a minor tribe who held Jerusalem until
expelled by David.

II, 12. Moses feels himself unfitted to so great a

task, and is assured of the divine presence and support.

13-22. The second difficulty brought forward by Moses

is that he does not know God's name.

14. I am that I am, or, I will he that I will he. This

is intended as an interpretation of the divine name

Yahweh (Jehovah) which in its usual form is the third

person imperfect of a verb and means ^^he will he.''

It is here put into the first person, as Jehovah is the

speaker. The meaning, then, is that Jehovah will he

to Moses and his people, what he will he, and that

signifies that his nature is too great and high then

to be completely described, but it will be gradually

unfolded as the people intrust themselves to him.

I am, or, better, / will he.

15. this is my name. This remaining part of the

verse, including the parallel clause, has, as Driver has

pointed out, almost a poetical tone, and indeed the

Hebrew phrase "to all generations" occurs elsewhere

only in a poetical passage. (Prov. 27. 24.)

8^ OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

XXI

Jf iftij ^unbap m Hent

Exodus 33. 7-23

The lesson is taken from the chapters 32-34, which are
given over to incidents connected with the episode of the
Golden Calf — ^the sacred bull image intended to represent
Jehovah — and this particular passage partly from the
Judaistic writer about B. C. 850, and the Ephraimistic
about B. C. 800. The connection between the mention
of the Tent of Meeting and the rest of the narrative is
not clear, but it has its own interest, and there is no sufficient
reason for separating it in this lesson from the impressive
and beautiful story of Moses' search for God's visible
presence.

33. 7. tent of meeting, that is, the tent where Moses
met God, and to which all who would seek God must
resort.

9. the pillar of cloud. The symbol of Jehovah's
presence.

10. worshiped — did obeisance; bowed themselves.

12. whom thou wilt send. It had been promised
that an angel should be sent (32. 34, 33. 2). The
question, then, would seem to mean, which angel
was to be chosen.

by name, that is, individually, to know by name
is to know intimately.

13. In spite of all the assurances already given him
Moses still longs for a deeper knowledge of God,
and further assurance that God's grace would be
with him to answer future prayers.

14. give thee rest, namely, in the promised land of
Canaan.

FIFTH SUNDAY IN LENT 83

15. The meaning is that if God will not go with them,
they prefer to remain in the neighborhood of Sinai,
where was the mountain of God (Exod. 3. 1); com-
pare the phrase **brought you unto myself" (Exod.
19. 4); that is, to Jehovah's abiding place at Sinai.

18. Moses pleads for a further revelation of God,
show me thy glory^ that is, thy majesty.

19. goodness, goodliness or comeliness, the outward
expression of God*s perfection.

the name of the Lord. We may well compare
with this God's revelation of his name to Moses
(Exod. 3. 14). Here the name is further expounded.
Jehovah (Yahweh) is a God who knows how to be
gracious to whom he will be gracious, even though
men sin against him.

20. man shall not see me and live. This is a fre-
quently expressed idea in the Old Testament, that
no man could see God, certainly not in his full glory.
See Isa. 6. 5 and compare also Gen. 32. 30, Deut.
4. 33, Judg. 6. 22ff., and 13. 22.

23. my back. Not the face of God does Moses see,
but, as the Hebrew says literally, "my hinder parts."
Let us not be hasty to make this anthropomorphic. It
means really the "after glow" which Jehovah leaves
behind him, as a suggestion of what the full glory
must be. Gregory Naz. calls it "all the indications
of himself which He has left behind him." Compare
the beautiful passage Wisdom 13. 1-9, and the fine
phrase in Job 26. 14.

84 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

XXII

Zechariah 8. 14-23; 9. 9, 10

The prophet Zechariah was a contemporary of Haggai,
and his earliest work was an effort to induce the people
to rebuild the Temple, which had been destroyed by Nebu-
chadrezzar in B. C. 586. The earliest utterance of the
prophet is dated in November, B. C. 520 (Zech. 1. 1), and
the latest (7. 1) on December 4, 519. The first eight chap-
ters of the present book alone belong to this prophet, while
chapters 9-14 are to be ascribed to an unknown prophet
living in the Greek period and probably between B. C.
333 and 175. For this lesson a few verses are taken from
Zechariah to introduce the Messianic passage from the
Second Zechariah.
8. 14. As I thought to do evil. Zechariah is addressing
the returned exiles, and reminds them that God had
inflicted upon them that captivity as a punishment
for the sins of the nation, but that is now past and
they need fear no more if only they meet the moral
conditions which God imposes (verses 16, 17).
19. The fasts here mentioned are commemorative of
the terrible days of Jerusalem's sufferings at the hands
of the Chaldeans. The fourth month, ninth day, was
the day when Jerusalem's walls were breached, and
the Chaldeans entered the city after Zedekiah had
fled (2 Kings 25. 3-5; Jer. 52. 6-8). The fijth month,
tenth day, brought the destruction of the city, palace
and Temple by fire (Jer. 52. 12, 13). In the seventh
month Gedaliah was murdered (2 Kings 25. 23, 25;
Jer. 40. 5, 7; 41. 1, 2), and the tenth month, tenth day

PALM SUNDAY 85

was the anniversary of the beginning of the siege of
Jerusalem, a year and a half earlier than the time
of the breaching of the walls (2 Kings 25. 1; Jer. 52. 4).
These were all anniversaries of sad events, but the
sting had been taken from them by the mercies of God
and the influences of time, and they were now to be
cheerful feasts. The dark days are forever past and
so great will be Judah's prosperity and joy that many
peoples and strong nations will come to seek the
favor of Jehovah, who hath wrought such marvels for
his people.

21. Let us go. The nations are urging one another
to make the pilgrimage to Judah. Compare Isa.
2. 3 and again in Mic. 4. 2.

Q-io. The Messianic king enters his capital triumph-
antly riding not as a warrior on a horse, but as a man
of peace upon an ass. See the New Testament use
of the passage in Matt. 21. 5; John 12. 15. The ful-
fillment is not temporal but spiritual, not a conqueror
of men by the arts of war, but the king of peace.

OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

XXIII

<§oob Jf ribap

Isaiah 52. 13—53. 12

This is the last and by far the greatest of the most in-
teresting and most impressive Servant passages. The
first is found in Lesson VII. In that the Servant is Israel,
and as the passages advance the Servant represents an
ideal Israel within the real Israel, and wavering hints of
a person rather than a people (49. 1-6; 50. 4-9) until at
last the whole scene changes and the Servant is before us
not only as a person but as a suffering person, whose pitiable
plight moves whole nations to do him homage, and kings
to be silent in his presence. Well and truly have apostles
and teachers ancient and modern fastened loving eyes
upon the passage, and seen in its dear words an adumbra-
tion of future words and deeds, even the "sufferings of
Christ, and the glory that should follow." No other pas-
sage in the Old Testament offers an anticipation so won-
derful. Who dares to read this in public without deep
emotion? — and upon Good Friday of all days.

52. 14. startle. "Sprinkle" is the ordinary translation,
but it cannot be justified by the Hebrew. See the
commentaries.

53. I, 2. Here the nations begin to speak, and at first
express surprise at the unbelief which has surrounded
the wonderful news of the Servant. The connection
of this with verse 2 is not quite clear, but one must
not expect of the prophet an order of thought logical
in western eyes but not so natural to Oriental think-
ing. In verse 2 the prophet comes at once to a
vivid description of the Servant as one who has
suffered so as to be marred in form and feature.

GOOD FRIDAY 87

In this verse we see that the people shrank from him
because they thought that the divine wrath against
him personally had produced this result. They
thought he was a sinner, as Job's friends thought
he was, and therefore justly under the divine dis-
pleasure.

4-6. In these verses the people see the truth. The
Servant has not suffered for his sins but for theirs.
Here begins their own consciousness of sin.

Chastisement of our peace. Chastisement is pun-
ishment inflicted for moral ends, and here is meant
to be suflBcient to issue finally in peace.

8. by oppression, etc. The verse is extremely difl5-
cult and obscure. The words have become so familiar
by repetition that we do not usually stop to ask what
they really mean. As the meaning is so doubtful
in Hebrew, I have not dared to change the transla-
tion. Numerous suggestions have been made as to
the meaning, and perhaps the most probable, though
far from certain, is that "From oppression and judg-
ment he was taken away," that is, by death.

his life. This clause is also both difficult and
doubtful. It is here set down according to the Re-
vised margin because none of the numerous sugges-
tions for either emendation or amendment seem
soundly based.

9. With this verse the speaking of the nations comes
to an end, and verses 10-12 are the words of the
prophet in part speaking for himself, in part for
Jehovah. These concluding verses are obscure. The
texts of the Hebrew and of the Septuagint differ
largely and the difficulty which we experience is
therefore ancient. It is not likely that we shall
ever extract a precise exegesis of the words as they
now stand. We must content ourselves with an

88 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

apprehension of the main thought, which seems to
be that the Servant will remove guilt and bring many
to righteousness. As his reward he shall live long,
and shall see his seed, that is, his spiritual children,
and for his undeserved sufferings and his mediatorial
work shall become a great potentate with the powers
of a royal and victorious conqueror. Then suddenly
there is a return, in the very last words to the spiritual
significance of the Servant's work as vicarious suffering.
12. a portion with the great. The Servant is to be
numbered with the great of earth, and in this it is im-
plied that political dominion is to come to him.
divide the spoil. It is the prerogative of the con-
queror to do this, and the Servant is therefore to be
a great conqueror, but the prophet takes care to
guard the spiritual character of the Servant by
adding at once that he is a conqueror by reason of
a religious preeminence obtained by the bearing of
the sins of a whole people.
It were quite impossible to overstate the greatness or to
praise overmuch the beauty and the profound religious
significance of the whole passage. He is indeed a poor
creature who can read it in public without deep emotion,
restrained by public dignity, yet possessing him within.

EASTER DAY 89

XXIV

Casiter Bap

Exodus 12. 1-14

[Alternative p. 184.]

The passage comes from the hand of the priestly writer,
who composed it in Babylonia probably about B. C. 500.
It gives the priestly regulations for the Passover, instituted
in Egypt to protect the houses of the Israelites. It was
quite probably an ancient form of sacrifice among the
Semites and was simply adapted to new conditions and
fitted with a new significance.

12. 2. this month. It corresponds to March-April in
our calendar and in the early records was named
Abib, and in the later Nisan. It was the new begin-
ning of the new year, for the old Hebrew year began
in the autumn.

3. congregation. The priestly name for Israel organ-
ized as a church.

tenth day. There is no certainly known reason
for the choice of the tenth day for the ceremony,
but we may remind ourselves that the Day of the
Atonement fell on the tenth day of the seventh
month, and that the tenth day of the twelfth month
in Islam is the day of the great sacrifice at Mecca,
so some sanctity must have belonged to the day
among Semites.

lamb. The Hebrew word means either "lamb" or
"kid."

6. at even. The Hebrew means "between the two
evenings," which meant the interval between sunset
and darkness; that is, the first evening would be

90 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

about a half hour after sunset, at the end of which,
under average conditions, the new moon would ap-
pear. The second evening would be the hour between
that and the coming of complete darkness.

8. unleavened bread, R. V. The Hebrew is plural,
and cakes would be a better rendering. The phrase
means a sort of biscuit which could be baked quickly
for an unexpected guest, which, if leavened, would
require much longer time to wait for the raising of
the dough.

9. not raw, lest blood be thus consumed, which was
forbidden (Lev. 7. 26).

roast. We do not certainly know why it was
forbidden to be boiled. There may be a survival of
some ancient custom in the prohibition.

10. Nothing must be left over, lest the sacred flesh
be profaned in some way.

13. pass over. The Hebrew word is pdsach, which
is cognate to pesach and Pesach is the word used
for this sacrifice, the Passover. It has come down
to us in the New Testament form Pascha, from
which we derive the adjective Paschal.

FIRST SUNDAY AFTER EASTER 91

XXV

jfixit ^unbap ^fter taittv

Isaiah 52. 1-12

The lesson belongs to the Second Isaiah and follows most
beautifully and fitly upon the story of the Passover lesson
of Easter. Then the people of Israel was bidden to eat
the Passover *'in haste" (Exod. 12. 11) or, as the word may
better be translated, in trepidation (so Driver); but now
in the exodus from Babylon they were not "to go out in
haste." This is a passage of rare beauty and much be-
loved, for the Christian Church has taken over its beautiful
words and wrought them into the music of the Messianic
kingdom.
52. I. awake. Zion is to come out of the sleepy lethargy
of exile.

uncircumcised. This does not mean that no
uncircumcised shall enter the redeemed Jerusalem,
but only none as a conqueror.

3-6 are in prose, and probably inserted to take the
place of some verses that had been lost.

sold for nought. Jehovah sold his people into
exile for their sins. He received no money for them,
and so may now take them back without payment.
4. into Egypt. Thither had they gone as guests
(Gen. 45. 9-20).

without cause, that is, without any just case
against them.

7. The herald comes over the mountains with a
message of victory. Compare the use which the
apostle makes of the fine phrase. Rom. 10. 15.

Thy God reigneth. Once again is there a king in
Zion, and this time it is God himself.

De OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

8. the voice . . . watchmen. Lit., "Hark! Thy watch-
men."

eye to eye ; that is, clearly. It does not mean that
God will be visible.

9. hath comforted . . . hath redeemed. This has not
yet come, but it is so certain that the prophet uses
perfect tenses.

11. thence, that is, presumably from Babylon,
vessels, the Temple vessels carried off from Jeru-
salem by Nebuchadrezzar.

12. not ... in haste. When the people left the bond-
age in Egypt it was in haste (Exod. 12. 11; Deut.
16. 3.), but there is to be now no haste, but in
glorious contrast the people are to march out in
triumph protected before and behind with the
presence of their God.

rear guard. R. V. reads the old word "rearward,"
which is perhaps obsolete or obsolescent. The
Hebrew occm-s again in Num. 10. 25 and Josh. 6. 9, 13.

SECOND SUNDAY AFTER EASTER 93

XXVI

^econb ^unbap ^Cter Casiter

Exodus 16. 2-15

The lesson is taken from a passage written in its present
form for the greater part by a priestly writer (P) during the
Exile in Babylonia, with which there have been incorporated
a few verses from the Judaistic writer (J) about B. C. 850.
The whole has been welded into one by the compilers of
the Pentateuch. The passage is interesting in itself and not
without a lesson as to the Divine Providence in giving food
to men in his own way.

1 6. 3. by the flesh pots. Though they had suffered
much at the hands of their taskmasters, the bounty
of Egypt remains in remembrance. Compare Num-
bers 11. 5: "We remember the fish which we did
eat in Egypt for nought; the cucumbers, and the
melons, and the leeks, and the onions and the garlic."
5. prepare. Compare Numbers 11. 7, 8: "And the
manna was like coriander seed, and the appearance
thereof as the appearance of bdellium. The people
went about, and gathered it, and ground it in mills,
or beat it in mortars, and seethed it in pots, and
made cakes of it: and the taste of it was as the taste
of fresh oil."

9-12. These verses have been at some time acci-
dentally displaced. They belong after verse 5, and
I have there placed them. The command given to
the people in verse 6-8 should follow the command
from God to deliver it.

10. the glory of Jehovah. Probably a great glow of
fire above the Tent of Meeting and though brilliant
in itself yet intended to shield from human eyes the

94 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

greater glory of the Lord which no human eyes could
behold.

12. at even; lit., "between the two evenings"; that
is, the interval between sunset and darkness. See
the note on Exodus 12. 6, Lesson XXIV, p. 89.

13. the quails. A migratory bird which comes out
of Arabia in March and April and often in immense
numbers. They fly with the wind, and being weak
of wing alight at night; sometimes they even cover
the ground, and are easily captured by hand.

14. a thin flake. R. V., "small round thing," which
is without sound philological basis. See for another
description of manna the note on verse 5 above.

15. What is it? Hebrew mdn-huy intended as a
popular etymology for "manna," the real origin of
the word being still unknown.

THIRD SUNDAY AFTER EASTER 95

XXVII

Deuteronomy 4. 1-20
[Alternative p. 186.]

The book of Deuteronomy was discovered in the reign
of Josiah king of Judah, during some Temple restorations
in the year B. C. 621. In its present form additions have
been made at the beginning and the end, and as Josiah
first saw it, and put its enactments into force, it probably
consisted of chapters 12-26. The influence of the book
was incalculable, for it not only transformed the kingdom
under Josiah but its spirit, and often its very ideas, are
traceable in several other books of Holy Scripture. The
period of its writing is uncertain and the hand that wrote
it is quite unknown, but its interpretation of God's will
as set down in the form of a rereading and rewriting of the
work of Moses lives forever. This lesson belongs to the
second part of the first discourse of Moses, and is an ex-
hortation to Israel to cherish her glorious advantages and
privileges in the possession of a God so glorious, and a law
so excellent, and not to run any risk of losing a spiritual
apprehension of God by drifting back into idolatries like
her neighbors.
4. 2. Ye shall not add. It is important that the law

be not weakened by superfluous expansions, or by

accommodations to the whims of the moment.

3. Baal-peor. The historic episode is recoimted in

Num. 25. 1-5.

6. Israel's observance of God's law will bring her

honorable repute among the people with whom she is

to live in Canaan.

96 OT.D TESTAMENT LESSONS

7. gods. The Hebrew may mean either god or gods,
but the latter seems preferable here. R. V. has ''a
god."

8. so righteous. Israel's laws are righteous, that is,
they conform to all the requirements of ideal right
and justice.

9. thy heart. In Hebrew psychology the "heart" is
the seat of intellect, not of emotion, as with us. Here,
then, memory is implied; the law must be kept in
mind.

12. ye saw no fonn. There was no material shape
or substance before them, and therefore there should
be no temptation to them to make any material repre-
sentation of Deity (see verses 15-18).

13. ten commandments. Lit., **ten words," that is,
the Decalogue.

15-19. Israel is warned not to make any image to
revcn^ncc or worship it as divine. The prohibition is
sweeping, and no exception is made.

18. water under the earth. This means the subter-
ranean dc(^]) of wjitcrs which was believed to be the
source of all springs, and hence of all streams.

19. The worship of the heavenly bodies might pre-
sumably tempt an Israelite, especially as neighboring
peoples did practice it extensively. In their case
it was by a Divine Providence, for God had "dividedy*^
or, rather, allotted it to them. But this worship is
not permitted to Israel, for God has specially chosen
her for his own inheritance (verse 20).

FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER EASTER 07

XXVIII
Jf ourtd g)unbap i^iftcr Carter

Deuteronomy 6. 4-25

A SIMPLE general statement about the book of Deu-
teronomy as a whole may be read at the beginning of the
notes on Lesson XXVII. This lesson belongs to the Second
Discourse, which fills chapters 5 to 11.

6. 4-9. This section, beginning with the word "hear" in
the English Version, is the Creed of Judaism, filling a place
in that great modern faith similar to the position of the
Apostles' Creed among many Christian churches. Its
initial word in Hebrew is Shema* (that is, "hear") and is
the first bit of Scripture taught to Jewish children along
with Deut. 11. 13-21 and Num. 15. 37-41. The latter two
are great and beautiful indeed, but the Shema'' is far above
them, for it declares the Divine Unity in fullness, and the
old Zohar says, "When men in prayer declare the Unity
of the Holy Name in love and reverence, the walls of earth's
darkness are cleft in twain, and the Face of the Heavenly
King is revealed, lighting up the universe."

6. 4. one Lord. This denotes both the unity and the
uniqueness of Jehovah. He is the only God, and he
is also one Lord.

5. love the Lord. Enjoined only in Deuteronomy and
in the books influenced by it, and in our Lord's words
the first of all the commandments (Mark 12. 29f.).

6. upon thine heart, that is, commit them to memory.

7. teach them diligently. Lit., "prick in," "whet,"
"sharpen," that is, make incisive.

8. bind them. Interpreted literally by the Jews, who
wrote the passage (4-9) upon tiny parchment rolls,

98 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

which were then inclosed in metal cases, and worn by
them on brow and arm at morning prayer.
9. door posts. The Jews wrote the Shema also on
parchment and inclosed it in a tiny wooden or metal
box called Mezuzah, and affixed it to the right hand
door post, and every pious Jew touches it or salutes
it on entering, reciting at the same time the words,
*'The Lord shall keep thy going out and thy coming in,
from this time forth and forever more" (Psa. 121. 8).
There is no real reason for supposing that the book of
Deuteronomy intended this other than metaphorically,
as also verse 8.

10-15. When Israel enjoys material blessings in her
land she must not forget Jehovah and worship other
gods.

13. swear by his name. A man swears, in substan-
tiation of his word, by that in which he believes. It
was, therefore, important that Jews should make
oath only by Jehovah.

16. Massah, that is, proving. See Exod. 17. 2, 7.
20-25. The children of every generation are to be
taught the Law, and its meaning and its historical
background. The law of God was given in human
history and is not understandable save in that his-
torical environment.

FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER EASTER 99

XXIX

if tftf) ^vrnha^ ^ittt €asittt

Deuteronomy 8. 2-20

For observations upon the book of Deuteronomy as a
whole see Lesson XXVII, p. 95. This present lesson be-
longs to the central portion of the book, which contains
the exposition of the Mosaic Law. In it Israel is bidden to
remember God*s providential guidance in the wilderness,
and knowing from this how dependent she has been upon
God's bounty be ever mindful to keep his commandments
in gratitude.

8. 2. forty years, that is, the period of a generation ac-
cording to Hebrew reckoning.

3. manna. Lit., "What is it?" according to a popular
etymology. It was probably the exudation from the
trimk and branches of the tarfa, a species of the
tamarisk. The lesson which they were intended to
learn was that they were entirely dependent upon God
who could satisfy the needs of their bodies by other
than the normal means. Our Lord makes a spiritual
application and contrast in Matt. 4. 4.

4. bUster. R. V., "swell."

5. disciplineth. R. V., "chasteneth."

7. The description of the Palestinian landscape is very
attractive. It is really contrasted with Egypt, where
there are no brooks or wells like Palestine but only
the great Nile as a soiu'ce of irrigation.

depths. The great deep which was supposed to
exist imder the earth, and to supply water to the springs
and streams.

8. The products of the land are enumerated with
wheat and barley first as the staple food of man. oil

100 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

olives are the olive trees which have been grafted
and produce oil as distinct from the wild olive trees.
9. iron. Brought from the north, where the Assyrians
worked it in the Lebanon region.

brass here means copper, or bronze, its alloy with
tin, and not what we mean by brass, which is an
alloy with zinc.

14. out of the land of Egypt. Always do the biblical
writers keep in mind the providential beginning of
their people's history.

16. thy latter end, rather, "thy later years" is the
meaning.

18. Prosperity comes only from Jehovah. Man may
work, must work, indeed — but it is God that gives
the increase, and Israel must keep this fundamental
fact in mind. Compare Psa. 127.

19, 20. The Lord is expelling peoples before Israel,
because they had failed to meet the conditions of a
continued existence. If Israel fails also by yielding
to the temptations of Canaanite worship, with all its
incitements to deeds of lust, then Israel also shall go to
a sure doom. (Compare Deut. 4. 25f. and 6. 14f.)

SUNDAY AFTER ASCENSION DAY 101

XXX

^unbap ^fter ^sittmion Bap

Deuteronomy 30

For observations upon the book of Deuteronomy as a
whole, see Lesson XXVII, p. 95. The present lesson be-
longs to Moses's third discourse, which fills 29. 1 — 30. 20.
In chapter 28 God threatens to abandon his people, if his
law be not kept, "And the Lord shall scatter thee among
all peoples, from one end of the earth even unto the other
end of the earth" (verse 64) and the threat is continued
in verses 65-68 in a rising tide of threatening invective.
From this threatened exile the beautiful chapter now be-
fore us gives the conditions of return.

30. I. which I have set before thee, that is, offered as
a choice.

3. change thy fortune. R. V., "turn thy captivity,"
compare, however, Amos 9. 14, Hos. 6. 11, etc. (so
Driver and G. A. Smith, who translate "turn thy
fortune," both following Ewald).

4. uttermost parts of heaven; that is, the remote
ends of earth on which the vault of heaven was
supposed to rest.

6. circumcise thy heart; that is, sharpen the spiritual

perceptions. The thought is a Messianic one (so

Dillmann); compare Jer. 31. 33, 32. 39f., Ezek. 11. 19

(Driver).

11-20. The commandments thus to be followed are

not too hard. The verses 11-14, however, do not

naturally follow upon verse 10, and are but loosely

connected at the best.

12, 13. These verses were sometimes quoted by

ancient Rabbis to prove the finality of the law. No

102 OLD TESTAIVIENT LESSONS

second Moses was needed to bring new laws out of
Heaven, for there were no more laws there. This was
the type of reasoning which caused the rejection of
our Lord as a Messiah when he appeared among
men. No room could be made for his teaching.
14. very nigh. Prophets and teachers and the dis-
courses of Deuteronomy have brought it very near.
There can be no excuse of ignorance concerning it.
16. The ordinary text, which is translated in R. V.,
makes no satisfactory sense. I have, therefore, re-
stored clauses which the Septuagint has preserved.
The imperfection of the Hebrew text is concealed
from the reader by a mistranslation of one word.
The restoration of the Septuagint text is supported
by Dillmann, Oettli, Marti, Driver, and G. A. Smith.
The whole then reads, ["If thou shalt hearken to the
commandment of Jehovah thy God] which I com-
mand thee this day, to love Jehovah thy God, to
walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments
and his judgments, then thou shalt live and multiply,
and Jehovah thy God shall bless thee." The part
inserted is here placed in brackets.
19, 20. Heaven and earth are called as witnesses
that Israel has been fully informed of the choice.
So also in 4. 26.

WHITSUNDAY 103

XXXI

1^i)tt£(unbap

Joel 2. 21-32
[Alternative p. 188.]

Nothing is known of the prophet Joel beyond what may
be gathered from the contents of his little book. His
father's name is given as Pethuel, but the time when the
prophet lived was evidently not known when the brief su-
perscription to the book was written. He quite possibly
lived and worked about B. C. 500, which would make him a
later contemporary of Haggai and of Zechariah, but he may
well belong to a century later. The matter is interesting,
but quite unimportant so far as an intelligent use of his
little book is concerned. The occasion of his book is per-
fectly clear. There had been a frightful and destructive
visit of locusts, accompanied probably by a drought, which
had desolated the land and almost extinguished hope.
Joel takes the occasion as a call to repentance and a new
life, and having enforced this with every insistence turns
then, after receiving assurance of a compliance with his
admonitions, to declare God reconciled with his erring but
repentant people and promises to them material succor
and a glorious spiritual uplift.

2. 21. land. Lit., "ground," which had suffered so
severely from locusts and drought.

hath done. The prophetic past. It describes what
Jehovah will do.

22. The animals that have suffered for food need
fear no more, for pasture and fruit trees shall spring
forth again.

23. former rain, that is, the rain of October and No-

104 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

vember, the latter rain, the rain of March-April,
the rain, that is, the winter rain.

25. The verse contains a series of words for the locust.
We have no such set of synonyms, though we do know
the literal meanings of the different words. Driver
thus translates them: locust-swarmer, cankerworm-
lapper, caterpillar-finisher, and palmerworm-shearer.
28-32. After these material blessings Jehovah will
give as great a measure of spiritual gifts.
28. my spirit. As the spirit in man gives him life,
and imparts power and activity to the "flesh," so the
Spirit of God is his "conscious vital force," which,
proceeding from him, gives life to all beings, man
and animal also. From this gift proceed in man
quickened intellectual faculties, extraordinary gifts of
mind and thought, and above these every spiritual
faculty.

shall prophesy. The prophetic gift comes from
the bestowal of God*s gift. Joel foresees in its abundant
outpouring the coming of the day when the hope of
Moses (Numbers 11. 29) shall be fulfilled. To prophesy
does not mean merely to predict future events, but
far more to instruct in religious and moral truth.
The words from verse 28 to verse 32 (delivered) are
quoted by Peter (Acts 2. 17-21) as applied to the outpour-
ing of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost, but they are
further a prophecy of an entire dispensation of the gift of
the Spirit and their meaning is not exhausted by the Pente-
cost of the early days of the apostles.

TRINITY SUNDAY 105

XXXII

^xinitp ^unbap

Isaiah 6. 1-13

Isaiah was called to be a prophet in the year that Uzziah,
king of Judah, died, which was probably the year B. C. 740.
This lesson describes the spiritual experience by which he
was inducted into his office. The manner in which he has
dated it intimates that the writing took place at least some
time after the call, though there is not the slightest reason
for any presumption that he may have made any addition
to the content of this great event when he wrote it down.
The call came to him amid throngs of worshipers in the
Temple. There he passed into a sort of trance and in a
vision saw sights of grandeur, splendor, and awful sim-
plicity, while the eyes of those about him saw only the
physical objects to which earthly eyes were accustomed.
Though necessarily described in terms of seeing and of
hearing, it was only to the inner eye and the inner ear
that these sights and sounds were manifest. Yet it is an
actual experience that is here recorded. It made Isaiah
a new man, reconciled to God and commissioned to his
service, and in his whole career he never doubted it. Hence-
forth he spoke with authority, and men recognized it.
6. I. I saw the Lord; not, indeed, his face, but only the
great presence, upon a throne which was high and
lifted up, and upon the skirts of his great train the
eyes of the prophet rested.

2. seraphim. Beings mentioned nowhere else in Scrip-
ture, and to be conceived probably as of human form.

3. Holy. The word thrice repeated represents an
emphasis upon the supreme attribute of God. The
word "holy" in the Old Testament has the root idea

106 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

of separateness, set-apartness, and as here applied
to God indicates his complete separation from all the
influences which tend to defile man. From what
follows we see that Isaiah thought ethical righteous-
ness to be a great part of this separateness, and in
his contemplation of the Divine Presence was led at
once to think of himself as a sinful man.

4. smoke. A symbol of the divine anger against sin.

5. a man of unclean lips. Neither is the prophet fit
to speak for God, nor are the people fit to pronounce
the divine name in praise. In the prophet's case his
whole sinful nature seems expressed in these sinful
lips, and the hot coal from the altar is needed to purify.
As soon as he is purged, there comes at once the call
to service.

9-12. Now comes the saddening word that though the
prophet is fitted for his declaring of the divine mes-
sage, the people are not fitted to hear it and under-
stand it, and accept it and be healed. The prophet
is sent to a task in which the outlook is not for success
but for failure.

13. A most diflScult verse. The last clause — "the holy
seed is the stock thereof" is not in the Septuagint and
is probably not genuine. If we leave that out, what
remains is no less diflScult, but rather more so. The
meaning would then be the utter destruction of the
people. But this is certainly not Isaiah's doctrine.
He believed, rather, in the saving and saved remnant,
as his son's name indicates, Shear-jashub (7. 3), which
means, "a remnant shall turn"; that is, turn from sin
to God, and hence be saved as a God-fearing people.
This seems to compel us so to interpret what remains
as implying that though the trees be felled, the stock
remains, and from it one should hope that the life
of the nation would spring again.

FIRST SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY 107

XXXIII

jFivsit ^unbap ^fter Zxinitp

Joshua 1. 1-17

The book of Deuteronomy is a sermon, most beautiful,
most moving, and still most instructive. The book of
Joshua is a little volume of illustrations of the principles
of Deuteronomy worked out in the life of the nation. Its
chief hero is Joshua, first the servant or minister of Moses
and then his successor as the people's leader, but the chief
historical interest is in Judah, and there the book must
have been written. The book was not written by one hand,
but grew as time demanded and opportunity offered. The
men who put it together had earlier writings before them,
and we can see that they utilized narratives of Judaistic
and Ephraimistic writers whose work is found in the Penta-
teuch to form an instructive book for religious teaching,
and in the spirit of Deuteronomy. With this were later
combined the records which Priestly writers had preserved
and written down during the Exile. The fine passage
here used as a lesson contains no priestly material, but
only Judaistic and Ephraimistic material with phrases
which show the hand of a writer who lived in the spirit
of Deuteronomy and loved it.

I. 4. With this verse compare Deut. 11. 24 which is
there the word of Moses, and here the word of Jehovah,
the land of the Hittites, a phrase often used by the
Assyrian kings as more or less synonymous with the
land of the Amorites for Syria and Palestine. Among
Hebrew writers the land of the Amorites, or the land
of the Canaanites, is the phrase for the Promised
Land. Here the land of the Hittites is practically
synonymous with these.

108 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

Sea of the going down of the siin. That is, the Mediter-
ranean Sea.

10. officers. The Hebrew word shoterim is used in
various senses, but in this passage would appear to
signify the army officers who pass down orders through
the ranks.

12. Reubenites . . . Gadites . . . Manasseh. These were
already settled east of Jordan, and Joshua is remind-
ing them that it is their duty to help their brethren
in conquering the territory west of the river, which
proved to be a far harder task in the issue. In verse
16 we have recorded their promise to give aid.
The great and echoing words of this chapter are Be
strong and of good courage. There are no promises made
to cowards, cravens, or shirkers, nor was the future to be
safe in their hands.

SECOND SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY 109

XXXIV

Judges 4. 1-16, 23

The book of Judges, like Joshua, is a compilation of
historical materials derived from the ancient writers, Juda-
istic and Ephraimistic, whose work is so extensively recog-
nized in the Pentateuch. This was utilized for pragmatic
or didactic purposes by an editor or editors who seem to
have been influenced not so much by Deuteronomy as
scholars generally have supposed, but, as Burney has argued,
by an earlier disciple of E, who laid the structure of the
book as early as B. C. 650. To this were later affixed the
brief introduction (1. 1 — %. 5), the appendices 18-21, the
stories of the minor Judges, and a few other pieces. For
the present purpose the main consideration should be not
the origin but the present character and value of the book.
It is passing strange to see how little popularity the book
enjoys among ordinary Christian readers. It is most
highly valued by scholars who appreciate its enormous
historical value. It is crowded with romantic incidents,
it has in rich measure the quality of reality, and one reads
its glowing pages with a feeling of the presence of its actors,
living and moving before the eye of imagination. The
lesson here given should be read in public after the reader
has himself read repeatedly the splendid contemporary
poem in Judges 5. That will fire the blood and quicken
the pulses and then one might read this far tamer prose
passage as it should be read.

4. 2. Jabin king of Canaan. There were many kings in
Canaan, but to this passage Jabin appears as king
par excellence y as a sort of overlord.

Hazor (Josh. 19. 36). Probably the modern El-

no OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

Hadireh, south-southwest of Kadesh and on the north-
ern side of the wady which runs into the lake of
Huleh (so Burney).

Sisera, quite probably a Hittite name.

Harosheth, probably now represented by el-Hari-
tiyeh on the northern bank of the Kishon.

3. twenty years, a general number signifying half a
generation.

4. Deborah. The name means "bee."
Lappidoth. The name means "torches."

was judging, that is, deciding cases between man and
man. But the time had now come for rousing men to
give up disputing about small matters and to fight
for liberation from the oppressor.
6. Barak. The name means "lightning."

deploy. R. V. reads "draw unto," but it is a
military term and means to extend a marching column
into a loose fighting line, to face an enemy.

Tabor. The fine mountain which rises conspicu-
ously to a height of thirteen hundred and twelve feet
above the plain. The line would be at the base with
the mountain glens to fall back on for guerrilla fight-
ing should defeat come on the plain.

Kishon. At Sisera's back would be the sluggish
waters of this little river, with some ugly quicksands
into which Barak might drive him. The Hebrew
position was admirably chosen.

8. K thou wilt go. As prophetess she would bring
not only her own courage and native wisdom but
also the sense of divine companionship and help.

9. Deborah warns Barak that he need not expect
glory; that is fated to fall not to Deborah indeed, but
to another woman, Jael.

II. father-in-law. R. V. translates "brother-in-law,"
but without warrant.

SECOND SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY 111

15. Sisera fled to meet his death by assassination at
the hands of Jael. Israel's writer thinks not, as we
do, of the work of an assassin. The world has traveled
far since that day, and we have no need to judge
Israel save by the standards of her own time. Even
without JaeFs share, it was a glorious victory and
gave Israel a breathing space in which to carry on the
work of civilization, and the writer had good cause
to ascribe this good result to God (verse 23).

16. The rout of Sisera's army was accompUshed
through a combination of circumstances, each natural
in itself, and all providentially working toward this one
end. It was natural that the army should endeavor
to reach the stronghold of Harosheth, and the storm had
so swelled the current of Kishon as to fill the narrow
pass which led to their objective. The hills of Samaria
were on their left, and on their right a stream now
become a torrent, and behind them Barak's victorious
men. See the descriptions in Thomson's Land and
Book, p. 436, and compare Ewing in Hastings' Bible
Dictionary, vol. iii, p. 5.

112 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

XXXV

1 Samuel 1. 1-5, 9-28

Here begins the story of Samuel's life, and the portion
here chosen belonged originally to a separate book to what
we should call a biography of him. It is a continuation of
the work of the Ephraimistic writer (E) about B. C. 800,
to whom we owe so much in the Pentateuch. There need
be no doubt of the greatness of Samuel or any question
of the importance of his contribution to the life and history
of his people. We may well be glad that the compilers of
the books of Samuel preserved this narrative of his birth
and youthful days.

I. 2. two wives. A well-to-do citizen with two wives
was not uncommon in the early days.

Hannah means "grace," and Peninnah perhaps
"coral."

3. Lord of hosts. This title occurs eleven times in
Samuel, and is frequent in the prophets. Its original
meaning was Lord of the armies of Israel, but in times
more peaceful came to signify Lord of the hosts of
heaven; that is, "of the stars," and still later "of the
angels."

Shiloh. The modern Seilun, almost ten miles
northeast of Beitin (Bethel).

5. one portion. R. V. translates "a double portion,"
but the present Hebrew text scarcely allows it, and
a dispute as to the meaning of the Hebrew word thus
translated has long continued. The Septuagint has
another word, and I have used it and changed the
translation to accord. The general meaning would

THIRD SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY 113

then be that he gave several portions to Peninnah
because she had children. On the other hand Hannah
received only one portion, but the writer in order to
guard against the possible thought that one por-
tion only might make her seem to be less highly es-
teemed adds, "though he loved Hannah."
9. and stood before Jehovah. So the Septuagint —
which gives a far better sense. To stand before
Jehovah is to pray.
16. a wicked woman. Lit., a daughter of Belial.

20. Samuel. The name probably is etymologically
"Name of God"; in this passage there is a connection
suggested with the Hebrew "word shaal, "to ask."
This is an assonance, and not an etymology. Similar
instances are frequent in the Old Testament.

21. A full year has now elapsed.

23. until she had weaned him. Oriental mothers
nurse a child for fuU two years, and even a term of
five or six years is not unknown.

24. ephah, a full bushel.

114 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

XXXVI

Jf ourtl) ^unbap ^fter tKrinitp

1 Samuel 3. 1—4. 1

This story of the call of Samuel belongs to the same

historical document as the preceding (E). It needs no

praise, as one of the richest and most beautiful of the early

representations of an immediate communion with God.

3. I. the child. The Hebrew gives no indication of

Samuel's age at this time, for the word used is applied

to any age from that of a baby to a man of forty

years of age.

2. Eli was laid down. He slept in one of the chambers,
while Samuel apparently was in the room with the
ark itself. The whole arrangement is quite simple
and very different from the priestly pictures of the
elaborate order of the Tabernacle.

3. lamp . . . not yet gone out. The lamp evidently was
provided with oil sufficient only for the dark hours
of one night.

ID. The Lord came and stood. The statement is
very interesting as showing that the writer thought
in terms of a revelation both audible and visible, and
not as in a dream, as in Jacob's case.
12. from the beginning even unto the end. Lit.,
"beginning and ending."

20. from Dan even to Beersheba. As Dan was in
the extreme north, by one of the sources of the Jordan,
and Beersheba in the farthest south, the phrase be-
came common as a definition of the extreme limits
of the land.

FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY 115

XXXVII
Jf tftfj ^mhap ^fter Zxinitp

1 Samuel 17. 1-4, 8-11, 32-37, 40-54

The most popular of all the beautiful stories of the books
of Samuel is before us. It is unfortunately a portion of a
narrative whose critical problems in respect not only of
origin and authorship, but also of text are not only diffi-
cult but thus far to a considerable degree apparently in-
soluble. It is sufficient here to say that in the transmission
of the text the Septuagint, oldest of the versions, omits
no less than thirty verses out of the sixty-three in the entire
story — 17. 1 — 18. 5. Dogmatism were foolish in the face
of this problem, but I prefer the longer text. It is true
that I have here omitted portions, not found in the Septua-
gint, but this has been done only for practical purposes to
shorten a reading which even in its present curtailed form
is likely to be considered too long by most ministers. It
seems, however, impossible to shorten it more without
risk to its intelligibility when read in public.

17. I. Socoh. The modern Shuweikeh, about thirteen
miles down the narrow wady el Jindy from Bethle-
hem. At this point three wadies come together in
a plain about one quarter of a mile broad and this
was quite probably the scene of the conflict.
2. The Vale of Elah was probably the modern Wady
es Sunt, at whose entrance from the plain of Philistia
stands the modern Tell es-Safiyeh which is probably
the site of Gath, about eight miles west of Socoh.
4. six cubits and a span, that is, about nine feet six
inches (Kennedy).
8. The challenge is based on the idea that it would

116 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

be foolish for armies to fight when the issue might
better be decided by single combat.
34. when there came. The idea is that such en-
counters with a lion or bear were of frequent occur-
rence.

40. Scrip. The Hebrew word is yalkut and is unique.
It probably meant the bag in which the slinger car-
ried his ammunition.

45. God of the armies of Israel. Observe how this
explains the phrase "Lord of hosts," and compare
note on 1 Sam. 1. 3, in Lesson XXXV.

46, 47. The verses have a ring of assurance. Je-
hovah has no need of such weapons or such armor
as Goliath. His power and his willingness are ready
to make David's weak preparations sufficient for
victory. The humble and the weak may take heart;
when God is with them it matters not who may be
against them.

52. Gath. The Hebrew text reads "Gai," but the
Septuagint has Gath, and this seems much more
likely, especially as Gath follows later in the verse.
Gath was about eight miles nearly due west, and
Ekron between fourteen and fifteen miles northwest
of the scene of conflict.

54. to Jerusalem. This is an anachronism, for at
this time Jerusalem was still in the hands of the
Jebusites, and was not conquered by the Hebrews
imtil David had reigned seven years in Hebron (2
Sam. 5. 6-10).

his armor. We hear later of Goliath's sword at
Nob (1 Sam. 21. 9). What a trophy that was!

SIXTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY 117

XXXVIII

^ixtjj ^unbap ^fter ^rinitp

2 Samuel 12. 1-23

The story of Nathan's rebuke of David, and of the king's
actions in the presence of an impending grief and of the
bereavement fully accomplished belong to the great sim-
plicities and the wonderful displays of frankness in Holy
Writ. No other literature of antiquity could speak in this
way of a king. The narrative belongs to the oldest por-
tion of the book, though it seems quite probable that verses
10-12 may be an addition intended more definitely to
point the moral and enforce it. The whole passage 2 Sam.
9-20 is a narrative written by some one who lived in the
period. The author may have been Ahimaaz, son of Zadok,
or perhaps a member of the family of Abiathar. It is the
greatest historical writing which has come out of the Ancient
Oriental world.

12. 3. one little ewe lamb. Such pet lambs are still
to be seen in Syrian households.
6. fourfold. The Septuagint reads "sevenfold," but
I do not venture to change, though it does seem more
probably correct.

8. thy master's wives. There is no hint elsewhere
that David received Saul's wives, but this would
accord with ancient usage. Compare 2 Sam. 16. 21f.

13. put away thy sin. It was not forgiven. It was
*'put away," so that it should not bring David down
to death; but the consequences were still to work
themselves out, and this was manifested in the death
of the child.

14. despised the I>ord. R. V., "hast given occasion

118 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme." But
the Hebrew word does not mean this. It is intensely
strong, "despised," "scorned," but the early editors
toned it down.

17. the elders, that is, the courtiers and higher
officers of the court.

20. the house of the Lord. The tent which David
had pitched for the ark (2 Sam. 6. 17).
23. David takes what consolation he may out of
the belief in a shadowy existence after death in
Sheol, "the house of the meeting for all living" (Job
30. 23 R. v., margin), as Jacob hoped to go to Joseph
(Gen. 37. 35). There was not much to hope for in
the Sheol as these early writers conceived it, but
to the heart of all normal human folk any continued
existence is better than extinction. The saddest
of all thoughts to the ancient Hebrews was that in
death all connection between the dead and God was
cut off. "In death there is no remembrance of thee:
in Sheol who shall give thee thanks?" (Psa. 6. 5.)
"For Sheol cannot praise thee, death cannot cel-
ebrate thee: they that go down to the pit cannot
hope for thy truth" (Isa. 38. 18). So long as man
was upon earth, in the land of the living, he might
commune with his Maker; when death had snatched
him away the fellowship was broken. See how great
was the advance of New Testament teaching over this.

SEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY 119

XXXIX

2 Samuel 18. 1-15, 24-33

Here, again, in a vivid and interesting story we have
one of the oldest portions of the book, a part of the great
historical section in chapters 9-20.

i8. 5. To David, Absalom is still only a boy, and Davdd
loves him more than self, and more than all his loyal
soldiers, though Absalom had no filial piety in his
nature.
6. forest of Ephraim. The location is unknown to us.

8. forest devoured. The meaning is not quite cer-
tain, but would seem to be that the flight took place
over a rocky, jungle-clad surface, where clefts proved
traps unto death for panic-stricken men.

9. Absalom on the back of a mule was caught and
left suspended by the hair in a cleft of a low spreading
tree, while the mule rushed on. In that state he was
helpless in the face of any attack.

15. Joab*s stroke must have killed Absalom at once,
and the narrative in this verse seems to record un-
necessary acts, and the verse has therefore been
held an interpolation (so H. P. Smith). It may
be said, however, that history is well supplied with
instances of killing the dead after death in an excess
of fury.

24. between the two gates. The gate of an Oriental
city was a massive construction extending both out-
ward and inward beyond the city walls. It was
usually arched over within and had two gates, an
inner and an outer, between which were the stone

no OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

benches occupied by the city magistrates. On one
of these sat David anxious for news. Above was a
battlemented tower on which stood the watchman.
26. upon the gate. I have followed the Lucian text
of the Septuagint, to secure a better reading. See
R. V. for the ordinary text.

28. drew nigh. The ordinary text reads "called,"
but the Lucian Septuagint has the much preferable
reading, "drew nigh." The Hebrew words are much
alike and would be readily confused.

who hath delivered. It is a declaration of victory,
but conveys also a hint of Absalom's fate, w^hich the
king does not notice.

31. the Cushite. Anybody from the far southern
world would be vaguely called a Cushite, but a
Negro is quite probably here intended. He has the
courage to tell the king the whole truth about Ab-
salom's fate.

33. as he wept. R. V., "as he went." I have read
"wept," following the Septuagint Lucian. It is far
more probable than the ordinary text and also more
expressive.

EIGHTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY 121

€tg(it!) ^unbap ^!tet tlxinitp

1 Chronicles 29. 1-20

The relations between God and man are too wide and
too deep to be compassed in the thought of any one man.
Every man who attempts to conceive the divine revelation
sees it necessarily after his own ways of thinking. The
prophets of the Old Testament present a view of God's
ways characteristic of their own thought, and it is well
that priests have done the same. In the biblical study of
recent years the emphasis has been largely placed upon the
prophetical books, and this was wise and just. It would,
however, be very unjust never to hear a priestly word out
of the great book of the priests — the books of Chronicles.
So it happens that the lesson of to-day comes out of these
books, which were in process of writing or compilation for
a series of years, probably concluded about B. C. 250, and
therefore quite the latest books, in point of date, in the
Old Testament. As historical sources they stand far be-
hind the books of Samuel and Kings, yet their heightened
color and rich adornment of the earlier and simpler story
have a value of their own, at least in revealing what devout
men thought of their ancient heroes in their later period.
Nor should we forget that they were far closer to the events
than we, and that they have a message to our age as to
their own.

29. I. the palace. This word for the Temple occurs
but twice, here and in verse 19. The most frequent
name for the Temple is simply "house" (Hebrew,
Bayith), but frequently also it is called by an ancient
Semitic and Sumerian word which means literally
"great house" (Hekal),

m_ OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

2. onyx. Some would translate "beryl,*' but that is
equally uncertain.

3. mine own. David sets the example by giving of
his own private fortune.

4. Ophir, the Somali coast of Africa and the south-
western coast of Arabia. Others would say the
eastern coast of Arabia, on the Persian Gulf. The
location is doubtful.

5. to consecrate. Hebrew, literally, "to fill his
hand," that is, to fill one's hand with an office, hence
a technical term used for consecrating to the priest-
hood (compare Exod. 28. 41, 32. 29, Lev. 8. 33).

7. of gold five thousand talents. The amount is
enormous, for by the heavy standard this would
be about one hundred and fifty million dollars, or
by the light standard half that sum.

darics. A Persian gold coin worth a little over
five dollars. The amount seems so large that one
wonders whether the numbers have not been raised,
as we know they have in certain other cases. The
transmission of numbers is both difficult and tempting.
10-19. David's prayer. Perhaps a piece of some
ancient liturgy, and still reflected in some of the
older forms of the modern Jewish liturgy (so Oesterley).

NINTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY 123

XLI

^tntf) ^unbap ^fter tlTttnttp

1 Kings 3. 4-15

This lesson, taken from the book of Kings, quite prob-
ably had its origin in the book of the Acts of Solomon,
which was an accomit of the chief events of his reign and
perhaps in annalist ic form. However that may be, it pre-
served a sparkling gem in this story.

3. 4. Gibeon, the modern el-Jib in the territory of Ben-
jamin and about six miles northwest of Jerusalem.
It was the "great high place,*' for it was near the
capital and was also centrally located. The word
"high-place'* signifies a sanctuary, usually on a hilltop,
which had been used by the Canaanites, and then
taken over by the Hebrews and consecrated to Jehovah,
thousand burnt offerings. Probably not to be taken
literally as a thousand; it meant more probably simply
a large or very large number. Compare hecatomb in
Greek.

7. little child. Not to be taken literally. It means
simply a child in kingly experience.

go out or come in. A proverbial expression for
everyday life. Life consists of going out to work
in the morning and coming in to rest in the evening.
9. understanding heart. Lit., a hearing heart. In
Hebrew psychology the heart is the seat of thought,
not, as with us, of emotion. The writer makes it
clear that this understanding is God's gift, as is all
else material or spiritual. The apostle numbers
"wisdom" among the gifts of the Spirit (1 Cor. 12.
4-11), and the epistle of James teaches that it is to
be sought in prayer (1. 5).

m OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

to judge. To give decision was the final duty of
a king, and in time of peace practically his chief duty.

11. to discern judgment. Lit., "to hear judgment,"
is to hear and then understand on which side truth
and justice lay.

12. wise and understanding heart. Solomon's pros-
perous reign justifies the prediction in the main. He
was, however, far from wise all the while, and it is
to be remembered that his religious policy (11. 4-8)
was seriously mistaken and that he left an evil repute
to his son (12. 4).

14. as thy father David did walk. David became a
model for later kings in his faithfulness to Jehovah,
which was manifested (a) in his care of the ark (2
Sam. 6) and in his desire to build a temple (2 Sam. 7).
These were positive deeds, but he was also faithful
in refraining from the worship of foreign gods. By
comparison with David, Abijam, Amaziah, and Ahaz
are reproved while Asa, Hezekiah, and Josiah are
approved in the book of Kings. (Compare, for exam-
ple, 1 Kings 15. 3, 2 Kings 14. 3, 16. 2 and 15. 11, 18. 3,
and 22. 2.)

lengthen thy days. Solomon reigned forty years.

15. peace offerings. Offerings in times of peace,
thank-offerings, feasts of rejoicing.

TENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY U5

XLII
(JTentli ibmtiap ^fter Wvinitp

1 Kings 6. 1, 38; 8. 12, 13, 22, 23, 27-40, 54-58

It would seem a pity to lose from public reading the
noble and beautiful prayer which some kindly hands have
put together chiefly in the spirit and somewhat also after
the form of the glorious book of Deuteronomy. Yet is the
prayer very long, and some portions less instructive for
modern ears than are others, and he who would make a
lesson book with any possibility of being read must leave
out much or have small hope that any will be read. The
effort here made was to take an introductory word of chap-
ter 6, by which the hearer might be told what was to come,
and then certain sections from the beautiful prayer most
likely to give interest and instruction to the ordinary hearer.
6. I. four hundred and eightieth year. This is the
earliest date given in the Bible. It was reckoned on
the basis of twelve generations of forty years each, and
it is therefore a round number and not an exact date.
2, 38. Ziv and Bui. These names of months belong
to the ancient Hebrew calendar supplanted in the Exile
by Babylonian names. Ziv is the month of flowers —
our April-May in Palestine, and Bui is perhaps "rain,"
hence October-November.
8. 12, 13. These verses are intensely interesting, as they
contain in imperfect form an ancient epigram which may
well have been the identical words originally uttered
by Solomon. The Septuagint preserves them thus :
"Jehovah set the sun in heaven.
He said he would dwell in thick darkness;
Build thou my house, a house suitable for thyself
To dwell (forever).
Behold, is it not written in the book of the Song ? "

126 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

Wellhausen has suggested that this should be Book
of Jashar to which we owe David's eulogy on Saul
(2 Sam. I. 18).

22. Solomon stood. This was the ancient attitude in
prayer, the hands being outstretched heavenward.

29. My name shall be there, that is, when man pro-
nounces God's name in prayer, God will be there to
respond to the call.

30. forgive. God must first hear, and then forgive,
before he can answer prayer. He can, in other words,
answer a sinful man only when the man has first
received forgiveness.

31. an oath. The reference is to the ancient custom
of requiring an oath when guilt was doubtful. See
Exod. 22. 7-12.

32. condemning . . . justif5ring. God is besought to
make the ordeal by oath a sure indication of guilt
or innocence.

34. let them remain in. R. V., "bring them again
imto,*' but this would imply the Exile. I have there-
fore boldly accepted an emendation of vowel points
only, not really changing the text, which gives the
translation as above (so Klostermann, Benzinger). The
meaning would then be, "spare them the terrible,"
and frequently applied, method of captivity by a
victorious enemy and then deportation.
37. blasting. The drying up of vegetation by the
east wind from the desert.

locust . . . caterpiller. Two words for "locust" no
longer to be differentiated.

any of their gates, following the Septuagint, instead
of the R. V. "in the land of their cities."

plague. Lit., "blow," a calamity sent from God,
and not confined to pestilence.
54. kneeling. Compare verse 22 where it was said

TENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY 127

that Solomon stood. Though standing seems to have
been the usual ancient posture, there are not wanting
allusions to "kneeling," see, for example, 1 Kings 19.
18; Isa. 45. 23.

55. blessed. Normally the giving of a solemn bless-
ing was reserved for the priests (see Num. 6. 22-27)
but there are not wanting other instances to place
with this one in which the blessing was pronounced
by a layman, so, for example, by Joshua (Josh. 22. 6)
and by David (2 Sam. 6. 18).

56. rest. So R. V., but rather a resting place; that is,
Canaan. Compare Isa. 11. 10 R. V.

58. incline our hearts. God in the Old Testament
doctrine may turn men's hearts either away from or
toward himself. (See 1 Kings 18. 37, and as the
translation there is rather obscure, see also Isa. 63. 7.)
The diflaculty about free will is not yet faced.

128 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

XLIII

1 Kings 10. 1-13

We do not know whence this story came into the canonical
book of Kings, but it may quite well have been found in
the Book of the Acts of Solomon. It would be an honor
to any ancient writer of biography, and has deeply interested
the moderm Oriental world, for the Arabs have built it up
by imagination and fancy almost into a separate literature
with every sort of fantastic elaboration.

ID. I. Sheba. A great kingdom — mainly in southern
Arabia, but extending far enough northward to feel
in later days than Solomon's the impact of the ruth-
less Assyrian conqueror.

concerning the name of the Lord. The words are
difficult in themselves, and as they do not appear
in 2 Chron. 9. 1 are probably an addition here.

hard questions; that is, riddles — a favorite Oriental
method of appraising intellectual quickness and
penetration of mind.
2. spices, or, rather, balsams.

very much gold and precious stones. Typical
products of southwest Arabia.

5. food. See 1 Kings 4. 22, 23.
ministers. Here "waiters."

his burnt offerings. R. V., "ascent," but this is
surely wrong. I have translated as the Hebrew
seems to intend.

6. acts. The Hebrew word means "words" and also
"acts." Either meaning would serve here.

8. thy men. The reading in the Lucian text and in

ELEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINIT\ 129

the Syriac was *'thy wives," which seems much more
probable, but I have not ventured to introduce it
into the text.

9. justice and righteousness. R. V., "judgment and
justice," but the former better represents the Hebrew.

11. navy of Hiram. This means the merchant ships
of the Phoenicians, who traded not only in the Medi-
terranean, but also in the Red Sea.

Ophir. The location still remains doubtful. If
it is to be identified with the land of Punt it would
probably be the Somali coast and the opposite coast
of Arabia.

almug, unknown. It has been identified with
ebony and even with coral. It may have been red
sandal wood, which is still used in India for making
musical instruments.

12. pillars. An obscure word of uncertain meaning.
In the parallel passage (2 Chron. 9. 11) the word is
"terraces."

130 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

XLIV

^toelftb ibunbap iSfter Ztinitv

1 Kings 12
[Alternative p. 190.]

The passage is taken from the most ancient portion of
the book of Kings and though we do not know who wrote
it, nor yet when it was written, it seems worthy to be com-
pared with the great passage 2 Sam. 9-20; 1 Kings 1, 2,
the finest historical narrative which has come down to us
out of the ancient literature of the Orient.

Solomon was dead, and his son Rehoboam wished to
ascend the throne, and must first secure the people's con-
sent. It is well to remember that this seems to have been
a well-grounded ancient custom in Israel. David was
first made king by the northern tribes (2 Sam. 5. 1-3) and
into their territory Rehoboam now goes to seek their ac-
ceptance of himself as king over the whole land.

12. I. Shechem. From the most ancient times a city
of great importance in history and in religion, situated
in the most beautiful valley in all Palestine, at the
foot of Mount Gerizim, and now occupied by the
modern Nablus.

all Israel, that is, Judah as well as Israel. We
do not know how such an assembly was called.
4. yoke grievous. Compare 1 Sam. 8. 11-18.
8. young men. Lit., "boys" — a contemptuous ex-
pression. It sounds odd when one considers that
Rehoboam*s age is given in the Hebrew text (14. 21)
as forty-one years at his accession. The parallel in
the best Septuagint text (B) (12. 24), makes him only
sixteen at his accession. This age would accord
better with this passage.

TWELFTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY 131

13. roughly. This mad answer was perhaps in no
small part a reflection of the ways of Solomon.
But what Solomon might dare to do, it did not fol-
low that his weak son might also venture.

15. brought about of the Lord; that is, it was prov-
idential.

16. What portion have we? A watchword, the same
as used by Sheba, the Benjamite, when he led a
revolt (2 Sam. 20. 1).

18. Adoram, the same as Adoniram (4. 6, 5. 14).
He was the head of the levy. To have sent him to
quell a revolt could only result in making the revolt
a successful revolution, for the people would con-
strue it as a threat that Rehoboam really did intend
to carry out his threat and oppress them heavily.

19. unto this day. A day long remembered as a
tragedy (Isa. 7. 17).

20. Judah only. So had Rehoboam's madness de-
stroyed the kingdom which Saul had founded, David
had made great, and Solomon famous.

132 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

XLV

1 Kings 17

The lesson is taken from the great series of passages
relating to Elijah which came originally, as seems probable,
into the books of Kings from a biography of Elijah. There
need be no fear of magnifying overmuch the greatness of
Elijah, for they who call him the greatest of the prophets
have much to support their judgment. It was he who
saved IsraeFs faith at a time when its jeopardy was greater
than ever before. The court of Ahab would follow the exam-
ple of the king who sustained his queen Jezebel in Baal
worship, and what the royal house did was sure to find
imitation by the people. To break down that fatal nexus
and save the religion of Jehovah was Elijah's great mis-
sion, and he accomplished it.

17. I. from Tishbe of Gilead. R. V., "of the sojourners
of Gilead." I have followed the much preferable
Septuagint text. "Elijah" means "Jehovah is God,"
and this was his watchword through his whole career.
Tishbe is probably to be identified with Istiby where
there is still to be seen a ruined shrine called Mar
Ely as.

3. brook Cherith. The site is unknown, but was
probably in one of the wadies east of Jordan.
6. the ravens. Many would change the vowel points
and read Arabians as those who provided the prophet's
food. The expedient is too transparent; the whole
story of Elijah is singularly filled with the miraculous,
and to remove this portion and leave the rest is
useless.

THIRTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY 133

9. Zarephath (Sarepta, Luke 4. 26). Situated about
nine miles south of Sidon, the modern site being
named Sarafend.

12. cake. A round, flat bread, baked on a hot stone.

13. The prophet makes a severe trial of the woman*s
faith. She sustains the trial and is well rewarded
(verse 15).

18. What have I to do with thee? This was an in-
vitation to depart.

to bring my sin to remembrance. This does not
mean some specific sin of the mother, but the deep-
seated general guilt of human nature which she thinks
might have been overlooked by the Almighty had
the prophet not been there. Compare Luke 5. 8.
21. stretched himself upon. See 2 Kings 4. 34f.
and Acts 20. 10. The Septuagint reads "breathed
into the child."

24. is truth; that is, that Jehovah's word is truly
in the prophet's mouth. The woman now "knows"
from this great experience of God's power, and of
the prophet's power with God. She had doubted
before because of her dreadful experiences, but now
is reassured.

134 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

XLVI

Jfourteentf) ^unbap ^fter Erinitp

1 Kings 18. 1, 2, 17-39
[Alternative p. 193.]

This lesson from the canonical book of Kings came
originally in all probability from a prophetic life of Elijah.
To whomsoever it may have been due in the beginning
high praise is due. The narrative has verve and movement
and rises grandly toward its climax with even a flash of
humor as the stern prophet from Gilead mocks the enemies
of Jehovah.

i8. 17. troubler of Israel. Ahab ascribes the famine to
Elijah and calls him "troubler" in the same Hebrew
word used of Achan (Josh. 7. 25).

18. the Baals. The plural is used to signify the
number of local deities who were saluted as Baal,
that is, Lord. Each of these had either a personal
name, like Melkarth, Baal of Tyre, Chemosh, Baal
of Moab, or they were known by the town or vil-
lage which paid them honor. In the early days
the title Baal was even given to Jehovah (Hos. 2. 16)
but the prophets saw the danger and forbade it.

19. Carmel. The exact spot intended here is not
known, but it is interesting to speculate that it may
have been at el Muhraka (the place of burning)
at the foot of which is Tell el-Kasis (the priest's
mound) where tradition locates the place of the
slaughter of the priests (so Skinner). El Muhraka
is about four miles from the highest point of Carmel,
but is itself sixteen hundred feet high.

Asherah. The name of a goddess known among
the Canaanites under the name of Ashirai, and

FOURTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY 135

corresponding to the goddess Ishtar of the Assyrians,
who had many functions, even a war-goddess, but
was also Mother-goddess and much reverenced by
women in travail.

22. I, even I only. There were indeed others who
were silently faithful, but there was apparently only
Elijah who had the boldness to speak out loudly
for Jehovah.

26. limped. The Hebrew word describes a slow
dance about the altar.

27. musing. The same word is translated "medi-
tate" in Gen. 24. 63.

gone aside. The Hebrew word occurs only here,
and the meaning is, therefore, uncertain.

28. cut themselves, perhaps a remnant of an ancient
blood covenant with the god, but perhaps only an
attempt to excite the god's interest. I have per-
sonally seen Mohammedan fanatics so cut them-
selves in a religious procession.

30. he repaired. There had been a sanctuary of
Jehovah on the spot before.

32. be sown with. The explanation in the Mishnah
would give this as a definite area, about nine hundred
square yards (Benzinger). It would seem, then,
that this defines the space inclosed by the trench.
36, 37. It is a double prayer. Elijah would have his
own prophetic authority vindicated, and he was
quite right in this, for only so would his future labor
be made useful, and, in the second place, he prays
God now, in this moment, to win back his wayward
people.

136 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

XLVII

Jf ifteentb ^unba|» ^ftcr Zxinit^

1 Kings 19

In this lesson, as in the last, we are still following the

ancient biography of Elijah, and are again deeply indebted

to its unknown author for a passage of the highest interest

and instruction. There are, indeed, points of obscurity

in the story, but the main conceptions are clear enough,

and they are true to human nature. Elijah had had a

great triumph on Mount Carmel, and instead of going

away in full elation as a victor, he flees to save his life.

He has learned by bitter experience how little a man can

accomplish, and sinks into despair at the failure of his

great hopes. In the desert he lies down utterly broken in

spirit. Let those mock at the sorry spectacle who have

never met a supreme test of faith. There at Beersheba

he perceives that his supreme need is God, and it was natural

for him to seek God where he had manifested himself to

Moses. In no other story is Elijah more natural, more

human, and at the same time more noble or more wise.

IQ. 2. It was an idle and foolish threat, for she did not

really dare to slay him after such a public display

of his power, but merely desired to frighten him away.

In the Septuagint the threat is preceded by the apt

phrase, "As sure as you are Elijah, I am Jezebel."

3. The threat succeeded. "He was afraid," so the

Septuagint, and surely correctly.

to Beersheba. The southern limit of cultivation
where the desert meets the town, and always counted
as the southern limit of the country, as Dan was
the northern.

FIFTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY 137

4. broom bush. R. V., "juniper tree," but the
rotem of the Hebrew corresponds to the retem of
the Arabic and signifies a Genista or broom bush
which grows abundantly in the wretched dry wadies
and gives a bit of shade.

8. Horeb the mount of God, so always in the Ephraim-
istic writer, while the Judaistic writes "Sinai." It
was the place of the first covenant between God
and his people, and Elijah would fain come near to
God as Moses in the beginning. The distance is only
about one hundred and seventy miles, or even less.
He could have covered it in ten days; that he took
forty only shows that he was hiding, or was in such
a perturbation of mind and spirit as to lie for days
troubled and weary.

12. still small voice. Hebrew, a "sound of thin
silence." Compare Job 4. 16, "silence and a voice,"
which is a hendiadys meaning the "silence of a voice."

15. Go; return. Elijah was not to remain at the
mount in lonely contemplation of God and in medi-
tation. He was rather to go back to his duty. So
was it with the disciples on the mount of Trans-
figuration. First the vision and then back to duty
and labor!

16. anoint Hazael. He was to have an important
share in bringing the Baal worship to an end, for
he represents the Aramaeans who were to attack
Ahab*s kingdom and so weaken it that Jehu, who
was a sure opponent of Baalism, could get the throne,
and Elisha could begin a new prophetic mission.
But the order of events was really otherwise, for
Jehu's revolt precedes Hazael's attack, from which
he and his people suffered sorely. This failure of a
prediction to be true to the chronological order is
quite the usual, or at least common, thing in Old

138 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

Testament prophecy. It is often a valuable proof of
an early date, for a writer after the event would have
got the correct order.

shalt thou anoint. He was told to anoint Elisha,
but there is no known instance of a prophet being
anointed. The symbolism here used is the putting of
a mantle upon his shoulders. Kings were anointed,
not prophets. The symbol matters little; there can
be no doubt of Elisha*s commission as a prophet; his
career amply proved it. Elisha was said to be of
Abel-meholah, which seems to have been in the
Jordan valley and was located by Jerome about ten
Roman miles south of Scythopolis (Beth-shan).
i8. seven thousand. Elijah in his bitter discourage-
ment thought that he alone remained as God's cham-
pion. But God knew of seven thousand others.
"The kingdom of God is always stronger than it
seems."

SIXTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY 139

XLVIII

^ixteentft ^unbap ^fter tKrinitp

2 Kings 5. 1-19

This passage, one of the favorite stories out of Israel's
history, came into the books of Kings out of a long-lost
biography of the prophet Elisha, of unknown date and
origin.

5. I. honorable. Lit., a man of respect.

Syria. The Hebrew is always Aram, and it is most
imfortunate that Syria and Syrians ever came into
the English versions. It should always be Aram and
the Aramaeans, the people and country north of Israel
whose chief city was Damascus.

2. gone out in bands. Made raids and took slaves,
though the two nations were at peace.

6. and thou shalt. R. V., "that thou mayest." But
the tone is quite peremptory. It is a masterful
Aramaean overlord dictating to a petty king of Israel.

7. seeketh a quarrel. Israel's king thinks that the
Aramaean king intends to seek a cdsus belli, in the
hope of restoring a real overlordship over Samaria.
10. sent a messenger. The prophet does not com-
municate directly, but through a servant, and Naaman
took it as an insult. He had been accustomed to
send servants, not receive them. Furthermore, he felt
himself great enough to deserve a conspicuous healing
at the hands of the God of an inferior people like the
Israelites.

be thou clean. It is an imperative (compare Mark
1. 41; 7. 34; John 5. 8), a command; the prophet does
not predict it; he orders it.

140 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

12. Abana, the modern Nahr Barada, a considerable
stream flowing in many channels through Damascus.
The PharpaTy probably the name now represented
by wady Barbar; it is to-day very insignificant, but
perhaps formerly was connected with a larger stream
now called Nahr el-A'waj.

15. Now that he is clean he comes before the prophet,
and stood in his presence, as a servant does before a
superior. He is humbled, as well as full of gratitude.

17. two mules' burden of earth. The thought is that
no God could be worshiped elsewhere than upon his
own soil. There are echoes of this idea in many other
ancient places.

18. Rimmon. This is the god named Hadad in the
west, and Ramman or Adad, in the Assyrian pantheon.
His name is more or less familiar to us in the biblical
form Ben-hadad (son of Hadad) as the name of kings
of Damascus.

pardon thy servant. Naaman desired to continue
to worship his own national God Rimmon, and at the
same time to honor Jehovah whose prophet had shown
him the way to healing. When Elisha answered "Go
in peace" he gave tacit permission. The great prophets
who were later to appear in Israel would have given
no such consent. But Elisha must not be expected
to take the position that Jeremiah was later to take.
The time was not yet.

SEVENTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY 141

XLIX

i^etienteentt) ^unbap ^fter ^ttnttp

2 Kings 6. 8-23

Again are we indebted to the unknown writer of Elisha's
biography for this most interesting story, one at least of
whose phrases has come to have an almost magical sound
in the ears of the spiritually minded — "Lord, I pray thee,
open his eyes that he may see, . . . and behold the moun-
tain was full of horses and chariots of fire."

6. 8. shall be my camp. The meaning is correctly hit by
the Vulgate. It means "there we shall set an ambush."

10. sent to the place; that is, reconnoitered to see
whether the intelligence was correct that there the
Aramaeans had set an ambush.

11. which one of us is for, naturally suspecting that
there was a traitor in his own camp.

12. in thy bedchamber. A proverbial expression for
a secret place. (Eccl. 10. 20) (Barnes).

13. Dothan, now Tell Dothdriy on the main caravan
road from Damascus to Egypt, and about ten miles
north of Samaria.

17. horses and chariots of fire. Compare 2 Kings
2. 11, where is the story of Elijah's ascension. Jehovah
has armies composed of the same pure fiery element
in which he dwells, and the religious imagination has
conceived all these hosts as invisible to mortal sight.

21. the king of Israel. We do not know which king
this was.

22. set bread and water. This is not to be understood
literally. It may just as well mean an elaborate feast.

23. came no more. The kind treatment produced a
good effect, and the raids ceased.

142 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

(CiSJlteentS ^unUap lifter tKrinitp

2 Kings 22. 3-20
[Alternative p. 195.]

The narrative, which describes the most important dis-
covery of the book of Deuteronomy (or perhaps the kernel
of the book 12-26), is of quite uncertain origin. It may
have come into the book of Kings from the Temple archives,
or quite as well from the book of the Chronicles of the kings
of Judah.
22. 3. eighteenth year, that is, B. C. 621.

Shaphan, a man whose descendants were famous
in later history. His son Ahikam saved Jeremiah's
life (Jer. 26. 24) and another son, Gemariah, tried to
save Jeremiah's roll of prophecies (Jer. 26. 12, 25),
and his grandson Gedaliah became ruler in Judah
after the deportation by Nebuchadrezzar (2 Kings
25. 22; Jer. 40. 5—41. 10).

4. Hilkiah. The name is the same as Jeremiah's
father's name, but there is no reason for identifying
the persons.

sum. The meaning is doubtful, but one of the
recensions of the Septuagint (the Lucian) translates
"pour out," and this would agree with verse 9.
8. the book of the law. This could not have been
the whole Pentateuch, for it was read through twice
in one day (2 Kings 22. 8, 10). It was the book of
Deuteronomy in some form, perhaps chapters 12-26.
The name Book of the Covenant peculiarly fits it,
and the reforms inaugurated by Josiah are precisely
those commanded in Deuteronomy.

EIGHTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY 143

12. king's servant. Certainly an ancient title of
office, the meaning of which is not known to us.

13. great is the wrath. See Deut. 28 and 29. The
part which most powerfully affected the king was
quite likely chapter 28, beginniug with verse 15.

14. Huldah. Nothing is known of her beyond what
appears here and in Chronicles. The king was at
his wit's end as the book was read to him, and was
doubtless filled with fear lest the curses of the book
should fall at once on him and his kingdom. He
therefore desired prophetic counsel and sent to
Huldah for it. Jeremiah had been called to be a
prophet five years before this (Jer. 1. 2) and it would
have been very interesting had the king consulted
him. Why did he not? Perhaps, as Jeremiah shrank
from the exercise of the office, he was not yet well
known. (Jer. 1. 6.)

144 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

^ineteentji ^mhap iSfter Kxinitp

Jeremiah 5. 1-6, 15-29

The lesson belongs in Jeremiah's acquaintance with
Jerusalem, but the efforts to locate it more narrowly seem
fanciful. It was only a very short distance from his birth-
place, Anathoth, to Jerusalem and there is no solid basis
for the supposition that he could not know Jerusalem there
almost, or quite, as well as in the city itself. But Jerusa-
lem was his city. He loved it, and he judged well its faults
as well as loved its virtues. In this passage we have a
fine example of his urgent emphasis on righteousness as
God's demand.

I. pardon her. The terms are easier than those required
of Sodom (Gen. 18. 32).

3. hast stricken. We do not know to what disaster
reference is here made.

4, 5. The common people have failed the prophet, and
he thinks that perhaps the men of rank may do better,
but he turns in vain to them.

15. Jehovah's method of punishing his people is to bring
against them a foreign foe. When the prophet first spoke
these words, early in his ministry, the foe thought of would
naturally be the Scythians. When he dictated the mes-
sage to Baruch he would be thinking of the Babylonians
as the agents of God's wrath.

18. The verse is probably a later addition. It mitigates
the sentence and diminishes the force of the passage.

19. Here the allusion is to the coming Babylonian Exile,
and we may surmise that the form of the utterance belongs
rather to the dictation to Baruch than to the days of the
original sermon.

NINETEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY 145

22. waters thereof. The expression is not in the Hebrew
text, but has probably accidentally dropped out. (Com-
pare 46. 7, 8 — so Driver.)

23. The people are like the sea ever restless, and so easily
moved to rebellion.

24. appointed weeks; that is, the seven weeks between
the Feast of the Passover and the Feast of Weeks — this
was the harvest time.

28. This is a very diflBcult verse, and the text is probably
in disorder. No satisfactory emendations have yet been
proposed, and I follow the R. V.

146 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

LII

Jeremiah 7. 1-15 and 26. 7-16

In this lesson there are present two passages, the first
containing a portion of one of Jeremiah's most vivid and
most intense sermons, and the second an account of the
effect which it produced upon the people who heard it.
The event took place (26. 1) "in the beginning of the reign
of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah," that is,
about the year B. C. 608. It should be remembered that
in Isaiah's day (B. C. 701) Jerusalem had been delivered
from Sennacherib, and it would be a very natural inference
that God had saved the city because his Temple was in it.
If he had saved it then, would he not save it now in the
days when the Babylonians were likely to threaten it? —
so people might well argue. Jeremiah could believe no
such doctrine as that, for it would make a fetish of the
Temple. It is easy to see how his denunciation of such
an idea would infuriate the people. It would be easier to
rely on the Temple's protection than to amend the ways
and doings of the people.

7. I. in the gate. In 26. 2 the statement is the "court."

The place may well have been near the gate between

the inner and the outer court, the latter being crowded

with people from the country round about.

5, 6. Only when men should really amend their lives

would God save them.

9. bum incense. It should probably be translated

"burn sacrifices."

II. den of robbers. These sinful people use the

Temple as a place of escape from danger, just as

robbers seek a cave to escape justice.

TWENTIETH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY 147

12. Shiloh. Evidently, some terrible catastrophe had
at some time fallen upon Shiloh, but there is no
record of it in Scripture.

15. out of my sight. Out of Jehovah's land, which is
peculiarly under his oversight.

26. 7-9. When they had heard the prophet deliver the
whole message, and his speaking had ceased, a rising
tide of fury came on the people and they seized him,
and threatened him with death.

10. princes of Judah. Members of the royal house
and ruling officials. They had level heads and were
ready to take the seat of justice and see that the
mob committed no crime.

11. as ye have heard with your ears. This was the
declaration made by the complainants. The princes
had not heard these things, — the reference is to the
people who had listened to the prophet.

12-15. This is Jeremiah's simple and manly defense.
It is that he had spoken as God had given him to
speak and as his duty was. He concedes their right
lawfully to put him to death, but contends that he
was innocent of wrong doing.

16. The mob would have killed Jeremiah, but these
men recognized the prophet's authority to speak in
God's name, and having heard his simple and dignified
defense acquitted him. He had had a narrow escape,
and his later ministry must be far more cautious.

148 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

Lin

Daniel 5
[Alternative p. 198.]

The book of Daniel belongs not in the number of prophetic
books, but is an apocalypse {disclosure^ revelation) whose
New Testament parallel or related book is the book of
Revelation. Daniel was probably written between B. C.
168 and 165, and perhaps in the year 166. There seems
no sufficient reason to doubt that the historical portions
of the book rest upon a traditional basis, and that Daniel
was a historical person. The value of the book religiously
needs no defense. It was a book on which the Lord himself
laid friendly emphasis and to which he gave honor. What
was valuable to him cannot prove useless to his followers.
There is no need, and certainly no profit, in attempting to
prove an early date for the book, or to show its accord
with the latest historical or archaeological discoveries.

5. I. Belshazzar. The name in Babylonian was Bel-
shar-u8ury "Bel protect the king," and he was the son
of Nabonidus, king of Babylon, B. C. 555-538. There
is no evidence that he ever reigned as king.
2. his father. The father of Belshazzar was, as just
noted, Nabonidus, — as he was a usurper and not of
the old line of kings, Belshazzar could not have been
related to Nebuchadrezzar. There is, however, no
great difficulty in the idea of connecting him thus
with the great king. Fanciful genealogies were in-
vented for the Assyrian kings, and may well have been
for Nabonidus and Belshazzar, though none has yet
been found.

TWENTY-FIRST SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY 149

5. plaster. The Hebrew means, lit., "chalk," and the
wall was therefore white.

6. countenance. Lit., brightness; that is, color. He
grew pale.

7. Chaldeans. The word originally meant a people,
a race. Here, as always in this book, the word means,
as in the classical writers, the wise men, or learned
men who knew the incantations or enchantments,
and this use of the word is one of the clear evidences
of the late date of the book.

rule as one of three. So R. V., margin, and prob-
ably correctly, though the Hebrew is difficult and
none too plain.

10. queen. Certainly not the wife of Nabonidus, for
she had died, in the ninth year of his reign. The
writer must have meant the queen-mother. But the
mother of Nabonidus had died eight years before, and
the writer here must be thinking of the wife of Nebu-
chadrezzar.

25. Mene, Mene, tekel, upharsin. The pronunciation
should be with the accent on the final syllable in each
word, and Mene to rime with "betray," and Tekel
with "bewail," and Upharsin with "between." The
words are really the Aramaic words for weights, and
if interpreted literally would mean "a mina, a mina»
a shekel, and half shekels." There must have been
some puzzle in the method of writing, and numerous
suggestions have been offered to explain it. It may
have been intended to represent the words as written
in cuneiform character, which if ideographic would be
difficult to read, and still more to interpret, as each
sign might have more than one value. The thing
has thus, or in some other way, become a riddle, and
DanieKs skill at riddles (verse 12) becomes valuable.
He first reads the words, and then interprets the sig-

150 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

nification which they were intended to have in this
particular case. As Mene may be intended to mean
"numbered" as well as the name of a piece of money
— a mina — it is interpreted as "numbered," and as
then to be applied to Belshazzar*s kingdom. TeheU
that is, "shekel," ^'weighed'" is similarly applied, and
then Parsiuy the plural of peres — a half shekel — reminds
one of peris, which means "divided," and paras,
which means in Aramaic "Persians."
31. Darius the Mede. No king of this style is known
as participating in the conquest of Babylon by Cyrus,
nor is anything known of the source of the "three
score and two years old."

The historical difficulties in this case, as in verse 10
concerning the queen, are among the numerous evi-
dences in favor of the late date of the book as a whole.
It must, however, be remembered that the value of
the book does not depend upon its historical con-
sistency. Its value is not historical, but religious, and
its religious value is in no wise impaired by the his-
torical inconsistencies. It served its purpose when
first written, and still does.

TWENTY-SECOND SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY 151

LIV

Proverbs 3. 1-20
[Alternative p. 200.]

The book of Proverbs belongs to the Wisdom Literature
of the Old Testament, which is represented also in Eccle-
siastes and Job. That it is composite in character is dis-
tinctly stated in the book itself, which is divided into a
number of parts indicating smaller collections of Wisdom
Literature which were joined to make the larger book.
The proverbial literature is in origin ascribed to King
Solomon and additions to it were made through the cen-
turies. The book is rich in garnered practical wisdom and
is far too little read in public.
3. 3. kindness and faithfulness. R. V., "mercy and
truth.'* It is not, however, mercy (compassion) and
truth, for which there are other expressions in Hebrew,
faithfulness is steadfastness — the standing by one's
word or promise.

bind . . . write. The figure seems probably to have
been taken from Deut. 6. 8, which led to the making
of phylacteries.

8. body. R. V., "navel." The change of a Hebrew
letter gives the far more probable as well as desirable
reading, "body."

refreshment. R. V., "marrow." The verse is to be
understood quite literally. The wise man declares that
a life of dependence upon Jehovah, dedicated to
righteousness, is profitable in its effect upon the body.
Health comes from it, freedom from ills and the ease
of mind that results from bodily well being.

152 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

9. firstfruits. An allusion to the precepts of the Law
(Deut. 18. 4, 26. 2).

ID. bams. Compare Deut. 28. 8 and Mai. 3. 10-12.
II, 12. Suppose one who had read 9, 10 should say,
"Oh, but I know cases in which men did really fulfill
all the law's demands, and yet were sufferers." To
such these verses make reply. The suffering of the
righteous is an important problem in the Wisdom
Literature. See Job 5. 17, 18.

15. coral. R. V., "rubies." There is a pretty dis-
pute as to which is meant, but the probabilities lie
strongly on the side of coral, which was highly es-
teemed in the ancient world.

18. tree of life. The figure is derived from Gen. 2. 9
and appears again in Prov. 11. 30, 13. 12, 15. 4.
20. depths, that is, the subterranean masses of water
from which springs were believed to issue. In the
same way dew came out of the firmament, which held
above it bodies of water, which issued through cannels
as rain or dew. The thought in the wise man*s mind
is that none of these things happen by chance, but
all are directed by the Creator, who made them in
the first instance.

TWENTY-THIRD SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY 153

Proverbs 8. 1-21

For general observations upon the book of Proverbs

see the previous lesson. This lesson, like that, belongs to

the introduction to the Book.

8. 2. At the head of thoroughfares. So the Hebrew seems

to mean. It is surely not, "In the top of high places,'*

as the R. V. translates.

In the streets. R. V., "where the paths meet."

3. At the entrance of the gates. R. V., "the coming in
of the doors," but the city gates are meant.

4. prudence. R. V., subtilty, but margin "prudence,"
which is better.

11. coral. R. V., "rubies," but it is much more likely
that coral is meant, which was highly esteemed among
the ancients.

12. possess intelligence. R. V., "have made subtilty
my dwelling" — a very slight change in text gives a
much preferable reading (so Toy, Currie).

13. This verse rather breaks the connection between
12 and 14, and it is quite doubtful whether it really
belongs here. I have, however, not been able to
persuade myself to omit it from the lesson.

15. By me kings reign. Compare 1 Kings 3. 5-12.

16. The second member of this verse has given inter-
preters much trouble, and there seems no way to mend
it but boldly to follow the Septuagint and this I have
done. All the English versions stand by the Hebrew
Text.

18. durable. The Hebrew word is hard to translate.

154 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

The R. V. margin is "ancient," that is, "inherited
from ancestors." The Septuagint makes it "abun-
dant," and the Latin Vulgate "superb." The Amer-
ican Jewish version has "enduring," which lies close
to the "durable" of the R. V. It is the riches which
cannot be taken away, the "true riches" (Luke 16. 11),
the riches inseparable from us and as immortal as
our souls.

20. justice. R. v., "judgment."

21. wealth. R. V., "substance," and so also the
Jewish version.

TWENTY-FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY 155

LVI

CfcDentp«tourtt) ^unbap iSfter Zxinitp

Proverbs 31. 10-31
[Alternative p. 202.]

In the book of Proverbs there is inserted a small frag-
ment (31. 2-9) which has for its superscription the follow-
ing, as it should be translated: "The words of Lemuel,
king of Massa, which his mother taught him." Massa is
the name of an Ishmaelite tribe (Gen. 25. 14), and as this
passage is ascribed to his mother, the compiler of the book
of Proverbs has added immediately thereafter a poem on
a good woman. The ideal represented is that of a house-
wife and woman of business, and no traits either intel-
lectual or religious are represented in it, but it has a certain
beauty of its own, and deserves to be read at least as an
occasional lesson. An alternative is supplied to take its
place when desired.

31. 10. good, so rather than "virtuous" (R. V.). The
question is not ironical. It is not intended to hint
that none may be found, but only that she must be
sought.

15. a portion. R. V. reads "their task," but has the
correct translation in the margin. The "portion"
means their share of the food of the household.

16. fruit of her hands, that is, her earnings. She is
a business woman.

18. her lamp goeth not out. It is still a custom
among the Arabs to have a lamp burn all night,
and to sleep in darkness is considered a sign of great
poverty. Compare Jer. 25. 10 and Job 18. 6.

156 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

19. distaff . . . spindle. Compare the beautiful lines
of Catullus (quoted by Perowne) :
"The left the distaflf held, from which the right.
Plucking the wool with upturned fingers light.
Twisted the threads, which o'er the thumb they wound.
Then swiftly whirled the well-poised spindle round."

(Tr. by Sir Theodore Martin.)

21. scarlet. The Hebrew is uncertain. Something
"warm" is required by the context.

22. coverings. So A. V., which is preferable to R. V.
"carpets," margin "cushions." There is no justi-
fication for the qualifying phrase "of tapestry."

24. merchant. The Hebrew has "Canaanite." In
early days the business of the country was in the
hands of the Canaanites, while the Hebrews were
herdsmen or tillers of the soil. Hence the word

"Canaanite" came to have the meaning of "merchant."

25. laugheth ; that is, has no anxiety.

26. kindly instruction; that is, she instructs servants
kindly, not harshly.

30. a woman that feareth the Lord. The form in
which this line appears in the Septuagint suggests
that originally the line read, "A woman of intel-
ligence, she shall be praised," but I have not ven-
tured to introduce it into the text.

31. Such a wife is not her husband's slave. She
deserves to share with him in the fruits of her labors,
as of his, and should be publicly praised for her
good works. This part of the verse is interesting
as showing that among the Hebrews of that day
it was not considered undignified or improper or in
bad taste to refer publicly to one's wife, as is now
commonly the feeling in the East.

TWENTY-FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY 157

LVII

Job 5. 6-26

The book of Job is the consummate climax and the most
beautiful flower of the Wisdom Literature of the Old Testa-
ment. The name of the great poetic genius who wrote
it has perished, nor is ever likely to be recovered. The
book belongs to the postexilic period, perhaps as late as
the fifth century B. C. The book was intended to meet
the dread problem of pain and suffering, and by widening
the idea of the Divine Providence teach that the older
theology, which made human suffering have its only origin
in human sin, was entirely wrong and that human suffer-
ing might well be due to a trial of righteousness. It affords
no complete theodicy, but offers only a higher and deeper
knowledge of God as man's best comfort in all earthly
trials. The lesson here used comes from the first speech
of Eliphaz, the mystic. Job's friend, who bases his argu-
ment upon a personal revelation from God. This speech
is one of the masterpieces of the book. It answers Job's
wild cry for death (chap. 3) and attempts to draw him into
a deeper reverence for God, and absolute submission to him.
5. 7. man . . . bom unto trouble, that is, it is his nature
through sin to bring trouble upon himself.
8. There is no help for this condition but to turn to
God. He doeth wonderful things (verse 9) and is
therefore capable of meeting man's trouble.
13. in their own craftiness. Quoted by Paul (1 Cor.
3. 19), and the only direct quotation from the book
of Job in the New Testament. It is curious and in-
teresting to observe that in this instance Paul did not

158 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

follow the Septuagint version and must either have
made his own translation direct from the Hebrew, or
made use of some Version to us unknown.

17. Job's frightful sufferings should be received with
joy as an evidence of God's interest in him. This is
sound biblical doctrine, taught in many passages.
See, for example, Psa. 94. 12; Prov. 3. 11; Heb. 12. 5.

18. If God afflicts, it is only that he may bind up and
so heal more perfectly.

19. six . . . seven. Round numbers, meaning many or
all.

20. In famine ... in war. These were the sorest and
saddest afflictions of the ancient East.

21. the scourge of the tongue, that is, slander or cal-
umny.

23. If Job will only come into peace with God, he
will by that very fact find himself also at peace with
inanimate and animate nature.

25, 26. Furthermore, Job shall have numerous off-
spring, and in the end come peacefully to the grave,
like fully ripened grain. From this come Milton's
fine lines (quoted in the Speaker's Commentary) :

"So mayest thou live, till, like ripe fruits, thou drop
Into thy mother's lap; or be with ease
Gathered, not harshly plucked; for death mature."

TWENTY-SIXTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY 159

LVIII

Job 28

For general notes upon the book of Job see Lesson LVII,
p. 157. The present lesson comes from the address of Job,
as the book is at present arranged, but it is extremely
difficult to interpret in that connection, and there are many
who hold that the arrangement as made by the author
was quite likely different. (See the Commentaries.) But
for the purpose of public reading this question is not im-
portant, and the noble and beautiful passage may yield
its poetic instruction as it stands, regardless of the question
to whom the author originally assigned it. The thought
of this chapter is that man can never hope to reach wisdom.
It belongs to God, and of him must be sought, whatever
may be suitable for man to possess in its place.

28. 2. copper. R. V., reads *'brass," but incorrectly;
brass is an alloy, not a native metal.

3. thick darkness, that is, the darkest recesses of
earth to which miners penetrate.

4. forgotten of the foot. Men walk above ground,
not knowing that beneath their feet the miner works.

5. Upon the earth*s surface the farmer grows his
grain, which is ground and baked into bread, while
beneath the earth is torn and broken, and blasted by
the miner seeking its treasures.

6. sapphires. The stone meant is probably the beau-
tiful lapis lazuli, which is frequently veined with iron
pyrites looking like a sprinkling of gold dust.

7. that path, namely, the long, dark channel which
the miner has cut. No bird enters it.

160 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

II. streams . . . trickle not. The allusion is to the

water that filters through clefts in the rocks into the

miners' shafts and must be stopped up.

12-14. Man has learned how to find his way to precious

metals and rich jewels, but he cannot thus find the

home of wisdom.

15-19. And as man cannot discover it, so also he

cannot purchase it, no matter what price he might be

willing to pay.

17. glass was rare and precious in ancient times.

20-22. The thought of 15-19 is continued. Wisdom

cannot be found in this world, nor in the world beyond.

22. Destruction and Death. Hebrew, Abaddon, that
is, Sheol and Death both personified.

23. way . . . place. These are only parts of the
figure. Wisdom is really with God, and with him
alone.

25. weight for the wind, that is, God weighed out the
amount of the wind, determined its quantity.

27. count. R. v., "declare," margin, "recount."

28. Wisdom, then, belongs exclusively to God. For
man the only obtainable gift is the fear of God,
which is man's substitute for the Divine Wisdom.

SUNDAY NEXT BEFORE ADVENT 161

LIX
^unbap £ext J&ttott ^bbent

EccLEsiASTEs 11. 1-4, 6-10; 12. 8, 13, 14

The book of Ecclesiastes has puzzled many commentators
and has suffered much at their hands. The difficulty which
has caused most of the trouble has been a widespread desire
to make the book conform to modern Western standards
of logical consistency. To accomplish this the book has
been subjected to severe editorial curtailment, to remove
inconsistencies. It is much more likely that the book
represents changing moods, and that its author was never
consistent with himself or his thinking. There are pas-
sages of great beauty and of undying interest in it. It
was written in the name of King Solomon, a form of literary
artifice well known in antiquity, and probably by a Jew
in the late Persian or early Greek period.

II. I. Cast thy bread. Interpreted in three different
ways: (a) of almsgiving and generosity, (b) of a busi-
ness venture, and (c) of agriculture. The first is much
to be preferred.

3, 4. The thought is that one must go on with his
work and not heed the operations of nature which
one cannot change. This idea is again enforced
in verse 6.

7, 8. It is man*s wisdom to enjoy his life as it flows
along, take pleasure in so simple a thing as sunlight,
for he has no right to expect that he will always
have the power of enjoyment, or the things to enjoy.
The idea is Carpe diem (Horace); that is, "Reap the
harvest of to-day."
9. The young man is advised to make glad use of

162 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

youth, but to remember that God requires an ac-
counting for the use made of it.
12. I. Remember also now thy Creator. The words are
commonly held among modem commentators to be
an insertion of a later hand. If they are, let us
accept and use them as the advice of another wise
man.

2. 7. These verses have been variously interpreted
as either (a) a reference to various forms and func-
tions of the body, or (b) a description of a great
storm, itself a figure of the darkness and gloom of
age. It is idle and unsympathetic as well to press
them closely into any mold of western thought.
We are here dealing not with western logic, but with
eastern imagination, and should try to remember
that mixed metaphors, or changing phases of a single
metaphor, are at home in the Oriental lands of bright
sunlight and deep shadows.

2. clouds return. The winter, when one storm fol-
lows quickly on the heels of another.

3. keepers of the house. Some say the keepers of the
house are the hands, and the strong men are the feet,
while others would make the allusion to a decaying
house.

grinders. Quite likely the teeth.

look out of the windows. Probably the "eyes."

4. doors shall be shut. The figure seems to be that
of a once prosperous house, but now with doors
closed and offering no hospitality.

daughters of music . . . low. Sounds of music are
no longer well heard in dull ears.

5. that which is high. The aged cannot climb hills,
almond tree. The almond flowers white, and the

allusion may possibly be to the white hair of the aged,
but it is very doubtful.

SUNDAY NEXT BEFORE ADVENT 163

grasshopper . . . burden, (a) Even the weight of a
grasshopper would be a burden, which is hyperbole,
or (b) the aged walks bent and slow like the locust.

caper-berry. Used for some medicinal purpose.
6. The verse is evidently a highly poetical descrip-
tion of the end of life, but it does not seem wise to
attempt to force an interpretation upon every single
item in the figure.
8. Vanity of vanities. Compare

"His breath's a bubble, and his days a span —
'Tis glorious misery to be born a man"

(Francis Quarles).
13, 14. This conclusion of the whole matter is by many,
if not most, modern scholars ascribed to another
hand than that of the original author. It matters
not who wrote it, so far as public reading is con-
cerned. The editors of the Hebrew text thought the
last sentence harsh, and so they repeated verse 13
after verse 14 to give a conclusion more mild.

ALTERNATIVE LESSONS

FIRST SUNDAY IN ADVENT 167

ALTERNATIVE I

Jfirflit ^unbap in i^bbent

Isaiah 1. 1-20

The date of the passage is quite uncertain. It may be
as early as B. C. 735 or as late as 701, to which later date
I am the more inclined, though with no feeling of any
definite assurance. For this present purpose it matters
little. Here are the chief outlines of Isaiah's whole teach-
ing, a summary of his message.

2. the Lord hath spoken. Isaiah has heard him speak
since he was called to be a prophet (see Lesson XXXII),
and he will now give forth the divine message.

4. Holy One. It was the divine holiness which was
impressed upon the prophet in the inaugural vision (Isa. 6),
and he keeps it ever before him.

6. The allusion is to the simple surgery of the day. A
wound was first pressed to exclude any pus, then drawn
together, bandaged and mollified with oil (see Luke 10. 34).

7. The situation here described, while not necessarily
ill suited to the condition which may or did occur during
the invasion of the Syro-Ephraimistic army in 735, seems
much better suited to the greater devastation caused by
Sennacherib in 701.

8. daughter of Zion. Jerusalem and her people.

a booth ... a lodge. Frail structures set upon light
poles and used by the watchers who sat in them to protect
crops against thieves or wild animals.

10-17. "The false and the true way of seeking God's
favor" (Dillmann).

II. full of, sated with. In the beginning sacrifices were
conceived as the food of the gods, and here is seen to be
lingering faintly even in the far higher religion of Israel.

168 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

12. trample. The word is strong, and implies, without
quite expressing, the idea of their desecrating the holy-
precincts.

15. spread forth your hands, namely, in the attitude of
prayer.

18-20. Jehovah is willing to plead his cause, for great is
his condescension.

18. let us reason together. A very difficult phrase in
the Hebrew and the translation is still subject of dispute
and the exegesis still more. Perhaps we shall come nearest
the heart of it if we venture to say it means to discuss to-
gether this great subject and see from the debate who is
right and who is wrong. So, in general, Gray would explain
it, while Skinner would give it rather a legal meaning.

Though your sins. This is imaginary. The clause
has sometimes been interpreted as an interrogative, though
with doubtful grammatical propriety. The main point is
that though God is IsraeFs God he is not on that account
to be thought lenient to Israel's sins (compare Amos,
3. 2). Men must meet the conditions set forth in verses
19 and 20.

scarlet . . . crimson. Not two colors, but one. The
second word really means "worm" literally, and signifies
the insect from which the color was obtained (coccus ilicis).
As Gray reminds us the first word really means "scarlet
clothes," so sin is represented as a red garment enwrapping
the sinner. Compare the figure in Zech. 3. 3f.

SECOND SUNDAY IN ADVENT 169

ALTERNATIVE II
^econb ^unbap m ^bbent

Isaiah 5. 1-20

The Parable of the Vineyard and Isaiah's smashing
application of its lesson to the sins of his people. The
lesson falls naturally into two parts: (a) the parable, verses
1-7 and (b) the denunciation and the woes, verses 8-20.
There are no historical or political allusions to help us to
the period of the prophet's ministry to which it belongs.
Isaiah appears among the people in the guise of a minstrel,
perhaps at some festival when people from the countryside
were in the city, and speaks this parable. He puts it into
poetic form, with many a turn and a sort of light and at-
tractive measure and would soon have a company very
willing to hear him; and then when they have heard him
gladly, he skillfully turns the parable and shows its bear-
ing upon the nation's life in a series of six woes directed
against the higher classes and the leaders of the com-
munity.

2. built a tower. A shelter for the watchers; not a
mere temporary thing on poles, as in Isa. 1. 8, but a solid
construction as an evidence of the permanent construction
of the whole vineyard.

6. thorns and thistles. A favorite expression of Isaiah.

7. vineyard of the Lord. We do not know whether it
was Isaiah or another who first originated this conception
of a vineyard as an expression for the true religion of rev-
elation, but it became very widely used. See, for example,
Jer. 2. 21; 12. lOf.; Matt. 20. Iff.; 21. 33ff.

Now come the six woes, which were quite probably seven,
or even more as originally delivered.

170 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

8-10. Denunciation of rich landowners, who contrive to
get small holdings away from the poor and so to increase
their own estates.

10. ten acres. Lit., ten yoke; a yoke of land was as
much as two oxen could plow from morning till night.

one bath. About eight gallons, which would be a
small yield for so large a vineyard.

11-13. Denunciation of those who carouse from morn
till night imbibing strong drink, that is, wine fortified
alcoholically by the addition of dates, honey, raisins, and
the like to increase fermentation. Then when stimulated
they add music and with senses dulled and ears given up
to sensual sound forget Jehovah and all his ways.

14-17. A threat of the destruction of Jerusalem.

17. The city has vanished into Sheol, and in its place
the cattle pasture.

18, 19. The verses contain an impious and mocking
challenge uttered by sinful men to Jehovah to do his
worst. They do not doubt his existence. They doubt
only his moral government. They are not afraid of the
prophet's denunciations.

20. Woe to those who darken, or doubt or confuse the
great moral distinctions.

THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVENT 171

ALTERNATIVE III

Ctitrli ^unbap m ^bbent

Isaiah 25. 1-9

The passage is taken from a series of brilliant prophecies
in chapters 24-27 which are, in general, apocalyptic in char-
acter. They are, therefore, to be compared with the book
of Daniel in the Old Testament and with the book of Rev-
elation in the New. They are quite unlike the preaching
of Isaiah of Jerusalem or of Isaiah of Babylon, and prob-
ably should be dated in the Persian period, though it is
well to remember that the historical circumstances are
unknown, and it is, therefore, not fitting for us to be very
dogmatic about the time when the passage was composed.
The lesson falls into two parts, (a) verses 1-5, a song of
thanksgiving to celebrate the deliverance which Jehovah
has given his people; (b) verses 6-8, Jehovah's feast on
Mount Zion to all the nations. This is, indeed, a most
catholic passage. Here Jehovah is no exclusive possession
of Israel, but a loving and very tender Lord over all peoples,
willing and glad to husband them all as his own, and to
take away even the sad misery of death. What other
people ever had such an idea of God as had these Jews
of Jehovah? Is not this wonderful in our eyes, if we can
conceive and understand it?

2. city an heap. The reference is to some city which
had represented hostility to Jehovah but was in the prophet's
time destroyed.

4, 5. But Jehovah saved his own people Israel.

6-8. Here is the glorious passage! Jehovah is to be the
crowned King of all the earth, and this is his coronation
feast. He will hold the festival on Mount Zion, and it is

m OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

not for Israel only, but all nations are bidden as his guests.
The nations come enveloped in mourning garments, for
they do not yet know that all their troubles are gone for
aye; but Jehovah strips off the habiliments of woe and sees
the tears beneath; the last tears are these, for even death
itself is now destroyed forever in the ushering in of the
Messianic age.

9. This verse really introduces a new section concerning
Moab, but it may quite appropriately be used in public
reading to conclude the splendid passage (6-8) with a burst
of grateful praise.

FOURTH SUNDAY IN ADVENT 173

ALTERNATIVE IV
Jf ourtd S^untiap tn ^bbent

Zechariah 2

The exiles returned from Babylonia in B. C. 5S6, but
in numbers far fewer than was to be desired. A series of
bad seasons, the diflBculty of bringing the land under cultiva-
tion, troubles with their neighbors, and a general and very
perilous apathy prevented the immediate rebuilding of the
Temple, and the whole religious future of Judaism was
imperiled, for the Temple was an essential factor in the
building of an ecclesiastical state. In this juncture two
prophets, Haggai and Zechariah, after sixteen years of
waiting for a national move, began to incite the people to
their duty. Of these two men Zechariah is incomparably
the more important from the point of view of literary ability.
He made a new departure in the form of prophetic teaching,
for he put his message into the form of a series of allegories,
of which Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress is a modem example.
This lesson is the third vision, and was delivered February
24, 519, the whole sermon being comprised in 1. 7 — 6. 15.
This is the vision of the man with the measuring line.

2. 2. Jerusalem is only partially rebuilt, but in the
vision the man with the measuring line goes out to see how
large the city should be to accommodate the great influx
of people whom the prophet expects.

3. came forth. R. V., "went out." An angel had been
talking with the prophet, and as he left him another
angel came forth to join him.

4. and he said. R. V., "and said." The meaning is
that the interpreting angel who stood by the prophet's
side to explain the vision spoke to the man with the

174 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

measuring line and bade him not to define the city
limits.

villages without walls. Lit., as "open country
districts," as opposed to walled cities (Driver). The
idea is that the city will be enormously expanded.

6. flee from the land of the north. Addressed to the
people who still are in Babylonia.

I will gather you. R. V., "I have spread you
abroad," etc. I have unhesitatingly followed the
Septuagint, which gives a far more preferable sense.

7. Zion. The part still in Babylonia; escape, for a
heavy judgment of God is about to fall on the heathen
peoples, and God's people should not be among them.

9. shall be a spoil. Israel shall spoil them, as they
had spoiled her.

10. I will dwell in the midst of thee, that is, when the
Temple has been rebuilt.

11. many nations. These will join themselves to
God's people to learn of him.

12. holy land. This is the only place in which this
expression occurs, yet it has become very common in
our speech.

13. This is God's judgment on the heathen world
(compare verse 9). The people are bidden to be
silent in awe, as they think of the impending wrath,
for he is already bestirring himself in his holy habita-
tion.

FIRST SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY 175

ALTERNATIVE VIII

Isaiah 51. 1-16

This fine lesson, eloquent and earnest, was addressed to
the exiles in Babylon, and was intended as a consolation
and an encouragement. It divides into three sections:
(a) verses 1-8, in which the prophet draws encouragement
from the example of God's dealings with Abraham. If
God could make a people from him who was but one, all
the more is he able to restore a people to greatness from
these who are now in exile. (6) verses 9-11. — It is only-
divine power that can accomplish this, and so in these
verses the people plead with God to display again the power
which he had shown of old. (c) verses 12-16. — ^They who
really trust Jehovah need have no fear.

51. I. hole of the pit. The figure is that of a quarry.
The Israelites are the stones taken from it. See
how wonderful a thing this is that from such a small
quarry as Abraham and Sarah so many should have
come. The figure of the quarry occurs nowhere else.
4-6. Israel's life as a people is not for herself only;
she is "for a light of the peoples," and the religion
thus sent forth is to be universal. It is also to be
eternal, outlasting the heavens and the earth.
9, 10. The imagery of these verses is derived from
the Assyrian and Babylonian creation story, accord-
ing to which creation and the orderly Cosmos could
only begin after the god EUil or the god Marduk
had destroyed the great principle of Chaos, per-
sonified under the name Tiamat. This story must
have been widely spread in western Asia, and is
used for literary adornment especially by the writer

176 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

of the book of Job (see, for example, 3. 8, 9. 13 and
26. 13), where Rahab, or Leviathan, takes the place
of Tiamat, and Jehovah the place of Ellil, or Marduk.
10. the great deep; that is, the primeval chaos of
waters in Gen. 1. 2. The Hebrew word is tehom,
which is etymologically connected with Tiamat.

a way ... to pass over. This is an allusion to the
crossing of the Red Sea in the exodus from Egypt.
12-16. This is Jehovah's reply. The people need
have no fear, for the Almighty Creator is on their
side, and calls them his people.

THIRD SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY 177

ALTERNATIVE X

HosEA 14. 1-9

For a brief introduction to Hosea's ministry see X,
Third Sunday after Epiphany, p. 57. The present lesson
has by some interpreters been denied to Hosea, because
it seems to contradict the severe judgments of chapter 13,
but the reasons are quite insufficient. It is thoroughly
characteristic of the prophets to denounce sin and declare
judgment, and in the next breath to promise mercy and
forgiveness. Verse 9 is, however, not a part of the prophetic
message, but a monition by a later hand in the style of
the Wisdom Literature, though a quite useful conclusion
in prose style to Hosea's poetic message.

14. 2. take with you words. None shall appear before
Jehovah empty — so ran the ancient requirement
(Exod. 23. 5, 34. 20). This was interpreted to mean
sacrifices, but Hosea now suggests that men should
bring rather words, words of repentance spoken from
the heart, and prayers for God's reception of them.
3. Israel must not look for deliverance to Assyria
as Ahaz did when he appealed to Tiglathpileser for
help against the Syro-Ephraimitic coalition, nor to
Egypt, from which came horses for battle, but to
God only.

the fatherless. Israel is compared to an orphan.
"I will not leave you desolate" (Lit., "orphans"),
John 14. 18.

5. their backsliding, that is, its consequences or
damages.

as the dew. The dry summer of Palestine, when
the land is practically without rain, would dry up all

178 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

vegetation but for the heavy mists which blow in
from the Mediterranean and distill upon the land.

as the lily. Probably the gorgeous Anemone
coronaria, which blooms in masses and sweeps of
color even among the fields of grain.

as Lebanon. A mountain has roots (Job 28. 9)
and is a fit image for stability, as the lily is for beauty,
and the olive also, with its silver sheen on the under-
side of its dark-green leaves.

smell as Lebanon. The balsamic odor of the
cedars.

the wine of Lebanon. Famous in antiquity, that
of Helbon, in the Anti-Lebanon, being especially
praised.

8. green fir tree. It is at least unusual to compare
God with a tree, though not impossible. The kind
of tree here meant is quite unknown.

fruit found. Israel's fruit comes only by the
Lord's gift.

9. This verse, as stated above, is an addition to the
whole book of Hosea and in the style of the Wisdom
Literature. It enjoins upon men the duty of giving
glad obedience to God's moral government of the
world.

SIXTH SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY 179

ALTERNATIVE XIII

^ixtli ^unba? ^Ittx Cpipfianp

MicAH 6. 1-8

Micah's prophetic activity, according to the superscrip-
tion of his book, began about 740, at the beginning of the
reign of Jotham, and extended into the time of Hezekiah.
He was, therefore, a contemporary of Hosea's later days
and a younger contemporary of Isaiah. The first three
chapters of his book are certainly his, but considerable
doubt must be admitted in respect of the rest of the book.
The matter of authorship in the case of this lesson is quite
unimportant. It belongs in any case to the most deeply
inspired of Hebrew prophecies.

6. I, 2. In verse 1 the prophet introduces Jehovah to
Israel, and then in verse 2 Jehovah speaks, and is ready
to argue his case against Israel before the mountains
as judges, for they have witnessed the course of Israel's
history and are acquainted with her attitude toward
her God. To the Scripture, all nature, as we call
these works of God, shares with man in his trials and
in his joys, and besides that, shares God's feeling
toward man because of all the evil that man has
wrought upon nature. Then nature obeys God's will
and executes God's judgments upon men. Her storms
of destructive rain, her droughts, her earthquakes, her
raging and overwhelming seas — all these are fulfilling
God's behests and punishing man. On the other
hand, they can feel sympathy for man, and enter
into his emotions. See how the apostle Paul teaches
this doctrine (Rom. 8. 22).

3. wherein have I wearied thee. At the time of
this utterance, which may have been in the time of
Manasseh, the sacrificial system as elaborated during

180 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

the Exile and presented by Ezra in B. C. 444 was
not yet in vogue. The sacrifices of earlier days were
much more simple, and in some cases, at least, were
not offered at all. The classic passage in support
of this view is Jer. 7. 22, but with this there may well
be compared also Isa. 43. 23 and Amos 5. 25.

4. Israel's history begins with a great act of redemption
in her deliverance from the Egyptian bondage, and
this historic fact is ever prominent in her literature.

5. The reference to Balak and Balaam is an allusion
to the brilliant narrative in Num. 22-24. The prophet
touches lightly upon it, presuming that all who heard
him would be familiar with it.

6. Remember from Shittim unto Gilgal. Shittim was
the last camping station of Israel before crossing the
Jordan (Josh. 3. 1) and Gilgal the first after crossing the
river (Josh. 4. 20). It may, therefore, be presumed that
the meaning here intended is to remember what hap-
pened in God's providence between these two points.
6-8. A passage which rises by a series of rhetorical
questions into a splendid climax in the statement of
the character of practical religion in verse 8, which
belongs among the finest passages in the Old Testa-
ment revelation; indeed, some would call it the supreme
prophetic utterance. The present passage also inti-
mates clearly enough what the preexilic prophetic
message was about sacrifices. They are not primary
but subordinate, but they are not disowned or repu-
diated. The question was not so much religious
ceremonial, but the religious, or perhaps better the
ethical life of righteousness before God. On the
other hand, we do well to observe that God is not
forgotten. Righteous living is good and necessary,
but God, and man's relation to him, is still the funda-
mental requirement.

FIRST SUNDAY IN LENT 181

ALTERNATIVE XVII

Jf irtst £>unbap in Eent

Genesis 18

The lesson is taken from the part of the Pentateuch
which comes from the hand of the Judaistic writer (J),
who wrote probably about B. C. 850. This writer has left
for us much of the most picturesque passages in the whole
Pentateuch, and poor would we be had they not been
providentially preserved. The loss of this chapter would
be particularly serious. Nowhere else is Abraham por-
trayed more attractively. He is here a patriarch indeed,
quick in hospitality, gentle and kindly in speech, grave
and serious in manner, dignified and courteous, generous
in every thought. Well indeed might Israel be proud of
him.

i8. I. oaks. It should be "terebinths," but it would
appear pedantic to change.

2. three men. It is at the hour of the heat and
drowsiness and Abraham is suddenly aware of three
men before him. The point of the beautiful story
turns on the fact that he does not yet know who
they are, but courteously receives them and makes
instant preparation to give such hospitality as cus-
tom demanded.

3. My lord. This is a title of courtesy only. The
margin of R. V. reads "Or, O Lord," but this is
quite erroneous, for it would signify that Abraham
already recognized one of the three as Jehovah.

6. three measures. Hebrew, seahs^ about four and
one half pecks (Kennedy) — a very large amount.

cakes, round and flat, and quickly baked upon
hot stones.

182 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

7. It was a very high compliment that Abraham
offered his guests in providing meat for them. Then
as now the Oriental has little flesh to eat and seldom
is it provided. When it is there is indeed a feast.
The "calf tender and good" would be the mark of
a high festival.

8. butter. It was curdled milk, quickly soured by
being brought in from the cow, and poured into a
"sour-milk skin," and then shaken for a few minutes.
The ferment in the skin from previous use quickly
ferments the milk and produces a slightly acid and
satisfying drink, now called leben among the Arabs.
10. when the season cometh round. A year later.
In verses 9-15 the promise is made of a son. It is
introduced with great skill, and is deftly handled.
The chief visitor who carries on the conversation
reveals a more than human knowledge, and we have
therefore here the first hint of the divine character.
16-22. The judgment upon Sodom is revealed to
Abraham.

16. looked toward Sodom. Sodom would not be
visible from Hebron, but would be visible from
Beni Na^im, about three miles east of Hebron, to
which spot Abraham had conducted his visitors.

18. The blessing harks back to Gen. 12. 3.

19. known him, that is, "entered into personal rela-
tions with."

to the end that. Abraham is to found a family,
from which a people shall spring through whom the
whole earth shall be blessed. But this glorious re-
sult depends upon Abraham's faithfulness in "com-
manding his children and household after him."

20. cry of Sodom, that is, cry about Sodom's sin
which ascends to heaven and calls for judgment.

22. Two of Abraham's guests go on, and one re-

FIRST SUNDAY IN LENT 183

mains. This is Jehovah himself made manifest in a
theophany.

22-33. Abraham intercedes for the city, because his
sense of justice moves him to feel that it would not
be just to cause the righteous to perish with the
wicked. He pleads, therefore, with God to spare
the wicked for the sake of the ten righteous and gains
at last the great concession and the Divine assurance.
Here then was established the doctrine of the justice
of God. God's mercy and his loving-kindness come
to beautiful expression in the revelation to Moses
(Exod. 34. 6, 7). It was well to have the Justice
made clear.

24. Spare the place. The Hebrew means literally
"take away for the place," that is, take away its
guilt, so that the thought is of forgiveness.

25. that so the righteous should be as the wicked.
This was a very sore problem in the religious thought
of Israel which comes to its fullest intensity in the
days of Jeremiah and Ezekiel, and to its discussion
the book of Job is devoted.

the Judge of all the earth. This is a great claim.
It verges toward monotheism. There may indeed be
other gods, that is not explicitly denied, but if there
are Jehovah is supreme judge over them.
33. And the Lord went his way. How did he go?
We are not told, but are left to surmise that he went
as he came. He did not disappear as in the case
of the divine theophany before Gideon (Judg. 6. 21).

184 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

ALTERNATIVE XXIV
€a£(ter 3Bap

EZEKIEL 37. 1-14

EzEKiEL, of a distinguished priestly family, and there-
fore a member of the aristocracy of Judah, was carried
away into captivity in 597 by Nebuchadrezzar. In Baby-
lonia he was called to be a prophet in 593 and set himself
to comfort and establish his people in the faith of their
fathers and to awaken a sure conviction that Jehovah
would restore them to their own land. The lesson is taken
from a chapter in which the first part (verses 1-14) is given
to the resurrection of the people from national death and
the promised return to their own land, and the second
part (verses 15-28) to the promise of a reunion of Israel and
Judah under the house of David. It is not here predicted
that individuals are to be raised from the dead. That
assurance came later (Isa. 26. 19; Dan. 12; compare Job
14. 13f .) ; this is only national resurrection.
37. 2. upon the face of the valley. R. V., "in the open
valley." The bones are spread all over the valley
and they were bleached and dry, fitting symbol of
the deadness of the nation and of the hopelessness of
its revival.

3. thou knowest. It is a modest answer. The
prophet dare not answer positively, but must leave
the decision to God. Even the apostle Paul, in the
larger light which the Lord gave, must also speak
modestly. (Phil. 3. 11.)

5. breath. The first step is breath, yet that really
embraces the whole, for the breath is the life.
7. shaking. R. V., "an earthquake," but that gives
a suggestion that is not in the context. It is not

EASTER DAY 185

the earth, but the bones that shake (Jewish version,
"a commotion"). The same word is also rendered
"rushing" (A. V., 3. 12). The word "noise" is omitted
by the Septuagint.

9. unto the wind. In Hebrew the same word means
"wind," "breath," and "spirit." Breath was seen
to be wind; and as breath was a visible expression
of life, it became quite natural to use the same word
for the vital principle of life.

12. Here the figure varies. Above the bones are
lying in the open valley, upon its face, but now the
bodies are in their graves. It is, however, still the
nation of which the prophet speaks.

13. O my people, not the individuals as such, but the
nation as a whole.

14. This gift of life is from God only. It is his spirit
that gives life (Psa. 104. 30).

II. the whole house of Israel, that is, both Judah
and Ephraim, and it is the living representatives of
what was once a nation, but is now destroyed, that
speak in the next vords, saying, "our hope is lost."
The nation has been broken and carried away into
captivity, and they who still live personally can dis-
cern no hope nationally. This is indeed a heart-
breaking thought for them, and God gives the prophet
authority to banish their fears, and renew their hopes.

186 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

ALTERNATIVE XXVII
^t)ttb ^unbap ^fter €asittv

Isaiah 60

The lesson belongs to the series of postexilic prophecies
(56-66) of which the background is Jerusalem and not
Babylon. The people have returned from exile, but many
Jews are scattered in other parts of the world, and for their
ingathering the devout people of Jerusalem are longing.
In this beautiful chapter the prophet, whom we may call
the Third Isaiah for lack of a better name, utters an apos-
trophe to the glory of the new Jerusalem. The temple
had been rebuilt (verses 7 and 13), but the city walls are yet
to be reconstructed (verse 10) so that the passage belongs
to the period before Nehemiah.

2. darkness. This is darkness of the heathen world,
in contrast to the light which shines upon Jerusalem from
her Lord.

4. carried. The Hebrew means literally (see margin
R. V.) "nursed on the side," that is, carried on the hip,
according to Oriental custom.

5. tremble, that is, throb with joy.

6. dromedaries. Lit., young camels, probably under nine
years old.

Ephah, a tribe of Midian.

Sheba, a country and people in Arabia (Yemen).

7. Kedar. A general designation for north Arabian
nomads, and Nebaioth, probably the people who later be-
came well known as the Nabateans.

beautify my beautiful house. The temple has been
rebuilt and needs only to be beautified.

THIRD SUNDAY AFTER EASTER 187

8. fly as a cloud. These are the ships on the Mediter-
ranean which will bring the Jews from the West, and also
much treasure to the restored Jerusalem.

12. The verse is prosaic and violates the arrangement of
the rest of the beautiful chapter, and has probably been
introduced from some gloss or marginal comment and was
not written by the prophet. I have, therefore, omitted it
for the practical purpose of public reading.

13. the cypress, the pine, and the box tree. R. V. reads
for cypress, "the fir tree," but cypress is much more likely.
The pine is doubtful, and the tree meant may be the plane
tree, and the Jewish version suggests "larch" for the third,
but this does not seem likely. How were these trees to be
used.'^ Were they to be planted, or were they to be used as
lumber for practical use or adornment? The latter seems
more probable.

19. thy glory, thy beauty. It is interesting to compare
Rev. 21. 23 with this beautiful verse. The prophet does
not mean that the sun and moon shall cease to exist, but
rather that supernatural light shall come with them, so that
the city shall not be dependent upon them.

188 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

ALTERNATIVE XXXI

Exodus 34. 1-10, 29-35

This impressive and interesting passage is in two parts,
of which the first (verses 1-10) came from an interweaving
of the words of the Judaistic and Elohistic writers (about
B. C. 850 and 800). The second part (verses 29-35) was
set down for us by the Priestly writer during the Exile
(about B. C. 500).
34. I. Hew thee ... I will write. In the former instance
(32. 16) the tables themselves were God*s own handi-
work and were broken by Moses (32. 19), in this
case the tables are to be fashioned by Moses and
Jehovah will write upon them.

6-8. This is the theophany promised in 33. 19-23
[see Lesson XXI] and it is the moral nature of Jeho-
vah that here finds expression.

7. It is God's mercy, and not God's wrath, that is
here especially emphasized, as it is also in Exod. 20.
5, 6. unto thousands. Look back at Exod. 20. 6
and the meaning will be more clear, and yet more
clear if we compare the Revised Version which reads,
"showing mercy unto thousands, of them that love
me and keep my commandments." Note the comma
after the word thousands! The meaning is in the
antithesis. God's justice extends only to the "third
and fourth generation," but his mercy on the other
hand extends to "thousands belonging to them that
love me and keep my commandments," that is those
who are descendants of those who love God, or who
belong to them in any other way as dependents or

WHITSUNDAY 189

even as servants. God's mercy, in other words, ex-
tends much further than his wrath.
10. marvels. The marvels or wonders here pre-
dicted are those described in Num. 11, 16, 20, 21, etc.

29. shone. His face shines because it reflects the
divine glory. The Hebrew word here translated
shone is a denominative from the Hebrew word kereUy
"horn,'' in the sense of ray (Hab. 3. 4). Jerome
translated it literally "was horned," and hence the
sculptors and painters who read the Vulgate have
quite commonly represented Moses with horns on
his head— so, for example, Michael Angelo.

30. were afraid. The shining face frightened the
people, and thereafter in all ordinary intercourse
Moses wore a veil.

34. went in before the Lord. The meaning is that
Moses went into the Tent of Meeting (compare
Exod. 25. 22 and Num. 7. 89). One should really
take the time to see how Paul makes use of this in
2 Cor. 3. 7-18, and it would be very profitable to
read Driver's admirable note upon Paul's allegorizing
(The Book of Exodus, Camb. Bible, pp. 375, 376).

190 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

ALTERNATIVE XLIV

Habakkuk 2. 1-14

Nothing is known of the prophet Habakkuk save what
may be gleaned from his book; even the meaning of his
name is obscure and doubtful. He lived and worked
about the year B. C. 600, in the miserable days of Jehoiakim's
rule over Judah, and was therefore a contemporary of
Jeremiah. He was deeply moved by the sins of his people,
and argued that God should punish them, and not further
permit lawlessness and social disorder. The complaint of
the prophet is expressed in the form of a dialogue between
him and God (chap. 1) and when this is ended the prophet
sets himself upon a watchtower, in imagination, to await
God's reply. It is this reply which is here chosen for a
lesson.
2. I. tower. R. V., margin proposes "fortress." The
actual place conceived was probably part of the forti-
fied city wall from which one could survey the dis-
tance with the eye.

he will answer. This is the reading of the Syriac
version, and seems much better than the Hebrew text,
which is "what I shall answer."

2. he may run; that is, that the reader's eye may run
swiftly over it. There must be no indistinctness in the
writing.

3. hasteth. Lit., "panteth" or "puffeth." The vision
is personified and is represented as running swiftly
toward accomplishment.

4. This is the content of the vision which the prophet
was to write upon a tablet, and the meaning may
thus be paraphrased: "The soul of the Chaldean is

TWELFTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY 191

puffed up with pride, but the just shall live by his
faithfulness."

faithfulness. R. V., "faith"; but there is no word
for faith in the Hebrew language. The Hebrew word
here used means "steadiness," "firmness," and then as
a moral quality "faithfulness." This clause is quoted
in the New Testament by Paul (Rom. 1. 17, Gal. 3. 11),
where he renders "faith," making an extension of the
meaning of the Septuagint translation, and it is used
again in the same sense in Heb. 10. 37f. The New
Testament has simply spiritualized the meaning and
given it a significance beyond that originally meant
by Habakkuk.

In this, which Habakkuk is to write upon a tablet
and doubtless keep by him to refresh his memory,
and prevent his ever doubting God's moral govern-
ment again, we have the real kernel of Habakkuk*s
message.

5. With verse 5 begins a series of woes directed against
the Chaldeans.

Yea, moreover, wine. This makes absolutely no
sense, and the versions are helpless and hopeless, nor
has any successful emendation been proposed. The
context shows clearly enough that the reference must
have been to the Chaldeans, and not to wine. The
Chaldeans are charged with restless ambition. If in
reading one dare substitute "the Chaldean" for the
word "wine," he would probably come near the original
word of the prophet, and at least make some sense,
but I do not feel justified in so printing the text when
there is no support either in the Hebrew or in any of
the versions.

6. parable, rather, a taunting song.

pledges. The Chaldean is like a usurer who loads
himself with pledges.

m OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

shake thee. R. V., "vex," which is not strong
enough. The meaning is harsh. The nations shall
shake the usurious pledges out of the Chaldeans.
Q-ii. Another woe against the Chaldeans.

9. set his nest on high, that is, make himself secure
against possible enemies, like the vulture which builds
its nest in rocky clefts far out of reach.

10. devised. R. V., "consulted." The meaning is
that the Chaldean planned or devised good for himself,
but it has resulted only in shame. The rhetorical
figure is called oxymoron.

11. the stone . . . the beam. The Chaldean had stolen
the stone for his building probably out of Arabia, and
the wood from the Lebanon or Amanus. These are
now witnesses against him.

13. labor for the fire. Men toil to build and the fire
consumes their structures; so will their empires fall
to pieces, and in their place will come Jehovah's glory
(verse 14). This latter verse is based upon Isa. 11. 9,
but with changes both in phraseology and in its appli-
cation.

FOURTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY 193

ALTERNATIVE XLVI
Jf ourteentb ^unbap ^fter ^xinitp

Amos 5. 4-24

For notes concerning Amos and his mission see XI,
p. 59. This passage follows immediately upon the first
three verses of the chapter in which the prophet sings a dirge
over Israel, as already fallen, because he has seen no signs of
any amendment. He now follows this with a stinging state-
ment that Israel really deserves the doom which he has
just pronounced because she has relied on sacrifices at va-
rious holy places rather than upon ethical amendment.
5. 4. seek ye me. The expression has varied signifi-
cations, but here the meaning is to seek God by the
practice of a righteous life.

seek not. To go to Bethel or some other place to
consult an oracle or to offer sacrifices.

Bethel. The principal sanctuary of the northern
Kingdom, about ten miles north of Jerusalem.

Gilgal. The first camping place west of the Jordan,
and about four and one half miles from the river.

5. Beersheba. In the extreme south, about fifty
miles below Jerusalem and at the very end of the land.

In these two verses Amos makes a very striking
series of plays upon words, as he also makes use of
assonance, using in the words that follow "Gilgal"
Hebrew words repeating the sound of **g.'*

6. break out like fire. Fire is here a symbol for any
form of punishment that Jehovah might put upon a
recreant people. The punishment that actually came
was an Assyrian invasion.

7. The words are bitter. Amos charges that instead
of maintaining judgment they have made it bitter and
have cast righteousness to earth.

194 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

8, 9. The verses are intended to emphasize the great-
ness of the God whom Israel insults by her evil courses.
The names "Pleiades" and "Orion" may be correct,
but there is no certain identification.

10. they hate. These evil-minded people hate even the
magistrates who dispense justice in the gateway.

11. These people have despoiled the poor. They shall
not live comfortably upon ill-gotten gains.

12. a bribe; that is, a ransom, or the price of a life
(Exod. 31. 30, Num. 35. 31). It was expressly for-
bidden to take a ransom and allow a murderer to
escape punishment.

13. As justice is in such a plight it is quite useless for
anybody to inform upon a wrong-doer, and people who
are prudent, that is, worldly wise, do not take the
risk of doing it.

14. 15. Amos renews his exhortation to good works.
There may yet be a chance to save a remnant if the
people will but turn from their evil ways.

16, 17. Amos feels sure, however, that the people
will not heed his solicitations, and he therefore renews
the terrible prediction that death and destruction
are impending, and that there will be more dead than
can be buried with decent ceremonies.
18-20. Some men hope that the Day of the Lord will
come and save them, for, according to their theology,
on that day God will triumph over his enemies, whereas
to Amos it is a day in which God's righteousness will
be vindicated over sin. The illustrations used by Amos
to enforce the thought that a man may escape from
one evil only to fall into another are as brilliant as
they are pointed.

21-23. God will not be satisfied with sacrifices of any
kind. His one and only satisfying demand is judg-
ment and righteousness (verse 24).

EIGHTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY 195

ALTERNATIVE L

€isjjteenti) ^unbap ^fter Zxinitv

Jonah 3. 1 — 4. 11

The book of Jonah was written by an unknown man,
richly endowed by nature, and yet more richly filled with
the divine Spirit. He was a prophet and well deserves to
rank with the greatest of them all, with Jeremiah or with
the Second Isaiah, Isaiah of Babylon. There were strains
of pride and stains of sin in the Judaism from which the
book came. It was a hard Judaism, a stony soil, in many
ways, to bear a flower so tender, so beautiful, so catholic
as this dear book. It is a neglected book, little esteemed
among us, well deserving more study than ever it receives,
appealing as it is and winsome. Yet it has suffered much
not only at the hands of those who have spoken contemptu-
ously of it as a "fish story," but also by those who made
great cause of defending it, for they often enough were
so deeply concerned about one verse in it that they failed
to see the real glory of the book. As the wise old divine
said, "They pore over the whale and forget God." Let
us absolutely neglect the great fish, and ask what the book
really means. The book of Jonah is not a book containing
the prophetic messages of Jonah, as are Amos, Hosea,
and the others. It is, rather, a didactic book, written
about the name and person of the prophet Jonah, who
lived in the reign of Jeroboam II (780P-740?) and predicted
the king's success in war (2 Kings 14. 25). There Jonah is
a distinguished figure; in this book he is held up to rebuke,
if not to contempt. The book is a symbolical allegory in
which Jonah is a symbol of Israel, and the nation's history
and mental attitude are allegorized in a story of extra-
ordinary events. If we compare Jer. 51. 34, 44, we shall

196 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

see at once that Babylon has swallowed up Israel, and that
Jonah is Israel, and this makes clear enough what the
fish episode means.

The lessons of the book grow out of the words and acts
which are told of Jonah. God would send him on a mission
to Nineveh, but he will not go, but runs away from the
duty, which was also a privilege. The writer of the book,
in the third or fourth century before Christ, knew full well
that Israel had no selfish possession in Jehovah, but that
all the nations should be blessed (or "bless themselves")
in Abraham (Gen. 12. 3), and in that knowledge which
he and his people were to possess of God's will and ways.
The story which he tells of Jonah's flight is an abhorrent
thing to him. But Jonah is pictured as comfortably asleep
when God's vengeance is ready to overtake him (1. 5).
Marti has finely contrasted the sleep of Jesus (Mark 4.
35-41): "Jonah was tranquil since he thought he was far
from God's hand, Jesus confident since he knew himself
to be hidden in God's hand." Jonah's attempt to escape
was a failure, and at last he goes unwillingly to preach
repentance to the people of Nineveh. Here begins then
the noble and beautiful passage.

3. 2. three days' journey. The city is so vast, in the
writer's eyes, that it would require three days to pass
through it. This is hyperbole for emphasis and im-
pressiveness.

4-9. The effect of the prophet's preaching was mag-
ical, for the whole immense city from king to peasant
laborer turns to God in repentance, and the forgiving
God of Israel delivers them from the threatened
punishment.

4. I. Jonah is bitterly angry at God's mercy shown to
the heathen whom he despised or hated, either or
both. Jonah's desire was to see them destroyed, for
they did not deserve to live. The spirit of the man

EIGHTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY 197

is horrible, but there have been too many examples
of a similar desire among Christian theologians excom-
municating heretics and burning them at the stake,
and consigning enemies of the truth, real or supposed,
to everlasting torment for us to cast stones at the
prophet as he is here portrayed.

2. Jonah flings an insult into God's face because he
is gracious and compassionate.

6 and 9. Jonah has a touch of the humane spirit,
for he is angry at the sudden destruction of the gourd,
partly, of course, because it gave him shelter and a bit
of comfort, but he felt "pity" (verse 10) for it also,
and it is something that he could feel a touch of care
about a plant.

II. Now are we come to the climax. God is a God
of pity and of forgiveness. He will pardon Nineveh
which has repented, and he will have pity because it
has more than six score thousand children, for it is
they who are meant in the phrase, "that cannot dis-
cern between their right hand and their left hand."
The innocent children must not suffer for the sins
of the elders. Then follows in a veritable climax,
"and also much cattle." God pities the dumb beasts.
What a God he is indeed! No man, be he never so
tender of heart, can approach him in compassion.
What a God he is for us in our sin and folly and ig-
norance and willfulness! This is, indeed, a great
book, a book of missionary spirit in deepest and truest
form.

198 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

ALTERNATIVE LIII

EZEKIEL 14

For notes on Ezekiel and his book see Alternative XXIV,
p. 184. In chapter 13 the prophet denounced the false
prophets. He now turns to declare that though the false
prophets have misled the people, on the other hand these
false prophets owe their existence and the falsity of the
message to the people among whom they live and work.
They are enticed from the truth by a people corrupted
with idolatry.

14. 3. stumbling-block. The reference is still to idol-
atry. It causes men to stumble and it is iniquity.

inquired of; that is, Should the real prophet
Ezekiel give any answer to such people?
7. I will answer him. The next verse shows that the
divine answer will come in the form of a divine act.

9. The idea is similar to that expressed in 1 Kings
22. 20. If the prophet enters into the spirit of the
people and is enticed into speaking falsely, it is the
Lord who had brought this about as a punishment
for the idolatry of the people.

10. Both people and prophets are threatened with
destruction. This statement would probably be met,
in the people's minds, with the thought that perhaps
the prophet had said too much and that God would
save the people because of the righteous who were
among them. To this possible argument the prophet
replies in verses 12-23, and quite in the same spirit
as Jer. 15.

11. Yet are all these severe judgments set for a high

TWENTY-FIRST SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY 199

moral end, for their purpose is to save and not to
destroy. It is intended that they shall warn God's
people and bring them back to him.
12. a land. A. V., "the land," but erroneously. The
whole verse is a supposition, and applies to any land.
14. Jeremiah had said, "Though Moses and Samuel
stood before me, yet my mind could not be toward
this people" (15. 1). Now Ezekiel uses three other
famous worthies, Noah, Daniel, and Job, to enforce
the same principle, that only personal righteousness
can deliver any individual.

22. should there be left. R. V., "therein shall be
left." It is hypothetical, not declarative. The
thought is that if any escape, it is only that they
may point a moral and cause men to be satisfied,
who are now in exile, when the great fall of Jeru-
salem occurs in B. C. 586.

comforted concerning the evil. This means the im-
pending evil of Jerusalem's destruction which was to
come in 586. They who had been carried away in 597
were the chief people of the kingdom, while those who
were left behind were the poor, the ignorant, and very
probably the idolatrous. They are even compared
with bad figs that cannot be eaten (Jer. 24. 8-12,
29. 16-20). The point which Ezekiel is now making
is that when the earlier and nobler exiles of 597 see
these people brought into captivity, they will be so
disgusted with them as to be "comforted" and recon-
ciled to the manifestation of God's justice upon a
city which had been inhabited by such people.

200 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

ALTERNATIVE LIV

Nehemiah 8. 1-12

The book of Nehemiah was originally one book with
Ezra, and the two were together probably originally one
book with the Chronicles, and the whole not complete until
B. C. 300, or even later. The chronicler was a priest,
or at least wrote and compiled in the priestly spirit. The
book of Nehemiah as it now exists reveals Nehemiah as a
person of many engaging qualities, though harsh at times
and perhaps not always as wise as he was severe. The
narrative here chosen has a public value as an account
of the feelings inspired in the people by Ezra's presenta-
tion of the Law Book.

8. I. the water gate. Probably on the eastern side of
the city.

book of the Law of Moses. This was the book
which Ezra brought from Babylon where it had been
compiled out of ancient sources and traditions and
modified to suit the conditions then prevailing.
Whether it was the whole or only a part of the Penta-
teuch is still a subject of learned dispute. But if
the whole was not then in Ezra's hand in a completed
roll, it was surely completed within a few years.

4. pulpit. The Hebrew means literally a "tower."
The context shows it must have been a raised platform.

5. stood up — a sign of respect.

8. gave the sense — explained the meaning of laws
so that the people might thoroughly understand.

9. Tirshatha. Probably an honorific title. Nehe-
miah's proper title was pekah, "governor."

TWENTY-SECOND SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY 201

wept. So also when the Deuteronomic Law was dis-
covered, 2 Kings 22. 11, 19. But they were bidden
not to weep as they heard the law, but to rejoice and
so they did. God was their Protector and Friend,
and they should rejoice to know and to understand
his Law.

10. eat the fat, and drink the sweet. The fatty por-
tions of meat are those most highly esteemed by the
modern as also by the ancient Orientals, and the
greatest compliment to a guest at a feast is to offer
him the meat with the thickest layer of fat. By the
sweet is meant the new wine in which fermentation has
but just begun or at least has not progressed far enough
to have broken down all the grape sugar into alcohol.

for whom nothing is prepared. This means the
poor, and the Septuagint reads simply, "those who
have not," which represents, perhaps, a preferable
text.

202 OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS

ALTERNATIVE LVI

Haggai 2. 1-9

The name of the prophet Haggai means "festal," and he
may have been so named because of birth on one of the
great Jewish feasts. He was a contemporary of Zechariah,
who far excels him in literary ability (see Lesson XXII).
Haggai's religious message is simple: it was merely an
urgent call to rebuild the Temple, for he saw quite plainly
that there could be no development or even continuance
of Israel's religion without it. The people had returned,
or at least a part of them, and that far smaller than was
desirable, in the year 536 and laid the foundations and
erected the altar of burnt sacrifice, but did not rebuild the
Temple. So the matter rested for sixteen years, until
August-September, 520, when Haggai uttered his first call
for action. Then, on the 21st day of October-November,
Haggai spoke again the words now before us, and Zechariah
followed with his first message to the same purpose.

2. 3. as nothing. There were many discouragements.
The Temple had lain in ruins for sixty-six years, and
the men who had survived and could remember what
it had been in their youth could hardly feel other
than discouraged as they thought of the attempt
to rebuild. What could now be done would seem
like nothing. From this discouragement Haggai at-
tempts to rouse them.

5. The first clause of this verse, which reads in R. V.
''according to the word that I covenanted with you
when ye came out of Egypt," cannot be grammatically
construed with its context. It does not appear in

TWENTY-FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY 203

the Septuagint, and I have left it out. So Wellhausen,
Nowack, G. A. Smith, Marti, and Driver.
6-9. A beautiful Messianic passage. Let not the
builders despair. The temple they now build may be
smaller than that of Solomon, but it will be glorified
by God, in the days of the ideal kingdom.

6. a little while. The future is foreshortened, as was
commonly the case with the prophets.

7. desirable things ; that is, gold and silver and precious
gems brought to adorn the Temple by all peoples.
This is to take place in the Messianic age. The old
translation, "the Desire of all nations," which makes
it a personal reference to the Messiah, rests upon a
mistranslation of the Hebrew in the Latin Vulgate.
9. peace. The great hope of the Messianic age.

CALENDAR RUBRICS

CALENDAR RUBRICS 207

CALENDAR RUBRICS

The following directions and tables are for the use of
those who may desire to read the Scripture passages accord-
ing to the Days of the Church Year. They who would
prefer to read according to any other system may follow
the numbers and neglect these Calendar rubrics, as has
already been suggested in the Preface. These directions
for finding the day in the Church Year have been made
more elaborate and abundant than many are likely to need.
They are intentionally numerous and precise for the help
of those to whom the Church Year is less familiar or even
strange.

1. The Movable Festivals all depend upon Easter except
Advent.

2. Advent Sunday ^ called also First Sunday in Advent y
is always the nearest Sunday to the thirtieth day of No-
vember, whether before or after. The thirtieth day of
November is St. Andrew's Day.

3. Easter Day, upon which the rest depend, is always
the first Sunday after the full moon, which happens upon
or next after the twenty -first day of March; and if the
full moon happen upon a Sunday, Easter Day is the Sunday
after. Note. The full moon here meant is the fourteenth
day of a lunar month, reckoned according to an ancient
ecclesiastical computation, and not the real or astro-
nomical full moon.

4. To supply the dates of Easter, without need of com-
putation, the following table is offered.

208

CALENDAR RUBRICS

A Table of the Days on Which Easter Will Fall from
1920 to 1970

1920 April 4

1921 March 27

1922 April 16

1923 April 1

1924 April 20

1925 April 12

1926 April 4

1927 April 17

1928 April 8

1929 March 31

1930 April 20

1931 April 5

1932 March 27

1933 April 16

1934 April 1

1935 April 21

1936 April 12

1937 March 28

1938 April 17

1939 April 9

1940 March 24

1941 April 13

1942 April 5

1943 April 25

1944 April 9

1945 April 1

1946 April 21

1947 April 6

1948 March 28

1949 April 17

1950 April 9

1951 March 25

1952 April 13

1953 April 5

1954 April 18

1955 April 10

1956 April 1

1957 April 21

1958 April 6

1959 March 29

1960 April 17

1961 April 2

1962 April 22

1963 April 14

1964 March 29

1965 April 18

1966 April 10

1967 March 26

1968 April 14

1969 April 6

1970 March 29

Septuagesima

Sexagesima

Quinquagesima

III

oa "^ r Nine )

>- Sunday is -< Eight >-

ima J V. Seven )

Weeks before Easter.

Ascension-day
Whitsunday
Trinity Sunday

Forty Days
Seven Weeks
Eight Weeks

after Easter.

Ash Wednesday, or the beginning of Lent, is forty-six days before

Easter.
Palm Sunday, or the beginning of Holy Week, is seven days before

Easter.
Holy Thursday is the Thursday before Easter.
Good Friday is the Friday before Easter.

CALENDAR RUBRICS

209

A Table of the Movable Feasts, According to the Several
Days That Easter Can Possibly Fall Upon

EASTER
DAY

1=^

1
11

C 0)

a >

3
W3

Mar. 22

Jan. 18

Feb. 4

Apr. 30

May 10

Nov. 29

Mar. 23

Jan. 19

Feb. 5

May 1

May 11

Nov. 30

Mar. 24

Jan. 20

Feb. 6

May 2

May 12

Dec. 1

Mar. 25

Jan. 21

Feb. 7

May 3

May 13

Dec. 2

Mar. 26

Jan. 22

Feb. 8

May 4

May 14

Dec. 3

Mar. 27

Jan. 23

Feb. 9

May 5

May 15

Nov. 27

Mar. 28

Jan. 24

Feb. 10

May 6

May 16

Nov. 28

Mar. 29

Jan. 25

Feb. 11

May 7

May 17

Nov. 29

Mar. 30

Jan. 26

Feb. 12

May 8

May 18

Nov. 30

Mar. 31

Jan. 27

Feb. 13

May 9

May 19

Dec. 1

Apr. 1

Jan. 28

Feb. 14

May 10

May 20

Dec. 2

Apr. 2

Jan. 29

Feb. 15

May 11

May 21

Dec. 3

Apr. 3

Jan. 30

Feb. 16

May 12

May 22

Nov. 27

Apr. 4

Jan. 31

Feb. 17

May 13

May 23

Nov. 28

Apr. 5

Feb. 1

Feb. 18

May 14

May 24

Nov. 29

Apr. 6

Feb. 2

Feb. 19

May 15

May 25

Nov. 30

Apr. 7

Feb. 3

Feb. 20

May 16

May 26

Dec. 1

Apr. 8

Feb. 4

Feb. 21

May 17

May 27

Dec. 2

Apr. 9

Feb. 5

Feb. 22

May 18

May 28

Dec. 3

Apr. 10

Feb. 6

Feb. 23

May 19

May 29

Nov. 27

Apr. 11

Feb. 7

Feb. 24

May 20

May 30

Nov. 28

Apr. 12

Feb. 8

Feb. 25

May 21

May 31

Nov. 29

Apr. 13

Feb. 9

Feb. 26

May 22

June 1

Nov. 30

Apr. 14

Feb. 10

Feb. 27

May 23

June 2

Dec. 1

Apr. 15

Feb. 11

Feb. 28

May 24

June 3

Dec. 2

Apr. 16

Feb. 12

Mar. 1

May 25

June 4

Dec. 3

Apr. 17

Feb. 13

Mar. 2

May 26

June 5

Nov. 27

Apr. 18

Feb. 14

Mar. 3

May 27

June 6

Nov. 28

Apr. 19

Feb. 15

Mar. 4

May 28

June 7

Nov. 29

Apr. 20

Feb. 16

Mar. 5

May 29

June 8

Nov. 30

Apr. 21

Feb. 17

Mar. 6

May 30

June 9

Dec. 1

Apr. 22

Feb. 18

Mar. 7

May 31

June 10

Dec. 2

Apr. 23

Feb. 19

Mar. 8

June 1

June 11

Dec. 3

Apr. 24

Feb. 20

Mar. 9

June 2

June 12

Nov. 27

Apr. 25

Feb. 21

Mar. 10

June 3

June 13

Nov. 28

Note. — In a leap year the number of Sundays after Epiphany is
the same as if Easter had fallen one day later than it really does; and
Septuagesima Sunday and Ash Wednesday fall one day later than that
given in the Table, unless the Table gives some day in March for
Ash Wednesday; for in that case the day given by the Table is the
right day.

210 CALENDAR RUBRICS

To make still more easy the search for the lesson for any
particular day in the Chm'ch Calendar there is here provided
a complete list of lessons for every Sunday for twenty-one
years. If this little Lectionary should endure so long, and
find a place of usefulness, it may be hoped that another
Calendar may be prepared before this is exhausted, or that
any minister who has used it may by that time be so famil-
iar with the Days of the Ecclesiastical Year as not to need
a Calendar so elaborate, but be able for himself to locate
the lesson for any day by means of the other Tables.

The Tables are here only for those who wish to use them.
The Scripture Lesson is the end, aim, purpose. Let us read
the Old Testament in the hearing of the people, by this
ancient system, or by some other system, or by no system
at all. The means are not important, if so be that the end
be accomplished.

>> >>

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1
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CQ.S

M
^

1920....

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

. 28

1921....

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

1922....

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

April

1923....

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

1924....

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

April

1925. . . .

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

April

1926. . . .

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

1927. . . .

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

April

1928. . . .

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

April

1929....

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

1930....

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

April

AprU

1931....

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

1932....

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

1933....

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

AprU

April

1934....

Jan

Jan,

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

1935....

Jan

Jan.

Feb,

Feb.

Mar.

April

1936. . . .

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

April

1937. . . .

Jan

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

1938. . . .

Jan.

Jan

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

April

AprU

1939....

Jan,

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

AprU

1940....

Jan

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

27 1 4

10 1 17

211

cow

jo's

•13 ^

1.
SI

1
•a

1.^

^"3

1920. . . .

April
2

April

April
11

April
18

April
25

May
2

May
9

May
16

May
23

May
30

June
6

June
13

June
20

June
27

July

1921....

Mar.
25

Mar.
27

April
3

April
10

April
17

May
1

May

May
15

May
22

May
29

June
5

June
12

June
19

June
26

1922....

April
14

April
16

^f'

^'"

May

May
14

May
21

May

June
4

June
11

June
18

June
25

July
2

July
9

July
16

1923....

Mar.
30

April

April
8

April
15

Ag"

May
6

May
13

May
20

May
27

June
3

June
10

June
17

June
24

July

1924. . . .

April
18

April
20

April

May
4

May
11

May
18

May
25

June
1

June
8

June
15

June
22

June
29

July
6

July
13

July
20

1925....

April
10

April
12

April
19

May
3

May
10

May
17

May
24

May
31

June
7

June
14

June
21

June
28

July
5

July
12

1926. . . .

April
2

April
4

AprU

April
18

May
2

May
9

May
16

May
23

May
30

June
6

June
13

June
20

June
27

July

1927....

April
15

April
17

.April

May

May
15

May
22

May
29

June
5

June
12

June
19

June
26

July
3

July
10

«,

1928. . . .

April
6

April
8

April
15

April
22

April
29

May
6

May
13

May
20

May

June
3

June
10

June
17

June
24

July

1929. . . .

Mar.
29

Mar.
31

April

April
14

April
21

May
5

May
12

May
19

May
26

June
2

June
9

June
16

June
23

June
30

1930. . . .

•t?'

April
27

May
4

May
11

May
18

May

June

June
15

June
22

June
29

July
6

July
13

July
20

1931...

April

April
12

April
19

Apnl

May
3

May
10

May
17

May
24

May
31

June
7

June
14

June
21

June
28

July
5

1932. . .

Mar.
25

Mar.
27

April
3

April

April
17

April
24

May

May
8

May
15

May
22

May
29

June
5

June
12

June
19

June
26

1933. . . .

April
14

April
16

Agil

*s"

May

May
14

May
21

May
28

June
4

June
11

June
18

June
25

July
2

July
9

July
16

1934....

Mar.
30

April

April
8

April
15

April
22

April

May
6

May
13

May
20

May

June
3

June
10

June
17

June
24

July

1935....

April
19

April
21

Apnl

May
5

May
12

May
19

May
26

June
2

June
9

June
16

June
23

June
30

July
7

July
14

July
21

1936. . . .

April
10

April
12

April
19

April

May

May
10

May
17

May

May
31

June

June
14

June
21

June

July
5

July
12

1937...

Mar.
26

Mar.
28

April
4

April

April
18

April
25

May
2

May
9

May
16

May
23

May
30

June
6

June
13

July

June
25

June
20

July
10

July
2

June
27

1938. . . .

April
15

April
17

April

May

Ma.

May
15

May
22

May
29

June
5

June
12

June
4

June
19

June
11

June
26

June
18

July
17

1939....

April
7

April
9

April
16

Agi.

May
7

May
14

May
21

May

July
9

1940. . . .

Mar.
22

Mar.
24

May
.•^1

April

May

May
19

May
26

June
2

June
9

June
16

June
23

1:1

It
ll

1-
II

•a

£^3

2*3

1920. . . .

July
11

July
18

July
25

Aug.

Aug.
8

Aug.
22

Aug.
29

Sept.

Sept.
19

Sept.
26

Oct.
3

Oct.
10

Oct.
17

1921....

July
3

July
10

July
24

July
31

Aug.

Aug.
14

Aug.
21

Aug.
28

Sept.
4

Sept.
11

Sept.
18

Sept.
25

Oct.
2

Oct.
9

1922....

July
23

July
30

A„..

^ri-

Aug.
27

Sept.

Sept.
10

Sept.

Sept.
24

Oct.
1

Oct.
8

Oct.
15

Oct.

Oct.
29

1923....

July

July
15

July
22

July
29

Aug.
5

Aug.
19

Aug.
26

Sept.

Sept.
9

Sept.
16

Sept.
23

Sept.
30

Oct.

Oct.
14

1924...

July
27

Aug.
3

Aug.
10

Aug.
17

Aug.
24

Aug.
31

sept.

Sept.
14

Sept.
21

Sept.
28

Oct.
5

Oct.
12

Oct.
19

Oct.
26

Nov.
2

1925....

July
19

July
26

\"|-

Aug.
23

Aug.
30

Sept.
6

Sept.
13

Sept.
20

Sep..

Oct.
4

Oct.
11

Oct.
18

Oct.
25

1926. . . .

July
11

July
18

July
25

Aug.

Aug.
8

^"l■

Aug.
22

Aug.
29

Sept.

Sept.
12

Sept.
19

"t-

Oct.
3

Oct.
10

Oct.
17

1927....

July
24

July
31

Aug.

Aug.
14

Aug.
21

Aug.
28

Sept.
4

Sept.
11

Sept.

Oct.
2

Oct.
9

Oct.
16

Oct.
23

Oct.
30

1928. . . .

July
15

July
22

July
29

Aug.
5

Aug.
12

Aug.
19

'^■

Sept.

Sept.
16

Sep..

Sept.
30

Oct.

Oct.
14

Oct.
6

Oct.
26

Oct.
11

Oct.
2

Oct.
21

1929....

July

July
14

July
21

July
28

Aug.
4

Aug,
11

^2T

Sept.

Sept.
8

Sept.
15

Sept.
22

Sept.
29

Oct.
13

1930....

Aug.
3

Au.

Aug.
24

Aug.
31

Sept.
7

Sept.
14

Sept.
21

Sept.
28

Oct.
5

Oct.

Oct.
19

Nov.
2

1931....

July
12

July
19

July
26

Aug.

Aug.
9

"iT-

Aug.
23

Aug.
30

Sept.

Sep..

Sept.
20

S|pt.

Oct.
4

Oct.
18

1932....

July
3

July
10

July
17

July
24

July
31

Au.

Aug.
14

Aug.
21

Aug.
28

Sept.

Sept.
11

Sept.
18

"If

Oct.
9

1933....

July
23

July
30

'^■

Aug.
27

Sept.

Sept.
10

Sept.
17

Sept.
24

Oct.

Oct.
8

Oct.
15

Sept.
30

Oct.

Oct.
29

1934. . . .

July
8

July
15

July

July
29

Aug.
12

Aug.
19

Aug.
26

Sept.

Sept.r
9

Sept.
16

Sept.
23

Oct.
14

1935....

^.t

Aug.
11

Aug.
18

•\f-

Sept

Sept.

Sept.
15

Sept.
22

Sept.
29

Oct.
6

Oct.
13

Oct.
20

Oct.
27

Nov.
3

1936....

July
19

July
26

Aug.
9

Aug.
16

^I-

•^sT-

Sept.
6

Sept.
13

Sept.
20

Sept.
27

Oct.
4

Oct.
11

Oct.
18

Oct.
3

Oct.
25

1937...

July
4

July
11

July
18

July
25

■r

Aug.
8

^f■

Aug.
22

Aug.
29

Sept.
5

Sept.
12

Sept.
19

Sept.
26

Oct.
10

1938...

July
24

July
31

Aug.

Aug
14

Aug.
21

•\"l

Sept.
4

Sept.
11

Sept.
18

Oct.
2

Oct.
9

Oct.
16

Oct.
23

Oct.
30

1939...

'fi

July
23

July
30

Aug
6

*if-

Aug
20

'St

Sept.

Sept.
10

Sept.
17

Sept.
24

Oct.

Oct.
8

Oct.
15

Sept
29

Oct.
22

1940...

June
30

July

July
14

July
21

July
28

Aug
4

Aug.
11

Aug.
18

Sept.

Sept.
8

Sept.
I 15

Sept.

. Oct.
6

213

■^ ^

-a^

Mbi

<s1

■S]2

tS'2

■?-2

■^

■§?§

1-2

1,^

"ag
9 >

CQ.W

IS -a

a
•1

Hot

H rt

m<J

ft,<!

H<5

f^<

PhO

1920....

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Dee.

Jan.

2, 1921

1921....

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

1. 1922

1922....

Nov.

Dec.

Dee.

1923....

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

6, 1924

1924. . . .

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

4, 1925

1925....

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

3. 1926

1926. . . .

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

2, 1927

1927. . . .

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

1. 1928

1928. . . .

Oct.

Nov.

Dee.

Dec.

Jan.

6, 1929

1929. . . .

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

5, 1930

1930....

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

4, 1931

1931....

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

3, 1932

1932....

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

1, 1933

1933...

Nov.

Dec.

1934...

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

6, 1935

1935....

Nov.

Dee.

Dec.

Jan.

5. 1936

1936...

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

3, 1937

1937...

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

2, 1938

1938....

Nov.

Nov,

Nov.

Dec.

Dee.

Jan.

1, 1939

1939....

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

1940....

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Dee.

Dec.

Dee,

Dec.

Jan.

5, 1941

214

INDEX OF SCRIPTURES

PAGE

Genesis 1. 1—2. 3 66

3 68

6. 5-8, 13-22; 7. 23, 24;

9.8-17 71

18 181

22. 1-19 75

37. 3-12, 17-35 77

Exodus 3. 1-15 79

12. 1-14.. 89

16. 2-15 93

33. 7-23 82

34. 1-10, 29-35 188

Deuteronomy 4. 1-20 95

6. 4-25 97

8. 2-20 99

30 101

Joshua 1. 1-17 107

Judges 4. 1-16, 23 109

1 Samuel 1. 1-5, 9-28 112

3. 1—4. 1 114

17. 1-4, 8-11, 32-37,
40-54 115

2 Samuel 12. 1-23 117

18. 1-15, 24-33 119

1 Kings 3. 4-15 123

6. 1, 38; 8. 12, 13, 22, 23,

27-40, 54-58 125

10. 1-13 128

12 130

17 132

18. 1, 2, 17-39 134

19 136

2 Kings 5. 1-19 139

6. 8-23 141

22. 3-20 142

1 Chronicles 29. 1-20 121

Nehemiah 8. 1-12 200

Job 5. 6-26 157

28 159

Proverbs 3. 1-20 151

PAGE

Proverbs 8. 1-21 153

31. 10-31 155

Ecclesiastes 11. 1-4, 6-10; 12.

8, 13, 14 161

Isaiah 1. 1-20 167

5. 1-20 169

6. 1-13 105

7. 10-14; 9. 2-7 46

10. 33— 11. 9 and 12. 1-6. 43

25. 1-9 171

32. 1-5; 35. 1-10 49

40. 1-17, 27-30 41

42. 1-16 51

44. 6-23 53

51. 1-16 175

52. 1-12 91

52. 13—53. 12 86

55. 1-13 55

60 186

Jeremiah 5. 1-6, 15-29 144

7. 1-15 and 26. 7-16. . . 146

8. 4-22; 9. 1 73

31. 10-14, 27-34 37

Ezekiel 14 198

33. 1-20 62

34. 1-16, 25-31 64

37. 1-14 184

Daniel 5 148

Hosea 11. 1—12. 6 57

14. 1-9 , 177

Joel 2. 21-32 103

Amos 5. 4-24 193

8 59

Jonah 3. 1—4. 11 195

Micah 4. 1-7; 5. 2-4 39

6. 1-8 179

Habakkuk 2. 1-14 190

Haggai 2. 1-9 202

Zechariah 2 173

8. 14-23; 9. 9, 10 84

215

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