The Seventy's Course in Theology, First Year / Outline History of the Seventy and A Survey of the Books of Holy Scripture

LESSON V.

SPECIAL TEXT: "And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, in all the signs and the wonders which the Lord sent him to do in the land of Egypt to Pharoah, and to all his servants, and to all his land, and in all that mighty hand, and in all the great terror which Moses showed in the sight of all Israel."—EZRA (supposedly).

NOTES.

1. Abraham: "He was a person of great sagacity, both for understanding all things, and persuading his hearers, and not mistaken in his opinions; for which reason he began to have higher notions of virtue than others had, and he determined to renew and to change the opinion all men happened then to have concerning God; for he was the first that ventured to publish this notion, that there was but One God, the Creator of the universe; and that as to other (gods), if they contributed anything to the happiness of men, that each of them afforded it only according to his appointment, and not by their own power. This his opinion was derived from the irregular phenomena that were visible both at land and sea, as well as those that happen to the sun, and moon, and all the heavenly bodies; thus, "if (said he) these bodies had power of their own, they would certainly take care of their own regular motions; but since they do not preserve such regularity, they make it plain that so far as they co-operate to our advantage, they do it not of their own abilities, but as they are subservient to him that commands them, to whom alone we ought justly to offer our honor and thanksgiving." For which doctrines, when the Chaldeans, and other people of Mesopotamia, raised a tumult against him, he thought fit to leave that country; and at the command, and by the assistance of God, he came and lived in the land of Canaan. And when he was there settled, he built an altar, and performed a sacrifice to God. Berosus mentions our father Abram without naming him, when he says thus: "In the tenth generation after the flood, there was among the Chaldeans a man, righteous and great, and skilful in the celestial science." But Hecataeus does more than mention him; for he composed, and left behind him, a book concerning him. And Nicolaus of Damascus, in the fourth book of his history, says thus: 'Abram reigned at Damascus, being a foreigner, who came with an army out of the land above Babylon, called the land of the Chaldeans; but, after a long time, he got him up, and removed from that country also, with his people, and went into the land then called the land of Canaan, but now the land of Judea, and this when his posterity were become a multitude; as to which posterity of his, we relate their history in another work. Now the name of Abram is even still famous in the country of Damascus; and there is showed a village named from him, 'The habitation of Abram.'" (Antiquities of the Jews, Josephus, pp. 31-32.)

2. The Restoration of Lands Made by Joseph: "However, the famine increased among the Egyptians; * * * * But when their money failed them, they bought corn with their cattle, and their slaves, and if any of them had a small piece of land, they gave up that to purchase them food, by which means the king became the owner of all their substance; and they were removed some to one place, and some to another, that so the possession of their country might be firmly afforded to the king; excepting the lands of the priests for their country continued still in their own possession. And indeed this sore famine made their minds, as well as their bodies, slaves: and at length compelled them to procure a sufficiency of food by such dishonorable means. But when this misery ceased, and the river overflowed the ground, and the ground brought forth its fruits plentifully, Joseph came to every city, and gathered the people thereto belonging together, and gave them back entirely the land which, by their own consent, the king might have possessed alone, and alone enjoyed the fruits of it. He also exhorted them to look on it as every one's own possession; and to fall to their husbandry with cheerfulness; and to pay as a tribute to the king, the fifth part of the fruits for the land which the king when it was his own restored to them. These men rejoiced upon their becoming unexpectedly owners of their lands, and diligently observed what was enjoined them. And by this means Joseph procured to himself a greater authority among the Egyptians, and greater love to the king from them. Now this law, that they should pay the fifth part of their fruits as tribute, continued until their latter kings." (Josephus, Antiquities, p. 52.)

3. Character of Moses. "Now Moses lived in all one hundred and twenty years; a third part of which time, abating one month, he was the people's ruler; and he died on the last month of the year, which is called by the Macedonians 'Dystrus,' but by us 'Adar,' on the first day of the month. He was one that exceeded all men that ever were, in understanding, and made the best use of what that understanding suggested to him. He had a very graceful way of speaking, in addressing the multitude, and as to his other qualifications, he had such a full command of his passions, as if he hardly had any such in his soul, and only knew them by their names, as rather perceiving them in other men than in himself. He was also such a general of an army as is seldom seen, as well as such a prophet as was never known, and this to such a degree, that whatsoever he pronounced you would think you heard the voice of God himself. So the people mourned for him thirty days: nor did ever any grief so deeply affect the Hebrews as did this upon the death of Moses; nor were those that had experienced his conduct the only persons that desired him, but those also that perused the laws he left behind him, had a strong desire after him, and by them gathered the extraordinary virtue he was master of. And this shall suffice for the declaration of the manner of the death of Moses." (Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, p. 98.)

4. The Greatness and Influence of Moses. "Where shall we find one that combines in his personality so many greatnesses as Moses, if I may say so? He was the liberator of his people, but he spurned crowns and scepters, and did not, as many others after him did, put a new yoke on the neck from which he had taken the old one. * * * * * And his republic was not of short duration. It lasted through all the storms of barbaric wars and revolutions—hundreds of years, down to the days of Samuel, that all-stout-hearted republican who could endure no kings. * * * * But the republic he founded stands unique in the history of the world, for it was altogether based upon an idea—the idea of the unity of God and the righteousness of his will. Think of it! Among a nation escaped from bondage, too degraded even to be led to war, that needed the education, the hammering, as it were, into a people for forty years, to go among them with the sublimest truth that the human mind ever can conceive and to say of them: 'Though you are now benighted and enslaved, any truth that I know is not too good for you nor any child of God." * * * * As a teacher of morality why need I praise him? As a teacher of statecraft in the highest and best sense, who surpassed him? The great wonder is that that man speaks the language of today. The problems which we have not yet succeeded in solving were already present to his mind, and he founded a nation in which the difference between the poor and the rich was almost abolished. The laborer was not only worthy but sure of his hire. No aristocrat could rule over his subjects and no priesthood could ever assume the government which, alas! according to history, means the opposition of the nation. How did that man of that vast mind, how did he combine all these great talents? And yet that man, how tender his heart was! Why, friends, it is a thousand pities that you cannot hear the deep sorrow, the sadness that is to be heard in his original words. When an over-zealous disciple came to him and told that they were prophesying in his name, and they said: 'Hinder them, master, hinder them. Why, if they prophesy what will become of thine own authority?' I fancy I see his venerable head sink upon his breast and he saying: 'Indeed art thou zealous for me? Would that all the people of God were prophets, and that God gave his Spirit to them.'" (Rabbi Gottheil, The World's Parliament of Religions, (Barrows), pp. 674-5.)

Footnotes

1. See note b, p. 27.

LESSON VI.

THE HISTORICAL BOOKS.

SPECIAL TEXT: And Joshua, the Son of Nun, was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands upon him; and the children of Israel harkened unto him, and did as the Lord commanded Moses."—EZRA (supposedly.)

NOTES.

1. The Hexateuch: The Book of Joshua is sometimes associated with the five books of Moses and the collection is then called the Hexateuch, a term meaning "the six books." The union is made on the ground that the Book of Joshua is the proper continuation and consummation of the former five books as recording the Conquest of the Land of Canaan, in fulfillment of the promise contained in the Pentateuch; the subject of the whole six books being "the election of Israel as a people to the service of Jehovah, and their settlement for this purpose in the Land of Promise."

2. Israel Under Joshua: "Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua." The high and commanding character of this eminent leader had given so decided a tone to the sentiments and manners of his contemporaries, and the memory of his fervent piety and many virtues continued so vividly impressed on the memories of the people, that the sacred historian has recorded it to his immortal honor, 'Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that overlived Joshua.'" (Commentary, Explanatory and Critical, p. 158.)

3. Contemporaneous Notices of Joshua: There occurs some references to the deeds of Joshua in other historians besides those of the Bible. Procopius mentions a Phoenecian inscription near the city of Tingis in Mauritania, the sense of which in Greek was: "We are those who fled before the face of Joshua the robber, the son of Nun." Again Suidas says: "We are the Canaanites whom Joshua the robber persecuted." In a letter of Shaubech, king of Armenia Minor, in the Samaritan book of Joshua (chapter 26), styles Joshua "the murderous wolf; or, according to another reading, "the evening wolf." (Condensed from Kitto's Biblical Literature, Vol. II, p. 154.)

4. Authorship of the Book of Joshua: "Viewing all the circumstances together, we consider it highly probable that the whole book of Joshua was composed by himself up to the twenty-eighth verse of the last chapter; to which a friendly hand subjoined some brief notices, contained in verses 29-33, concerning the death, age, and burial of Joshua; the continuance of his influence upon the people; the interment, in Shechem, of the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel had brought from Egypt; and the death and burial of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, whom his son Phinehas interred in his allotment on Mount Ephraim." (Cyclopaedia of Biblical Literature, Kitto, Vol. II, p. 156.)

5. Roman Catholic View of Authorship: "This book is called Josue, because it contains the history of what passed under him, and according to the common opinion was written by him. The Greeks call him Jesus; for Josue and Jesus in the Hebrew are the same name, and have the same signification, viz., a savior." (Introduction to the Book of Josue.)

6. Character of Joshua: "So Joshua, when he had thus discoursed to them [upon their obligations and duty to God], died, having lived a hundred and ten years; forty of which he lived with Moses, in order to learn what might be for his advantage afterward. He also became their commander after his death for twenty-five years. He was a man that wanted not wisdom nor eloquence to declare his intentions to the people, but very eminent on both accounts. He was of great courage and magnanimity, in action and in dangers; and very sagacious in procuring the peace of the people, and of great virtue at all proper seasons. He was buried in the city of Timnah, of the tribe of Ephraim. About the same time died Eleazar, the high priest, leaving the high priesthood to his son Phineas. His monument also and sepulchre are in the city of Gabbatha." (Josephus' Antiquities of the Jews, p. 104.)

7. Literature of Power: By "literature of power" is here meant that class of utterance that rests upon its own inherent strength for its influence or acceptance as truth. An American popular writer (Hubbard) in giving an illustration of this class of literature quoted this passage from the Bible:

"The Lord is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him."

Explanation, comment upon such a passage, he argues, would but mar it. One feels a force, a strength in it that admits of no doubt about its power, or truth. A still better example of the literature of power is Psalms xix, also Doctrine and Covenants, Sec. lxxxiv: 99-102. It is such a passage in Joshua that the student is directed to find.

8. Book of Ruth: "The Book is called Ruth, from the name of the person, whose history is here recorded: who being a Gentile, became a convert to the true faith, and marrying Boaz, the great-grandfather of David, was one of those from whom Christ sprung, according to the flesh, and an illustrious figure of the Gentile church. It is thought this book was written by the prophet Samuel." (Douay Bible, Introduction to the Book of Ruth, p. 303.)

Footnotes

1. The Pentateuch Historically has already been considered in Lesson III of Part II; and its historical character considered under subdivision II. (a) Anti-diluvian History. (b) Postdiluvian History, bringing its historical events down to the death of Moses. It is here written into the analysis only that the student may be reminded that the Pentateuch is recognized as being classed with the historical books of the Bible.

LESSON VII.

THE HISTORICAL BOOKS.—(Continued.)

SPECIAL TEXT: "And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams."—I. Samuel xv: 22.

NOTES.

1. The Historic Period Covered by the Books of Samuel: "The story embraces a period of over one hundred years, and extends from the end of the time of the Judges to the close of the reign of David, 1015 B. C., the connecting link being found in the civil judgeship of Eli and Samuel. The object of the narrative is to exhibit the kingdom as it realized itself in view of a divine ideal; and the prominence given to the lives of Samuel and David would seem to be due to a design to portray the one as the type of the prophetic, and the other as the type of the kingly character—the king's counselor, in this case, selecting the king, and not, as was the rule afterwards, the king his counselor." (Cambridge Teacher's Bible Helps, p. 19.)

2. Books of Samuel, I and II. Protestant View: "The two were, by the ancient Jews, conjoined, so as to make one book, and in that form could be called the Book of Samuel with more propriety than now, the second being wholly occupied with the relation of transactions that did not take place till after the death of that eminent judge. Accordingly, in the Septuagint and the Vulgate, it is called the First and Second Book of Kings. The early portion of the First Book, down to the end of the twenty-fourth chapter, was probably written by Samuel; while the rest of it, and the whole of the Second, are commonly ascribed to Nathan and Gad, founding the opinion on I Chronicles xxix: 29.. Commentators, however, are divided about this, some supposing that the statements in I Samuel ii: 26; iii: 1, indicate the hand of the judge himself, or a contemporary; while some think, from I Samuel vi: 18; xii: 5; xxvii: 6, that the composition must be referred to a later age. It is probable, however, that these supposed marks of an after period were interpolations of Ezra. This uncertainty, however, as to the authorship does not affect the inspired authority of the book, which is indisputable, being quoted in the New Testament (Acts xiii: 22; Hebrews i: 5) as well as in many of the Psalms." (Commentary, Explanatory and Critical, p. 8.)

3. Catholic View of the Books of Samuel: "This [I Samuel] and the following book [II Samuel] are called by the Hebrews the books of Samuel, because they contain the history of Samuel, and of the two kings, Saul and David, whom he anointed. They are more commonly named by the Fathers the first and second book of kings. As to the writer of them, the common opinion is that Samuel composed the first book as far as the twenty-fifth chapter; and that the prophets Nathan and Gad finished the first, and wrote the second book. See I Chronicles xxix: 29." (Introduction to the First Book of Samuel, Douay Bible, p. 308.)

4. The First and Second Books of Kings. Protestant View: "In the ancient copies of the Hebrew Bible, First and Second Kings constitute one book. Various titles have been given to them; in the Septuagint and the Vulgate they are called the Third and Fourth Books of Kings. The authorship of these books is unknown; but the prevailing opinion is that they were compiled by Ezra, or one of the later prophets, from the ancient documents that are so frequently referred to in the course of the history as of public and established authority. Their inspired character was acknowledged by the Jewish church, which ranked them in the sacred canon; and, besides, is attested by our Lord, who frequently quotes from them (cf. I Kings xvii: 9; II Kings v: 14 with Luke iv: 24-27; I Kings x: 1 with Matthew xii: 42)." (Commentary, Explanatory and Critical, p. 8.)

5. Catholic View of Books of Kings: "This [the first Book of Kings] and the following [the second Book of Kings] book are called by the holy fathers the third and fourth book of Kings; but by the Hebrews the first and second Malachim, that is Kings. They contain the history of the kingdoms of Israel and Juda, from the beginning of the reign of Solomon, to the captivity. As to the writer of these books, it seems most probable they were not writen by one man, nor at one time; but as there was all along a succession of prophets in Israel, who recorded, by divine inspiration, the most remarkable things that happened in their days, these books seem to have been written by these prophets." (Douay Bible, pp. 381-2.)

6. Historical Period of the Books of Kings: "The Books of Kings narrate the history from the rebellion of Adonijah to the final captivity of Judah, including the whole history of the northern kingdom from the separation till its disappearance in B. C. 721. The succession of events will be found under Chronology. The books were compiled by some unknown writer from a variety of written documents, including the state chronicles." (Seventies' Bible Dictionary, p 94.)

7. Literary Features of the Books of Samuel and of Kings: "The literary form of the books of Kings is quite different from that of the books of Samuel. There is an almost stereotyped framework, resembling that of the book of Judges, within which the events of the successive reigns are placed. When the name of a new king is introduced, it is stated how old he was when he came to the throne, how many years he reigned, and, in regard to the kings of Judah, what was his mother's name. Then a general character is pronounced upon his reign, the events are recorded at greater or less length, and at the close a reference is usually given to another authority for fuller details. When the divided monarchy is to be treated, the usual proceeding is to give the record of the northern kingdom first, and then the corresponding record for the southern, the history thus falling into periods longer or shorter. And this course is followed so closely that sometimes the same event is twice related, if it concerns the two kingdoms. These features make it probable that the book is composed from other written materials, or at least largely based upon them. And the frequent references to books of chronicles of the kings of Judah or of Israel favor the inference that state records of the respective kingdoms, containing lists of officials, statistical matters, and memoranda of events in the different reigns were available for the purpose. There were also, in all probability, narratives of the doings of Elijah, Elisha, and other prophets, preserved in the prophetic circles, which would furnish information of another kind. A work extending over so long a period could not be the expression of the direct personal knowledge of any one writer, and could only be composed in the way indicated." (Cambridge Bible, p. 63.)

LESSON VIII.

THE HISTORICAL BOOKS.—(Continued.)

SPECIAL TEXT: "Now the sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel, (for he was the firstborn; but, forasmuch as he defiled his father's bed, his birthright was given unto the sons of Joseph, the son of Israel; and the genealogy is not to be reckoned after the birthright [i. e. of the first born, Reuben]. For Judah prevailed above his brethren, and of him came the chief ruler; but the birthright was Joseph's)". I Chronicles v: 1, 2.

NOTES.

1. Books of Chronicles: "The two Books of Chronicles counted as one in the Hebrew canon. They give a short history of events from the creation down to the proclamation of Cyrus, allowing the Jews to return to Palestine. The books contain several references to the sources whence information was derived, e. g., "the book of Nathan the prophet, the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and the visions of Iddo the seer," (II Chron. ix: 29; cf. also II Chron. xii: 15; xiii: 22; xx: 34; xxvi: 22; xxxii: 32; xxxiii: 18.) These passages make it clear that, from the earliest times of the kingdom, writers living amid the events described, and generally of the prophetic order, recorded the history of their own times. These records along with Samuel and Kings, formed the materials out of which our Books of Chronicles were compiled, the compilers choosing such portions as suited the purpose of their composition. Though secular events are not excluded from the compilations thus formed, the writers dwell with most satisfaction upon the ecclesiastical and religious aspects of the history, and the progress of temple worship in Jerusalem. The date of composition cannot be fixed with certainty; it was probably between 300 and 250 B. C." (Cambridge Bible Helps, p. 32.)

2. Catholic View of Chronicles: "These books are called by the Greek interpreters Paralipomenon, that is, 'of things left out, or omitted,' because they are a kind of a supplement of such things as were passed over in the book of the Kings. The Hebrews call them Dibre Hajamim, that is, 'The words of the days,' or The Chronicles. Not that they are the books which are so often quoted in Kings, under the title of the 'Words of the Days of the Kings of Israel, and of the Kings of Juda;' for the Books of Paralipomenon were written after the Books of Kings; but because in all probability they have been abridged from those ancient 'Words of the Days,' by Esdras or some other sacred writer." (Introduction to Chronicles, Douay Bible.)

3. Controversial Value of the Books of Chronicles: "The constant tradition of the Jews, in which they have been followed by the great mass of Christian commentators, is that these books were for the most part compiled by Ezra; and the one genealogy, that of Zerubbabel, which comes down to a later time, is no objection to this statement, without recurring to the strange notion broached by the old commentators, and even sanctioned by Dr. Davidson (in Kitto's Cyclo. of Bibl. Lit., art. Chronicles), that the knowledge of these generations was communicated to Ezra by inspiration. In fact, the internal evidence as to the time when the book of Chronicles was compiled, seems to tally remarkably with the tradition concerning its authorship. Notwithstanding this agreement, however, the authenticity of Chronicles has been vehemently impugned by De Wette and other German critics, whose arguments have been successfully refuted by Dahler, Keil, Movers, and others. It has been clearly shown that the attack was grounded not upon any real marks of spuriousness in the books themselves, but solely upon the desire of the critics in question to remove a witness whose evidence was fatal to their favorite theory as to the post-Babylonian origin of the books of Moses. If the accounts in the books of Chronicles of the courses of priests and Levites, and the ordinances of divine service as arranged by David, and restored by Hezekiah and Josiah, are genuine, it necessarily follows that the Levitical law, as set forth in the Pentateuch, was not invented after the return from the captivity. Hence the successful vindication of the authenticity of Chronicles has a very important bearing upon many of the very gravest theological questions." (Smith's Bible Dictionary, p. 429.)

4. Compilation and Spirit of the Books of Chronicles: "Though the latest of all the canonical writings, it represents the workmanship of many generations. It resembles the structure of an ancient cathedral, with fragments of every style worked into the building as it proceeded,—here a piece of the most hoary antiquity, there a precious relic of a lost hymn or genealogy of some renowned psalmist or warrior,—but all preserved, and wrought together, as by the workmen of mediaeval times, under the guidance of the same sacerdotal mind, with the spirit of the same priestly order. Far below the prophetic books of the Kings in interest and solidity, it yet furnishes a useful counterpart by filling up the voids with materials which none but the peculiar traditions and feelings of the Levitical caste could have supplied. It is the culminating point of the purely Levitical system, both in what it relates, in what it omits, and the manner of its relations and omissions." (Dean Stanley, quoted in Smith's Bible Dictionary, p. 432.)

5. The Birth Right to Joseph: "It should be remembered that to Joseph, the son of Jacob, a double portion of honor was granted in Israel. While no tribe is especially called by his name, yet two tribes are his through his sons, viz., the tribe of Ephraim and the tribe of Manasseh. This came about in the following manner: Reuben, the first born of Jacob defiled his father's wife Bilhah. For which awful crime he lost his place as a prince in the house of Israel, which place was given indirectly to Joseph, the son of Jacob, by his wife Rachel. Why I say indirectly is because Ephraim, Joseph's younger son, was the one who received the blessing of the first born from the patriarch Jacob, and it is for this reason that the Lord was wont to say, "I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my first born." In proof see Special Text of lesson; also Y. M. M. I. A. Manual 1905-6, p. 330.

LESSON IX.

THE HISTORICAL BOOKS.—(Continued.)

SPECIAL TEXT: "Remember, I beseech thee, the word that thou commandest thy servant Moses, saying, If ye transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations: But if ye turn unto me, and keep my commandments, and do them; though there were of you cast out unto the uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from thence, and will bring them unto the place that I have chosen to set my name there."—NEHEMIAH.

NOTES.

1. Historical Period of Ezra and Nehemiah: "The time covered by the two books of Ezra and Nehemiah together is about a century; for the narrative of Ezra begins in the first year of the reign of Cyrus, 538 B. C., and that of Nehemiah stops soon after the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes, 432 B. C. A great part of this space, however, is left without record; and we may distinguish three periods: 1. The period that elapsed from the first return of exiles to the completion of the temple; 2. the time of Ezra's activity as leader of the second colony of returned exiles; and 3, the period when Ezra and Nehemiah are seen together in the work of reformation at Jerusalem. The first two periods are embraced in the book of Ezra; the last, in the book of Nehemiah." (Bible Treasury, p. 69.)

2. Book of Ezra. Protestant View: "The Book of Ezra contains records of events occurring about the termination of the Babylonian exile. It comprises accounts of the favors bestowed upon the Jews by Persian kings; of the rebuilding of the temple; of the mission of Ezra to Jerusalem, and his regulations and reforms. Such records forming the subject of the Book of Ezra, we must not be surprised that its parts are not so intimately connected with each other as we might have expected if the author had set forth his intention to furnish a complete history of his times. * * * * The beginning of the book of Ezra agrees verbatum with the conclusion of the second book of Chronicles, and terminates abruptly with the statement of the divorces affected by his authority, by which the marriages of Israelites with foreign women were dissolved. Since the book of Ezra has no marked conclusion, it was, even in early times, considered to form part of the book of Nehemiah, the contents of which are of a similar description. As, however, the book of Ezra is a collection of records of remarkable events occurring at the conclusion of the exile and in the times immediately following it, attempting no display of the art of book-making, the mere want of an artificial conclusion cannot be considered a sufficient reason for regarding it as the first portion of Nehemiah. It is, however, likely that the similarity of the contents of the books of Ezra and Nehemiah was the cause of their being placed together in the Hebrew Bible." (Cyclopaedia of Biblical Literature, Kitto, p. 690.)

3. Catholic View of the Books of Ezra and Nehemiah:

(a) Ezra, called by Catholics "Esdras:" "This book taketh its name from the writer: who was a holy priest, and doctor of the law. He is called by the Hebrews Ezra."

(b) Nehemiah—Catholic form of name, "Nehemias:" "This book takes its name from the writer, who was cup-bearer to Artaxerxes (surnamed Longimanus) king of Persia, and was sent by him with a commission to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. It is also called the Second Book of Esdras; because it is a continuation of the history, begun by Esdras, of the state of the people of God after their return from captivity." (Introductions in Douay Bible to First and Second Book of Esdras.)

4. Book of Esther: "Esther derives its name from the Jewish lady, who, having become wife of the king of Persia, employed her royal influence to effect a memorable deliverance for the persecuted Church of God. Various opinions are embraced and supported as to the authorship of this book, some ascribing it to Ezra, to Nehemiah, and to Mordecai. The preponderance of authorities is in favor of the last." (Commentary, Critical and Explanatory, p 8.)

5. Historical Character: "The historical character of the book of Esther is undoubted, since, besides many internal evidences, its authenticity is proved by the strong testimony of the feast of Purim, the celebration of which can be traced up to the events which are described in this book. Its claim, however, to canonical authority, has been questioned on the ground that the name of God does not once occur in it. But the uniform tradition both of the Jewish and the Christian churches supports this claim, which nothing in the book tends to shake; while it is a record of the superintending care of divine providence over his chosen people, with which it is of the utmost importance the church should be furnished. The name of God is strangely enough omitted, but the presence of God is felt throughout the history; and the whole tone and tendency of the book is so decidedly subservient to the honor of God and the cause of true religion that it has been generally received by the Church in all ages into the sacred canon." (Commentary, Critical and Explanatory, p. 8.)

6. Purim: "A celebrated Jewish festival instituted by Mordecai, at the suggestion of Esther, in the reign of Ahasuerus, king of Persia, to commemorate the deliverance of the Jews from the designs of Haman. It derived its name from the lots cast every day for twelve months in presence of Haman, with the view of discovering an auspicious day for the destruction of all the Jews in the Persian dominion; when the lot fell on the 13th day of Adar (February and part of March)." (Kitto's Biblical Literature, p. 588.)

"The fact that the feast of Purim has come down to us from time almost immemorial," says Prof. Stuart, "proves as certainly that the main events related in the book of Esther happened, as the Declaration of Independence and the celebration of the Fourth of July prove that we separated from Great Britain, and became an independent nation. The book of Esther was an essential document to explain the feast of Purim." (Quoted in Smith's Bible Dictionary, p. 778.)

7. Omission of the Name of God in Esther. "In respect to the omission of the name of God in the book, Mr. Baumgarten remarks that it is the less surprising, because it occurs in a history which is so full of interpositions, revealing the actual presence of him who presides over the destiny of men and nations, and also the power of that faith in the unseen One, which made the actors in this drama so hopeful, enduring, and triumphant. The historical credibility of the events related in the book is well attested, and at present generally acknowledged." (Smith's Bible Dictionary, p 778.)

LESSON X.

HISTORICAL INTERIM BETWEEN RESTORATION OF JUDAH AND COMING OF MESSIAH.

SPECIAL TEXT: "M. K. B. I." (Maccabees) "Mi-Kamoka Baelim, Ihovah"—"who is like unto Thee, O Lord, among the gods?"—MOSES.

NOTES.

1. History from Ezra to Messiah: "While the Historical Books of the Bible close with Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther, it is thought proper to carry the historical period through to the birth of Messiah by this tenth lesson. This for completeness in the outlines of the history of Israel given in the historical books of the Bible, plus the Apocrypha. Also because of the importance of this too much neglected historical period, without a knowledge of which very much of the New Testament may not be understood. 'The New Testament,' says Prof. J. V. Bartlett, in the "Bible Treasure," "takes much for granted. Hence, in reading the Gospels, one is often forced to ask: What is the exact point of so and so? We want, in fact, to become as one of Christ's fellow-countrymen; and this means steeping our thought in the story of the long years which lie between the times of Ezra and those of Jesus the Christ. They must cease to be to us 'ages of silence,' if we are to see just what is meant by 'the tradition of the elders,' or to feel the full force of much that is found in the Sermon on the Mount. The whole period of more than four centuries falls into four epochs—the Persian, the Greek, the Maccabean and the Roman." (Bible Treasury, p. 189.)

2. Historical Summary of Interval Between Old and New Testament: The following notes are abridged from Oxford Bible Helps, Summary of this Historical Period (p. 15), which summary itself is taken chiefly from Josephus' Antiquities and the Books of the Maccabees.

3. The Persian Period—537-330 B. C.: "Ezra and Nehemiah left a settled form of government in Palestine, the center of which was Jerusalem. Here was established a council of elders and priests, who formed an ecclesiastical court, interpreting the law, and enforcing its observance. These were called the "Great Synagogue." They were to the new settlement after the captivity what the 'elders that overlived Joshua' (Josh. xxiv: 31) were to the Israelites who came out of Egypt. It was the Jewish theory that the law was given in a two-fold form, viz., the written and the oral; the former consisting of brief official enactments, the latter of more copious details. With the former code, immutably formalized by God, they said the latter was orally taught to Moses on Mount Sinai by the same Divine Author, as the authoritative interpretation thereof, with the command to commit the one to writing, but to transmit the other only by word of mouth. This oral law was repeated by Moses to Joshua, who handed it on to the elders who succeeded him, and they to the prophets, who, in their turn, passed it from one to another till it reached Jeremiah, who, through the medium of Baruch, conveyed it to Ezra, and he to the Great Synagogue, whom Nehemiah also supplied with a library of all the sacred books he could collect (II Mac. ii: 13). This body of elders lasted about 150 years, when it expired in its last survivor, the High Priest Simon the Just (B. C. 291). * * * * Ezra and Nehemiah also set up synagogues in country towns, as places of worship on the Sabbath, and schools of instruction and for theological discussion during the week. Attached to each was a body of 'rulers,' who were both civil magistrates and ecclesiastical presbyters. During all this time [two hundred years] Palestine was subject to Persia, and formed only part of a province under the Satrap of Syria, these elders administering the government with the high priest as their responsible head."

4. Greek Period—330-167 B. C.: "After the victories of Alexander the Great over Persia, he took possession of Syria, allowing the Jews to retain self-government and their own religion; and when he built Alexandria, he invited thither many Jews, giving them equal rights with the rest of his subjects. On Alexander's death at an early age, his empire was divided amongst his four generals, and Syria was allotted to Egypt under Ptolemy Lagos, who transplanted many more Jews to the new colony at Alexandria (B. C. 320), and gave them many privileges, so that they built a temple [at Jerusalem], and restored the ritual of Solomon's time, until Alexandria became the center and metropolis of those Jews who had migrated to Asia Minor, Greece, and Italy, and who are called in the Acts of the Apostles "Grecians" ( Hellenists). They were more lax in morals, liberal in views, and less exclusive than the "Hebrews" of Jerusalem. They used the Greek language, and eventually (B. C. 285) accepted as their scripture the Septuagint translation, instead of the Hebrew original. It was at this period that Simon the Just was high priest at Jerusalem, and by his wise administration strengthened their position, and brought them peace and prosperity."

5. The Maccabees—B. C. 198: "After a series of contests Palestine was taken from Egypt by Antiochus the Great, annexed to Syria, and divided into five provinces, viz., Judea, Samaria, Galilee (W. of Jordan), Peraea, and Trachonitis (E. of Jordan). From this time, owing to its position between the two great powers Egypt and Syria, this country became a frequent prey to both, until Antiochus Epiphanes took Jerusalem (B. C. 170), foully polluted the temple, and compelled the Jews to sacrifice to idols. He erected the statue of Jupiter on the altar of burnt-offering, committed all books of scripture to the flames, and prohibited the worship of God. The high priests, corrupted by Greek licentiousness, prepared the way for declension, and encouraged the adoption of foreign customs. But the attempt to finally stamp out Judaism produced a recoil. It culminated in the attempt of Antiochus to force the Jews publicly to eat the flesh of swine sacrificed on God's altar to the honor of Jupiter. One aged scribe refused, was followed by a mother and her seven sons, who all suffered martyrdom with the extremes of torture. This was followed by Mattathias, a priest of the Asmoaean family, who killed both a renegade Jew, when about to offer idolatrous sacrifice, and the royal officer who presided. Aided by his five sons, he rallied the faithful round him, threw down the heathen altars, fled to the mountains and raised the standard of liberty, on which were inscribed M. K. B. I., the initials of their Hebrew war-cry, Mi-Kamoka Baelim, Ihovah, 'Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods?" (Exodus xv: 11), from which the insurgents got the name of 'Maccabees,' whence the eldest son and successor of Mattathias is known in history as Judas Maccabaeus. Under him they were victorious. Antiochus died of a loathsome disease, stricken by God. The Maccabees recovered Jerusalem, purified the temple, and restored its worship, holding for eight days (in December, B. C. 165) the first "Feast of Dedication," which continued to be annually observed to our Lord's time (John x: 22.)"

6. The Roman Period: "The Maccabean family continued to hold the main sway over the people, who retained their local customs, but were obliged to make terms with the Romans, under whose protection they retained considerable freedom. Although the Israelites were scattered over many countries, Jerusalem was still their religious and political center, and in its temple alone were sacrifices offered, and to it flowed the poll-tax of half a shekel from Jews all over the world. The Roman government acknowledged and confirmed their independent local administration, as a peculiar "imperium in imperio," by the following decrees: (B. C. 47.) Julius Caesar (for services in Alexandrine war) gave to Hyrcanus and his heirs all rights accorded to high priests by law or courtesy; all doubtful questions to be referred to him personally. Also, to Hyrcanus, his heirs and Ethnarch, the privilege of being patroni of all Jews that were aggrieved; hence all Jews throughout the world had a direct appeal to Caesar through the high priest, whose ambassadors had everywhere a free passage. Also, exemption from all tribute every seventh year, 'because they neither sow nor reap.' Also, peculiar liberty to 'meet and assemble together, and comport themselves according to the custom of their fathers, and their own laws.' (B. C. 44). On the death of Caesar and Hyrcanus, all the edicts of the former, whether recorded in the Treasury or not, were confirmed by the senate, in the Consulate of Dolabella and Antony. Thus the Jews, wherever they lived, were exempt from taxation at certain times, free from military service, allowed to maintain their peculiar customs, and looked to their high priest in Jerusalem as their ecclesiastical and civil superior in all that related to religious or ceremonial observances. But, for maintenance of order and general political government, a Roman official, supported by military organization, presided over all Syria. This official at first was one allied to both interests, and to whom was delegated the nomination to the high priesthood, viz., Herod the Great (B. C. 37), an Idumaean by birth, but descended from a Philistine slave. By aid of Roman troops he deposed the last Asmonaean prince, Antigonus, married his niece Mariamne (granddaughter of Hyrcanus, the high priest), and became a nominal sovereign, subject to Roms." (Oxford Bible Helps, p. 15.)

Footnotes

1. The Books of the Maccabees are to be found in the Douay Bible with this explanatory note: "It is not known who was the author of these books. But as to their authority: though they are not received by the Jews, saith St. Augustine, City of God, I. 18. c. 36, they are received by the church: who, in settling her canon of the scriptures, chose rather to be directed by the tradition she had received from the Apostles of Christ, than by that of the Scribes and Pharisees." (Introduction to the First Book of Maccabees, Douay Bible, p. 1128.)

LESSON XI.

SPECIAL TEXT: "I exhort you, especially, to agree with one another; and in what excellency any one of you exceeds another, to yield to him so far, and by that means to reap the advantage of everyone's own virtues."—MATTATHIAS, Father of the Maccabees, to his sons.

NOTES.

1. Suggestions in the Formation of an Unwritten Lecture: "The simplest formal address that can be constructed has three distinct parts. They may be named as follows:

1. The Introduction.

2. The Discussion.

3. The Conclusion.

On this framework a speech-plan can be constructed simple enough for any child. And it is at the same time true that even a child, with such a plan, might speak appropriately who would otherwise not be able to begin at all.

The Introduction: "This is at once important and embarrassing. First words are nearly always heard attentively, and they do much to determine the degree of attention that will be bestowed on the remainder of the speech. The young speaker should select something as an introduction upon which his mind can fasten, instead of dwelling upon the frightful generality of the naked theme. * * * * The introduction should be simple, and, above everything else, easy for the speaker to comprehend and remember. If there is anything in the whole world which he is sure he can talk about for a few moments, and which can be made to have a moderate degree of connection with his subject, let that be chosen for an opening. * * * * When the introductory topic is selected it should be turned over in the mind until the speaker knows just what he is going to say about it. This process will have a wonderfully quieting effect upon his nerves. He has fairly mastered something, and knows that at all events he can begin his speech. It is well to make a note of this introduction in a few simple words, which will strongly fasten themselves in the memory. No effort toward elaboration should be made, for that would naturally lead to a memorized introduction, and either require the whole speech to be written, or produce a painful and difficult transition.

The Discussion: "This should deal directly with the subject or central idea of the discourse. Here a clear statement of at least one thought which the speaker can fully grasp should be made. The pen (or pencil) may be used in preparation without impropriety. If but one idea is thought of, let that be written in the fewest and strongest words at the students' command. While doing this it is likely that another and related thought will spring into mind which can be treated in the same manner. With diligent students there may even be a danger of getting down too many seed-thoughts. When this central division is completely wrought out, two other points claim attention. How shall the transition be made from the introduction to the discussion? A little reflection will show how to glide from one to the other, and that process should be conned over, without writing, until it is well understood. It is wonderful how many outlines of ideas the memory will retain without feeling burdened; and this power of retention grows enormously through exercise. After this, the mode of gliding from the discussion to the conclusion may be treated in the same manner, and with equal profit.

The Conclusion: "The conclusion itself is scarcely less material than the introduction; but there is much less range of choice in the manner of closing than in that of beginning. The subject is before the audience, and any wide departure from it seems like the beginning of a new speech—something not usually well received. There is this distinction between the relative value of introduction and conclusion; a good introduction adds most to a speaker's ease, confidence, and power during the moment of speech; but a good conclusion leaves the deepest permanent impression upon the audience. It is usually remembered longer than any other part of the address." (Extempore Speech, Pittenger, pp. 46-49.)

Footnotes

1. Paper.

LESSON XII.

SPECIAL TEXT: "And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the Lord hath not spoken? When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him."—Deut. xviii: 22.

NOTES.

1. Of the Term Prophet. "The Hebrew word "Nabi" is uniformly translated in our English Bible by the word "Prophet." In classical Greek, it is said by highest authority, to signify 'one who speaks for another, especially one who speaks for a God and so interprets his will to man.' (Liddell and Scott.) Hence, its essential meaning is "an interpreter." In fact, the English word 'prophet,' like the word 'inspiration,' has always been used in a larger and in a closer sense. In the larger sense our Lord Jesus Christ is a 'prophet,' Moses is a 'prophet,' Mahomet is a 'prophet.' The expression means that they proclaimed and published a new religious dispensation. In a similar though not identical sense, the church is said to have a 'prophetical,' i. e., an expository and interpretative office. But in its closer sense the word, according to usage, though not according to etymology, involves the idea of foresight. And this is and always has been its more usual acceptation. The different meanings, or shades of meaning, in which the abstract noun is employed in scripture, have been drawn out by Locke as follows: 'Prophecy comprehends three things: prediction; singing by the dictate of the Spirit; and understanding and explaining the mysterious, hidden sense of scripture, by an immediate illumination and motion of the Spirit.'" (Smith's Bible Dictionary, Vol. III, pp. 2591-2.)

2. School of the Prophets, or the Prophetic Order: "Samuel, himself a Levite, of the family of Kohath (I Chron. vi: 28), and almost certainly a priest, was the instrument used at once for effecting a reform in the sacerdotal order (I Chron. ix: 22), and for giving to the prophets a position of importance which they had never before held. * * * * Samuel took measures to make his work of restoration permanent, as well as effective for the moment. For this purpose he instituted companies, or Colleges of Prophets. One we find in his lifetime at Ramah (I Sam. xix: 19, 20); others afterwards at Bethel (II Kings ii: 3), Jericho (II Kings ii: 5), Gilgal (II Kings iv: 38), and elsewhere (II Kings i). Their constitution and object were similar to those of Theological Colleges. Into them were gathered promising students, and here they were trained for the office which they were afterwards destined to fulfill. So successful were these institutions, that from the time of Samuel to the closing of the canon of the Old Testament, there seems never to have been wanting a due supply of men to keep up the line of official prophets. The apocryphal books of the Maccabees (I, iv: 26; ix: 27, xiv: 41) and of Ecclesiasticus (xxvi: 15) represent them as extinct. The colleges appear to have consisted of students differing in number. Sometimes they were very numerous (I Kings xviii: 4; xxii: 6; II Kings ii: 16). One elderly, or leading prophet, presided over them (I Sam. xiv: 20), called their father (I Sam. x: 12), or master (II Kings ii: 3), who was apparently admitted to his office by the ceremony of anointing (I Kings xix: 16; Isaiah lxi: 1; Psalms cv: 15). They were called his sons. Their chief subject of study was, no doubt, the Law and its interpretation; oral, as distinct from symbolical, teaching being henceforward tacitly transferred from the priestly to the prophetical order." (Smith's Bible Dictionary, Vol. III, pp. 2592-3.)

3. The Prophetic Gift: "We have been speaking of the Prophetic Order. To belong to the prophetic order and to possess the prophetic gift are not convertible terms. There might be members of the prophetic order to whom the gift of prophecy was not vouchsafed. There might be inspired prophets, who did not belong to the prophetic order. Generally, the inspired prophet came from the College of the Prophets, and belonged to the prophetic order; but this was not always the case. In the instance of the Prophet Amos, the rule and the exception are both manifested. When Amaziah, the idolatrous Israelitish priest, threatens the prophet, and desires him to 'flee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread and prophesy there, but not to prophesy again any more at Bethel,' Amos in reply says, 'I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet's son; but I was an herdsman, and a gatherer of sycamore fruit; and the Lord took me as I followed the flock, and the Lord said unto me, Go prophesy unto my people Israel' (vii: 14). That is, though called to the prophetic office, he did not belong to the prophetic order; and had not been trained in the prophetical colleges; and this, he indicates, was an unusual occurrence." (Smith's Bible Dictionary, Vol. III, p. 2593.)

4. Revelation and Inspiration Defined: "The word 'revelation' stands for the act of God in making truth known to men, and then, in a secondary sense, for the truth itself, which is thus made known. Inspiration is the name of the special divine influence under which the writers of the Bible worked. We speak of the 'revelation' of God in the Bible, and of the 'inspiration' of the writers of the Bible. In order to understand the questions which have been raised on these two subjects it is important that we should discriminate between them in thought, but in fact they are closely connected. It is the association of the two that gives its supreme value to the Bible. This is recognized as a book of unique character, because, as we have seen, it is an inspired record of divine revelation." (Teacher's Bible Helps, Bagster's Bible, p. 2.) The whole article, comprising several pages, should be studied. Also the article, "Prophets," in the Seventy's Bible Dictionary.

LESSON XIII.

THE PROPHETIC BOOKS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT.

SPECIAL TEXT: "And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more, but thine eyes shall see thy teachers; and thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left."—ISAIAH.

NOTES.

1. Isaiah, (i. e., the Lord is Salvation), son of Amoz, a prophet in Jerusalem during 40 years, (B. C. 740-701.) He had great religious and political influence during the reign of Hezekiah, whose chief adviser he was. Tradition states that he was "sawn asunder" during the reign of Manasseh; for that reason he is often represented in art, holding a saw." (Cambridge Bible, p. 82.)

2. Character of Isaiah's Prophet Writings: "In Isaiah we see prophetic authorship reaching its culminating point. Everything conspired to raise him to an elevation to which no prophet either before or after could as a writer attain. Among the other prophets, each of the more important ones is distinguished by some one particular excellence, and some one peculiar talent: in Isaiah, all kinds of talent and all beauties of prophetic discourse meet together so as mutually to temper and qualify each other; it is not so much any single feature that distinguishes him as the symmetry and perfection of the whole. * * * * He is not the especially lyrical prophet, or the especially elegiacal prophet, or the especially oratorical and hortatory prophet, as we should describe a Joel, a Hosea, a Micah, with whom there is a greater prevalence of some particular color; but, just as the subject requires, he has readily at command every several kind of style and every several change of delineation; and it is precisely this that, in point of language, establishes his greatness, as well as in general forms one of his most towering points of excellence." (Smith's Bible Dictionary, pp. 1162-3.)

3. Isaiah as a Messianic Prophet: The following are the outlines of Messianic prophecies in the book of Isaiah: A scion of David, springing from his family, after it has fallen into a very low estate, but being also of divine nature, shall, at first, in lowliness, but as a prophet filled with the Spirit of God, proclaim the divine doctrine, develope the law in truth, and render it the animating principle of national life; he shall, as high priest, by his vicarious suffering and his death, remove the guilt of his nation, and that of other nations, and finally rule as a mighty king, not only over the covenant people, but over all nations of the earth who will subject themselves to his peaceful sceptre, not by violent compulsion, but induced by love and gratitude. He will make both the moral and the physical consequences of sin to cease; the whole earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord, and all enmity, hatred, and destruction shall be removed even from the brute creation. This is the survey of the Messianic preaching by Isaiah, of which he constantly renders prominent those portions which were most calculated to impress the people under the then existing circumstances. * * * * Jesus Sirach (xlviii: 22-5) bestows splendid praise upon Isaiah, and both Philo and Josephus speak of him with great veneration. He attained the highest degree of authority after the times of the New Testament had proved the most important part of his prophecies, namely, the Messianic, to be divine. Christ and the Apostles quote no prophecies so frequently as those of Isaiah, in order to prove that he who had appeared was one and the same with him who had been promised. The fathers of the Church abound in praises of Isaiah. (Kitto's Biblical Literature, pp. 49-50.)

4. The First Nephi on Isaiah as the Messianic Prophet. "And now I, Nephi, write more of the words of Isaiah, for my soul delighteth in his words. For I will liken (apply) his words unto my people, and I will send them forth unto all my children, for he verily saw my Redeemer, even as I have seen him. And my brother Jacob also has seen him as I have seen him: wherefore I will send their words forth unto my children, to prove unto them that my words are true.. Wherefore, by the words of three, God hath said, I will establish my word." (II Nephi ii: 13.)

5. Jeremiah, Book of. Arrangement: "The absence of any chronological order in the present structure of the collection of Jeremiah's prophecies is obvious at the first glance; and this has led some writers (Blayney, Pref. of Jeremiah) to the belief that, as the book now stands, there is nothing but the wildest confusion—'a preposterous jumbling together' of prophecies of different dates. Attempts to reconstruct the book on a chronological basis have been made by almost all commentators on it since the revival of criticism; and the result of the labors of the more recent critics has been to modify the somewhat hasty judgment of the English divine (Blayney). Whatever points of difference there may be in the hypothesis of Movers, Hitzig, Ewald, Bunsen, Nagelsbach, and others, they agree in admitting traces of an order in the midst of the seeming irregularity, and endeavor to account, more or less satisfactorily, for the apparent anomalies. The conclusion of the three last-named is that we have the book substantially in the same state as that in which it left the hands of the prophet, or his disciple Baruch." (Smith's Bible Dictionary, p. 1261.)

5. Jeremiah: "The author of the prophecies of this book was the son of Hilkiah, a priest, and a native of the priestly city of Anathoth, situated three miles north of Jerusalem. He was early called to the prophetic office (chap. i: 6), and began his career as a prophet in his native place. This he soon left, to prosecute his calling in Jerusalem; and here, in the exercises of it, he spent the greater part of his life. His ministry commenced seventy years after the close of Isaiah's, and extended from the thirteenth year of Josiah's reign to the eleventh of Zedekiah's, i. e., from 629 to 588 B. C., thus embracing a period of forty-one years. It was a life-long protest against the iniquity and folly of his countrymen, and conceived in bitter foreboding of the hopeless ruin they were bringing down upon their heads." (Bagster's Bible Helps, p. 37.)

6. Jeremiah and His Contemporaries: "Jeremiah was contemporary with Zephiniah, Habakkuk, Ezekiel, and Daniel. None of these, however, are in any remarkable way connected with him, except Ezekiel. The writings and character of these two eminent prophets furnish many very interesting points both of comparison and contrast. Both, during a long series of years, were laboring at the same time and for the same object. The representations of both, far separated as they were from each other, are in substance singularly accordant; yet there is at the same time a marked difference in their modes of statement, and a still more striking diversity in the character and natural disposition of the two. No one who compares them can fail to perceive that the mind of Jeremiah was of a softer and more delicate texture than that of his illustrious contemporary. His whole history convinces us that he was by nature mild and retiring." (Cycl. of Biblical Literature, Vol. II, p. 83.)