The Bible Story Part 149

"Come ye to Heshbon, Let the city of Sihon be built and established: For a fire is gone out of Heshbon, A flame from the city of Sihon.

It hath devoured Ar of Moab, The lords of the high places of Arnon.

Woe to thee, Moab!

Thou art undone, O people of Chemosh: He hath given his sons as fugitives, And his daughters into captivity, Unto Sihon king of the Amorites. {255} We have shot at them; Heshbon is perished even unto Dibon, And we have laid waste even unto Nophah, Which reacheth unto Medeba."

Thus Israel dwelt in the land of the Amorites. And Moses sent to spy out Jazer, and they took the towns thereof, and drove out the Amorites that were there.

And they turned and went up by the way of Bashan: and Og the king of Bashan went out against them, he and all his people, to battle at Edrei. And the Lord said to Moses, "Fear him not: for I have delivered him into thy hand, and all his people, and his land; and thou shalt do to him as thou didst to Sihon king of the Amorites, which dwelt at Heshbon."

So they smote him, and his sons, and all his people, until there was none left him remaining: and they possessed his land.

BALAAM AND BALAK.

_The Story of the Prophet Who Was Tempted by a Bribe and of the a.s.s Which Knew More Than His Master_.

And the children of Israel journeyed, and encamped in the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan at Jericho.

And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. And Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they were many: and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel. And Moab said unto the elders of Midian, "Now shall this mult.i.tude lick {256} up all that is round about us, as the ox licketh up the gra.s.s of the field."

And Balak the son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time. And he sent messengers unto Balaam the son of Beor, to Pethor, which is by the River, to the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, "Behold, there is a people come out from Egypt: behold, they cover the face of the earth, and they abide over against me: come now therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people; for they are too mighty for me: peradventure I shall prevail, that we may smite them, and that I may drive them out of the land: for I know that he whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom thou cursest is cursed."

And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with bribes in their hands; and they came unto Balaam, and spoke unto him the words of Balak.

And he said unto them, "Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as the Lord shall speak unto me."

And the princes of Moab abode with Balaam. And G.o.d came unto Balaam, and said, "What men are these with thee?"

And Balaam said unto G.o.d, "Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, hath sent unto me, saying, 'Behold, the people that is come out of Egypt, it covereth the face of the earth: now, come curse me them; peradventure I shall be able to fight against them, and shall drive them out.'"

And G.o.d said unto Balaam, "Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed."

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[Ill.u.s.tration]

VIEW OF THE DEAD SEA

From a photograph taken by Mr. Louis L. Tribus, Consulting Engineer and Commissioner of Public Works of the Borough of Richmond, City of New York.

An interesting fact in connection with this picture of the Dead Sea concerns the boat which is floating upon it. The owner succeeded in securing a concession from the Turkish Government to put a steamboat upon the Dead Sea. When he started to run it he was advised that the concession had not included the operation of the boat and a considerable further sum of money was desired by the officials. This being beyond the power of the man to raise, the boat has not been operated and remains as the picture shows it.

The water of the Dead Sea contains about 25 per cent. of solid substances. There are common salt, chloride of calcium, chloride of magnesium, and other ingredients, and it is not to be wondered at that the human body floats easily on the surface.

The area of the sea is 360 square miles. Its length is 47-1/2 miles; its greatest width, 10 miles. The surface is about 1295 feet below sea level.

Scientific observation justifies the estimate that a daily average of 6,500,000 tons of water is received into the Dead Sea from the Jordan and other sources during the year. During the rainy season the amount is very much greater; during the dry season it is, of course, very much less, but this average will be maintained year after year.

There is no outlet, and the level is kept down by evaporation only, which is very rapid because of the intense heat, the dry atmosphere and the dry winds which are constantly blowing down the gorges between the mountains.

The waters of the Jordan, when they reach the sea, are as brown as the earth through which they flow--a thick solution of mud--but the instant they mingle with the salt water of the lake the particles of soil are precipitated and they become as clear as crystal, with an intensely green tint.

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And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said unto the princes of Balak, "Get you into your land: for the Lord refuseth to give me leave to go with you."

And the princes of Moab rose up, and they went unto Balak, and said, "Balaam refuseth to come with us."

And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honorable than they.

And they came to Balaam, and said to him, "Thus saith Balak the son of Zippor, 'Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me: for I will promote thee unto very great honor, and whatsoever thou sayest unto me I will do: come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people.'"

And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak, "If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord my G.o.d, to do less or more. Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the Lord will speak unto me more."

And G.o.d came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him, "If the men be come to call thee, rise up, go with them; but only the word which I speak unto thee, that shalt thou do."

And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his a.s.s, and went with the princes of Moab. And G.o.d's anger was kindled because he went: and the angel of the Lord placed himself in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his a.s.s, and his two servants were with him. And the a.s.s saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand: {260} and the a.s.s turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the a.s.s, to turn her into the way.

Then the angel of the Lord stood in a hollow place between the vineyards, a fence being on this side, and a fence on that side. And the a.s.s saw the angel of the Lord, and she thrust herself unto the wall, and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall: and he smote her again.

And the angel of the Lord went further, and stood in a narrow place, where was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left.

And the a.s.s saw the angel of the Lord, and she lay down under Balaam: and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he smote the a.s.s with his staff.

And the Lord opened the mouth of the a.s.s, and she said unto Balaam, "What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?"

And Balaam said unto the a.s.s, "Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now I had killed thee."

And the a.s.s said unto Balaam, "Am not I thine a.s.s, upon which thou hast ridden all thy life long unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto thee?"

And he said, "No."

Then the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed his head, and fell on his face.

And the angel of the Lord said unto him, "Wherefore {261} hast thou smitten thine a.s.s these three times? behold, I am come forth for an adversary, because thy way is perverse before me: and the a.s.s saw me, and turned aside before me these three times: unless she had turned aside from me, surely now I had even slain thee, and saved her alive."

And Balaam said unto the angel of the Lord, "I have sinned; for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me: now therefore, if it displease thee, I will get me back again."

And the angel of the Lord said unto Balaam, "Go with the men: but only the word that I shall speak unto thee, that thou shalt speak."

So Balaam went with the princes of Balak. And when Balak heard that Balaam was come, he went out to meet him unto the city of Moab, which is on the border of Arnon.

And Balak said unto Balaam, "Did I not earnestly send unto thee to call thee? wherefore earnest thou not unto me? am I not able indeed to promote thee to honor?"

And Balaam said unto Balak, "Lo, I am come unto thee: have I now any power at all to speak anything? the word that G.o.d putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak."

And Balaam went with Balak, and they came unto Kiriath-huzoth. And Balak sacrificed oxen and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes that were with him. And it came to pa.s.s in the morning, that Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into the high places of {262} Baal, and he saw from thence the utmost part of the people.

And Balaam said unto Balak, "Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams."

And Balak did as Balaam had spoken; and Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bullock and a ram.