NEW TESTAMENT.

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AN ILLUSTRATED

HISTORY OF THE HOLY BIBLE.

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HISTORIC AND LITERARY INTRODUCTION.

ing than that of mere historical elucidation. It is perceived that the whole train of events recorded, the whole of those lofty, impassioned strains of poetry which distinguish the volume, are precursory and prophetic of a great change, which, at a future period, was to be wrought on the moral properties and fate of mankind, by the coming to the earth of a Messiah.

HE BIBLE of the Christians is, with- |tory genealogically, through a series of strikout exception, the most remarkable ing vicissitudes and changes of situation. work now in existence. In the libraries of But when we examine the narrative minutethe learned, there are frequently seen books ly, it is found that there is another meanof an extraordinary antiquity, and curious and interesting from the nature of their contents; but none approach the Bible, taken in its complete sense, in point of age, while certainly no production whatever has any pretension to rival it in the dignity of composition, or the important nature of the subjects treated of in its pages. The word Bible is of Greek origin, and, in signifying simply The Book, is expressive of its superiority over all other literary productions. The origin and nature of this every way singular work, how it was preserved during the most remote ages, and how it became known to the modern world in its present shape, form a highly interesting chapter of literary history.

The authorship of the Old Testament has been universally ascribed, by both Jews and Christians, to God himself, though not by direct composition, but by spiritually influencing the minds of certain sages to accomplish the work, or, in ordinary phraseology, by inspiring or endowing them with a perfect knowledge of the transactions to The Bible comprehends the entire founda- be recorded and predicted, in a way suitable tion of the religious belief of the Jews and to the great end in view. The Bible is Christians, and is divided into two distinct hence usually termed the Sacred Scriptures. portions, entitled the Old and New Testa- The periods when the act of writing all or ments, the former being that which is es- most part of the Scriptures took place, as teemed by the Jewish nation, but both being well as most of the names of those who were essential in forming the faith of the Chris-instrumental in forming the work, have been tian. The Old Testament is the largest de- ascertained with surprising accuracy, both partment of the work, and appears a collec- from written evidence in the narratives themtion of detached histories, moral essays, and selves, and from the well-preserved traditions pious poetical effusions, all placed together of the Jews. At whatever time the differin the order of time, or, as they may serve, ent books were written, they were not colfor the purpose of mutual illustration. On lected and put into a connected form till taking a glance at the contents, the principal long after their immediate authors were subject of narration seems the history of the deceased; and their present arrangement, as Jews, commencing with an account of the we shall afterward fully explain, is of comcreation of the world, and tracing their his-paratively modern date.

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to the service of the Divinity. This book comprises the history of 145 years, from the death of Joseph till the building of the tabernacle. The Hebrews call it Velle Shemoth, that is, in English, "These are the names, which are the words with which it begins.

According to the order in which the books of the Old Testament now stand, those of an historical nature are appropriately placed at the beginning. The first five books, having a chain of connection throughout, are Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. These are styled the Penta- The third book of Moses is called Levititeuch, such being the Greek compound for cus, because it contains the laws which God five books. They are likewise entitled the commanded should be observed by those of Books of Moses, from the belief that that the tribe of Levi who ministered at the altar. enlightened Jewish leader composed them. It treats at large of all the functions of the The Jews, or Hebrews, take the name of Levites; of the ceremonial of religion; of the sacred books from the first word with the different sorts of sacrifices; of the diswhich each begins; but the Greeks, whom tinction of clean and unclean beasts; of the our translators generally follow, take the different festivals; and of the year of jubilee, names from the subject-matter of them. or continued holyday. It likewise presents Thus, the first book is called by the He- us with an account of what happened to the brews, Bereshith, which signifies "In the Jews during the space of one month and a beginning," these being the first words: but half; that is, from the time the tabernacle the Greeks call it Genesis, which signifies was erected, which was the first day of the "production," because the creation of the first month of the second year after the world is the first thing of which it gives an Israelites came out of Egypt, till the second account. It likewise contains an account of month of the same year, when God comthe increase of mankind; of their corruption manded the people to be numbered. The of manners, and its cause; of their punish- Hebrews called this book Vayicre, that is, ment by the deluge (an event which, by" And he called,' these being the first scientific investigation and historical research, words; they call it also The Law of the is placed beyond a doubt); of the origin of Priests. the Jewish people from Abraham; of the In the fourth book, which we call Nummanner in which God was pleased to have bers, Moses numbers the Israelites, and that, them governed; and, particularly, of the too, in the beginning of the book, which nature of the special superintendence vouch- shows whence it had its name. The Hesafed to the Jewish nation by the Creator. brews call it Vayeḍavber, that is, "And he This comprehensive narrative reaches from spake. This book contains the history of the creation of the world till the death of all that passed from the second month of the Joseph, or a period of 2,369 years. In second year after the Israelites came out of another part of the Scriptures, reference is Egypt, till the beginning of the eleventh made to the Book of Jasher, and it is be- month of the fortieth year; that is, it conlieved that Genesis is there meant; for tains the history of thirty-nine years, or Jasher signifies "the Just," and, according thereabouts. In it we have also the history to St. Jerome, a learned Christian writer, the name of the Book of the Just, or the Authentic Book, was applied to it from its containing the history of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

of the prophet Balaam, whom the king of the Midianites brought to curse the people of God, and who, on the contrary, heaped blessings upon the Israelites, and foretold the coming of the Messiah. It particularly mentions, also, the two-and-forty encamp ments of the Israelites in the wilderness.

Exodus, the title of the second book of Moses, signifies in the Greek, The going out," and was applied from the account The fifth book is called Deuteronomy, a which it gives of the Israelites going out of Greek term which signifies, "The second Egypt. In it are related the cruel Egyptian law," or, rather, "The repetition of the slavery under which the Jews groaned; law," because it does not contain a law diftheir delivery by flight and passage through ferent from that which was given on Mount the Red sea; the history of the establishment Sinai; but it repeats the same law, for the of their very peculiar law, and many remark- sake of the children of those who had reable transactions; concluding with the build-ceived it there, and were since dead in the ing of the tabernacle, or place appropriated | wilderness. The Hebrews call it Elle-had