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22 chapters
INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
One of the first facts which strike the traveller in Palestine is the smallness of a country which has nevertheless occupied so large a space in the history of civilised mankind. It is scarcely larger than an English county, and a considerable portion of it is occupied by rocky mountains and barren defiles where cultivation is impossible. Its population could never have been great, and though cities and villages were crowded together on the plains and in the valleys, and perched at times on almo
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THE ISRAELITES
THE ISRAELITES
Israel traced its origin to Babylonia. It was from "Ur of the Chaldees" that Abraham "the Hebrew" had come, the rock out of which it was hewn. Here on the western bank of the Euphrates was the earliest home of the Hebrews, of whom the Israelites claimed to be a part. But they were not the only nation of the ancient Oriental world which derived its ancestry from Abraham. He was the father not only of the Israelites, but of the inhabitants of northern and central Arabia as well. The Ishmaelites wh
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CANAAN
CANAAN
Canaan was the inheritance which the Israelites won for themselves by the sword. Their ancestors had already settled in it in patriarchal days. Abraham "the Hebrew" from Babylonia had bought in it a burying-place near Hebron; Jacob had purchased a field near Shechem, where he could water his flocks from his own spring. It was the "Promised Land" to which the serfs of the Pharaoh in Goshen looked forward when they should again become free men and find a new home for themselves. Canaan had ever be
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THE NATIONS OF THE SOUTH-EAST
THE NATIONS OF THE SOUTH-EAST
Israel was cut in two by the Jordan. The districts east of the Jordan were those that had first been conquered; it was from thence that the followers of Joshua had gone forth to possess themselves of Canaan. But this division of the territory was a source of weakness. The interests of the tribes on the two sides of the river were never quite the same; at times indeed they were violently antagonistic. When the disruption of the monarchy came after the death of Solomon, Judah was the stronger for
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THE NATIONS OF THE NORTH-EAST
THE NATIONS OF THE NORTH-EAST
Canaan is but the southern continuation of Syria, which shades off, as it were, into the waterless wilderness. The name of Syria is usually supposed to be an abbreviation of Assyria, but it is more probable that it comes from Suri, the name by which the Babylonians denoted Mesopotamia and Syria of the north, and in which Assyria itself was sometimes included. As we have seen, the Syria of our own maps, and more especially the southern half of it, was commonly known to the Babylonians as the land
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EGYPT
EGYPT
Egypt had been the bondhouse of Israel. It was there that Israel had grown from a family into a people, which the desert was to transform into a nation. The Exodus out of Egypt was the beginning of Israelitish history, the era from which it dated. Down to the last the kingdom of the Pharaohs exercised upon it an influence more or less profound; the extravagant splendour of Solomon was modelled after that of the Egyptian monarchs, his merchants found their best market on the banks of the Nile, an
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BABYLONIA AND ASSYRIA
BABYLONIA AND ASSYRIA
While the influence of Egypt upon Israel may be described as negative, that of Babylonia was positive. Abraham was a Babylonian by birth; the Asiatic world through which he wandered was Babylonian in civilisation and government, and the Babylonian exile was the final turning-point in the religious history of Judah. The Semitic Babylonians were allied in race and language to the Hebrews; they had common ideas and common points of view. Though Egyptian influence is markedly absent from the Mosaic
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CONCLUSION
CONCLUSION
Our task is finished. We have passed under review some of the facts which have been won by modern discovery from the monuments of the nations who helped to create the history of Israel. That history no longer stands alone like a solitary peak rising from the plain. Egypt, Babylonia, and Assyria have yielded up their dead; Canaan and even Arabia are now beginning to do likewise. The Oriental world of the past is slowly developing before our eyes; centuries which were deemed pre-historic but a few
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EGYPTIAN CHRONOLOGY
EGYPTIAN CHRONOLOGY
Egypt was originally divided into several independent principalities. Eventually these became the kingdoms of Northern (or Lower), and Southern (or Upper) Egypt. Among the kings of Northern Egypt were (1) Pu, (2) Ska, (3) Katfu (?), (4) Tau, (5) Thesh, (6) Nenau (?), and (7) Mekhâ; among the kings of Southern Egypt was Besh. The two kingdoms were united by Men or Meni (Menes), king of This, who builds Memphis and founds the First dynasty of the united monarchy. DYNASTY I. (THINITE). 1. Meni. 2.
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BABYLONIAN CHRONOLOGY
BABYLONIAN CHRONOLOGY
En-sag-saganna, king of Kengi. Lugal-zaggisi, king of Erech, founds an empire in western Asia cir. B.C. 5000 (?). KINGS OF LAGAS, cir. B.C. 4000. Ur-duggina. Lugal-suggur, vassal of Me-sa, king of Kis. Gursar. Nini-khaldu, his son. Ur-Nina, his son. Akur-gal, his son. E-annatum, his son. En-annadu I., his brother, high-priest. Entemena, his nephew, high-priest. En-annadu II., high-priest. Lugal-usum-gal, vassal of Sargon of Akkad. KINGS OF KIS. Me-sa. Enne-Ugun. Alusarsid. Lugal-khassi. DYNASTY
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ASSYRIAN CHRONOLOGY
ASSYRIAN CHRONOLOGY
Sargon asserts that he was preceded by 330 Assyrian kings, among the earlier of them being Adasi and his son Bel-bani. HIGH-PRIESTS OF ASSUR. KINGS OF ASSYRIA. A contemporary of the Babylonian king Zamama-sum-iddin. If this is the last king but one of the Kassite dynasty, and not rather one of the unknown kings of the dynasty of Isin, the date of Assurdan I. will have to be pushed about 40 years further back. A contemporary of the Babylonian king Nebuchadrezzar I....
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THE LETTERS OF EBEB-TOB (OR EBED KHEBA), VASSAL KING OF JERUSALEM, TO AMENOPHIS IV., KING OF EGYPT
THE LETTERS OF EBEB-TOB (OR EBED KHEBA), VASSAL KING OF JERUSALEM, TO AMENOPHIS IV., KING OF EGYPT
I. "To the king my lord thus speaks Ehed-Tob thy servant: At the feet of the king my lord seven times seven I prostrate myself. What have I done against the king my lord? They have slandered me before the king my lord, saying: Ebed-Tob has revolted from the king his lord. Behold, neither my father nor my mother have exalted me in this place; the arm of the Mighty King has made me enter the house of my father. Why should I have committed a sin against the king my lord? By the life of the king, I
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LETTER OF SUWARDATUM TO AMENOPHIS IV.
LETTER OF SUWARDATUM TO AMENOPHIS IV.
"To the king my lord, my gods, my Sun-god, thus speaks Suwardata thy servant, the dust of thy feet: at the feet of the king my lord, my gods, my Sun-god, seven times seven I prostrate myself. The king my lord directed me to make war in the city of Keilah; I made war; it is (now) at peace with me; my city is restored to me. Why does Ebed-Tob send to the men of Keilah, saying: 'Take silver and march after me'? And the king my lord knows that Ebed-Tob has taken my city out of my hand. Again let the
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LETTER FROM LABAI TO AMENOPHIS IV.
LETTER FROM LABAI TO AMENOPHIS IV.
"To the king my lord and my Sun-god thus (speaks) Labai thy servant and the dust of thy feet: at the feet of the king my lord and my Sun-god, seven times seven I prostrate myself. I have heard the words which the king has sent to me, and here am I, and the king apportions his country unto me. Behold, I am a faithful servant of the king, and I have not sinned, and I have not offended, and I do not withhold my tribute, and I do not refuse the requests of the Commissioner that is set over me. Behol
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THE MOABITE STONE
THE MOABITE STONE
1. I am Mesha the son of Chemosh-melech, king of Moab, the Dibonite. 2. My father reigned over Moab thirty years, and I reigned 3. after my father. I made this monument to (the god) Chemosh at Korkhah, as a monument 4. of salvation, for he saved me from all invaders, and let me see my desire upon all my enemies. Omri 5. was king of Israel, and he oppressed Moab many days, for Chemosh was angry with his 6. land. His son followed him, and he also said: I will oppress Moab. In my days [Chemosh] sai
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THE TREATY BETWEEN RAMSES II. AND THE HITTITES (Brugsch's Translation)
THE TREATY BETWEEN RAMSES II. AND THE HITTITES (Brugsch's Translation)
In the year 21, in the month of Tybi, on the 21st day of the month, in the reign of King Ramessu Mi-Amun, the dispenser of life eternally and for ever, the worshipper of the divinities Amun-Ra (of Thebes), Hor-em-khu (of Heliopolis), Ptah (of Memphis), Mut the lady of the Asher Lake (at Karnak), and Khonsu the peace-loving, there took place a public sitting on the throne of Horus among the living, resembling his father, Hor-em-khu in eternity, in eternity, evermore. On that day the king was in t
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THE TRAVELS OF A MOHAR
THE TRAVELS OF A MOHAR
I will portray for thee the likeness of a Mohar; I will let thee know what he does. Thou hast not gone to the land of the Hittites, nor hast thou beheld the land of Aupa. The appearance of Khatuma thou knowest not. Likewise the land of Igadai, what is it like? The Zar (Plain) of Sesostris and the city of Aleppo are on none of its sides. How is its ford? Thou hast not taken thy road to Kadesh (on the Orontes) and Tubikhi (the Tibhath of 1 Chr. xviii. 8), neither hast thou gone to the Shasu (Bedâw
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THE NEGATIVE CONFESSION OF THE EGYPTIANS
THE NEGATIVE CONFESSION OF THE EGYPTIANS
The 125th chapter of the Book of the Dead contains the confession which the soul of the dead man was required to make before Osiris and the forty-two divine judges of the dead, before he could be justified and admitted to the Paradise of Aalu:— Said on arriving at the Hall of Righteousness, that N (the soul of the dead man) may be loosed from all the sins which he hath committed, and that he may look upon the divine countenances. He saith:—Hail to thee, mighty God, lord of Righteousness! I am co
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LETTERS OF KHAMMURABI OR AMMURAPI (THE AMRAPHEL OP GEN. xiv. 1) TO SIN-IDINNAM, KING OF LARSA (THE ELLASAR OF GENESIS)
LETTERS OF KHAMMURABI OR AMMURAPI (THE AMRAPHEL OP GEN. xiv. 1) TO SIN-IDINNAM, KING OF LARSA (THE ELLASAR OF GENESIS)
I. "To Sin-idinnam thus says Khammurabi: The goddesses of the land of Emudbalum restored your courage to you on the day of the defeat of Kudur-Laghghamar (Chedor-laomer). Because they have supported you among the army of thy hand, turn back the army and let them restore the goddesses to their own seats." II. "To Sin-idinnam thus says Khummarabi: When you have seen this letter you will understand in regard to Amil-Samas and Nur-Nintu, the sons of Gisdubba, that if they are in Larsa or in the terr
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THE BABYLONIAN ACCOUNT OF THE DELUGE
THE BABYLONIAN ACCOUNT OF THE DELUGE
1. Sisuthros spake thus unto him, even to Gilgames: 2. 'Let me reveal unto thee, O Gilgames, the tale of my preservation, 3. and the oracle of the gods let me declare unto thee. 4. The city of Surippak, which, as thou knowest, is built [on the bank] of the Euphrates, 5. this city was (already) old when the gods within it 6. set their hearts to cause a flood, even the great gods 7. [as many as] exist: Anu the father of them, 8. the warrior Bel their prince, 9. Bir their throne-bearer, En-nugi (Ha
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THE BABYLONIAN EPIC OF THE CREATION
THE BABYLONIAN EPIC OF THE CREATION
When the heaven above was not yet named or the earth beneath had recorded a name, the primæval ( ristû ) deep was their generator, Mummu-Tiamat (the chaos of the sea) was the mother of them all. Their waters were embosomed together, and the corn-field was unharvested, the reed-bed was ungrown. When the gods had not yet appeared, any one of them, by no name were they recorded, no destiny [was fixed]. Then the great gods were created, Lakhmu and Lakhamu issued forth [the first], until they grew up
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A SUMERIAN ACCOUNT OF THE CREATION FROM THE CITY OF ERIDU
A SUMERIAN ACCOUNT OF THE CREATION FROM THE CITY OF ERIDU
The glorious temple, the temple of the gods, in the holy place (of Eridu) had not yet been made; no reed had been brought forth, no tree had been created; no brick had been made, no roof had been formed; no house had been built, no city had been constructed; no city had been made, no dwelling-place prepared. Nippur had not been built, E-kur (the temple of Nippur) had not been constructed. Erech had not been built, E-Ana (the temple of Erech) had not been constructed. The deep had not been create
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