Deliverance from Egypt to Israel’s First King
Moses led the Israelites from captivity in Egypt to Mount Sinai, where God gave them his laws. Later, Moses sent 12 men to spy out the land of Canaan. But 10 of them returned with a bad report. They caused the people to want to go back to Egypt. For their lack of faith, God punished the Israelites by having them wander for 40 years in the wilderness.
Finally, Joshua was chosen to lead the Israelites into the land of Canaan. To help them take the land, Jehovah caused miracles to happen. He made the Jordan River stop flowing, the walls of Jericho to fall down, and the sun to stand still for a whole day. After six years, the land was taken from the Canaanites.
Beginning with Joshua, Israel was ruled for 356 years by judges. We learn about many of them, including Barak, Gideon, Jephthah, Samson and Samuel. We also read about such women as Rahab, Deborah, Jael, Ruth, Naomi and Delilah. In all, Part THREE covers 396 years of history.
Story 34
A New Kind of Food
CAN you tell what the people are picking up off the ground? It is like frost. It is white, and it is thin and flaky. But it’s not frost; it’s something to eat.
It has been only about a month since the Israelites left Egypt. They are in the wilderness. Little food grows here, and so the people complain, saying: ‘We wish that Jehovah had killed us in Egypt. At least there we had all the food that we wanted.’
So Jehovah says: ‘I am going to cause food to rain down from the sky.’ And this is what Jehovah does. The next morning when the Israelites see this white stuff that has fallen, they ask one another: ‘What is it?’
Moses says: ‘This is the food that Jehovah has given you to eat.’ The people call it MANNA. It tastes like thin cakes made with honey.
‘You are to pick up as much as each person can eat,’ Moses tells the people. So each morning this is what they do. Then, when the sun gets hot, the manna left on the ground melts.
Moses also says: ‘No one is to save any of the manna over to the next day.’ But some of the people don’t listen. Do you know what happens? The next morning the manna that they have saved is full of worms, and it begins to stink!
There is one day of the week, however, that Jehovah tells the people to gather twice as much manna. This is the sixth day. And Jehovah says to save some of it over to the next day, because he will not cause any to fall on the seventh day. When they save the manna over to the seventh day, it doesn’t get full of worms and it doesn’t stink! This is another miracle!
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All the years that the Israelites are in the wilderness Jehovah feeds them with manna.
Exodus 16:1-36; Numbers 11:7-9; Joshua 5:10-12.
Story 35
Jehovah Gives His Laws
ABOUT two months after they leave Egypt, the Israelites come to Mount Si´nai, which is also called Ho´reb. This is the same place where Jehovah spoke to Moses from the burning bush. The people camp here and stay for a while.
As the people wait below, Moses climbs the mountain. Up there on top of the mountain, Jehovah tells Moses that He wants the Israelites to obey Him and to become His special people. When Moses comes down, he tells the Israelites what Jehovah has said. And the people say that they will obey Jehovah, because they want to be his people.
Jehovah now does a strange thing. He makes the top of the mountain smoke, and causes loud thunder. He also speaks to the people: ‘I am Jehovah your God who brought you out of Egypt.’ Then he commands: ‘You must not worship any other gods except me.’
God gives the Israelites nine more commandments, or laws. The people are very afraid. They tell Moses: ‘You speak to us, because we are afraid that if God speaks to us we may die.’
Later Jehovah tells Moses: ‘Come up to me in the mountain. I will give you two flat stones on which I have written the laws that I want the people to keep.’ So Moses again goes up into the mountain. For 40 days and nights he stays there.
God has many, many laws for his people. Moses writes these laws down. God also gives Moses the two flat stones. On these, God himself has written the 10 laws that he spoke to all the people. They are called the Ten Commandments.
The Ten Commandments are important laws. But so are the many other laws that God gives the Israelites. One of these laws is: ‘You must love Jehovah your God with your whole heart, your whole mind, your whole soul and your whole strength.’ And another is: ‘You must love your neighbor as yourself.’ God’s Son, Jesus Christ, said that these are the two greatest laws that Jehovah gave to his people Israel. Later we will learn many things about God’s Son and his teachings.
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Exodus 19:1-25; 20:1-21; 24:12-18; 31:18; Deuteronomy 6:4-6; Leviticus 19:18; Matthew 22:36-40.
Story 36
The Golden Calf
OH, OH! What are the people doing now? They are praying to a calf! Why are they doing this?
When Moses stays up on the mountain for a long time, the people say: ‘We do not know what has happened to Moses. So let’s make a god to lead us out of this land.’
‘All right,’ Moses’ brother Aaron says. ‘Take off your gold earrings, and bring them to me.’ When the people do so, Aaron melts them down and makes a golden calf. And the people say: ‘This is our God, who led us out of Egypt!’ Then the Israelites have a big party, and worship the golden calf.
When Jehovah sees this, he is very angry. So he says to Moses: ‘Hurry and go down. The people are acting very badly. They have forgotten my laws and are bowing down to a golden calf.’
Moses hurries down the mountain. And when he gets close, this is what he sees. The people are singing and dancing around the golden calf! Moses is so angry that he throws down the two flat stones with the laws on them, and they break into many, many pieces. He then takes the golden calf and melts it down. Then he grinds it into powder.
The people have done a very bad thing. So Moses tells some of the men to take their swords. ‘The bad people who worshiped the golden calf must die,’ Moses says. And so the men strike dead 3,000 people! Doesn’t this show that we need to be careful to worship only Jehovah, and not any false gods?
Exodus 32:1-35.
Story 37
A Tent for Worship
DO YOU know what this building is? It is a special tent for worshiping Jehovah. It is also called the tabernacle. The people finished building it one year after they left Egypt. Do you know whose idea it was to build it?
It was Jehovah’s idea. While Moses was up on Mount Si´nai, Jehovah told him how to build it. He said to make it so that it could easily be taken apart. In this way the parts could be carried to another place, and there be put together again. So when the Israelites moved from place to place in the wilderness, they carried the tent with them.
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If you look inside the small room at the end of the tent, you can see a box, or chest. This is called the ark of the covenant. It had two angels or cherubs made of gold, one on each end. God again wrote the Ten Commandments on two flat stones, because Moses had broken the first ones. And these stones were kept inside the ark of the covenant. Also, a jar of manna was kept inside it. Do you remember what manna is?
Moses’ brother Aaron is the one that Jehovah chooses to be the high priest. He leads the people in worshiping Jehovah. And his sons are priests too.
Now look at the bigger room of the tent. It is twice as big as the small room. Do you see the box, or little chest, with some smoke going up from it? This is the altar where the priests burn some sweet-smelling stuff called incense. Then there is the lampstand that has seven lamps. And the third thing in the room is a table. On it are kept 12 loaves of bread.
In the yard of the tabernacle there is a big bowl, or basin, that is filled with water. The priests use it for washing. There is also the big altar. Here the dead animals are burned as an offering to Jehovah. The tent is right in the middle of the camp, and the Israelites live in their tents all around it.
Exodus 25:8-40; 26:1-37; 27:1-8; 28:1; 30:1-10, 17-21; 34:1, 2; Hebrews 9:1-5.
Story 38
The 12 Spies
LOOK at the fruit these men are carrying. See how big that bunch of grapes is. It takes two men to carry it on a pole. And see the figs and the pomegranates. Where did this beautiful fruit come from? From the land of Ca´naan. Remember, Ca´naan is where Abraham, Isaac and Jacob once lived. But because of the famine there Jacob, with his family, moved to Egypt. Now, about 216 years later, Moses is leading the Israelites back to Ca´naan. They have come to a place in the wilderness called Ka´desh.
Bad people live in the land of Ca´naan. So Moses sends out 12 spies, and tells them: ‘Find out how many people live there, and how strong they are. Find out if the ground is good for growing things. And be sure to bring back some of the fruit.’
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When the spies come back to Ka´desh, they tell Moses: ‘It is really a fine country.’ And to prove it, they show Moses some of the fruit. But 10 of the spies say: ‘The people who live there are big and strong. We will be killed if we try to take the land.’
The Israelites are afraid when they hear this. ‘It would have been better to die in Egypt or even here in the wilderness,’ they say. ‘We will be killed in battle, and our wives and children will be captured. Let’s choose a new leader in place of Moses, and go back to Egypt!’
But two of the spies trust in Jehovah, and try to calm the people. Their names are Joshua and Ca´leb. They say: ‘Don’t be afraid. Jehovah is with us. It will be easy to take the land.’ But the people don’t listen. They even want to kill Joshua and Ca´leb.
This makes Jehovah very angry, and he tells Moses: ‘None of the people from 20 years of age and over will go into the land of Ca´naan. They have seen the miracles that I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, but still they don’t trust me. So they will wander in the wilderness for 40 years until the last person dies. Only Joshua and Ca´leb will go into the land of Ca´naan.’
Numbers 13:1-33; 14:1-38.
Story 39
Aaron’s Rod Grows Flowers
SEE the flowers and ripe almonds growing from this rod, or stick. This is the rod of Aaron. These flowers and the ripe fruit grew out of Aaron’s rod in just one night! Let’s see why.
The Israelites have been wandering in the wilderness for a while now. Some of the people don’t think Moses should be the leader, or that Aaron should be the high priest. Ko´rah is one who thinks this way, and so are Da´than, A·bi´ram and 250 leaders of the people. These all come and say to Moses: ‘Why is it that you put yourself above the rest of us?’
Moses tells Ko´rah and his followers: ‘Tomorrow morning take fire holders and put incense in them. Then come to Jehovah’s tabernacle. We will see whom Jehovah will choose.’
The next day Ko´rah and his 250 followers come to the tabernacle. Many others come along to support these men. Jehovah is very angry. ‘Get away from the tents of these bad men,’ Moses says. ‘Don’t touch anything that belongs to them.’ The people listen, and move away from the tents of Ko´rah, Da´than and A·bi´ram.
Then Moses says: ‘By this you will know whom Jehovah has chosen. The ground will open and swallow up these bad men.’
As soon as Moses stops talking, the ground opens. Ko´rah’s tent and belongings and Da´than and A·bi´ram and those with them go down, and the ground closes over them. When the people hear the cries of those falling into the ground, they shout: ‘Run! The earth might swallow us too!’
Ko´rah and his 250 followers are still near the tabernacle. So Jehovah sends fire, and all of them are burned up. Then Jehovah tells Aaron’s son E·le·a´zar to take the fire holders of the dead men and to make a thin covering for the altar with them. This altar covering is to serve as a warning to the Israelites that no one besides Aaron and his sons should act as priests for Jehovah.
But Jehovah wants to make very clear that it is Aaron and his sons whom he has chosen to be priests. So he tells Moses: ‘Have a leader of each tribe of Israel bring his rod. For the tribe of Levi, have Aaron bring his rod. Then put each of these rods in the tabernacle in front of the ark of the covenant. The rod of the man that I have chosen as priest will grow flowers.’
When Moses looks the next morning, why, Aaron’s rod has these flowers and ripe almonds growing out of it! So do you see now why Jehovah caused Aaron’s rod to grow flowers?
Numbers 16:1-49; 17:1-11; 26:10.
Story 40
Moses Strikes the Rock
YEAR after year passes—10 years, 20 years, 30 years, 39 years! And the Israelites are still in the wilderness. But all these years Jehovah takes care of his people. He feeds them with manna. He leads them during the day with a pillar of cloud, and by night with a pillar of fire. And all during these years their clothes don’t wear out and their feet don’t get sore.
It is now the first month of the 40th year since leaving Egypt. The Israelites again camp at Ka´desh. This is where they were when the 12 spies were sent to spy out the land of Ca´naan nearly 40 years before. Moses’ sister Mir´i·am dies at Ka´desh. And as before, there is trouble here.
The people can’t find any water. So they complain to Moses: ‘It would have been better if we had died. Why did you bring us out of Egypt into this terrible place where nothing will grow? There are no grain, no figs, no grapes, no pomegranates. There isn’t even any water to drink.’
When Moses and Aaron go to the tabernacle to pray, Jehovah tells Moses: ‘Gather the people together. Then in front of them all speak to that rock over there. Enough water will come out of it for the people and all their animals.’
So Moses gathers the people, and says: ‘Listen, you who have no trust in God! Do Aaron and I have to get water out of this rock for you?’ Then Moses strikes the rock twice with a stick, and a great stream of water comes pouring out of the rock. There is enough water for all the people and animals to drink.
But Jehovah is angry with Moses and Aaron. Do you know why? It is because Moses and Aaron said that they were going to bring water from the rock. But really Jehovah did it. And because Moses and Aaron didn’t tell the truth about this, Jehovah says that he is going to punish them. ‘You will not lead my people into Ca´naan,’ he says.
Soon the Israelites leave Ka´desh. After a short while they come to Mount Hor. Here, up on top of the mountain, Aaron dies. He is 123 years of age at the time of his death. The Israelites are very sad, and so for 30 days all the people weep for Aaron. His son E·le·a´zar becomes the next high priest of the nation of Israel.
Numbers 20:1-13, 22-29; Deuteronomy 29:5.
Story 41
The Copper Serpent
DOES that look like a real snake wrapped around the pole? It isn’t. The snake is made of copper. Jehovah told Moses to put it up on the pole so that the people could look at it and keep alive. But the other snakes on the ground are real. They have bitten the people and made them sick. Do you know why?
It is because the Israelites have spoken against God and Moses. They complain: ‘Why did you bring us out of Egypt to die in this wilderness? There is no food or water here. And we can’t stand to eat this manna anymore.’
But the manna is good food. By a miracle Jehovah has given it to them. And by a miracle he has given them water too. But the people aren’t thankful for the way God has taken care of them. So Jehovah sends these poisonous snakes to punish the Israelites. The snakes bite them, and many of them die.
Finally the people come to Moses and say: ‘We have sinned, because we have spoken against Jehovah and you. Now pray to Jehovah to take these snakes away.’
So Moses prays for the people. And Jehovah tells Moses to make this copper snake. He says to put it on a pole, and that anyone who is bitten should look at it. Moses does just what God says. And the people who were bitten look at the copper snake and they get well again.
There is a lesson to learn from this. All of us are, in a way, like those Israelites who were bitten by those snakes. We are all in a dying condition. Look around, and you will see that people grow old, get sick, and die. This is because the first man and woman, Adam and Eve, turned away from Jehovah, and we are all their children. But Jehovah has made a way so we can live forever.
Jehovah sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to earth. Jesus was hung on a stake, because many people thought he was bad. But Jehovah gave Jesus to save us. If we look to him, if we follow him, then we can have everlasting life. But we will learn more about this later.
Numbers 21:4-9; John 3:14, 15.
Story 42
A Donkey Talks
HAVE you ever heard of a donkey’s talking? ‘No,’ you may say. ‘Animals can’t talk.’ But the Bible tells about a donkey that did. Let’s see how it happened.
The Israelites are almost ready to go into the land of Ca´naan. Ba´lak, the king of Mo´ab, is afraid of the Israelites. So he sends for a smart man named Ba´laam to come to curse the Israelites. Ba´lak promises to give Ba´laam a lot of money, so Ba´laam gets on his donkey and starts on his way to see Ba´lak.
Jehovah does not want Ba´laam to curse His people. So he sends an angel with a long sword to stand in the road to stop Ba´laam. Ba´laam can’t see the angel, but his donkey does. So the donkey keeps trying to turn away from the angel, and finally just lies down on the road. Ba´laam is very angry, and beats his donkey with a stick.
Then Jehovah causes Ba´laam to hear his donkey speak to him. ‘What have I done to you so that you should beat me?’ asks the donkey.
‘You have made me look like a fool,’ Ba´laam says. ‘If I had a sword I would kill you!’
‘Have I ever treated you like this before?’ the donkey asks.
‘No,’ Ba´laam answers.
Then Jehovah lets Ba´laam see the angel with the sword standing on the road. The angel says: ‘Why have you beaten your donkey? I have come to block your way, because you should not be going to curse Israel. If your donkey had not turned away from me, I would have struck you dead, but I would not have hurt your donkey.’
Ba´laam says: ‘I have sinned. I did not know that you were standing on the road.’ The angel lets Ba´laam go, and Ba´laam goes on to see Ba´lak. He still tries to curse Israel, but, instead, Jehovah makes him bless Israel three times.
Numbers 21:21-35; 22:1-40; 23:1-30; 24:1-25.
Story 43
Joshua Becomes Leader
MOSES wants to go into Ca´naan with the Israelites. So he asks: ‘Let me cross the Jordan River, Jehovah, and see the good land.’ But Jehovah says: ‘That’s enough! Don’t mention this again!’ Do you know why Jehovah said that?
It is because of what happened when Moses struck the rock. Remember, he and Aaron did not honor Jehovah. They didn’t tell the people that it was Jehovah who was bringing water from the rock. For this reason Jehovah said that he would not let them go into Ca´naan.
So a few months after Aaron dies, Jehovah tells Moses: ‘Take Joshua, and stand him in front of E·le·a´zar the priest and the people. And there before them all, tell everybody that Joshua is the new leader.’ Moses does just what Jehovah says, as you can see in the picture.
Then Jehovah tells Joshua: ‘Be strong, and do not be afraid. You will lead the Israelites into the land of Ca´naan that I have promised them, and I will be with you.’
Later Jehovah tells Moses to climb high up to the top of Mount Ne´bo in the land of Mo´ab. From up there Moses can look across the Jordan River and see the beautiful land of Ca´naan. Jehovah says: ‘This is the land that I promised to give to the children of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. I have let you see it, but I will not let you go into it.’
There on top of Mount Ne´bo Moses dies. He was 120 years of age. He was still strong, and his eyesight was still good. The people are very sad and cry because Moses is dead. But they are happy to have Joshua as their new leader.
Numbers 27:12-23; Deuteronomy 3:23-29; 31:1-8, 14-23; 32:45-52; 34:1-12.
Story 44
Rahab Hides the Spies
THESE men are in trouble. They must get away, or they will be killed. They are Israelite spies, and the woman helping them is Ra´hab. Ra´hab lives here in a house on the wall of the city of Jer´i·cho. Let’s find out why these men are in trouble.
The Israelites are ready to cross the Jordan River into the land of Ca´naan. But before they do, Joshua sends out the two spies. He tells them: ‘Go take a look at the land and the city of Jer´i·cho.’
When the spies come into Jer´i·cho, they go to the house of Ra´hab. But somebody tells the king of Jer´i·cho: ‘Two Israelites came in here tonight to spy out the land.’ When he hears this, the king sends men to Ra´hab, and they command her: ‘The men that you have in your house, bring them out!’ But Ra´hab has hidden the spies on her roof. So she says: ‘Some men did come to my house, but I don’t know where they were from. They left just as it was getting dark, before the city gate was closed. If you hurry, you can catch them!’ And so the men go chasing after them.
After they leave, Ra´hab hurries up to the roof. ‘I know that Jehovah will give you this land,’ she tells the spies. ‘We heard how he dried up the Red Sea when you were leaving Egypt, and how you killed the kings Si´hon and Og. I have been kind to you, so promise me, please, that you will be kind to me. Save my father and mother, and my brothers and sisters.’
The spies promise that they will, but Ra´hab must do something. ‘Take this red cord and tie it in your window,’ the spies say, ‘and gather all your relatives into your house with you. And when we all return to take Jer´i·cho, we will see this cord in your window and will not kill anyone in your house.’ When the spies go back to Joshua, they tell him everything that happened.
Joshua 2:1-24; Hebrews 11:31.
Story 45
Crossing the Jordan River
LOOK! the Israelites are crossing the Jordan River! But where is the water? Because lots of rain falls at that time of year, the river was very full just a few minutes before. But now the water is all gone! And the Israelites are going across on dry land just as they did at the Red Sea! Where did all the water go? Let’s see.
When the time came for the Israelites to cross the Jordan River, this is what Jehovah had Joshua tell the people: ‘The priests should take the ark of the covenant and go ahead of us. When they put their feet into the waters of the Jordan River, then the waters will stop running.’
So the priests pick up the ark of the covenant, and carry it ahead of the people. When they come to the Jordan, the priests step right into the water. It is running very strong and deep. But as soon as their feet touch the water, the water begins to stop running! It is a miracle! Upstream Jehovah has dammed up the waters. So, soon there is no more water in the river!
The priests who are carrying the ark of the covenant go right out into the middle of the dry river. Can you see them in the picture? As they stand there, all the Israelites walk right across the Jordan River on dry land!
When everyone has gone across, Jehovah has Joshua tell 12 strong men: ‘Go into the river where the priests are standing with the ark of the covenant. Pick up 12 stones, and stack them where you all stay tonight. Then, in the future, when your children ask what these stones mean, you should tell them that the waters stopped running when Jehovah’s ark of the covenant crossed the Jordan. The stones will remind you of this miracle!’ Joshua also sets up 12 stones where the priests had stood in the riverbed.
At last Joshua tells the priests carrying the ark of the covenant: ‘Go up out of the Jordan.’ And as soon as they do, the river begins running once more.
Joshua 3:1-17; 4:1-18.
Story 46
The Walls of Jericho
WHAT’S making these walls of Jer´i·cho fall? It looks as if a big bomb has hit them. But in those days they didn’t have bombs; they didn’t even have guns. It is another miracle of Jehovah! Let’s learn how it happened.
Listen to what Jehovah tells Joshua: ‘You and your fighting men are to march around the city. March around it once each day for six days. Carry the ark of the covenant with you. Seven priests should walk ahead of it and blow their horns.
‘On the seventh day you should march around the city seven times. Then give a long sound on the horns, and have everyone shout with a great war cry. And the walls will fall down flat!’
Joshua and the people do what Jehovah says. While they march, everyone is silent. No one speaks a word. All that can be heard is the sound of the horns and the marching feet. The enemies of God’s people in Jer´i·cho must have been afraid. Can you see that red cord hanging from a window? Whose window is that? Yes, Ra´hab has done what the two spies told her to do. All her family are inside watching with her.
Finally, on the seventh day, after marching around the city seven times, the horns sound, the fighting men shout, and the walls fall. Then Joshua says: ‘Kill everyone in the city and burn it. Burn everything. Save only the silver, gold, copper and iron, and give them to the treasury of Jehovah’s tent.’
To the two spies, Joshua says: ‘Go into the house of Ra´hab, and bring her and all her family out.’ Ra´hab and her family are saved, just as the spies had promised her.
Joshua 6:1-25.
Story 47
A Thief in Israel
LOOK at what this man is burying in his tent! A beautiful robe, and a gold bar and some pieces of silver. He has taken them from the city of Jer´i·cho. But what should have been done with the things in Jer´i·cho? Do you remember?
They were supposed to have been destroyed, and the gold and silver were to have been given to the treasury of Jehovah’s tabernacle. So these people have disobeyed God. They have stolen what belongs to God. The man’s name is A´chan, and those with him are part of his family. Let’s see what happens.
After A´chan steals these things, Joshua sends out some men to fight against the city of A´i. But they are beaten in battle. Some are killed, and the rest run away. Joshua is very sad. He lies down with his face to the ground and prays to Jehovah: ‘Why have you let this happen to us?’
Jehovah answers: ‘Get up! Israel has sinned. They have taken some of the things that were to be destroyed or to be given to Jehovah’s tabernacle. They stole a beautiful robe and kept it secret. I will not bless you until you destroy it, and the one who has taken these things.’ Jehovah says that he will show Joshua who the bad man is.
So Joshua gathers all the people together, and Jehovah picks out the bad man A´chan. A´chan says: ‘I have sinned. I saw a beautiful robe, and the bar of gold and the silver pieces. I wanted them so much that I took them. You will find them buried inside my tent.’
When these things are found and brought to Joshua, he says to A´chan: ‘Why have you brought trouble on us? Now Jehovah will bring trouble on you!’ At that all the people stone A´chan and his family to death. Doesn’t that show that we should never take things that do not belong to us?
Afterward Israel goes out to fight against A´i again. This time Jehovah helps his people, and they win the battle.
Joshua 7:1-26; 8:1-29.
Story 48
The Wise Gibeonites
MANY of the cities in Ca´naan now get ready to fight against Israel. They think that they can win. But the people in the nearby city of Gib´e·on do not think so. They believe that God is helping the Israelites, and they do not want to fight against God. So do you know what the Gib´e·on·ites do?
They decide to make it look as if they live somewhere very far away. So some of the men put on ragged clothes and worn-out sandals. They load their donkeys with worn-out sacks, and take some old dry bread. Then they go to Joshua and say: ‘We have come from a very distant land, because we heard about your great God, Jehovah. We heard all the things that he did for you in Egypt. So our leaders told us to get some food ready for a trip and to go and say to you: “We are your servants. Promise that you will not make war with us.” You can see that our clothes are worn out from the long trip and that our bread has become old and dry.’
Joshua and the other leaders believe the Gib´e·on·ites. So they make a promise not to fight against them. But three days later they learn that the Gib´e·on·ites really live nearby.
‘Why did you tell us that you came from a distant land?’ Joshua asks them.
The Gib´e·on·ites answer: ‘We did so because we were told that your God Jehovah had promised to give all this land of Ca´naan to you. So we were afraid that you would kill us.’ But the Israelites keep their promise, and they do not kill the Gib´e·on·ites. Instead they make them their servants.
The king of Jerusalem is angry because the Gib´e·on·ites have made peace with Israel. So he says to four other kings: ‘Come and help me to fight Gib´e·on.’ And that is what these five kings do. Were the Gib´e·on·ites wise to make peace with Israel, which now causes these kings to come to fight against them? We will see.
Joshua 9:1-27; 10:1-5.
Story 49
The Sun Stands Still
LOOK at Joshua. He is saying: ‘Sun, stand still!’ And the sun does stand still. It stays right there in the middle of the sky for a whole day. Jehovah makes it happen! But let’s see why Joshua wants the sun to keep shining.
When the five bad kings in the land of Ca´naan start to fight against the Gib´e·on·ites, the Gib´e·on·ites send a man to ask Joshua for help. ‘Come to us quickly!’ he says. ‘Save us! All the kings in the hill country have come up to fight against your servants.’
Right away Joshua and all his fighting men go. All night long they march. When they come to Gib´e·on, the soldiers of the five kings are afraid and begin to run away. Then Jehovah makes large hailstones fall from the sky, and more soldiers die from being hit by the hailstones than are killed by Joshua’s fighting men.
Joshua can see that soon the sun will go down. It will be dark, and many of the soldiers of the five bad kings will get away. So that is why Joshua prays to Jehovah and then says: ‘Sun, stand still!’ And when the sun keeps shining, the Israelites are able to finish winning the fight.
There are many more bad kings in Ca´naan who hate God’s people. It takes Joshua and his army about six years to defeat 31 kings in the land. When this is done, Joshua sees to it that the land of Ca´naan is divided out to those tribes yet needing territory.
Many years pass, and Joshua finally dies at 110 years of age. As long as he and his friends are alive, the people obey Jehovah. But when these good men die, the people start doing bad things and get into trouble. This is when they really need God’s help.
Joshua 10:6-15; 12:7-24; 14:1-5; Judges 2:8-13.
Story 50
Two Brave Women
WHEN the Israelites get into trouble, they cry out to Jehovah. Jehovah answers them by giving brave leaders to help them. The Bible calls these leaders judges. Joshua was the first judge, and some of the judges after him were named Oth´ni·el, E´hud and Sham´gar. But two of the people who help Israel are women named Deb´o·rah and Ja´el.
Deb´o·rah is a prophetess. Jehovah gives her information about the future, and then she tells the people what Jehovah says. Deb´o·rah is also a judge. She sits under a certain palm tree in the hill country, and people come to her to get help with their problems.
At this time Ja´bin is the king of Ca´naan. He has 900 war chariots. His army is so strong that many of the Israelites have been forced to become servants of Ja´bin. The chief of King Ja´bin’s army is named Sis´e·ra.
One day Deb´o·rah sends for Judge Ba´rak, and tells him: ‘Jehovah has said: “Take 10,000 men and lead them to Mount Ta´bor. There I will bring Sis´e·ra to you. And I will give you victory over him and his army.”’
Ba´rak tells Deb´o·rah: ‘I will go if you too will go with me.’ Deb´o·rah goes along, but she says to Ba´rak: ‘You won’t get credit for the victory, because Jehovah will give Sis´e·ra into the hand of a woman.’ And this is what happens.
Ba´rak goes down from Mount Ta´bor to meet Sis´e·ra’s soldiers. Suddenly Jehovah causes a flood, and many of the enemy soldiers are drowned. But Sis´e·ra gets off his chariot and runs away.
After awhile Sis´e·ra comes to the tent of Ja´el. She invites him in, and gives him some milk. This makes him sleepy, and soon he is fast asleep. Then Ja´el takes a tent pin and drives it into this bad man’s head. Later, when Ba´rak comes, she shows him the dead Sis´e·ra! So you can see that what Deb´o·rah said came true.
Finally King Ja´bin is killed too, and the Israelites have peace again for awhile.
Judges 2:14-22; 4:1-24; 5:1-31.
Story 51
Ruth and Naomi
IN THE Bible you will find a book called Ruth. It is a story about a family that lived during the time when Israel had judges. Ruth is a young woman from the land of Mo´ab; she does not belong to God’s nation of Israel. But when Ruth learns about the true God Jehovah, she comes to love him very much. Na´o·mi is an older woman who helped Ruth to learn about Jehovah.
Na´o·mi is an Israelite woman. She and her husband and two sons moved to the land of Mo´ab at a time when there was little food to eat in Israel. Then one day Na´o·mi’s husband died. Later Na´o·mi’s sons married two Mo´ab·ite girls named Ruth and Or´pah. But after about 10 years, Na´o·mi’s two sons died. How sad Na´o·mi and the two girls were! What would Na´o·mi do now?
One day Na´o·mi decides to make the long trip back home to her own people. Ruth and Or´pah want to stay with her, and so they go along too. But after they have traveled awhile on the road, Na´o·mi turns to the girls and says: ‘Go back home and stay with your mothers.’
Na´o·mi kisses the girls good-bye. At that they start to cry, because they love Na´o·mi very much. They say: ‘No! We will go with you to your people.’ But Na´o·mi answers: ‘You must go back, my daughters. It will be better for you at home.’ So Or´pah starts on her way home. But Ruth does not go.
Na´o·mi turns to her and says: ‘Or´pah has left. You too go home with her.’ But Ruth answers: ‘Don’t try to make me leave you! Let me go with you. Where you go I will go, and where you live I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. Where you die I will die, and that is where I will be buried.’ When Ruth says this, Na´o·mi doesn’t try anymore to make her go home.
Finally the two women get to Israel. Here they settle down to live. Ruth right away begins working in the fields, because it is the time for gathering the barley. A man named Bo´az lets her gather barley in his fields. Do you know who the mother of Bo´az was? She was Ra´hab of the city of Jer´i·cho.
One day Bo´az tells Ruth: ‘I have heard all about you, and how kind you have been to Na´o·mi. I know how you left your father and mother and your own country and how you came to live among a people you had never known before. May Jehovah be good to you!’
Ruth answers: ‘You are very kind to me, sir. You have made me feel better by the nice way that you have spoken to me.’ Bo´az likes Ruth very much, and it is not very long before they get married. How happy this makes Na´o·mi! But Na´o·mi is even happier when Ruth and Bo´az have their first son, named O´bed. Later O´bed becomes the grandfather of David, about whom we will learn a lot later on.
Bible book of Ruth.
Story 52
Gideon and His 300 Men
DO YOU see what is happening here? These are all fighting men of Israel. The men bending down are taking a drink. Judge Gid´e·on is the man standing close to them. He is watching how they drink the water.
Look closely at the different ways in which the men are drinking. Some are putting their face right down to the water. But one is taking the water up in his hands, so that he can watch what is going on around him. This is important, for Jehovah told Gid´e·on to choose only the men who keep watching while they drink. The rest, God said, should be sent home. Let’s see why.
The Israelites are in a lot of trouble again. The reason is that they have not obeyed Jehovah. The people of Mid´i·an have gained power over them and are hurting them. So the Israelites cry to Jehovah for help, and Jehovah listens to their cries.
Jehovah tells Gid´e·on to get an army, so Gid´e·on gathers together 32,000 fighting men. But there is an army of 135,000 men against Israel. And yet Jehovah tells Gid´e·on: ‘You have too many men.’ Why did Jehovah say that?
It is because if Israel won the war, they might think that they won by themselves. They might think that they didn’t need Jehovah’s help to win. So Jehovah says to Gid´e·on: ‘Tell all the men who are afraid to go back home.’ When Gid´e·on does this, 22,000 of his fighting men go home. That leaves him only 10,000 men to fight against all those 135,000 soldiers.
But, listen! Jehovah says: ‘You still have too many men.’ So he tells Gid´e·on to have the men drink at this stream and then to send home all the people who put their face down to the water to drink. ‘I will give you the victory with the 300 men who kept watching while they drank,’ Jehovah promises.
The time comes for the fight. Gid´e·on puts his 300 men in three groups. He gives to each man a horn, and a jar with a torch inside it. When it is about midnight, they all gather around the camp of enemy soldiers. Then, at the same time, they all blow their horns and break their jars, and shout: ‘Jehovah’s sword and Gid´e·on’s!’ When the enemy soldiers wake up, they are confused and afraid. They all begin to run, and the Israelites win the battle.
Judges chapters 6 to 8.
Story 53
Jephthah’s Promise
HAVE you ever made a promise and later found it hard to keep? The man in this picture did, and that is why he is so sad. The man is a brave judge of Israel named Jeph´thah.
Jeph´thah lives at a time when the Israelites are no longer worshiping Jehovah. They are again doing what is bad. So Jehovah lets the people of Am´mon hurt them. This makes the Israelites cry out to Jehovah: ‘We have sinned against you. Please, save us!’
The people are sorry for the bad things that they have done. They show that they are sorry by worshiping Jehovah again. And so again Jehovah helps them.
Jeph´thah is chosen by the people to fight against the bad Am´mon·ites. Jeph´thah wants very much for Jehovah to help him in the fight. So he promises Jehovah: ‘If you will give me victory over the Am´mon·ites, the first person that comes out of my house to meet me when I return from the victory I will give to you.’
Jehovah listens to Jeph´thah’s promise, and he helps him to win the victory. When Jeph´thah returns home, do you know who the first one is to come out to meet him? It is his daughter, who is his only child. ‘Oh, my daughter!’ Jeph´thah cries. ‘What sadness you are bringing me. But I have made a promise to Jehovah, and I cannot take it back.’
When Jeph´thah’s daughter learns about his promise, at first she is sad too. For it means that she will have to leave her father and friends. But she will spend the rest of her life serving Jehovah at his tabernacle in Shi´loh. So she tells her father: ‘If you have made a promise to Jehovah, you must keep it.’
So Jeph´thah’s daughter goes to Shi´loh, and she spends the rest of her life serving Jehovah at his tabernacle. Four days out of every year the women of Israel go to visit her there, and they have a happy time together. The people love Jeph´thah’s daughter because she is such a good servant of Jehovah.
Judges 10:6-18; 11:1-40.
Story 54
The Strongest Man
DO YOU know the name of the strongest man who ever lived? He is a judge named Samson. It is Jehovah who gives Samson his strength. Even before Samson is born, Jehovah tells his mother: ‘Soon you will have a son. He will take a lead in saving Israel from the Phi·lis´tines.’
The Phi·lis´tines are bad people who live in Ca´naan. They have many fighting men, and they really hurt the Israelites. Once, when Samson is on his way to where the Phi·lis´tines live, a big lion comes roaring out to meet him. But Samson kills the lion with only his bare hands. He also kills hundreds of bad Phi·lis´tines.
Later Samson falls in love with a woman named De·li´lah. The Phi·lis´tine leaders promise that each of them will give De·li´lah 1,100 pieces of silver if she tells them what makes Samson so strong. De·li´lah wants all that money. She is not a true friend of Samson, or of God’s people. So she keeps asking Samson what it is that makes him so strong.
Finally, De·li´lah gets Samson to tell her the secret of his strength. ‘My hair has never been cut,’ he says. ‘From the time that I was born, God chose me to be a special servant of his called a Naz´i·rite. If my hair was cut, I would lose my strength.’
Well, when De·li´lah learns this, she has Samson go to sleep on her lap. Then she calls a man to come in and cut his hair. When Samson wakes up, he has lost his strength. The Phi·lis´tines then come in and capture him. They put out both his eyes, and make him their slave.
One day the Phi·lis´tines have a big party to worship their god Dagon, and they bring Samson out of prison to make fun of him. In the meantime, Samson’s hair has grown again. Samson says to the boy who is leading him by the hand: ‘Let me touch the pillars that hold the building up.’ Then Samson prays to Jehovah for strength, and takes hold of the pillars. He cries out: ‘Let me die with the Phi·lis´tines.’ There are 3,000 Phi·lis´tines at the party, and when Samson bends himself against the pillars the building falls down and kills all these bad people.
Judges chapters 13 to 16.
Story 55
A Little Boy Serves God
ISN’T this a good-looking little boy? His name is Samuel. And the man with his hand on Samuel’s head is Israel’s high priest E´li. That is Samuel’s father El·ka´nah and his mother Han´nah who are bringing Samuel to E´li.
Samuel is only about four or five years old. But he will live here at Jehovah’s tabernacle with E´li and the other priests. Why would El·ka´nah and Han´nah give someone so young as Samuel to serve Jehovah at the tabernacle? Let’s see.
It was just a few years before this that Han´nah was very sad. The reason is that she could not have a baby, and she wanted one very, very much. So one day when Han´nah was visiting Jehovah’s tabernacle, she prayed: ‘O Jehovah, do not forget me! If you give me a son, I promise that I will give him to you so he can serve you all his life.’
Jehovah answered Han´nah’s prayer, and months later she gave birth to Samuel. Han´nah loved her little boy, and she began teaching him about Jehovah when he was still very little. She told her husband: ‘As soon as Samuel is old enough so he does not need to be nursed anymore, I will take him to the tabernacle to serve Jehovah there.’
This is what we see Han´nah and El·ka´nah doing in the picture. And because Samuel has been taught so well by his parents, he is glad to be able to serve Jehovah here at Jehovah’s tent. Each year Han´nah and El·ka´nah come to worship at this special tent, and to visit their little boy. And each year Han´nah brings a new sleeveless coat that she has made for Samuel.
As the years go by, Samuel keeps on serving at Jehovah’s tabernacle, and both Jehovah and the people like him. But high priest E´li’s sons Hoph´ni and Phin´e·has are no good. They do many bad things, and get others to disobey Jehovah too. E´li should remove them from being priests, but he does not.
Young Samuel doesn’t let any of the bad things going on at the tabernacle cause him to stop serving Jehovah. But because so few people really love Jehovah, it has been a long time since Jehovah has spoken to any human. When Samuel grows a little older this is what happens:
Samuel is asleep in the tabernacle when a voice wakes him up. He answers: ‘Here I am.’ And he gets up and runs to E´li, and says: ‘You called me, and here I am.’
But E´li answers: ‘I did not call you; go back to bed.’ So Samuel goes back to bed.
Then there is a second call: ‘Samuel!’ So Samuel gets up and again runs to E´li. ‘You called me, and here I am,’ he says. But E´li answers: ‘I did not call, my son. Lie down again.’ So Samuel returns to bed.
‘Samuel!’ the voice calls a third time. So Samuel runs to E´li. ‘Here I am, for you must have called me this time,’ he says. E´li knows now that it must be Jehovah who is calling. So he tells Samuel: ‘Go lie down once more, and if he calls again, you must say: “Speak, Jehovah, for your servant is listening.”’
This is what Samuel says when Jehovah calls again. Jehovah then tells Samuel that he is going to punish E´li and his sons. Later Hoph´ni and Phin´e·has die in battle with the Phi·lis´tines, and when E´li hears what has happened he falls over, breaks his neck and dies too. So Jehovah’s word comes true.
Samuel grows up, and becomes the last judge of Israel. When he grows old, the people ask him: ‘Choose a king to rule over us.’ Samuel does not want to do this, because really Jehovah is their king. But Jehovah tells him to listen to the people.
1 Samuel 1:1-28; 2:11-36; 4:16-18; 8:4-9.
Part 4
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