Part 224 (1/2)

_Ethiopians_. Just at this time the people of the distant south ruled Egypt, and they were known as Ethiopians.

_Asherim, Asheroth_. (See note on Elijah and Elisha.) The name Asheroth is formed as though there were a G.o.ddess Asherah.

_s.h.i.+ps of Tars.h.i.+sh_. That is, s.h.i.+ps like those which were built to go to Tars.h.i.+sh in Spain; just as s.h.i.+ps built like those that sailed to East India used to be called Indiamen.

_Ophir_. A place from which gold and other things were brought. Where it was is still unknown.

_Valley of Salt_. The valley of the Dead Sea. Its southern part is full of places where salt is found.

_a.s.syria_. This great empire, with its capital at Nineveh on the Tigris, was for a long time greatly feared by Israel. It kept all the small nations about under tribute, and was very cruel in all its wars, so that when, after several generations, it fell, there was great rejoicing.

_Carchemish_. A town on the Euphrates, which was often the scene of great battles.

_Bethel and Dan_ were the two extremes of the northern kingdom of Israel. Both had perhaps been sacred places long before.

_Tirzah_. A town in a beautiful situation, the capital of North Israel from the time of Jeroboam till the time of Omri, who built Samaria.

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TALES OF THE MACCABEES.

_Kingdom of the Greeks_. Alexander the Great conquered all western Asia as far as the borders of India. After his death the empire was divided among his generals. One of the divisions became the kingdom of Syria, and it was Syria that ruled over Judaea in the time of this heroic story. Because the kingdom began with the Greek rule, and still kept more or less of the Greek customs and religion, it was still called the kingdom of the Greeks.

_Modin_. A town below the hills of Judaea, to the west, not mentioned in either the Old or the New Testament.

_Beth-horon_. A valley leading west from the hills of Judaea, somewhat north of Jerusalem. In the early wars of Joshua and the Judges this was also the scene of many battles.

_Bethsura_. A town in the mountains not far from Hebron. It had long been a fortress of Judaea.

_Azotus and Askelon_. Towns in the southwest of Judah.

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[Ill.u.s.tration]

RUINS OF BETH-EL.

Situated high up on the central range of Palestine, Bethel was from the earliest times a ”holy place.” It reached the height of its importance under the reign of Jeroboam II., who made it the religious capital of the northern kingdom, and inst.i.tuted there the wors.h.i.+p of the golden calves.