She riseth also while it is yet night, And giveth meat to her household, And their task to her maidens.

She considereth a field, and buyeth it: With the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.

She perceiveth that her merchandise is profitable: Her lamp goeth not out by night.

She layeth her hands to the distaff, And her hands hold the spindle.

She spreadeth out her hand to the poor; Yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.

She is not afraid of the snow for her household; For all her household are clothed with scarlet. {257} She maketh for herself carpets of tapestry; Her clothing is fine linen and purple.

Her husband is known in the gates, When he sitteth among the elders of the land.

She maketh linen garments and selleth them; And delivereth girdles unto the merchant.

Strength and dignity are her clothing; And she laugheth at the time to come.

She openeth her mouth with wisdom; And the law of kindness is on her tongue.

She looketh well to the ways of her household, And eateth not the bread of idleness.

Her children rise up, and call her blessed; Her husband also, and he praiseth her, saying: "Many daughters have done virtuously, But thou excellest them all."

Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: But a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.

Give her of the fruit of her hands; And let her works praise her in the gates.

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SELECTIONS FROM THE PROPHETS

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The Roll of the Prophets

Isaiah.

Jeremiah.

Daniel.

Ezekiel.

Amos.

Hosea.

Micah.

Obadiah.

Joel.

Jonah.

Zephaniah.

Nahum.

Habakkuk.

Haggai.

Zechariah.

Malachi.

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[Ill.u.s.tration]

"THE PROPHETS"

From the frieze of "The Prophets," by Sargent, in the Public Library at Boston.

The prophets here represented are Jeremiah, Jonah, Isaiah, Habakkuk.

[End ill.u.s.tration]

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THE PROPHETS

There are two groups of prophetic books in the Old Testament: the longer books of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, and Ezekiel, in one group, and what are known as the books of the "Twelve Minor Prophets," in another group. These books, especially those of the "Minor Prophets."

are often neglected by readers of the Bible. "Minor Prophets" is a very unfortunate name for that group of great souls whose messages have come down to us from the ages. The word came into use because these books; smaller in size than some others, were grouped together in the Bible. The writers themselves were not minor or inferior in any sense of the word. The word "prophet" is also, in itself, somewhat misleading. The men who are called prophets did not simply predict future events. They were really what we would call reformers. They cried out against the evils of the times in which they lived, and tried to turn the nation back to G.o.d when it had sinned.

It must be admitted that it is not very easy, especially for young people, to read these books, and yet they are intensely interesting if one can only realize that these words were spoken by living men, each blazing with indignation against wrong, men of heroic character, who were ready, if necessary, to look in the face of death, in their speaking of the truth.

Little or nothing can be told of the personal history of many of these men. Striking pa.s.sages have been chosen from each of the prophets to show the character of the message which they spoke.

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ISAIAH

THE GREATEST PROPHET OF THE OLD TESTAMENT

(David and Solomon had long been dead. The kingdom of Judah was not so strong as the old kingdom over which they had ruled. It was constantly quarreling with the kingdom at the North, which had been separated by rebellion. It was often in danger of being overcome by the greater kingdoms about it. The kings were not always wise rulers. Many of the people did not care to serve Jehovah alone. They wanted to serve other G.o.ds as well. The rich were often cruel to the poor. Good men saw these things with sorrow. They knew that G.o.d must punish such a nation. One of these good men was Isaiah the Prophet, a citizen of Jerusalem, and a friend of the kings of Judah. When he was a young man he had a vision of the holiness of G.o.d and the sin of the people. This vision made him a prophet, for it called him to the task of showing to the people the holiness of G.o.d, which he himself had seen, and to the necessity of turning away from sin.

This is how he tells of the vision which he saw:)--

I

THE CALL OF ISAIAH

In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled {265} the temple.

Above him stood the seraphim: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another, and said,--

"Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of Hosts: the whole earth is full of his Glory."

And the foundations of the thresholds were moved at the voice of him who cried, and the house was filled with smoke. Then said I, "Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts."

Then flew one of the seraphim unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: and he touched my mouth with it, and said, "Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin forgiven."

And I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" Then I said, "Here am I; send me."

And he said, "Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and turn again, and be healed."

Then said I, "Lord, how long?"

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