Table of Contents

• THE CHILDREN'S BIBLE
  • SELECTIONS FROM THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS TRANSLATED AND ARRANGED BY HENRY A. SHERMAN AND CHARLES FOSTER KENT
  • PREFACE
  • CONTENTS
  • ILLUSTRATIONS
  • THE OLD TESTAMENT
  • THE CHILDREN'S BIBLE
    • THE STORY OF CREATION
    • GOD'S GOOD GIFTS TO MAN
    • THE FIRST DISOBEDIENCE
    • CAIN AND HIS BROTHER ABEL
    • NOAH AND THE GREAT FLOOD
    • THE STORY OF THE TOWER OF BABEL
    • ABRAHAM, THE FRIEND OF GOD AND MAN
    • LOT'S ESCAPE FROM A WICKED CITY
    • GOD'S CARE FOR THE BOY ISHMAEL
    • ABRAHAM'S LOYALTY TO GOD
    • HOW REBEKAH BECAME THE WIFE OF ISAAC
    • HOW JACOB DECEIVED HIS FATHER
    • JACOB'S DREAM
    • THE DECEIVER DECEIVED
    • MEETING A BROTHER WHO HAD BEEN WRONGED
    • JOSEPH SOLD AS A SLAVE BY HIS BROTHERS
    • JOSEPH'S EAGERNESS TO HELP OTHERS
    • A PRISONER WHO BECAME A MIGHTY RULER
    • THE TESTING OF JOSEPH'S BROTHERS
    • JOSEPH'S FORGIVENESS OF HIS BROTHERS
    • JOSEPH'S LOYALTY TO HIS FAMILY
    • THE BOYHOOD AND TRAINING OF MOSES
    • THE VOICE FROM THE BUSH
    • PHARAOH THE STUBBORN RULER
    • THE COST OF BEING CRUEL AND STUBBORN
    • THE ESCAPE FROM EGYPT
    • GOD'S COMMANDS TO THE PEOPLE
    • OUR DUTIES TO GOD AND MAN
    • THE REPORT OF THE HEBREW SPIES
    • THE LAST WORDS OF MOSES
    • CROSSING THE RIVER JORDAN
    • THE CAPTURE OF JERICHO AND AI
    • WOMEN WHO SAVED A NATION
    • GIDEON'S BRAVE BAND
    • JEPHTHAH'S FOOLISH PROMISE
    • SAMSON WHO DID TO OTHERS AS THEY DID TO HIM
    • A STRONG MAN WHO LOST HIS STRENGTH
    • THE DEVOTION OF RUTH
    • SAMUEL THE BOY PROPHET
    • THE ARK AMONG THE PHILISTINES
    • HOW SAMUEL FOUND A LEADER
    • JONATHAN'S BRAVE DEED
    • DAVID'S VICTORY OVER THE GIANT
    • SAUL'S MEAN JEALOUSY
    • JONATHAN'S LOVE FOR DAVID
    • THE COST OF A LIE
    • A SOLDIER WHO SPARED HIS ENEMY
    • ABIGAIL'S SENSIBLE ADVICE
    • MAKING THE BEST OF TROUBLE
    • THE DEATH OF TWO BRAVE WARRIORS
    • A SHEPHERD BOY WHO WAS CALLED TO LEAD A NATION
    • JERUSALEM MADE THE CAPITAL CITY
    • DAVID'S KINDNESS TO JONATHAN'S SON
    • A RICH MAN WHO WAS A THIEF
    • ABSALOM THE UNGRATEFUL SON
    • A BROKEN-HEARTED FATHER
    • HOW SOLOMON BECAME THE RULER OF ISRAEL
    • A YOUNG MAN'S WISE CHOICE
    • BUILDING A GREAT TEMPLE
    • A RULER WHO WRONGED HIS PEOPLE
    • REHOBOAM'S GREAT MISTAKE
    • ELIJAH AND THE WIDOW'S SON
    • THE PROPHET OF FIRE
    • GOD'S LOW WHISPER
    • AHAB THE THIEF
    • MICAIAH'S COURAGE IN TELLING THE TRUTH
    • THE MANTLE OF ELIJAH
    • ELISHA HEALING THE SICK BOY
    • A SLAVE GIRL WHO HELPED HER MASTER
    • ELISHA'S WAY OF TREATING ENEMIES
    • THE END OF AHAB'S SELFISH FAMILY
    • THE BOY JOASH ON THE THRONE OF JUDAH
    • A YOUNG MAN WHO SAID, "SEND ME"
    • JEREMIAH'S CALL TO DO A HARD TASK
    • THE YOUNG JOSIAH AND THE BOOK OF THE LAW
    • THE WRITING OF AN ANCIENT BOOK
    • A PROPHET WHO SAVED A GREAT CITY
    • JEREMIAH'S COURAGE IN DANGER
    • THE SAD FATE OF A GUILTY NATION
    • THE COURAGE OF FOUR CAPTIVES
    • A KING'S STRANGE DREAM
    • THE TEST BY FIRE
    • THE HANDWRITING ON THE WALL
    • DANIEL IN THE LIONS' DEN
    • QUEEN ESTHER'S LOVE FOR HER PEOPLE
    • REBUILDING THE TEMPLE
    • NEHEMIAH'S ANSWER TO A CALL FOR HELP
    • OVERCOMING GREAT DIFFICULTIES
    • A BRAVE KNIGHT
    • JONAH THE NARROW-MINDED PATRIOT
    • THE STORY OF JOB
  • PSALMS
    • THE KING OF GLORY
    • GOD THE LOVING CREATOR
    • GOD THE LOVING FATHER
    • GOD FROM WHOM ALL GOOD THINGS COME
    • GOD'S GOODNESS AND MERCY
    • GOD THE ALL-SEEING
    • GOD WHO ALWAYS WATCHES OVER HIS PEOPLE
    • GOD WHO PROTECTS FROM ALL DANGER
    • GOD'S PROTECTION OF THOSE WHO TRUST IN HIM
    • GOD'S LOVING CARE
    • TRUSTING IN GOD'S CARE
    • A PRAYER OF TRUST
    • SAFETY IN GOD'S CARE
    • GOD OUR REFUGE
    • THE JOY OF WORSHIPPING GOD
    • WHAT GOD ASKS OF THOSE WHO WORSHIP HIM
    • A CALL TO PRAISE GOD
    • THE UNITED SONG OF PRAISE
    • MAN'S PLACE IN GOD'S WORLD
    • THE REWARD OF DOING RIGHT
    • A PRAYER FOR FORGIVENESS
  • THE SAYINGS OF THE WISE
    • THE REWARDS OF LISTENING TO THE ADVICE OF THE WISE
    • WHAT GOD LIKES AND DISLIKES
    • GOD'S CARE FOR THOSE WHO TRY TO DO RIGHT
    • THE WAY TO BE WELL AND HAPPY
    • THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING WILLING TO LEARN
    • HOW TO HONOR YOUR PARENTS
    • THE TROUBLES OF THOSE WHO ARE LAZY
    • THINGS THAT ARE BETTER THAN RICHES
    • RIGHT EATING AND DRINKING
    • THE RIGHT USE OF THE TONGUE
    • THE CONTROL OF THE TEMPER
    • WHAT IT MEANS TO BE MODEST
    • BEING GENEROUS AND LOVING
  • THE NEW TESTAMENT
    • JESUS IS BORN AT BETHLEHEM
    • THE WISE MEN BRING GIFTS TO THE YOUNG CHILD
    • THE BOY JESUS ASKS QUESTIONS
    • JOHN THE BAPTIST TELLS OF JESUS' WORK
    • JESUS DECIDES HOW HE WILL DO HIS WORK
    • JESUS WINS DEVOTED FRIENDS
    • THE WEDDING AT CANA
    • THE HEALING OF THE TEN LEPERS
    • HEALING THE MAN AT THE POOL
    • JESUS TALKS WITH A SAMARITAN WOMAN
    • GIVING LIFE TO A WIDOW'S SON
    • JESUS HEALS THE SICK
    • JESUS CURES A MAN WHO CANNOT WALK
    • JESUS MAKES EVEN WRONG-DOERS HIS FRIENDS
    • JESUS FINDS JOY IN ALL HIS WORK
    • JESUS CALMS THE STORM
    • JESUS HEALS A LITTLE GIRL
    • JESUS VISITS HIS OLD HOME
    • JESUS CALLS TOGETHER HIS FRIENDS AND HELPERS
    • WHAT JESUS ASKS OF HIS FRIENDS AND HELPERS
    • THE WAY TO LEARN FROM JESUS
    • THE REWARDS FOR FOLLOWING JESUS' TEACHINGS
    • GOD'S LOVE EVEN FOR SINNERS
    • GOD'S READINESS TO ANSWER PRAYER
    • HOW TO PRAY
    • WHY WE SHOULD TRUST GOD
    • THE KINGDOM OF GOD
    • THE TWO GREAT COMMANDMENTS
    • THE REWARDS OF MODESTY AND UNSELFISHNESS
    • HOW TO USE MONEY
    • DIFFERENT WAYS OF USING TALENTS
    • THE GOOD SAMARITAN
    • THE WAY TO TREAT THOSE WHO WRONG US
    • THE GOLDEN RULE
    • THE PEOPLE WHO ARE REALLY HAPPY
    • JESUS SENDS OUT THE FIRST MISSIONARIES
    • JESUS PRAISES JOHN THE BAPTIST
    • JESUS FEEDS THE HUNGRY
    • JESUS TELLS WHAT IT MEANS TO BE CLEAN
    • JESUS IS KIND TO A STRANGER
    • JESUS MAKES AN HEROIC CHOICE
    • JESUS IS GLORIFIED
    • JESUS TELLS HOW ONE MAY BECOME GREAT
    • JESUS MAKES THE WICKED ZACCHEUS HIS FRIEND
    • JESUS IS GLADLY WELCOMED BY THE PEOPLE
    • JESUS FIGHTS WRONG IN THE TEMPLE
    • JESUS CONDEMNS THOSE WHO PRETEND TO BE GOOD
    • JESUS WARNS HIS DISCIPLES
    • JESUS CURES A BLIND MAN
    • JESUS TELLS WHAT HE CAME TO DO
    • JESUS BRINGS LAZARUS BACK TO LIFE
    • JESUS PRAISES A WOMAN WHO GAVE HER BEST
    • JESUS EATS THE LAST SUPPER WITH HIS DISCIPLES
    • JESUS ENCOURAGES HIS FRIENDS AND HELPERS
    • JESUS IS SEIZED BY THE MOB
    • JESUS IN THE HANDS OF HIS ENEMIES
    • JESUS IS CRUCIFIED BY HIS ENEMIES
    • JESUS CONQUERS DEATH
    • JESUS WALKS AND TALKS WITH TWO OF HIS DISCIPLES
    • JESUS GIVES HIS LAST COMMANDS TO HIS HELPERS
    • THE HEALING OF THE LAME MAN AT THE BEAUTIFUL GATE
    • THE GENEROSITY OF THE EARLY CHRISTIANS
    • STEPHEN THE FIRST CHRISTIAN MARTYR
    • PHILIP AND THE ETHIOPIAN
    • PETER AND THE ROMAN OFFICER
    • PETER'S ESCAPE FROM PRISON
    • PAUL'S ACCOUNT OF WHAT HE SAW AND HEARD ON HIS WAY TO DAMASCUS
    • THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH AT ANTIOCH
    • PAUL AND BARNABAS IN FOREIGN LANDS
    • WHY PAUL WENT TO MACEDONIA
    • PAUL AND SILAS IN MACEDONIA
    • PAUL'S GREAT SPEECH AT ATHENS
    • PAUL WRITES TO HIS FRIENDS AT THESSALONICA
    • PAUL'S WORK AT CORINTH
    • PAUL WRITES TO HIS FRIENDS IN CORINTH
    • THE NEW LIFE AFTER DEATH
    • WAYS OF SHOWING LOVE
    • PAUL'S TRIALS AND VICTORIES AT EPHESUS
    • PAUL WRITES TO THE CHRISTIANS AT ROME
    • PAUL'S LAST JOURNEY TO JERUSALEM
    • PAUL'S NARROW ESCAPE FROM DEATH
    • A PRISONER WHO PREACHED TO HIS JUDGES
    • PAUL'S SHIPWRECK
    • THE END OF PAUL'S LONG JOURNEY
    • PAUL'S LAST WORDS TO HIS FRIENDS
    • THE MEANING OF FAITH
    • THE IMPORTANCE OF DOING WHAT IS RIGHT
    • THE LOVE THAT MAKES MEN BROTHERS
    • THE GLORY AND HONOR THAT JESUS HAS WON
    • THE REWARD OF THE FAITHFUL
    • THE NEW HEAVEN ON EARTH

THE CHILDREN'S BIBLE

SELECTIONS FROM THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS
TRANSLATED AND ARRANGED BY HENRY A. SHERMAN AND CHARLES FOSTER KENT

"Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God"

PREFACE

"The Children's Bible" provides, in simple English, a translation of selections from both the Old and the New Testament. These selections have been made as a result of more than twenty-five years of observation and study. The text is that of the Bible itself, but in the language of the child, so that it may easily be read to the younger children and by those who are older. It is not in words of one syllable, for while the child is reading the Bible he should gradually learn the meaning of new words and idioms.

The Bible contains the foundations on which the religious life of the child must be built. The immortal stories and songs of the Old and New Testaments are his richest inheritance from the past. To give him this heritage in language and form that he can understand and enjoy is the duty and privilege of his parents and teachers.

It is hoped that "The Children's Bible" will meet the need and the demand, which parents and educators alike have long felt and often expressed, for a simple translation of selections from the Bible most suited to the needs and the interests of the child. It is also believed that after the child has learned to appreciate and love these stories and songs, he will be eager and able to read the Bible as a whole with genuine interest and understanding.

CONTENTS

THE OLD TESTAMENT

THE NEW TESTAMENT

ILLUSTRATIONS

IN COLOR

IN DUOTONE

THE OLD TESTAMENT

THE CHILDREN'S BIBLE

THE STORY OF CREATION

In the beginning God made the heavens and the earth, and while the earth was still unformed, God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. Then God separated the light from the darkness. And God called the light Day and the darkness Night. And there was an evening and a morning, making the first day.

And God said, "Let there be a sky and let it divide the waters that are below from the waters that are above the sky." And it was done. And God called the sky the Heavens. And there was an evening and a morning, making the second day.

And God said, "Let the waters under the heavens be brought together, and let the dry land appear." And it was done. And God called the dry land Earth and the waters that were brought together Seas. And God saw that it was good.

And God said, "Let plants and trees grow from the earth." And it was done. And plants and trees grew from the earth, each plant bringing forth its own kind of seed and each tree its own kind of fruit, and God saw that it was good. And there was an evening and a morning, making the third day.

And God said, "Let there be lights in the heavens to separate the night from the day. Let them be signs to mark the seasons, the days, and the years. Let them be lights in the heavens to light the earth." And it was done. So God made the two great lights (the sun and the moon): the greater to rule the day and the lesser to rule the night. God made the stars also and placed them in the heavens to throw light upon the earth. And God saw that it was good. And there was an evening and a morning, making the fourth day.

And God said, "Let the waters bring forth many living creatures and let birds fly above the earth and in the sky." And God made large sea-monsters and all kinds of living creatures with which the waters abound, and all kinds of birds. And God saw that it was good. And he blessed them, saying, "Increase and fill the waters in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth." And there was an evening and a morning, making the fifth day.

And God said, "Let the earth bring forth all kinds of living creatures, cattle and creeping things and wild beasts." And it was done. So God made all the different kinds of wild beasts, and the cattle, and everything that crawls upon the ground. And God saw that it was good.

And God said, "Let us make man like ourselves. Let him rule over the fish in the sea, the birds of the sky, the cattle, the wild beasts and all the living things that crawl upon the ground." And God made man like himself, like God he made him. He made them male and female.

And God blessed them, and said to them, "Have children, increase, live all over the earth, and conquer it; rule over the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that crawls upon the ground."

And God said, "See, to you I give every plant which grows on all the earth, and every tree which bears fruit with its own kind of seed. It shall be food for you. And to every wild beast and to every bird of the sky and to every thing that crawls on the earth and is alive, I give every green herb for food." And it was done.

And when God saw everything that he had made, he saw that it was very good. And there was an evening and a morning, making the sixth day.

And the heavens and the earth were finished and all that there was in them. And on the seventh day when God had finished the work which he had done, he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, for in it he rested from all the work which he had done.

GOD'S GOOD GIFTS TO MAN

At the time when Jehovah made earth and heaven, no trees or plants grew on the earth, for Jehovah had not yet sent the rain; and there was no man to till the soil; but a mist rose from the earth and watered the ground.

Then Jehovah made man out of dust taken from the ground and breathed into him the breath of life; and man became a living being. And Jehovah planted a garden in Eden, far in the East; and out of the ground he made grow all kinds of trees that are pleasant to look at and good for food, also the tree of life and the tree that gives the knowledge of good and evil.

Then Jehovah took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and to care for it. And Jehovah gave the man this command: "You may eat all you wish from every tree of the garden, except from the tree that gives the knowledge of good and evil; from this you shall not eat, for if you eat from it you shall surely die."

Then Jehovah said, "It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make a companion for him." So out of the ground Jehovah made all the wild beasts and birds, and brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever he called each living thing that became its name. But for the man himself there was found no companion suited to him.

Then Jehovah made the man fall into a deep sleep; and while he slept, he took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. The rib which he had taken from the man, Jehovah made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said, "Because she was made from my body, she shall be called Woman."

THE FIRST DISOBEDIENCE

Now the serpent was more deceitful than any other animal that Jehovah had made; and it said to the woman, "Has God really said, 'You shall not eat from any tree of the garden'?" The woman answered, "We may eat of the fruit of all the trees of the garden except the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, for God has said, 'You shall not eat from it, nor shall you touch it; for if you do, you shall die.'" Then the serpent said to the woman, "You shall not surely die; for God knows that as soon as you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will know what is good and what is evil."

When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, beautiful to look at and that it would make her wise, she took some of its fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.

Then the eyes of both of them were opened, so that they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig-leaves together and made girdles for themselves. When they heard the sound of the footsteps of Jehovah, as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, the man and his wife hid from him among the trees of the garden.

And Jehovah called to the man and said to him, "Where are you?" and he answered, "I heard the sound of thy footsteps in the garden and I was afraid, because I was naked; so I hid myself." Jehovah said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree from which I forbade you to eat?" The man answered, "The woman whom thou didst give to me—she gave me fruit from the tree and I ate." Jehovah said to the woman, "What is this that you have done?" The woman replied, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate."

Then Jehovah said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, you shall be hated more than all beasts. You shall crawl on your belly and eat dust all your life, and men and serpents shall always be enemies. They shall bruise your head, and you shall wound them on the heel."

To the woman he said, "I will greatly increase your trouble and your pain, and you shall be subject to your husband, and he shall rule over you."

But to the man he said, "Because you have listened to your wife and have eaten of the tree from which I forbade you to eat, as long as you live you shall earn a living only by hard work. By hard work shall you raise food to eat. And you shall die and your body go back to the ground, for from dust you were made, and to dust you shall return!"

And Jehovah made garments of skins for the man and his wife, and clothed them. And he sent them out of the garden of Eden to till the ground.

CAIN AND HIS BROTHER ABEL

Adam named his wife Eve, because she was the mother of all living beings. She had two sons, Cain and Abel. Abel was a shepherd, but Cain was a farmer.

One day Cain brought, as an offering to Jehovah, some fruit and grain that he had grown. Abel, too, brought some of the best animals of his flock and sacrificed their fat pieces to Jehovah. Jehovah was pleased with Abel and his offering, but Cain and his offering did not please him.

This made Cain very angry and his face showed it. So Jehovah said to Cain, "Why are you angry and why do you scowl? If you do what is right and good, will not your offering be accepted? But if you do wrong, sin crouches like a wild beast at the door and the desire to sin will overcome you; but you should master it."

Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let us go into the field." And while they were in the field, Cain struck his brother Abel and killed him.

When Jehovah said to Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?" Cain answered, "I do not know; am I my brother's keeper?" Jehovah said, "What have you done? Hark! your brother's blood is crying to me from the ground. Even now you are condemned by the very ground that has opened to receive your brother's blood from your hand. Whenever you till the ground, it shall no longer yield to you its strength; you shall be a tramp and a wanderer on the earth."

Then Cain said to Jehovah, "My punishment is more than I can bear. See, thou hast driven me out to-day from this land, and I shall no longer be able to worship thee; I shall become a tramp and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me."

But Jehovah said to him, "If any one kills you, he shall be punished sevenfold." So Jehovah placed a mark on Cain, to keep any one who found him from killing him. And Cain went out from Jehovah's presence and lived as a wanderer, away from Eden.

NOAH AND THE GREAT FLOOD