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INTRODUCTION
The Bible is one of the two or three oldest books in the world, but
unlike most of the ancient books, it is found not only in great
libraries, but in almost every home of the civilized world; and it is
not only studied by learned scholars, but read by the common people; and
its many stories grasp and hold the attention of little children. Happy
is that child who has heard, over and over again, the Bible stories
until they have become fixed in his mind and memory, to become the
foundations of a noble life.
It is with the desire of aiding parents and teachers in telling these
stories, and aiding children to understand them, also in the hope that
they may be read in many schools, that a few among the many interesting
stories in the Bible have been chosen, brought together and as far as
necessary simplified to meet the minds of the young.
Jesse Lyman Hurlbut
THE STORY OF ADAM AND EVE
The first man's name was Adam and his wife he called Eve. They lived in
a beautiful Garden away in the East Country which was called Eden,
filled with beautiful trees and flowers of all kinds. But they did not
live in Eden long for they did not obey God's command, but ate the fruit
of a tree which had been forbidden them. They were driven forth by an
angel and had to give up their beautiful home.
So Adam and his wife went out into the world to live and to work. For a
time they were all alone, but after a while God gave them a little child
of their own, the first baby that ever came into the world. Eve named
him Cain; and after a time another baby came, whom she named Abel.
When the two boys grew up, they worked, as their father worked before
them. Cain, the older brother, chose to work in the fields, and to raise
grain and fruits. Abel, the younger brother, had a flock of sheep and
became a shepherd.
While Adam and Eve were living in the Garden of Eden, they could talk
with God and hear God's voice speaking to them. But now that they were
out in the world, they could no longer talk with God freely, as before.
So when they came to God, they built an altar of stones heaped up, and
upon it, they laid something as a gift to God, and burned it, to show
that it was not their own, but was given to God, whom they could not
see. Then before the altar they made their prayer to God, and asked God
to forgive their sins, all that they had done was wrong; and prayed God
to bless them and do good to them.
Each of these brothers, Cain and Abel, offered upon the altar to God his
own gift. Cain brought the fruits and the grain which he had grown; and
Abel brought a sheep from his flock, and killed it and burned it upon
the altar. For some reason God was pleased with Abel and his offering,
but was not pleased with Cain and his offering. Perhaps God wished Cain
to offer something that had life, as Abel offered; perhaps Cain's heart
was not right when he came before God.
And God showed that He was not pleased with Cain; and Cain, instead of
being sorry for his sin, and asking God to forgive him, was very angry
with God, and angry also toward his brother Abel. When they were out in
the field together Cain struck his brother Abel and killed him. So the
first baby in the world grew up to be the murderer of his own brother.
And the Lord said to Cain, "Where is Abel, your brother?"
And Cain answered, "I do not know; why should I take care of my
brother?"
Then the Lord said to Cain, "What is this that you have done? Your
brother's blood is like a voice crying to me from the ground. Do you see
how the ground has opened, like a mouth, to drink your brother's blood?
As long as you live, you shall be under God's curse for the murder of
your brother. You shall wander over the earth, and shall never find a
home, because you have done this wicked deed."
And Cain said to the Lord, "My punishment is greater than I can bear.
Thou hast driven me out from among men; and thou hast hid thy face from
me. If any man finds me he will kill me, because I shall be alone, and
no one will be my friend."
And God said to Cain, "If any one harms Cain, he shall be punished for
it." And the Lord God placed a mark on Cain, so that whoever met him
should know him and should know also that God had forbidden any man to
harm him. Then Cain and his wife went away from Adam's home to live in a
place by themselves, and there they had children. And Cain's family
built a city in that land; and Cain named the city after his first
child, whom he had called Enoch.
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THE
STORY OF ADAM AND EVE
THE
STORY OF NOAH AND THE ARK
THE
STORY OF HAGAR AND ISHMAEL
THE
STORY OF ABRAHAM AND ISAAC
THE
STORY OF JACOB
THE SALE OF A BIRTHRIGHT
THE
STORY OF THE LADDER THAT REACHED TO HEAVEN
THE
STORY OF JOSEPH
THE
COAT OF MANY COLORS
THE
DREAMS OF A KING
THE
STORY OF THE MONEY IN THE SACKS
THE
MYSTERY OF THE LOST BROTHER
THE
STORY OF MOSES, THE CHILD WHO WAS FOUND IN THE RIVER
THE
STORY OF THE GRAPES FROM CANAAN
THE
STORY OF GIDEON AND HIS THREE HUNDRED SOLDIERS
THE
STORY OF SAMSON, THE STRONG MAN
THE
STORY OF RUTH, THE GLEANER
THE
STORY OF DAVID
THE
SHEPHERD BOY
THE
STORY OF THE FIGHT WITH THE GIANT
THE
STORY OF THE CAVE OF ADULLAM
THE
STORY OF SOLOMON AND HIS TEMPLE
THE
STORY OF ELIJAH, THE PROPHET
THE
STORY OF JONAH AND THE WHALE
THE
STORY OF THE FIERY FURNACE
THE
STORY OF DANIEL IN THE LION'S DEN
THE
STORY OF THE ANGEL BY THE ALTAR
THE
STORY OF JESUS
THE
BABE OF BETHLEHEM
THE
STORY OF THE STAR AND THE WISE MEN
THE
STORY OF THE CHILD IN THE TEMPLE
THE
STORY OF THE WATER THAT WAS TURNED INTO WINE
THE
STORY OF THE STRANGER AT THE WELL
THE
STORY OF THE FISHERMEN
THE
STORY OF THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT
THE
STORY OF THE MIRACLE WORKER
THE
GOOD SHEPHERD AND THE GOOD SAMARITAN
THE
STORY OF THE PALM BRANCHES
THE
STORY OF THE BETRAYAL
THE
STORY OF THE EMPTY TOMB
THE
STORY OF THE MAN AT THE BEAUTIFUL GATE
THE
STORY OF STEPHEN, THE FIRST MARTYR
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