The History of the Bible, Joshua – Ruth
IOSHVA.
Q. What gouernour had the children of Iſrael after they came out of Egypt?
A. Captaines.
Q. How many captaines had they?
A. Two: Moſes and Ioſhua.
Q. What did Moſes?
A. He brought them out of Egypt into the wilderneſſe.
Q. What did Ioſhua?
A. He brought them out of the wilderneſſe into the land of Canaan.
Q. What called you this booke?
A. Ioſhua.
Q. Why is it ſo called?
A. Becauſe it containeth the gouernment of Ioſhua.
Q. What is the ſubſtance of this booke?
A. The eſtate of the childrenof Iſrael after the death of Moſes, til they were eſtabliſhed in the land of Canaan.
Q. How many things muſt we conſider in this booke?
A. Three, Ioſhua his calling, his acts, and his death.
Q. Who called him?
chapter 1 A. God.
Q. What to do?
A. To gouerne his people.
Q. What charge gaue he him?
A. To do all things which he commanded, and only thoſe.
Q. Did he ſo?
A. Yes.
Q. How did God bleſſe them?
A. chapter 2 The people obeyed him. chapter 3 They paſſed Iordan dri-ſhod. chapter 4 The people beeing ſore with circumciſiō, their enemies durſt not ſtirre againſt them. chapter 5 The wals of Iericho fell downe, no man touching them.
Q. How are his acts diuided?
A. Into his acts of warre, and his acts of peace.
chapter 2 Q. What were his acts of war?
A. He ſent out two men to ſpie Iericho, and as they were ſpying, the men of the citie ſought to kill them.
Q. How eſcaped they?
A. By the meanes of an harlot named Rahab.
Q. When they departed what did they?
A. She made them ſweare that they would ſpare her and all her houſhold at the deſtruſtruction of the citie.
Q. How did they get out of the citie?
A. She let them downe by a cord through a window.
Q. What ſigne did they giuegive her of her deliuerance?
A. They bidde her bind acord of red threed in the window, through which ſhee let them downe.
Q. Whither went they then?
A. They returned to Ioſhua.
Q. What newes brought they?
A. That all the inhabitants of the Land fainted becauſe of Iſrael.
Q. What did Ioſhua then?
chapter 4 A. Hee bad them ſet vp 12. ſtones in Iordan, and as many in Gilgal, for a memoriall to their poſteritie.
Q. What did the Lord then?
A. He commanded Ioſhua to circumciſe eueryevery man childe of the children of Iſrael.
Q. What did Ioſhua then?
chapter 5 A. Hee made him ſharpe kniues as he was commaunded, and circumciſed all the men children that were borne in thewildernes ſince their comming out of Egypt, for they did not circumciſe any by the way.
Q. Where were the children of Iſrael when they were circumciſed?
A. At Gilgal.
Q. What befell there elſe?
A. Manna ceaſed, and they did eate of the fruite of the land of Canaan.
Q. What Did Ioſhua then?
chapter 6 A. He ouerthrewe Iericho, and burnt it with fire, onelyonly the gold and ſiluer, with braſſe and yron, were conſecrated to the Lord.
Q. After what manner was Iericho taken?
A. The arke of God compaſſed it ſixe daies, eueryevery day once, and the ſeauenth day the Prieſts carried it about the citie ſeauen times, and the men ofwarre went before the arke, & all the hoaſt followed, & when they had compaſſed the citie ſeauen times, and the Prieſts had blowne with their trumpers of Rammes hornes ſeauen times, the people ſhouted with a loud voice, & then the walles of the citie fell down flatte, and they went vp into the citie, and ſlew the inhabitants with the edge of the ſword.
Q. Were all the inhabitants destroycd?
A. No: Rahab, her father, mother, and children, with all that ſhe had were preſerued.
Q. Whither went they then?
chapter 7 A. Ioſhua ſent three thouſand men to take Ai.
Q. Did they take it?
A. No: for the men of Ai ſlew 36. of them, and put the reſt to flight.
Q. What was the cauſe they ſlew them and put them to flight?
A. Becauſe Achan tooke of the Excommunicate things, therefore the Lord was angrie, and ſuffered their men not to hauehave the victorie.
Q. What had he taken?
A. A Babiloniſh garment, 200. ſhekels of ſiluer, and a wedge of gold of 50. ſhekels weight.
Q. How was he puniſhed for it?
A. All the children of Iſrael ſtoned him to death.
Q. What did Ioſhua then?
chapter 8 A. He went to Ai, and tooke all the men of warre with him.
Q. What did he when he came thither?
A. He ſent 500. men to lie in wait on the back ſide of the citie, and hee and all the reſtof the people came before the citie.
Q. What did Ioſhua and his people in the battell?
A. They fled before them as they did at firſt, which they perceiuing came all out of the citie and purſued.
Q. What did Ioſhua then?
A. He ſtretched out his ſpeare that was in his hand towards Ai, according as he had giuen notice to them that lay on the backe-ſide of the citie, and they aroſe and came to the citie & ſet it on fire: and when the men of the citie looked backe and ſawe their citie on fire, they were greatly afraid: then Ioſhua and the children of Iſrael which fledde, returned and ſlewe the men of Ai. Alſo the other iſſued out of the citie againſt them onthe other ſide, and let none of them eſcape.
Q. What was the number of thoſe that were ſlaine?
A. Twelue thouſand, euen all the men of Ai.
Q. What did he with the cattell and ſpoyle thereof?
A. They tooke it to themfelues for a pray.
Q. What did Ioſhua then to the citie?
A. He burnt it, & made it an heape for euer, and a wilderneſſe to this daie.
Q. What did he with the king thereof?
A. He hanged him on a tree.
Q. VVhat did Ioſhuah then?
A. Hee built an altar to the Lord, and wrote a rehearſall of the Law, and read it in the preſence of all the children of Iſrael.
Q. What befell then?
chapter 9 A. Many kings aſſembled together to fight againſt Ioſhua.
Q. Did none of the inhabitants of the land make peace with them?
A. Yes: the Gibeonites.
Q. What did they?
A. They tooke old bottles and wine, and mouldie bread, and put on old ſhooes, and old raiment, and came to Ioſhua, and ſaid, they were come from a far countrie to make a league with them, and Ioſhua made a league with them.
Q. What did Ioſhua when he knew their craft?
A. He commanded them to perpetuall ſlauerie.
Q. What did the fiue kings of the Amorites when they heard that the Gibeonites had made aleague with them?
chapter 10 A. They gathered themſelues together and made war againſt them.
Q. What did the Gibeonites?
A. They ſent to Ioſhua to pray him to come and deliuer them.
Q. What did Ioſhua?
A. He aſcended from Gilgal all that night, and all the men of war with him, & came vponupon them ſuddenly, and diſcomfited them, and they fledde towards Bethoron.
Q. What did the Lord then?
A. He did caſt downe great ſtones vponupon them from heauen vntill Azekah, and there were more ſlain with hailſtones then with the ſword.
Q. What did Ioſhua then?
A. He badde the Sun ſtandſtill in Gibeon, and the Moone in the valley of Ailon vntil they had auenged thēſelues on their enemies, and that was the longeſt day that euer was.
Q. What became of the fiue kings of the Amorites?
A. They fledde to Makkedah and hid themſelues in a caue.
Q. What did Ioſhuah when he knew it?
A. He bad men roule great ſtones to the mouth of the Caue, and he ſet men to keepe them, and hee bad the reſt followe after their enemies, and not ſuffer them to enter into their cities, and they ſmote them with an exceeding great ſlaughter: then they returned to Gilgal.
Q. What was done when they returned?
A. The fiue Kings were brought out of the caue.
Q. What did Ioſhua to them?
A. Hee commaunded his chiefe men of warre to come and ſet their feete vponupon them, and they did ſo: Afterwards hee ſlewe them, and hanged them on fiue ſeuerall trees vntill the Sunne went downe, then hee tooke them downe, and caſt them into the caue, and laid greate ſtones vponupon the caues mouth, which remaine till this day.
Q. What did Ioſhua then?
A. Hee ouercame many cities, and deſtroyed three kings more, and he ſlew the inhabitants, thē he returned to Gilgal.
Q. What did the reſt of the kings when they heard of this?
A. They gathered themſelues together, and came and pitched at the waters of Merom to fight againſt Iſrael.
Q. What did the Lord then?
A. He bad Ioſhua not bee afraid of them, hee would deliuer them all ſlaine before him, and he ſhould hough their horſes and burne their Chariots with fire.
Q. VVhat did Ioſhua then?
A. He and all the men of war came ſuddenly out and ſmote them, vntill there were none of them remaining.
Q. Did Ioſhua deſtroy their cities?
A. No, he deſtroyed none of the cities ſaue onelyonly Hazor: which he burnt with fire, but he houghed their horſes, and Surnt their chariots with fire, as the Lord had told him.
Q. Did the inhabitants of Canaan make peace with the Children of Iſrael & the Gibeonites?
A. No.
Q. Why did they not make peace with them?
A. Becauſe the Lord hardened their hearts to the end they ſhould come to battell againſt the children of Iſrael, and they might vtterly deſtroy them.
Q. What did Ioſhua then?
A. He deſtroyed the Anakims out of the land of Iſrael, onelyonly in Azzah, Gath, and Aſndod they were left.
Q. How many kingdomes did the children of Iſrael ouercome in all?
chapter 12 A. Thirtie and one.
Q. When the children of Iſrael had ouercome their enemies, what did Ioſhua?
chapters 13,14,&c. A. He denided the land by lots: he appointed cities of refuge: he gaue cities to Leuites. He ſent back Ruben, Gad, and halfe the tribe of Manaſſes.
Q. VVhat did Ioſhua at his death?
chapter 13 A. He gathered the children of Iſrael together, and exhorted them not to ioyne with the Gentiles, vowing that whatſoeuer they did, he & his houſe would ſerue the Lord.
Q. What became of Ioſhua then?
A. He died.
Q. How old was he when he died?
A. One hundred and tenne yeares.
Finis Ioſhuae.
IVDGES.
Q. After the death of Ioſhua what gouernement had the children of Iſrael?
A. Iudges.
Q. What is the ſubſtance of this booke?
A. The eſtate of the children of Iſrael in the land of Canaan, after the death of Ioſhua.
Q. How is it deuided?
A. Into three parts: their ſinnes; their oppreſſours; and their deliuerers.
Q. What were their ſinnes?
A. Contempt of religion, Idolatrie, theft, and whoredome.
Q. Who were their oppreſſours?
A. The Aramites, Philiſtims, Midianites, Moabites, Cananites, and Ammonites.
Q. How long were they oppreſſed?
A. One hundred and eleuen yeare.
Q. What did they beeing oppreſſed?
A. They cried vntounto the Lord, and he ſent them deliuerers.
Q. Rehearſe their names?
A. Otheniel, Ehud, Shamgar, Deborah, Barack, Gedeon, Abimeleck, Tola, Iaer, Iptah, Ibſau, Elon, Abdon, Sampſon, Eli, and Samuel.
Q. How many yeares did God giuegive them Iudges?
A. Three hundred & thirtie nine yeares vntill Samuel.
Q. Why then doth Paul in the thirteenth of the Acts ſay, that God gaue them Iudges 450. yeares?
A. He reckeneth the Iudges and oppreſſours together whoſe yeares added together make 450.
Q. Out of whoſe hands did Otheniel deliuer them?
A. The Aramites, ch. 3.10.
Q. Out of whoſe hands did Ehud deliuer them?
A. The Moabites.
Q. Out of whoſe handes did Shamgar deliuer them?
A. The Philiſtims.
Q. Out of whoſe hands did Dehora and Barack deliuer them?
A. The Cananites, chap. 4.
Q. Out of whoſe hands did Gideon deliuer them?
A. The Midianites, chap. 6.7.8.
Q. What is recorded of Abimeleck?
A. He vſurped the kingdom, and ſlue 70. of his brethren vpō a ſtone, chap. 9.
Q. What befell to him then?
A. A woman with a peece of a milſtone brake his brainepanne.
Q. What did he then?
A. He commanded his page,his armour-bearer to thruſt him through, that it might not bee ſaide that a woman had killed him.
Q. What is recorded of Tola and laer?
A. There is no mention of any notable acts done by them, cap. 10.
Q. Out of whoſe handes did Iphtah deliuer them?
A. The Ammorites: he offered his daughter in ſacrifice to God, and ouercame 42000. Ephramites. cap. 11.12.
Q. What did Ibſan, Elon, and Abdon?
A. They gouerned quietly.
Q. Out of whoſe handes did Sampſon deliuer them?
A. The Philiſtims. ca. 13.14.
Q. Rehearſe Sampſons acts?
A. He ſlue a Lyon, hee ſlue 30. Philiſtims for 30. chargeof garmēts: he burnt their corn: he ſlue four thouſand men with the iaw bone of anaſſe: he carried away the gates of Azzah: he ſlew moe at his death, then he did in all his life.
Q. By what ſmall meanes did God bring theſe things to paſſe?
A. Ehud beeing lame of his right hand, ſlue Eglon the fatte King with a Dagger of a cubit long. Shamgar ſlue fixe hundred Philiſtims with an Oxe goad: Iael a woman killed Siſera with a hammer and a pin: Gedeon ouercame an hoaſt of men with broken Pot-ſheardes and Rams hornes. There is no mention made of Eli and Samuel in this booke, but in the booke of Samuel.
Finis Iud.
Ruth.
Q. What call you the next booke?
A Ruth.
Q. Why is it ſo called?
A. Becauſe ſhe is the perſon that is principally handled there.
Q. How is it deuided?
A. Into two parts: Naomies and Ruths afflictions, and their proſperitie.
Q. Of what countrie was Ruth?
chapter 1 A. Of Moab.
Q. Who was her huſband?
A. Chilion of Bethlem in Iudah.
Q. How came he into Moab?
A. There was a famine in Iſrael, and ſo his father Elimeleck tooke his two ſons, Mahlon and Chilion, and Naomie his wife, and went and ſoiournedin the countrie of Moab, where Elimeleck died: then his ſonnes took them wiues, the name of Mahlons wife was Orpah, and the name of Chilions wife was Ruth.
Q. What befell to them in the land of Moab?
A. Elimeleck and his two ſonnes died.
Q. What did Naomie then?
A. She returned into the land of Iudah.
Q. Why did ſhe returne?
A. Becauſe ſhe heard ſay that the Lord had viſited her people in plentie and giuen them bread.
Q. What companie had ſhe with her?
A. Her two daughters in law, Orpah and Ruth, but Orpah went back againe.
Q. Why did not Ruth returnewith her ſiſter?
A. Shee would not leaue her mother in law, but ſaid, Whither thou goeſt thither wil I go, and where thou dwelleſt, there will I dwell; thy people ſhal be my people, and thy God my God.
chapter 5 Q. How did God bleſſe her?
A. Shee was married to a rich man named Booz: of him came Chriſt.
Finis Ruth.