morning, very early, he arose and went to the den of lions, and cried
with a lamentable voice, "O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy
God able to deliver thee from the lions?" Then Daniel said, "O King,
live for ever. My God hath sent His angel and shut the lions'
mouths."
[Illustration: DANIEL AND THE LIONS.]
ESTHER BEFORE THE KING.
Ahasuerus reigned over the vast empire of Persia, and Esther, the
adopted daughter of a Jew named Mordecai, was Queen. None in the
palace knew she was a Jewess, for Mordecai had charged her not to make
it known. He abode in the king's palace, and was one of the king's
servants.
Ahasuerus promoted Haman, one of his courtiers, a cruel and wicked
man, to be over all his princes and officers; and all bowed down to
Haman and did him reverence except Mordecai, the Jew. Then was Haman
filled with wrath against Mordecai and his people, and obtained from
the king a decree ordering that all the Jews throughout his dominions
should be slain. Mordecai informed Queen Esther of this decree, and
bade her go to the king and plead for her people. Now it was one of
the laws of the palace that no one should approach the king in the
inner court unless he had been previously called; the penalty for not
obeying this law being death, unless the king should hold out the
golden sceptre to the offender so that he might live. Esther knew the
danger of approaching the king uncalled for, but she bade Mordecai to
gather the Jews so that they might spend three days in fasting and
prayer, while she and her maidens did the same, and, said she, "So
will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law, and if
I perish, I perish."
Esther went in. The king graciously held out the golden sceptre to
her, accepted her invitation to a banquet, and finally ordered the
wicked Haman to be hanged, and measures to be taken to preserve the
lives of the Jews.
[Illustration: ESTHER BEFORE THE KING.]
DAVID AND JONATHAN.
Jonathan was the son of Saul, the king. He loved David greatly, and
regretted that his father, through jealousy, sought David's life.
David, after the last attempt of Saul to smite him to the wall by a
javelin, fled away, and meeting with Jonathan said: "What have I done?
What is mine iniquity, and what is my sin before thy father that he
seeketh my life?"
Jonathan sympathised deeply with his friend, and tried to save him. He
promised to ascertain whether Saul fully intended to kill David, and,
if so, to inform him, that he might escape. Meantime David was to
remain in hiding, but on the third day Jonathan was to return with the
required information. Before they parted they entered into a solemn
covenant, one with the other, to remain firm friends during life; and
David promised to show kindness to Jonathan and his children, after
God should make him king.
At the time appointed, after ascertaining that Saul still sought
David's life, Jonathan went to the field where David lay concealed.
Jonathan took with him his bow and arrows and a little lad. Shooting
an arrow beyond the lad, he cried, "Make speed, haste, stay not!"
These words were intended as a warning to David to flee quickly. When
the lad had gone, David arose from his hiding place and came to
Jonathan, bowing three times before him. Then they kissed each other,
wept, and again pledged themselves to be faithful; after which David
fled, and Jonathan returned to the city.
* * * * *
End of Project Gutenberg's Mother Stories from the Old Testament, by Anonymous