The Jews in ancient, mediaeval and modern times . dissensions offactions. Independence, won at such cost by thechildren of Mattathias, had been for many yearslost, when at length there went out a decree fromCaesar Augustus, the Roman arbiter of the Israel-itish destinies, that all the world should be taxed,and all went to be taxed every one into his owncity. From the town of Nazareth in Galilee a mannamed Joseph, with Mary his espoused wife, peoplepoor and simple, but of illustrious lineage, went upto Bethlehem of Judaea, to pay the tribute. Mary,being great with child, brought forth a son, an
The Jews in ancient, mediaeval and modern times . dissensions offactions. Independence, won at such cost by thechildren of Mattathias, had been for many yearslost, when at length there went out a decree fromCaesar Augustus, the Roman arbiter of the Israel-itish destinies, that all the world should be taxed,and all went to be taxed every one into his owncity. From the town of Nazareth in Galilee a mannamed Joseph, with Mary his espoused wife, peoplepoor and simple, but of illustrious lineage, went upto Bethlehem of Judaea, to pay the tribute. Mary,being great with child, brought forth a son, and be-cause there was no room for them in the inn, shewrapped this, her first-born, in swaddling clothes,and laid him in a manger. In the same countryshepherds watching their flocks by night had seengreat portents. While the glory of the Lord shoneabout them, an angel had announced tidings of greatjoy, the birth at last of the Saviour; and while theangels sang Glory to God in the highest, the shep-herds, departing, came with haste, and found Mary. 88 THE STORY OF THE JEWS. and Joseph, and the babe lying in the manger. Wisenien from the East, moreover, came, saying: Whereis he that is born king of the Jews, for we have seenhis star in the East, and have come to worship him ?and lo, the star which they saw in the East wentbefore them till it came and stood over where theyoung child was. When Herod, the tributary prince,who under Rome now ruled the country, heard ofthese things, he was sore troubled, feeling that hispower was threatened, and he slew all the childrenof Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from twoyears and under, hoping thus to destroy the new-born king; but Joseph, warned in a dream, had de-parted wnth the young child and his mother intoEgypt, where they remained until the death ofHerod made it safe to return. It is the most familiar of tales. The child whoselife had been preserved by the flight into Egypt, be-come a boy of twelve, is lost by his parents at Je
Size: 1257px × 1988px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, bookpublisherlo, booksubjectjews
