“Who were the Samaritans?”……Answer: The Samaritans occupied the country formerly belonging to the tribe of Ephraim and the half-tribe of Manasseh. The capital of the country was Samaria, formerly a large and splendid city. When the ten tribes were carried away into captivity to Assyria, the king of Assyria sent people from Cutha, Ava, Hamath, […]

Shechem, Sichem, Sychem, Sychar [ShÔöÇ├┤’chem]-SHOULDER. 1. A son of Hamor, a Hivite prince-"a prince of the country"-that is, of Shechem. It is not certain whether the Levitical city was named after the son of Hamor, or whether he was named after the city (Gen. 33:18, 19, 34; Josh. 24:32; Judg. 9:28). The Man Who Disgraced […]

Shem, Sem [ShÔöÇ├▓m,SÔöÇ├▓m]-renown, or name. …A son of Noah, and ancestor of Christ (Gen. 5:32). From his name, it is to be inferred that Shem was a distinguished person. The men of Babel sought to make themselves a name (Gen. 11:4) and become, thereby, rivals of Shem. The greatness of Shem arose from the fact […]

Saul His name means: “The One Asked For, Requested” His work: As Israel’s first king, his role was to unite the tribes of Israel against their enemies and to begin the process of establishing Israel as a monarchy. …His character: Though his reign began well, Saul failed to live up to his calling, trusting himself […]

“Who were the scribes that often argued with Jesus?”……Answer:Scribes in ancient Israel were learned men whose business was to study the Law, transcribe it, and write commentaries on it. They were also hired on occasions when the need for a written document arose or when an interpretation of a legal point was needed. Ezra, "a […]

Samuel His name means: “The Name of God” His work: Priest, prophet, and judge, Samuel helped transform Israel from a nation led by charismatic figures called “judges” to one ruled by kings, who were to exercise their authority not as other kings did, but as men who belonged to God. He anointed Israel’s first two […]

“What should we learn from the life of Sarah?”……Answer: Sarai began her life in the pagan world of Ur, in the land of the Chaldees, which was located in the area now known as Iraq. She was the half-sister, as well as the wife, of Abram who would become Abraham. They had the same father, […]