Produced by David Widger





              THE DORE GALLERY OF BIBLE ILLUSTRATIONS

                  Illustrated by Gustave Dore

                          Volume 4.



DEATH OF SAUL.


Now the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men of Israel fled
from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gilboa. And the
Philistines followed hard upon Saul and upon his sons; and the
Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Melchshua, Saul's sons.

And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers hit him; and he
was sore wounded of the archers. Then said Saul unto his armourbearer,
Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised
come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not;
for he was sore afraid. Therefore, Saul took a sword, and fell upon it.
And when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise upon
his sword, and died with him.

So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armourbearer, and all his men,
that same day together.

And when the men of Israel that were on the other side of the valley, and
they that were on the other side Jordan, saw that the men of Israel fled,
and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook the cities, and fled;
and the Philistines came and dwelt in them. And it came to pass on the
morrow, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found
Saul and his three sons fallen in mount Gilboa. And they cut off his
head, and stripped off his armour, and sent into the land of the
Philistines round about, to publish it in the house of their idols, and
among the people. And they put his armour in the house of Ashtaroth and
they fastened his body to the wall of Beth-shan.

And when the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard of that which the
Philistines had done to Saul; all the valiant men arose, and went all
night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall
of Beth-shan, and came to Jabesh, and burnt them there. And they took
their bones, and buried them under a tree at Jabesh, and fasted seven
days. 1 Samuel xxxi.




THE DEATH OF ABSALOM.


And David numbered the people that were with him, and set captains of
thousands and captains of hundreds over them. And David set forth a third
part of the people under the hand of Joab, and a third part under the
hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, and a third part
under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said unto the people, I
will surely go forth with you myself also.

But the people answered, Thou shalt not go forth: for if we flee away,
they will not care for us; neither if half of us die, will they care for
us: but now thou art worth ten thousand of us: therefore now it is better
that thou succor us out of the city.

And the king said unto them, What seemeth you best I will do. And the
king stood by the gate side, and all the people came out by hundreds and
by thousands. And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying,
Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom. And all
the people heard when the king gave all the captains charge concerning
Absalom.

So the people went out into the field against Israel: and the battle was
in the wood of Ephraim; where the people of Israel were slain before the
servants of David, and there was there a great slaughter that day, of
twenty thousand men. For the battle was there scattered over the face of
all the country: and the wood devoured more people that day than the
sword devoured.

And Absalom met the servants of David. And Absalom rode upon a mule, and
the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak, and his head caught
hold of the oak, and he was taken up between the heaven and the earth;
and the mule that was under him went away.

And a certain man saw it, and told Joab, and said, Behold I saw Absalom
hanged in an oak.

And Joab said unto the man that told him, And, behold, thou sawest him,
and why didst thou not smite him there to the ground? and I would have
given thee ten shekels of silver, and a girdle.

And the man said unto Joab, Though I should receive a thousand shekels of
silver in mine hand, yet would I not put forth mine hand against the
king's son: for in our hearing the king charged thee and Abishai and
Ittai, saying, Beware that none touch the young man Absalom. Otherwise I
should have wrought falsehood against mine own life: for there is no
matter hid from the king, and thou thyself wouldst have set thyself
against me.

Then said Joab, I may not tarry thus with thee. And he took three darts
in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while he was
yet alive in the midst of the oak. And ten young men that bare Joab's
armor compassed about and smote Absalom, and slew him. And Joab blew the
trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel: for Joab
held back the people. And they took Absalom, and cast him into a great
pit in the wood, and laid a very great heap of stones upon him: and all
Israel fled every one to his tent.--2 Samuel xviii, 1-17.




DAVID MOURNING OVER ABSALOM.


Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok, Let me now run, and bear the king
tidings, how that the Lord hath avenged him of his enemies. And Joab said
unto him, Thou shalt not bear tidings this day, but thou shalt bear
tidings another day: but this day thou shalt bear no tidings, because the
king's son is dead. Then said Joab to Cushi, Go tell the king what thou
hast seen. And Cushi bowed himself unto Joab, and ran. Then said Ahimaaz
the son of Zadok yet again to Joab, But howsoever, let me, I pray thee,
also run after Cushi. And Joab said, Wherefore wilt thou run, my son,
seeing that thou hast no tidings ready? But howsoever, said he let me
run. And he said unto him, Run. Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain,
and overran Cushi.

And David sat between the two gates: and the watchman went up to the roof
over the gate unto the wall, and lifted up his eyes, and looked, and
behold a man running alone. And the watchman cried, and told the king.
And the king said, If he be alone, there is tidings in his mouth. And he
came apace, and drew near. And the watchman saw another man running: and
the watchman called unto the porter, and said, Behold another man running
alone. And the king said, He also bringeth tidings. And the watchman
said, Me thinketh the running of the foremost is like the running of
Ahimaaz the son of Zadok. And the king said, He is a good man, and cometh
with good tidings.

And Ahimaaz called, and said unto the king, All is well. And he fell down
to the earth upon his face before the king, and said, Blessed be the Lord
thy God, which hath delivereth up the men that lifted up their hand
against my lord the king. And the king said, Is the young man Absalom
safe? And Ahimaaz answered, When Joab sent the king's servant, and me thy
servant, I saw a great tumult, but I knew not what it was. And the king
said unto him, Turn aside, and stand here. And he turned aside, and stood
still.

And, behold, Cushi came; and Cushi said, Tidings, my lord the king: for
the Lord bath avenged thee this day of all them that rose up against
thee. And the king said unto Cushi, Is the young man Absalom safe? And
Cushi answered, The enemies of my lord the king, and all that rise
against thee to do thee hurt, be as that young man is.

And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate,
and wept: and as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son
Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!

And it was told Joab, Behold the king weepeth and mourneth for Absalom.
And the victory that day was turned into mourning unto all the people:
for the people heard say that day how the king was grieved for his son.
And the people gat them by stealth that day into the city, as people
being ashamed steal away when they flee in battle.

But the king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, O my
son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!--2 Samuel xviii, 19 33; xix, 1-4.




SOLOMON


And David took him more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem, after he
was come from Hebron: and there were yet sons and daughters born to
David. And these be the names of those that were born unto him in
Jerusalem; Shammuah, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon, Ibhar also, and
Elishua, and Nepheg, and Japhia, and Elishama, and Eliada, and
Eliphalet.--2 Samuel v. 13-16.

And David comforted Bath-sheba his wife, and went in unto her, and lay
with her: and she bare a son, and he called his name Solomon: and the
Lord loved him.--2 Samuel xii, 24.

So David slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David. And
the days that David reigned over Israel were forty years: seven years
reigned he in Hebron, and thirty and three years reigned he in Jerusalem.

Then sat Solomon upon the throne of David his father, and his kingdom was
established greatly.--1 Kings ii, 10-12.

And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and
largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore. And
Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east
country, and all the wisdom of Egypt. For he was wiser than all men; than
Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol:
and his fame was in all nations round about. And he spake three thousand
proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five. And he spake of trees,
from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon even unto the hyssop that
springeth out of the wall: he spake also of beasts, and of fowl, and of
creeping things, and of fishes. And there came of all people to hear the
wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, which had heard of his
wisdom.--2 Kings iv, 29-34.




THE JUDGMENT OF SOLOMON.


Then came there two women, that were harlots, unto the king, and stood
before him.

And the one woman said, O my lord, I and this woman dwell in one house;
and I was delivered of a child with her in the house. And it came to pass
the third day after that I was delivered, that this woman was delivered
also: and we were together; there was no stranger with us in the house,
save we two in the house. And this woman's child died in the night;
because she overlaid it. And she arose at midnight, and took my son from
beside me, while thine handmaid slept, and laid it in her bosom, and laid
her dead child in my bosom. And when I rose in the morning to give my
child suck, behold, it was dead: but when I had considered it in the
morning, behold, it was not my son, which I did bear.

And the other woman said, Nay; but the living is my son, and the dead is
thy son.

And this said, No; but the dead is thy son, and, the living is my son.

Thus they spake before the king.

Then said the king, The one saith, This is my son that liveth, and thy
son is the dead--and the other saith, Nay; but thy son is the dead, and
my son is the living. And the king said, Bring me a sword.

And they brought a sword before the king.

And the king said, Divide the living child in two, and give half to the
one, and half to the other.

Then spake the woman whose the living child was unto the king, for her
bowels yearned upon her son, and she said, O my lord, give her the living
child, and in no wise slay it.

But the other said, Let it be neither mine nor thine, but divide it.

Then the king answered and said, Give her the living child, and in no
wise slay it she is the mother thereof.

And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged; and they
feared the king: for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him, to do
judgment. 1 Kings iii, 16-28.




THE CEDARS DESTINED FOR THE TEMPLE.


And Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants unto Solomon; for he had heard
that they had anointed him king in the room of his father: for Hiram was
ever a lover of David.

And Solomon sent to Hiram, saying, Thou knowest how that David my father
could not build a house unto the name of the Lord his God for the wars
which were about him on every side, until the Lord put them under the
soles of his feet. But now the Lord my God hath given me rest on every
side, so that there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent. And, behold:
I purpose to build a house unto the name of the Lord my God, as the Lord
spake unto David my father, saying, Thy son, whom I will set upon thy
throne in thy room, he shall build a house unto my name. Now therefore
command thou that they hew me cedar trees out of Lebanon; and my servants
shall be with thy servants: and unto thee will I give hire for the
servants according to all that thou shalt appoint: for thou knowest that
there is not among us any that can skill to hew timber like unto the
Sidonians.

And it came to pass, when Hiram heard the words of Solomon, that he
rejoiced greatly and said, Blessed be the Lord this day, which hath given
unto David a wise son over this great, people. And Hiram sent to Solomon,
saying, I have considered the things which thou sentest to me for: and I
will do all thy desire concerning timber of cedar, and concerning timber
of fir: My servants shall bring them down from Lebanon unto the sea; and
I will convey them by sea in floats unto the place that thou shalt
appoint me, and will cause them to be discharged there, and thou shalt
receive them: and thou shalt accomplish my desire, in giving food for my
household.

So Hiram gave Solomon cedar trees and fir trees according to all his
desire.

And Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat for food to his
household and twenty measures of pure oil: thus gave Solomon to Hiram
year by year.

And the Lord gave Solomon wisdom, as he promised him: and there was peace
between Hiram and Solomon; and they two made a league together.

And king Solomon raised a levy out of all Israel; and the levy was thirty
thousand men. And he sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month by
courses: a month they were in Lebanon, and two months at home: and
Adoniram was over the levy. And Solomon had three score and ten thousand
that bare burdens, and fourscore thousand hewers in the mountains beside
the chief of Solomon's officers which were over the work, three thousand
and three-hundred, which ruled over the people that wrought in the work.
And the king commanded and they brought great stones, costly stones, and
hewed stones, to lay the foundation of the' house. And Solomon's
builders, and Hiram's builders did hew them, and the stone-squarers; so
they prepared timber and stones to build the house.--1 Kings v.




THE PROPHET SLAIN BY A LION.


Now there dwelt an old prophet in Bethel; and his sons came and told him
all the works that the man of God had done that day in Bethel: the words
which he had spoken unto the king, them they told also to their father.
And their father said unto them, What way went he? For his sons had seen
what way the man of God went, which came, from Judah. And he said unto
his sons, Saddle me the ass. So they saddled him the, ass: and he rode
thereon, and went after the man of God, and found him sitting under an
oak: and he said unto him, Art thou the man of God that camest from
Judah? And he said, I am. Then he said unto him, Come home with me, and
eat bread. And he, said, I may not return with thee, nor go in with thee:
neither will I eat bread nor drink water with thee in this place: for it
was said to me by the word of the Lord, Thou shalt eat no bread nor drink
water there, nor turn again to go by the way that thou camest. He said
unto him, I am a prophet also as thou art; and an angel spake unto me by
the word of the Lord, saying, Bring him back with thee into thine house,
that he may eat bread and drink water. But he lied unto him. So he went
back with him, and did eat bread in his house, and drank water.

And it came to pass, as they sat at the table, that the word of the Lord
came unto the prophet that brought him back: and he cried unto the man of
God that came from Judah, saying, Thus saith the Lord, Forasmuch as thou
hast disobeyed the mouth of the Lord, and hast not kept the commandment
which the Lord thy God commanded thee, but camest back, and hast eaten
bread and drunk water in the place, of the which the Lord did say to
thee, Eat no bread, and drink no water; thy carcass shall not come unto
the sepulchre of thy fathers.

And it came to pass, after he had eaten bread, and after he had drunk,
that he saddled for him the ass, to wit, for the prophet whom he had
brought back.

And when he was gone, a lion met him by the way, and slew him: and his
carcass was cast in the way, and the ass stood by it, the lion also stood
by the carcass.

And, behold, men passed by, and saw the carcass cast in the way, and the
lion standing by the carcass: and they came and told it in the city where
the old prophet dwelt. And when the prophet that brought him back from
the way heard thereof, he said, It is; the man of God, who was
disobedient unto the word of the Lord: therefore the Lord hath delivered
him unto the lion, which hath torn him, and slain him, according to the
word of the Lord, which he spake unto him. And he spake to his sons,
saying, Saddle me the ass. And they saddled him.

And he went and found his carcass cast in the way, and the ass and the
lion standing by the carcass: the lion had not eaten the carcass, nor
torn the ass.--2 Kings xiii, II-28.




ELIJAH DESTROYING THE MESSENGERS OF AHAZIAH.


And Ahaziah fell down through a lattice in his upper chamber that was in
Samaria, and was sick: and he sent messengers, and said unto them, Go,
enquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron whether I shall recover of this
disease.

But the angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, Arise, go up to
meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say unto them, Is it not
because there is not a God in Israel, that 'ye go to enquire of
Baal-zebub the god of Ekron? Now therefore thus saith the Lord, Thou;
shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt
surely die. And Elijah departed.

And when the messengers turned back unto him, he said unto them, Why are
ye now turned back? And they said unto him, There came a man up to meet
us, and said unto us, Go, turn again unto the king that sent you, and say
unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Is it not because there is not a God in
Israel, that thou sendest to enquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron?
therefore thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone
up, but shalt surely die. And he said unto them, What manner of man was
he which came up to meet you, and told you these words? And they answered
him, He was an hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his
loins. And he said, It is Elijah the Tishbite.

Then the king sent unto him a captain of fifty with his fifty. And he
went up to him and, behold, he sat on the top of an hill. And he spake
unto him, Thou man of God, the king hath said, Come down. And Elijah
answered and said to the captain of fifty, If I be a man of God, then let
fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And there
came down fire from heaven and consumed him and his fifty.

Again also he sent unto him another captain of fifty with his fifty. And
he answered and said unto him, O man of God, thus hath the king said,
Come down quickly. And Elijah answered and said unto them, If I be a man
of God, let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty.
And the fire of God came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty.

And he sent again a captain of the third fifty with his fifty. And the
third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before
Elijah, and besought him, and said unto him, O man of God, I pray thee,
let my life, and the life of these fifty thy servants, be precious in thy
sight. Behold, there came fire down from heaven, and burnt up the two
captains of the former fifties with their fifties: therefore let my life
now be precious in thy sight.

And the angel of the lord said unto Elijah, Go down with him: be not
afraid of him. And he arose, and went down with him unto the king. And he
said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Forasmuch as thou hast sent
messengers to enquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron, is it not because
there is no God in Israel to enquire of his word? therefore thou shalt
not come down off that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely
die.

So he died according to the word of the Lord which Elijah had spoken.--2
Kings i, 2-17.




ELIJAH'S ASCENT IN A CHARIOT OF FIRE.


And it came to pass, when the Lord would take up Elijah into heaven by a
whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. And Elijah said unto
Elisha, Tarry here, I pray thee; for the Lord hath sent me to Beth-el.
And Elisha said unto him, As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I
will not leave thee. So they went down to Beth-el.

And the sons of the prophets that were at Beth-el came forth to Elisha,
and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Lord will take away thy master
from thy head to-day? And he said, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace.
And Elijah said unto him, Elisha, tarry here, I pray thee; for the Lord
hath sent me to Jericho. And he said, As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul
liveth, I will not leave thee. So they came to Jericho.

And the sons of the prophets that were at Jericho came to Elisha, and
said unto him, Knowest thou that the Lord will take away thy master from
thy head to-day? And he answered, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace. And
Elijah said unto him, Tarry, I pray thee, here; for the Lord hath sent me
to Jordan. And he said, As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I
will not leave thee. And they two went on.

And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went, and stood to view afar
off and they two stood by Jordan.

And Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and smote the
waters, and they were divided hither and thither, so that they two went
over on dry ground.

And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto
Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee.
And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon
me. And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see
me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it
shall not be so.

And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold,
there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them
both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.--2 Kings ii,
I-II.




THE DEATH OF JEZEBEL.


And when Jehu was come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she painted
her face, and tired her head, and looked out at a window. And as Jehu
entered in at the gate, she said, Had Zimri peace, who slew his master?

And he lifted up his face to the window, and said, Who is on my side?
who? And there looked out to him two or three eunuchs. And he said, Throw
her down. So they threw her down: and some of her blood was sprinkled on
the wall, and on the horses and he trod her under foot. And when he was
come in, he did eat and drink, and said, Go, see now this cursed woman,
and bury her: for she is a king's daughter. And they went to bury her:
but they found no more of her than the skull, and the feet, and the palms
of her hands. Wherefore they came again, and told him. And he said, This
is the word of the Lord, which he spake by his servant Elijah the
Tishbite, saying, In the portion of Jezreel shall dogs eat the flesh of
Jezebel: and the carcass of Jezebel shall be as dung upon the face of the
field in the portion of Jezreel; so that they shall not say, This is
Jezebel.--2 Kings ix, 30-37.




ESTHER CONFOUNDING HAMAN.


So the king and Haman came to banquet with Esther the queen.

And the king said again unto Esther on the second day at the banquet of
wine What is thy petition, queen Esther? and it shall be granted thee:
and what is thy request? and it shall be performed, even to the half of
the kingdom.

Then Esther the queen answered and said, If I have found favor in thy
sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be given me at my
petition, and my people at my request: for we are sold, I and my people,
to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been sold for
bondmen and bondwomen, I had held my tongue although the enemy could not
countervail the king's damage.

Then the king Ahasuerus answered and said unto Esther the queen, Who is
he, and where is he, that durst presume in his heart to do so?

And Esther said, The adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman.

Then, Haman was afraid before the king and the queen. And the king
arising from the banquet of wine in his wrath went into the palace
garden: and Haman stood up to make request for his life to Esther the
queen; for he saw that there was evil determined against him by the king.

Then the king returned out of the palace garden into the place of the
banquet of wine; and Haman was fallen upon the bed whereon Esther was.
Then said the king, Will he force the queen also before me in the house?

As the word went out of the king's mouth, they covered Haman's face. And
Harbonah, one of the chamberlains, said before the king, Behold also, the
gallows fifty cubits high, which Haman had made for Mordecai, who had
spoken good for the king, standeth in the house of Haman. Then the king
said, Hang him thereon.

So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai.
Then was the king's wrath pacified.--Esther vii.