they were
so old that their names were only to be found in ancient books; even
the very language spoken by some of these nations had been forgotten by
all save the learned scribes of Babylonia and Assyria.

And yet we find these names accurately given in Genesis; had they been
missing from its pages, the Bible would give us no true idea of the
beginnings of history. Remember this when next you are tempted to feel
impatient at the awkward syllables.

Again, in Genesis xiv. we read the names of the kings who governed nine
nations in the time of Abraham, and of how they fought together '_four
kings with five_' (verse 9) three hundred years before Moses was born.

Until a very few years ago the Bible was the only Book that told us
about these ancient kings and kingdoms.

And people said, 'The man who wrote that chapter did not really know
anything; he just collected a pack of old stories that had been
repeated over and over again with so many exaggerations and alterations
that at last there was scarcely a word of truth left in them.'

Since this foolish conclusion was arrived at many new discoveries have
been made, the broken fragments of old tablets have been pieced
together and read, and the names of all the nine kings brought to light
once more.

Certain it is that Moses, with the help of the writings which we now
know must have existed in his time, would have but little difficulty in
writing those parts of Genesis which tell us the history of some of the
most ancient nations of the world. For when God gives a man some work
to do, He always helps him to do it. To those who really trust Him,
and have patience to work on, the help they need always comes, the
difficult path is made smooth. This has been the experience of God's
servants in all times.

[Illustration: PORTRAIT AND WRITING OF AMRAPHEL, KING OF SHINAR, IN
ABRAHAM'S TIME]

Many letters and books belonging to the reign of '_Amraphel_[1] _king
of Shinar_' (Genesis xiv. 1) have lately been found. He was one of the
wisest heathen kings who ever lived, and the writings of his times are
very interesting, because they bring us quite back to the days of
Abraham.

Amraphel kept written records describing the splendid temples he built,
and a great embankment which he made to keep the river Tigris from
flooding his people's cornfields; but the wisest thing he did was to
collect and write out a long list of all the laws by which he governed
the land of Shina