eBook
Available on Compatible NOOK devices, the free NOOK App and in My Digital Library.
Related collections and offers
Overview
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781491840184 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | AuthorHouse |
| Publication date: | 12/18/2013 |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| Pages: | 30 |
| File size: | 2 MB |
Read an Excerpt
Animals of the Old Testament
By Janet K. Warren, Illustrated by Beth Zyglowicz
AuthorHouse LLC
Copyright © 2014 Janet K. WarrenAll rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4918-4017-7
CHAPTER 1
Animals of the Old Testament
"And God made the beast of the earth according to its kind, cattle according to its kind, and everything that creeps on the earth according to its kind. And God saw that it was good." GENISIS 1:25
Miriam the Dove and Noah
A very long time ago, in fact it was well over 2000 years ago; there lived a lovely little white dove named Miriam.
Miriam lived in the beautiful olive tree behind the home of Noah and his wife Emzara. Every day Noah or Emzara would set out seeds to feed Miriam and often, they would chat with Miriam. They spoke of how disappointed they were with everyone they met. Everyone was so very wicked and did not pray to God every day, like they did.
Both Noah and Emzara were very kind people and would even pray in their garden when the weather was good. Miriam liked to hear their prayers and knew how kind and wonderful God was.
One day, Noah told Miriam of a flood that God was sending and that he had been asked by God to build a huge ship called an ark. God had told Noah that the ark must be big enough for all of his family and two of every kind of animal in the world. Noah asked if Miriam would help him to gather the animals when it was time to load the ark.
Miriam knew that this was a very important job and now, Miriam had Ezra, who was a mate for her. Ezra was also very kind and gentle and Noah told Miriam how happy he was to have Ezra helping Miriam to gather the animals, when the ark was ready.
Miriam had also met the three strong sons of Noah and Emzara. Ham, Shem and Japheth were going to help with the building of the huge ark. Miriam knew how very happy God would be to have all of them building the ark. Ham, Shem and Japheth and their wives would also be on the ark with Noah and Emzara as well as Miriam and Ezra.
It was a lot of work to build something so big, but all of them worked very hard every day except Sunday, while Miriam and Ezra flew overhead and watched. Just as Noah and his sons were finishing the ark, Miriam heard God tell Noah that the rain would start very soon and would not stop for forty days and forty nights. God told them that they would all be safe and dry on the ark.
While Noah and his family were gathering food and water, Miriam and Ezra began to gather the animals. All the animals were very happy to be chosen to be on the ark and were all very kind to each other. From the largest elephant to the tiniest ant, Miriam and Ezra brought animals from every corner of the earth. The animals walked, flew, hopped or slithered their way onto the ark, just as the rain began to fall.
When Miriam and Ezra made sure that Noah and his family, all the food and water and all the pairs of animals were aboard the ark, there was a mighty crash, as God himself closed the ark door, ready for the flood. That was when the rain got very heavy.
Just as God had told Noah, it rained for forty days and forty nights and all of the land disappeared, even the tallest mountains. Every creature, large and small, was warm and dry in the ark. Even when God sent the strong winds to dry up the earth, all of God's creatures were safe aboard the ark.
One day, the ark finally stopped floating and everyone knew that soon, there would be land and that everyone would be able to leave the ark. It was soon after that that Noah called on Miriam again for help. He asked her to fly out and see if it was safe to leave the ark yet. Miriam brought back an olive branch and Noah knew that very soon it would be time to leave the ark.
Sometime later, Noah sent Miriam out again, but this time asked Ezra to go with her and when they did not return, Noah knew that they had found somewhere to land and build a nest. It was time for everyone to leave the ark and find a new home!
The same as the animals came onto the ark, they left, two by two, walking, crawling, flying and slithering. The sun shone down brightly and everyone was happy to see the bright new world that was clean and fresh.
Noah and his family built an altar and as they all knelt down and thanked God for keeping them safe and dry on the ark, Miriam and Ezra flew down to pray with them. They all thanked God for bringing them through the rain to this beautiful new world.
Khu the Cat and Moses
"But when she could no longer hide him, she took an ark of bulrushes for him, daubed it with asphalt and pitch, put the child in it, and laid it in the reeds by the river's bank" EXODUS 2:3
A very long time ago, in fact it was well over 2000 years ago; there lived a curious little Egyptian kitten named Khu.
Khu was a beautiful spotted Egyptian kitten that lived in a palace with the pharaoh's daughter. The name Khu means protected and the princess did her best to keep Khu protected. Unfortunately, Khu liked to sneak out of the palace and scamper through the long grass.
One day, Khu had snuck out of the palace and was prancing through the long grass by the river Nile. The princess was looking for her. Khu didn't care because it was just so nice to be out of the palace in the fresh air. As Khu got right down by the river Nile, she was discovered by a young girl. The girl stroked Khu's soft, furry back, but she was watching something in the water. Khu then heard a quiet cry, like a baby!
Khu ran off to try to find out where the sound was coming from. That was when the princess discovered Khu. As the princess picked Khu up, the princess also heard the cry of the baby!
The princess ordered one of her servants to walk into the river Nile to find the baby. The baby was tucked in a basket floating on the river. The princess was so excited when her servant brought the basket with the baby back to her! The princess sat down on the edge of the river with the basket. Khu jumped in the basket and curled up next to the baby. The princess was sure that Khu and the baby would be friends forever.
Khu heard the princess ask the servant to find someone to look after the baby until he was old enough to come to the palace. That's when the girl stepped out of the tall grass and told the princess her name was Miriam.
Miriam said she knew someone who would be very happy to look after the baby and return him to the princess at the palace. The princess asked Miriam to get her right away.
While Miriam was gone, Khu heard the princess tell the servants about her father, the pharaoh, who ordered that all baby boys be killed. The princess told them that this baby would be safe and she would not let anything happen to him.
Miriam returned and introduced Jochebed, her mother. Jochebed leaned into the basket and Khu heard her tell the baby she was so happy he was safe! Jochebed said she was so very happy that her son had been found by the daughter of the Pharaoh because he would be well looked after for the rest of his life.
The princess told Jochebed that the baby would be called Moses and that Jochebed was to take the Moses and Khu and look after them both until they could be returned to her to live in the palace.
Jochebed and Miriam returned home carrying Moses and Khu in the basket. What a day it had been! Khu had been able to escape the palace and find a new special friend.
For three years, Jochebed carefully looked after both Moses and Khu. Moses and Khu became great friends and Khu followed Moses wherever he went and slept with him whenever he slept.
It was a very sad day when Jochebed had to take Moses and Khu to the palace. Moses was a beautiful little boy, very strong and wise. Khu was a beautiful cat, with lovely spots and very soft and silky fur. The two were always together.
Jochebed walked very slowly to the palace holding Moses' hand, with Khu following very closely behind. As they walked, Jochebed told Moses the story of the basket in the river Nile and why she had done what she had done. Jochebed said that she knew that it was God himself sent the princess to find Moses.
As Jochebed, Moses and Khu reached the palace; the princess came running out to meet them. She was so excited that Moses was now going to live with her. The princess was also very excited to see Khu again.
The princess thanked Jochebed for bringing Moses to her, and Khu watched as a very sad Jochebed turned to go home, while a very happy princess returned to the palace with Moses followed by Khu. Khu knew that it was a kind and gentle God that would keep them safe.
Khu the protected had now become the protector of Moses!
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Animals of the Old Testament by Janet K. Warren, Illustrated by Beth Zyglowicz. Copyright © 2014 Janet K. Warren. Excerpted by permission of AuthorHouse LLC.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.