done by night as well as by day. On these wide pastures there were no
sheepfolds into which the animals could be securely herded as on the
settled farms. They slept on the ground, under the open sky, and the
shepherds, like those in Bethlehem, in the story of Jesus' birth, had
to keep "watch over their flocks by night." So long as no enemies
appeared there was in such an occupation plenty of time in which to
think and dream of God and man and love and duty. Very often, however,
the dreamer's reveries were interrupted, and at such times there was
no lack of excitement.

=Wild beasts.=--There were more beasts of prey in Arabia in those days
than there are to-day. In addition to wolves and bears, there were
many lions, which are not now found anywhere in the world except in
Africa. So the sheepmen had to go well armed, with clubs, swords, and
spears. We would want a high-powered rifle if we were in danger of
facing a lion. The Hebrews defended their flocks against these
powerful and vicious beasts with only the simplest weapons. Such
fights were anything but monotonous.

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| [Illustration: A DARIC, OR PIECE OF MONEY COINED BY DARIUS, ONE |
| OF THE EARLIEST SPECIMENS OF COINED MONEY] |
| |
| [Illustration: ANCIENT HEBREW WEIGHTS FOR BALANCES] |
| |
| [Illustration: HEBREW DRY AND LIQUID MEASURES] |
| |
| Cuts on this page used by permission of the Palestine Exploration |
| Fund. |
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