The Jubilee Cycle possessed only by the Hebrews--High Estimation of Daniel and his Companions entertained by Nebuchadnezzar--Due possibly to Daniel's Knowledge of Luni-solar Cycles--Cycles in Daniel's Prophecy--2300 Years and 1260 Years as Astronomical Cycles--Early Astronomical Progress of the Babylonians much overrated--Yet their Real Achievements not Small--Limitations of the Babylonian--Freedom of the Hebrew 337 BOOK IV THREE ASTRONOMICAL MARVELS CHAPTER I. JOSHUA'S LONG DAY METHOD OF STUDYING THE RECORD--To be discussed as it stands--An early Astronomical Observation. BEFORE THE BATTLE--Movements of the Israelites--Reasons for the Gibeonites' Action--Rapid Movements of all the Parties. DAY, HOUR, AND PLACE OF THE MIRACLE--Indication of the Sun's Declination--Joshua was at Gibeon--And at High Noon--On the 21st Day of the Fourth Month. JOSHUA'S STRATEGY--Key to it in the Flight of the Amorites by the Beth-horon Route--The Amorites defeated but not surrounded--King David as a Strategist. THE MIRACLE--The Noon-day Heat, the great Hindrance to the Israelites--Joshua desired the Heat to be tempered--The Sun made to "be silent"--The Hailstorm--The March to Makkedah--A Full Day's March in the Afternoon--"The Miracle" not a Poetic Hyperbole--Exact Accord of the Poem and the Prose Chronicle--The Record made at the Time--Their March, the Israelites' Measure of Time 351 CHAPTER II. THE DIAL OF AHAZ The Narrative--Suggested Explanations--The "Dial of Ahaz," probably a Staircase--Probable History and Position of the Staircase--Significance of the Sign 385 CHAPTER III. THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM The Narrative--No Astronomical Details given--Purpose of the Scripture Narrative--Kepler's suggested Identification of the Star--The New Star of 1572--Legend of the Well of Bethlehem--True Significance of the Reticence of the Gospel Narrative 393 A TABLE OF SCRIPTURAL REFERENCE 401 INDEX 405 ILLUSTRATIONS PAGE THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM (_Burne-Jones_) _Frontispiece_ THE RAINBOW (_Rubens_) 2 MERODACH AND TIAMAT 25 CIRRUS AND CUMULI 47 A CORNER OF THE MILKY WAY 94 THE GREAT COMET OF 1843 102 FALL OF AN AEROLITE 110 METEORIC SHOWER OF 1799 115 THE ASSYRIAN 'RING WITH WINGS' 126 CORONA OF MINIMUM TYPE 127 ST. PAUL PREACHING AT ATHENS (_Raphael_) 148