The stories in this book tell of the achievements and failures, the cruel reverses and the triumphs of the children of Abraham in their progress toward belief in one God. They are the familiar Bible stories of the early days—from Abraham to the rebuilding of Jerusalem—told here simply and clearly to bring out their true meaning and historic importance for younger readers.

These great men of old really lived and played a part in the history of our world. Thus their stories may be closer to us than those of the gods and goddesses, giants and heroes of the author's other adventure books. We sympathize with Abraham and Sarah in their longing for a son. We feel Jacob's pride in Joseph. Though God spoke to Moses and Joshua and Gideon, they were surely human like the rest of us. And the corruption of the kings by power and wealth is a process all too often repeated in later history, leading as it must to the fulfillment of prophecies of doom.

But as He promised and as the stories of Ezekial and Nehemiah relate, the Lord God preserved a remnant of His people to rebuild Jerusalem and thereby left hope in the world. Thus meaning was given to the tragedies of mankind, and reason for faith. This is the story behind the stories. The author's own particular hope in this book is that it will encourage further adventures for the reader into the Bible itself and the great sources connected with it.

From the dust jacket