For the Temple [Paperback]

G. A. Henty (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 1999 | Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up

This tale follows the adventures of John of Gamala during the years of Roman occupation, political infighting, and lawlessness that resulted in the destruction of the Temple in AD 70. It puts the reader at the heart of the conflict between Rome and the greedy political groups and robber bands of Palestine.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

A stirring tale of the last days of the Temple at Jerusalem. Robber bands and political infighting sets the stage for the Roman destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. In the face of overwhelming odds, John of Gamala does his best to save God's Temple, harrasing Roman work parties, burning Roman camps, defending Jerusalem during the Roman siege, and even fighting Titus himself in hand-to-hand combat--forging a relationship with the Roman leader that lasts until after the war. In spite of fighting a losing battle, John keeps his integrity and honor intact.

From the Back Cover

Young people across America are rediscovering G. A. Henty, the 19th century literary genius whose historical adventures inspire boys to honesty, courage, diligence, and duty. Writing from a Christian perspective, Henty weaves the adventures of a fictional boy hero together with real-life events. His stories are as accurate as they are exciting, so children get important lessons in history which they remember long afterward. Just as important, these lessons come without the immoral overtones of modern novels.

For the Temple descends into the turmoil that ended with the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus in A.D. 70. John, a 15-yearold Glilean, fears that the Jewish revolt against Rome could bring disaster upon his people--and the Temple. Then, his bravery in a storm attracts the attention of the governor, Josephus. Suddenly, he finds himself in the forefront of events. After escaping from the massacre at Jotapata in A.D. 67, John, with his loyal band, becomes a hero to the Jews and a scourge to the Romans. He disrupts Roman work parties. . .showers arrows and boulders onto troops. . .burns Roman camps. . .rescues his betrothed from slavery. . .even fights Titus himself in hand-to-hand combat:

"John's knife fell from his hand. He tried to rise to his feet; then everything seemed to swim round, and he fell insensible. Titus rose to his feet; he was shaken by the fall, and he, too, had lost much blood. Panting from his exertions, he looked down upon his prostrate foe, and the generosity which was the prevailing feature of his character, except when excited in battle, mastered him. 'By Hercules,' he exclaimed, 'that is a gallant youth, though he is a Jew, and he has well-nigh made an end of me! What will Vespasian say when he hears that I have been beaten in a fair fight and owe my life to the mercy of a Jew!'"

In the final defense of the Temple, John is delivered yet again, only to be enslaved. But his slavery leads him to Caesar's court and finally home, not just to Glilee, but to that Galilean preacher his father had recognized as a prophet forty years before.

BONUS! Includes a Build-Your-Vocabulary Glossary of 460 words. Each word is cross-referenced to its page number so children can easily go back and see how it is used in the story.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Paperback: 403 pages
• Publisher: Lost Classic Books; Reprint edition (June 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1890623075
• ISBN-13: 978-1890623074
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.5 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,165,275 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

43 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I read all 400 pages in two days!, February 12, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: For the Temple (Paperback)

"Clash! Bang! Ka-ching!" The valley echoes with the sound of iron upon iron. Tight-lipped the two solitary foes circle each other, thrusting, slashing, striking, and warding off the blows of the other. Suddenly, the younger man, dressed in Jewish garb, and armed only with a sword and buckler, dashes under the heavily armed Roman's sword. The sudden impact throws the Roman to the ground, though the Hebrew is stuck hard on the head. Brushing aside the blood that pours down his forehead the Jew siezes his knife and and raises it, to end the life of his prostrate fiend. "Strike, Jew! I am Titus!" the Roman boldly states. Who are these two combatants? What do they have against each other? The Hebrew is 19-year-old John of Gamala, a hero to the Jews and a scourge to the Roman army. Titus is General of the Roman army invading Israel, whose people are fresh from throwing off the Roman government. How will this deadly duel play out? Never mind. This excellently written novel is much better than Super Glue ever dreamed of being. "For The Temple", if anything can, will glue you to your seat so that it will take a bulldozer to dislodge you. {note: we don't recomend the use of this book for repairing broken toys, however.} "For The Temple" chronicles the life of a Galilean teenager at the time of the fall of Jerusalem. From the storm on Lake Tibereas, to the siege at Jotatpata, you will grow to love and admire John, son of Simon, as he grows, wars, and has adventures of all kinds defending Josephus, Gamala, his betrothed wife, and finally the Temple in Jerusalem. Will he survive that monumentous occasion? More importantly, who will win the afforementioned duel? READ THE BOOK AND FIND OUT! (no, Amazon did not hire me to sell their book, I did this originally as a school assignment) I highly recommend this historically accurate book to people who like history, adventure, or just plain good books. Also to people who HATE history, as a good way to gag it down.

31 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars History, Adventure, and Morality, December 10, 1999

By 

John M. Miller "'Luddite'" (Plainfield, IN United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: For the Temple, A Tale of the Fall of Jerusalem (Works of G. A. Henty) (Library Binding)

Combining accounts from Josphus and the Old and New Testament, Henty weaves a tale of bravery set in the time between Christ's crucifiction and the destruction of the Temple. As with all Henty books, his hero is brave, honest, kind, and resourceful, modelling the best aspects of behavior. Highly recommended.

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very good, July 6, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: For the Temple, A Tale of the Fall of Jerusalem (Works of G. A. Henty) (Library Binding)

"For the Temple" is so far my favorite of the G.A. Henty novels. Before I read this I knew almost nothing about the destruction of the Temple. Now I understand it clearly. The politics and different factions of the time period are described very well. You come away with a very good understanding of how all the events unfolded. Plus, the dialogue is not quite as lengthy as some of the other Henty novels. Worth reading.