here was a time, hundreds of years before, when the Jews did not
live in Palestine. They lived in Egypt, where they were slaves. They
wanted to escape, so that they might have a country of their own where
they could be free.

One spring night God sent a disease into Egypt, and thousands died of
it. There was not an Egyptian home where the oldest child in the
family did not die. But none of the Jews died. Therefore, they said
that God _passed over_ their doors that night.

Then there was a great uproar and clamor in Egypt, with the Egyptians
weeping, and nursing their sick, and burying their dead. The time had
come for the Jews to get away. Under their leader, Moses, they began
their long journey toward Palestine.

The Jewish people never forgot what God did for them in Egypt. So in
the spring of each year was held the Feast of the Passover, to give
thanks to God for the help he had given them long ago. They gathered
together and sang:

[Illustration]

"O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: For his mercy
endureth for ever."

To the Passover feast every family brought a lamb to be killed as a
sacrifice to God. Only the best could be given to God. They chose a
lamb that was white, and pure, and fine, and precious. Then they
roasted the lamb, and ate it. What a feast they had, so solemn and so
joyful, as they remembered all that God had done!

Everyone knew the best place to hold the Passover feast was at
Jerusalem. Therefore, every year, when spring came round, the people
said to one another, "It is Passover time," and as many as could leave
their homes went up to the great city.

When the boys heard the story, they understood why their parents went
there in the spring.

When Jewish boys were twelve years old, and could read the Hebrew
language, and knew the psalms, and understood the prophets, and were
learning to obey the Law--then they were practically grown up. At this
age a boy could be called "a son of the Law." He could go along with
his parents to Jerusalem when it was Passover time.

Each year Joseph and Mary liked to be in Jerusalem for the Passover.
When Jesus was twelve years old, he was "a son of the Law," like other
boys his age, and for the first time he went with them. Many friends
and relatives kept them company as they started on the road.

Now from Nazareth it was more than eighty miles to Jerusalem, and
eighty miles is a long way to walk.

It would have been easier to ri