It is our very great pleasure to present Volume V of The Bible Story. We are thrilled, and overjoyed, because of the enthusiastic acceptance of Volumes I, II, III and IV. Those who have read the first four volumes know that there has never been a Bible story book like this. There have, of course, been many Bible story books — too many, of a kind. But candidly they seemed, to me, to have no mission, except to entertain children. They seemed to try to compete with the exciting fiction of violence of which youngsters see entirely too much on television — or read in cheap novels or comic books. These children's Bible story books were a series of disconnected blood-and-thunder stories drawn from certain Biblical incidents. There was no connection between one and another, or with the Gospel. They were shorn of their real meaning. They seemed to me to degrade the Bible in children's minds. The real connection of these Biblically recorded incidents with the meaning and purpose of life-of God's message to mankind-was ignored. Yet all these incidents are recorded in the Bible because they have real and deep MEANING. They teach vital lessons that ought to be made plain to children-and to adults as well! Children need, as they need life itself, an awareness of the basic TRUTHS of the Bible, while these children are growing up . Years ago this realization plagued me. God had called me to an important ministry which He was blessing with rapid and constant growth. But the children were being neglected in this ministry. How could I supply this lack? For years it was a frustrating dilemma. HOW could I get to growing children a real knowledge of God-of the Creator and His vast creation-of His power, authority, and rulership over all He created-of the very PURPOSE in having put humans on this earth-of the vital connection between these Biblical incidents and the meaning of life? In due time God supplied the man for this important undertaking. Basil Wolverton is a nationally known artist in the United States. His work has appeared in more than fifty nationally circulated magazines. He is both an artist and a trained writer. He was converted through The WORLD TOMORROW broadcast many years ago. He is a student and teacher of the Bible. In November, 1958, The Bible Story started, serially, in The PLAIN TRUTH. But it is not written only for children! We like to say it is written for children from 5 to 105! Mr. Wolverton has written in simple, understandable language, easily read by children at the nine- to twelve-year-old level yet interesting to adults as well! Very few seem to realize that a continuous story-thread runs through the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation . That is the story-flow that Mr. Wolverton is writing. With professional expertness, Mr. Wolverton makes this story gripping and thrilling in plain and simple words. Parents ca n read this book to four- and five-year-olds, and, with a little explaining, make it understandable and also absorbing and interesting. Mr. Wolverton has stuck tenaciously to the literal Biblical account. He has taken author's license to portray certain incidents in conversational style. Yet he has been zealously careful to avoid adding to, or detracting from, the meaning of Scripture. An initial printing of fifty thousand copies of Volume I was immediately exhausted. A second and a third printing, each of fifty thousand, were ordered. Volume II was exhausted in the first printing of one hundred thousand and a second printing of over seventy thousand was required. The first printings of Volume III and IV were one hundred and seventy-five thousand each. The first volume contained thirteen chapters, as follows: "In the Beginning; Thou Shalt Surely Die; Noah Builds the Ark; And the Flood Came; The Tower of Babel; Abram Journeys to Canaan; Abram Gives Up His Son; Esau Sells Jacob His Birthright; Jacob Falls in Love; Joseph's Adventures in Egypt; Joseph Becomes Ruler of Egypt; 'I am Joseph'; Seven Years of Famine." The second volume contained chapters fourteen through thirty: "Moses Flees Egypt; God Calls Moses; Moses and Aaron Meet Pharaoh; The Plagues of Egypt; The Plagues Continue; The Worst Weather Ever!; Two More Plagues on Egypt; The Exodus Begins; At the Red Sea; Crossing the Red Sea; Safe at Last!; War with Amalek!; On to Sinai; The Ten Commandments; The Golden Calf; Moses Breaks Ten Commandments; Moses Returns." The third volume carried the story of the Bible through the 40 years of wandering in the wilderness. Volume IV continued it through the period of Joshua and the Judges to the time of Gideon. The present volume picks up the story from there. It is presented to you as a ministry of love, without money and without price; and it is our fervent hope that it will bring to you and your children enlightenment, interesting reading, understanding, and abundant blessings from its original and TRUE AUTHOR, Jesus Christ.