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Ben-Hur: A tale of the Christ
Ben-Hur: A tale of the Christ

Chapter XXIV · Chapter 24

Chapter 24 of Ben-Hur: A tale of the Christ is here in full — 175 sentences across 35 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Ben-Hur: A tale of the Christ
Context Illustration Reading 1/35 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Ilderim returned to the dowar next day about the third hour.
As he dismounted, a man whom he recognized as of his own tribe came to him and said, O sheik, I was bidden give thee this package, with request that thou read it at once.
If there be answer, I was to wait thy pleasure.”
Ilderim gave the package immediate attention.
The seal was already broken.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Ben-Hur: A tale of the Christ

Chapter XXIV · Chapter 24

Chapter 24 of Ben-Hur: A tale of the Christ is here in full — 175 sentences across 35 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/35 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Ilderim returned to the dowar next day about the third hour.
Line 2
As he dismounted, a man whom he recognized as of his own tribe came to him and said, “O sheik, I was bidden give thee this package, with request that thou read it at once.
Line 3
If there be answer, I was to wait thy pleasure.”
/ɪf ðer biː ˈænsər aɪ wɑːz tuː weɪt ðaɪ ˈpleʒər/
Line 4
Ilderim gave the package immediate attention.
Line 5
The seal was already broken.
/ðə siːl wɑːz ɔːlˈredi ˈbroʊkən/

Learner Dictionary

These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.

bidden verb US /ˈbɪdɪn/

inflected form of “bid” — propose a payment

From this reading “As he dismounted, a man whom he recognized as of his own tribe came to him and said, “O sheik, I was bidden give thee this package, with request that thou read it at once.”

immediate adjective US /ˌɪˈmiːdiːət/

of the present time and place

From this reading “Ilderim gave the package immediate attention.”

package noun US /ˈpækədʒ/

a collection of things wrapped or boxed together

From this reading “As he dismounted, a man whom he recognized as of his own tribe came to him and said, “O sheik, I was bidden give thee this package, with request that thou read it at once.”

recognized adjective US /ˈrekəɡnaɪzd/

generally approved or compelling recognition

From this reading “As he dismounted, a man whom he recognized as of his own tribe came to him and said, “O sheik, I was bidden give thee this package, with request that thou read it at once.”

request verb US /rɪˈkwest/

express the need or desire for

From this reading “As he dismounted, a man whom he recognized as of his own tribe came to him and said, “O sheik, I was bidden give thee this package, with request that thou read it at once.”

seal verb US /siːl/

make tight; secure against leakage

From this reading “The seal was already broken.”

sheik noun US /ʃiːk/

the leader of an Arab village or family

From this reading “As he dismounted, a man whom he recognized as of his own tribe came to him and said, “O sheik, I was bidden give thee this package, with request that thou read it at once.”

tribe noun US /traɪb/

a social division of (usually preliterate) people

From this reading “As he dismounted, a man whom he recognized as of his own tribe came to him and said, “O sheik, I was bidden give thee this package, with request that thou read it at once.”

All words in this reading · 55

Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.

Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading As he dismounted, a man whom he recognized as of his own tribe came to him and said, “O sheik, I was bidden give thee this package, with request that thou read it at once.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading Ilderim returned to the dowar next day about the third hour.

alreadyadverbUS /ɔːlˈredi/

prior to a specified or implied time

From this reading The seal was already broken.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading As he dismounted, a man whom he recognized as of his own tribe came to him and said, “O sheik, I was bidden give thee this package, with request that thou read it at once.

answerverbUS /ˈænsər/

react verbally

From this reading If there be answer, I was to wait thy pleasure.”

AsconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading As he dismounted, a man whom he recognized as of his own tribe came to him and said, “O sheik, I was bidden give thee this package, with request that thou read it at once.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading As he dismounted, a man whom he recognized as of his own tribe came to him and said, “O sheik, I was bidden give thee this package, with request that thou read it at once.

attentionnounUS /əˈtenʃən/

the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others

From this reading Ilderim gave the package immediate attention.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading If there be answer, I was to wait thy pleasure.”

biddenverbUS /ˈbɪdɪn/

inflected form of “bid” — propose a payment

From this reading As he dismounted, a man whom he recognized as of his own tribe came to him and said, “O sheik, I was bidden give thee this package, with request that thou read it at once.

brokenadjectiveUS /ˈbroʊkən/

physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split

From this reading The seal was already broken.

cameverbUS /keɪm/

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading As he dismounted, a man whom he recognized as of his own tribe came to him and said, “O sheik, I was bidden give thee this package, with request that thou read it at once.

daynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading Ilderim returned to the dowar next day about the third hour.

dismounted

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading As he dismounted, a man whom he recognized as of his own tribe came to him and said, “O sheik, I was bidden give thee this package, with request that thou read it at once.

dowar

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Ilderim returned to the dowar next day about the third hour.

gaveverbUS /ɡeɪv/

inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense

From this reading Ilderim gave the package immediate attention.

giveverbUS /ɡɪv/

cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense

From this reading As he dismounted, a man whom he recognized as of his own tribe came to him and said, “O sheik, I was bidden give thee this package, with request that thou read it at once.

hepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading As he dismounted, a man whom he recognized as of his own tribe came to him and said, “O sheik, I was bidden give thee this package, with request that thou read it at once.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading As he dismounted, a man whom he recognized as of his own tribe came to him and said, “O sheik, I was bidden give thee this package, with request that thou read it at once.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading As he dismounted, a man whom he recognized as of his own tribe came to him and said, “O sheik, I was bidden give thee this package, with request that thou read it at once.

hournounUS /ˈaʊər/

a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day

From this reading Ilderim returned to the dowar next day about the third hour.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading As he dismounted, a man whom he recognized as of his own tribe came to him and said, “O sheik, I was bidden give thee this package, with request that thou read it at once.

IfconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading If there be answer, I was to wait thy pleasure.”

Ilderim

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Ilderim returned to the dowar next day about the third hour.

immediateadjectiveUS /ˌɪˈmiːdiːət/

of the present time and place

From this reading Ilderim gave the package immediate attention.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading As he dismounted, a man whom he recognized as of his own tribe came to him and said, “O sheik, I was bidden give thee this package, with request that thou read it at once.

mannounUS /mæn/

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading As he dismounted, a man whom he recognized as of his own tribe came to him and said, “O sheik, I was bidden give thee this package, with request that thou read it at once.

nextadjectiveUS /nekst/

immediately following in time or order

From this reading Ilderim returned to the dowar next day about the third hour.

OnounUS /oʊ/

a nonmetallic bivalent element that is normally a colorless odorless tasteless nonflammable diatomic gas; constitutes 21 percent of the atmosphere by volume; the most abundant element in the earth's crust

From this reading As he dismounted, a man whom he recognized as of his own tribe came to him and said, “O sheik, I was bidden give thee this package, with request that thou read it at once.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading As he dismounted, a man whom he recognized as of his own tribe came to him and said, “O sheik, I was bidden give thee this package, with request that thou read it at once.

onceadverbUS /wʌns/

on one occasion

From this reading As he dismounted, a man whom he recognized as of his own tribe came to him and said, “O sheik, I was bidden give thee this package, with request that thou read it at once.

ownverbUS /oʊn/

have ownership or possession of

From this reading As he dismounted, a man whom he recognized as of his own tribe came to him and said, “O sheik, I was bidden give thee this package, with request that thou read it at once.

packagenounUS /ˈpækədʒ/

a collection of things wrapped or boxed together

From this reading As he dismounted, a man whom he recognized as of his own tribe came to him and said, “O sheik, I was bidden give thee this package, with request that thou read it at once.

pleasurenounUS /ˈpleʒər/

a fundamental feeling that is hard to define but that people desire to experience

From this reading If there be answer, I was to wait thy pleasure.”

readverbUS /red/

interpret something that is written or printed

From this reading As he dismounted, a man whom he recognized as of his own tribe came to him and said, “O sheik, I was bidden give thee this package, with request that thou read it at once.

recognizedadjectiveUS /ˈrekəɡnaɪzd/

generally approved or compelling recognition

From this reading As he dismounted, a man whom he recognized as of his own tribe came to him and said, “O sheik, I was bidden give thee this package, with request that thou read it at once.

requestverbUS /rɪˈkwest/

express the need or desire for

From this reading As he dismounted, a man whom he recognized as of his own tribe came to him and said, “O sheik, I was bidden give thee this package, with request that thou read it at once.

returnedverbUS /rɪˈtɜːrnd/

past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before

From this reading Ilderim returned to the dowar next day about the third hour.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading As he dismounted, a man whom he recognized as of his own tribe came to him and said, “O sheik, I was bidden give thee this package, with request that thou read it at once.

sealverbUS /siːl/

make tight; secure against leakage

From this reading The seal was already broken.

sheiknounUS /ʃiːk/

the leader of an Arab village or family

From this reading As he dismounted, a man whom he recognized as of his own tribe came to him and said, “O sheik, I was bidden give thee this package, with request that thou read it at once.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading As he dismounted, a man whom he recognized as of his own tribe came to him and said, “O sheik, I was bidden give thee this package, with request that thou read it at once.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading Ilderim returned to the dowar next day about the third hour.

theepronounUS /ðiː/

an old word for “you”, as the object, speaking to one person

From this reading As he dismounted, a man whom he recognized as of his own tribe came to him and said, “O sheik, I was bidden give thee this package, with request that thou read it at once.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading If there be answer, I was to wait thy pleasure.”

thirdnounUS /θɜːrd/

one of three equal parts of a divisible whole

From this reading Ilderim returned to the dowar next day about the third hour.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading As he dismounted, a man whom he recognized as of his own tribe came to him and said, “O sheik, I was bidden give thee this package, with request that thou read it at once.

thoupronounUS /ðaʊ/

an old word for “you”, as the subject, speaking to one person

From this reading As he dismounted, a man whom he recognized as of his own tribe came to him and said, “O sheik, I was bidden give thee this package, with request that thou read it at once.

thydeterminerUS /ðaɪ/

an old word for “your”, speaking to one person

From this reading If there be answer, I was to wait thy pleasure.”

toparticleUS /tuː/

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading Ilderim returned to the dowar next day about the third hour.

tribenounUS /traɪb/

a social division of (usually preliterate) people

From this reading As he dismounted, a man whom he recognized as of his own tribe came to him and said, “O sheik, I was bidden give thee this package, with request that thou read it at once.

waitverbUS /weɪt/

stay in one place and anticipate or expect something

From this reading If there be answer, I was to wait thy pleasure.”

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading As he dismounted, a man whom he recognized as of his own tribe came to him and said, “O sheik, I was bidden give thee this package, with request that thou read it at once.

whompronounUS /huːm/

the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading As he dismounted, a man whom he recognized as of his own tribe came to him and said, “O sheik, I was bidden give thee this package, with request that thou read it at once.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading As he dismounted, a man whom he recognized as of his own tribe came to him and said, “O sheik, I was bidden give thee this package, with request that thou read it at once.

Chapter 24 of Ben-Hur: A tale of the Christ by Lew Wallace holds 175 sentences, grouped into 35 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 24 of Ben-Hur: A tale of the Christ contain?

Chapter 24 holds 175 sentences of Ben-Hur: A tale of the Christ, unabridged, divided into 35 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 24 of Ben-Hur: A tale of the Christ by Lew Wallace exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 175 sentences, grouped into 35 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.

How do I study chapter 24 of Ben-Hur: A tale of the Christ?

Work through the 35 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 35 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.

Can chapter 24 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 24 can be played aloud in United States English.

Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.

Questions about reading Ben-Hur: A tale of the Christ

Common questions about reading Ben-Hur: A tale of the Christ by Lew Wallace on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Ben-Hur: A tale of the Christ?

Yes. All 11078 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #2145 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Ben-Hur: A tale of the Christ is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #2145, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Ben-Hur: A tale of the Christ take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 2216 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Ben-Hur: A tale of the Christ section by section

How to work through Ben-Hur: A tale of the Christ section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 40 chapters of Ben-Hur: A tale of the Christ to begin.

  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

  3. Listen and tap

    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in Ben-Hur: A tale of the Christ

Words and structures a reader meets early in Ben-Hur: A tale of the Christ, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Jebel
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Ben-Hur: A tale of the Christ; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Zubleh
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Ben-Hur: A tale of the Christ; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Mountain
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Ben-Hur: A tale of the Christ; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Fifty
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Ben-Hur: A tale of the Christ; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.