ing, said unto them, "Call louder upon your god; perhaps he is sleeping, or journeying, or hath other business to do." And the priests continued thus to cry, until the time of evening sacrifice; and no voice was heard to answer them, nor did fire fall at their request. Elijah then said unto

the people, "Draw near." And all the people drew nigh unto him. He then repaired the altar of Jehovah, which had been broken down, with twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of Israel. About the altar he made a trench, and having cut the bullock into pieces, he laid them upon the wood, and poured water thereon, until the trench was filled therewith. And Elijah prayed unto Jehovah, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and the Lord heard him, and answered his prayer; for the fire of heaven fell, and consumed the sacrifice and the wood; and dried up the water in the trench. And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces, and cried aloud, "Jehovah is God." And Elijah went to the top of mount Carmel, and throwing himself down upon the ground, he placed his head between his knees, and said to his servant; "Go now, and look towards the sea;" and the servant said, "Behold, a small cloud ariseth from the sea, like unto the hand of a man." Then sent the prophet unto Ahab, saying, "Order thy horses to thy chariot, and haste thee and go down, lest the rain stop thee." And, quickly, the heavens were blackened with clouds; and wind, and a great rain followed. But Ahab, instigated by Jezebel, his wife, caused to be put to death, Naboth of Jezreel, for the sake of

his vineyard, which Ahab coveted, and which Naboth would not sell, seeing that it was part of the inheritance of his forefathers. And, by command of the Lord, Elijah, the prophet, came unto Ahab, in Samaria, saying, "Thus saith Jehovah, Wilt thou, after slaying a man, moreover, take his possessions? In like manner as the dogs licked up the blood of Naboth, shall they lick up, also, thy blood; and the dogs shall devour Jezebel under the walls of Jezreel." And this word of the Lord came to pass; for Ahab, being smitten with an arrow, in battle against the Syrians, died, and was buried in Samaria. And when they washed his chariot and armour, in the fountain of Samaria, the dogs licked up his blood. Then Jehu, after many days, rebelled against Joram, king of Israel, son of Ahab and Jezebel, and slew him. And, coming unto Jezreel, he caused Jezebel to be thrown from a window; and the dogs devoured her body. And behold, Elijah, and Elisha, who had been chosen of the Lord to be a prophet in his stead, went forth together, and passed over the river Jordan, whose waters divided, when stricken by the garment of Elijah; and fire, in the form of a chariot and horses, separated them, and Elisha beheld Elijah ascend into the clouds, with the flame of that fire. And the spirit of the Lord rested upon Elisha. And many miracles were performed by his hand. He anointed Jehu to be king in Israel, by the word of the Lord. Jehu overcame Joram and Ahaziah, kings of Israel and Judah; and destroyed all the family of Ahab, with all the idolatrous

priests, and worshippers of Baal. Yet, though made king by Jehovah, for the express purpose of rooting out idolatry, he did not keep himself entirely free from that abomination; and the Syrians were, therefore, permitted to prevail against the kingdom of Israel. Twenty and eight years did Jehu reign; and he died, and was buried in Samaria. To Jehu succeeded Joash his son, in whose time, Elisha, the prophet died; Jeroboam the second, Zechariah, Shallum, Menahem, Pekahia, who was slain by Pekah; and Pekah, who reigned in his stead. In his days, the Assyrians carried away from the land a large part of the inhabitants. Against him conspired Hoshea, the son of Ela; and put him to death. Hoshea reigned nine years in Samaria; and he did that which was displeasing in the sight of the Lord, who gave him into the hand of Salmanesar, king of Assyria; who wasted the country, and besieged Samaria three years. And Salmanesar took Samaria, and removed the tribes of Israel from their country, and placed them in Assyria, and in the cities of the Medes; and peopled the land of Israel with his own people. This came to pass, because the Israelites had sinned against Jehovah, their God, who brought them out of the land of Egypt, and delivered them from the hands of Pharaoh; and had worshipped strange gods; and had conformed themselves unto the customs of the nations, whom the Eternal drove out before them. The king of Assyria brought inhabitants from Cuth, and Babel, and Sephar-vaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria, instead of the

children of Israel; and these took possession of Samaria, and dwelt in its cities. Yet, these nations, although they were taught to fear Jehovah, worshipped, likewise, their own graven images; and their children continued so to do. Thus ended the kingdom of Israel, A. C. 721, one hundred, thirty, and three years before the kingdom of Judah was overthrown; which last event terminates the seventh epocha of sacred history.

QUESTIONS.

What city did Jeroboam make the capital of his kingdom? What was the succession of the kings of Israel? What was their general character? What were the office, character, and actions of Elijah? What king of Israel did he rebuke, and punish in the name of the Lord? What was the conduct of Ahab? What was the character of his wife; and who was she? What calamity did the wickedness of Ahab and Jezebel, and of the people, bring upon the land of Israel? What was the fate of Ahab and of Jezebel? What miracles did Elijah perform? What was the manner of Elijah's removal from this world; and who succeeded to his power and office? What were the actions, and character of Jehu? Who subverted the kingdom of Israel? Whither did Salmanesar transport the Israelites; and what people did he place in their room? When did this transaction take place? How long did the kingdom of Judah

subsist after the overthrow of Israel?

What epocha of

sacred history did that event terminate?

CHAP. XV.

THE history of the children of Israel, in their captivity, is recorded, in part, in the book of Daniel; and the circumstances attending their return, are found in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. Daniel was of the tribe of Judah, and of very illustrious descent. He was carried away captive to Babylon, together with his people and friends, when only eighteen years of age; and two years after, by divine command, he began to prophesy, and instruct his brethren; and continued to do so, during a space of more than seventy years.

In the third year of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, came Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, to Jerusalem, and besieged it. And the Lord gave into his hand, Jehoiakim, with a part of the vessels of the house of God; and he carried them into the land of Shinar, to the treasure-house of his god. And he commanded the chief of his chamberlains, Ashpenaz, to bring in some of the children of Israel, of the royal family, and of the nobles; young men, in whom was no blemish; but who were comely in appearance, and ready of understanding in all wisdom; and skilled in science, and expert in prudence; so that they might have ability to stand in the king's palace; and to teach them the learning, and the language of the Chaldeans. Now, among these, were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. And to them the chief of the chamberlains gave names; Belteshazzar,