Hebrews according to the promises and threatenings which he had pronounced to them from Mount Horeb. The same course was pursued in the government of the two kingdoms. If the kings of both had viewed the last great event, the sundering of the empire, as a warning to govern their subjects according to the fundamental laws of the state, and to treat them as the subjects of Jehovah, then both kingdoms might have enjoyed uninterrupted prosperity. But as the kings often by idolatry rebelled against their divine Sovereign, and treated their subjects in the manner described by Isaiah and Ezekiel (Isa. 54: 9-12; Ezek. 34), under the image of wicked shepherds, there arose a succession of prophets, who, by impressive declarations, and symbolic actions, reminded rulers and subjects of their duties to Jehovah, and threatened them with punishment, and there followed, as in ancient times, calamity after calamity, in order to bring the nation to reflection.

2. In the kingdom of Israel there was, from the first, the greatest disregard of the divine laws. It was consequently destroyed one hundred and thirty-four years earlier than the kingdom of Judah. Jeroboam trusted little to the divine promise made to him by the prophet Ahijah, and feared that if the people went to Jerusalem to attend the feasts, they would return to their allegiance to the house of David. To prevent such a step, he set up two golden or gilded calves as images of Jehovah-an imitation of the Apis and Mnevis of the Egyptians, among whom he had long dwelt. One of these, Apis, was located at Bethel, not far from Shechem, for the southern tribes; and the other, Mnevis, at Dan, for the tribes in the north. Jeroboam built temples for these images, erected altars, appointed priests from all the tribes without distinction, and even performed the priestly functions himself. He appointed the

festivals an entire month later, and commanded that they should be celebrated before the images of Mnevis and Apis. These changes became afterwards so interwoven with the constitution of the kingdom, that even the more pious successors of Jeroboam did not venture to abolish them.

3. These rebellious deviations from the law, which had been so impressively inculcated on the whole people when they desired the establishment of a monarchy, and afterwards on Jeroboam himself, (1 Sam. 8: 10-12; 1 Kings 11: 26-38,) did not prevent Jehovah from governing the kingdom of Israel according to his sanctions. In the sequel, it will be seen how he exterminated those royal families, one after another, who retained the arbitrary institutions of Jeroboam, and tolerated and patronized idolatry, with all its vices. Each extermination of a reigning family, he caused to be announced beforehand by a prophet, and the successor appointed. The higher their corruptions rose, the more decisive and striking were the declarations and signs which showed to the Israelites that the Lord of

the universe was their Lord and King, and that all idols were as nothing, when opposed to him. Even Naaman the Syrian acknowledged, and the Syrians generally experienced, to their sorrow, that the God of the Hebrews was not a mere national God, but that his power extended over all nations.* At last, after all milder punishments proved fruitless, these rebellions were punished by the destruction of the kingdom, and the captivity of the people, as had been predicted by Moses, and afterwards by Ahijah, Hosea, Amos, and other prophets. (Deut. 28: 36. 1 Kings 14: 15. Amos 5.)

4. Divine Providence was likewise favourable or adverse to the kingdom of Judah, according as the people obeyed or transgressed the law only here the royal family remained unchanged, in accordance with the promise given to David. There were many idolatrous and rebellious kings of Judah; but they were always succeeded by those of better views, who put a stop to idolatry, re-established theocracy in the hearts of their subjects, and, by the aid of prophets, priests, and Levites, and of the services of the temple, restored the knowledge and worship of God. Judah, therefore, though much smaller than Israel, preserved her national existence one hundred and thirty-four years longer; but at last, as no durable reformation was produced, she experienced the same fate as her sister-kingdom, in fulfilment of the predictions of Moses and other prophets. (Deut. 28: 36.)

5. The history of the two kingdoms should be viewed as a history of a real theocracy, and thus, as a continued execution of the determination of God, that the true religion should be preserved on the earth; and in this view it certainly deserves our most attentive study. We shall divide it into five periods.

The First Period closes with the year 91 of the Revolt, 884 B. C., when both kingdoms lose their king in the same day.

The Second Period extends to the 216th year of the Revolt, 759 B. C., when Pekahiah, king of Israel, is murdered, and Uzziah dies soon after.

The Third Period extends to the destruction of the kingdom of Israel, in the 253d year of the Revolt, 722 B. C., and the sixth year of Hezekiah's reign. In the kingdom of Judah, this period extends to the death of Hezekiah, 276 of the Revolt, 699 B. C.

The Fourth Period extends from the death of Hezekiah to the death of Josiah, 364 of the Revolt, 611 B. C.

The Fifth Period extends from the death of Josiah to the destruction of the kingdom of Judah, 387 of the Revolt, 588 B.C.]

Benhadad II., king of Syria, having been defeated by Ahab, king of Israel, was persuaded by his generals that the God of the Hebrews was god of the mountains only, and that he should attack him in the plain. In the following year he follow their advice, and was defeated and taken prisoner, with the loss of 100,000 of his people. (1 Kings 20.) Naaman, one of his generals, was cured of a leprosy, by washing himself in the Jordan, agreeably to the command of Elishathe prophet. (2 Kings 5.)

The number of years stated in the Bible.

+ The Scripture duration of the respective reigns, taken together, does not accord with the received chronology. In the line of Judah, from the Revolt to the death of Ahaziah, is 95 years by reigns, and 91 by the chronology. In the line of Israel, from the Revolt to the death of Jehoram, is 98 years by reigns, and by the chronology 91. But as Ahaziah and Jehoram were murdered in the same day (2 Kings 9), the discrepancy in the two modes of computation probably arises from the months beyond a year being taken for a whole year, or the reign of one king dating before the death of his predecessor, as in the case of Tibni and Omri (1 Kings 16: 21), or our own Henry VI. and Edward IV. The differences in the other periods may be accounted for in the same manner.

SECTION XII.*

THE HISTORY OF THE JEWS.

The Kingdom of Judah, from the Revolt of the Ten Tribes, to the Destruction of Jerusalem, 975—586 B. c.

1. REHOBOAM reigned seventeen years, or to the year 958 B. C. The commencement of his reign was not reprehensible; but when he saw himself firmly seated on the throne, he permitted idolatry. For his punishment, Divine Providence suffered Shishak I., king of Egypt, to invade Judea. He took all the cities; and even Jerusalem itself was obliged to surrender unconditionally to the conqueror, as had been made known by the prophet Shemaiah. Shishak contented himself with the riches of the temple and of the royal treasury, and returned to Egypt. Jeroboam, king of Israel, while in exile, had enjoyed the protection of this monarch, and was encouraged probably by him to attack Judah, to secure himself against the hostilities of Rehoboam. (1 Kings 14: 21-31. 2 Chron. 12.)

2. His son Abijah, or Abijam, succeeded, and reigned only three years, to the 20th year of the Revolt, 955 B. C. He gained an important victory over Jeroboam, which very much weakened the kingdom of Israel, while Judah made constant progress in power and importance. (1 Kings 15: 1-8. 2 Chron. 13.)

3. Abijah's son, Asa, reigned forty-one years, to 61 of the Revolt, 914 B. C. He ascended the throne two years before the death of Jeroboam; and as he was then very young, the affairs of the kingdom were administered by his mother, who encouraged idolatry by all the means in her power. But as soon as Asa assumed the government, he rooted out idolatry, and neglected no opportunity to improve his kingdom; for which purpose the peace he enjoyed during the first ten years of his reign afforded time and opportunity. In the eleventh year of his reign, he defeated the numerous host of Zerah, king of Cush, (undoubtedly both of the Arabian and Ethiopian Cush,) who had penetrated through Arabia Petrea into the Vale of Zephathah, with a million of men and three hundred chariots. The prophet Azariah declared this splendid victory to be a consequence of the king's confidence in Jehovah, and exhorted him to perseverance; upon which he abolished the remains of idolatry, and caused the whole people to renew their covenant with Jehovah. Notwithstanding, in the last years of his life, he treated the prophet Hanani, and others, with great severity. (1. Kings 15: 9-24. 2 Chron. 14—16.)* 4. Jehoshaphat ascended the throne in the fourth year of Ahab, king of Israel, and reigned twenty-five years, to the 84th of the Revolt, and 891 B. C. He was still more faithful to Jehovah than his father Asa had been. He not only suppressed idolaIn the time of Asa, the celebrated poet Hesiod flourished among the Greeks, about the year 944 B.C., according to the Parian Marbles.

try, but he sent out priests and Levites into every town to instruct the people. These teachers he raised to the rank of royal counsellers, in order to increase their authority. He also travelled himself through the country, to see that his orders were executed. He improved the administration of justice by the establishment of a supreme tribunal, and brought his military affairs to a prosperous condition. He was the author of the first treaty between Judah and Israel. He visited king Ahab at Samaria, and joined him in an expedition against the Syrians. But this step was disapproved of by the prophet Jehu, the son of Hanani; and, as the enterprise proved unfortunate, Jehoshaphat sank greatly in the estimation of the neighbouring people. (1 Kings 22: 1— 50. 2 Chron. 17-20.)*

5. His son Jehoram reigned eight years. He had married the Israelitish princess Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, the unhappy consequences of which union now began to be visible. All the brothers of the king were murdered, through the influence of Athaliah; and idolatry was introduced by royal authority. Upon this, the Edomites revolted; and although they were once defeated by Jehoram, they nevertheless made themselves independent, according to the prophecy of Isaac. (Gen. 27: 40.) The Philistines also rebelled; and the Arabians, who bordered on the Cushites, made an incursion into Judea, plundered the whole country, and even Jerusalem and the royal palace. They led away into slavery all the women of the king's harem, and all the royal princes, with the exception of Jehoahaz, or, as he is called, Ahaziah. Libnah, the city of the priests, also renounced allegiance to Jehoram, because he had forsaken Jehovah, the God of his fathers. Jehoram died a miserable death, and was denied the honours of a royal burial. (2 Kings 8: 16-24. 2 Chron. 21.) His son Ahaziah, or Jehoahaz, succeeded him, . and reigned only one year. He suffered himself to be governed in everything by the counsels of his idolatrous and wicked mother, Athaliah. He joined Jehoram, king of Israel, in an expedition against Hazael, king of Damascus or Syria, for the conquest of the city of Ramoth-gilead; and he afterwards visited him when he lay wounded in his summer palace at Jezreel, where he was slain by Jehu, both kings dying on the same day, in the year 91 of the Revolt, 884 B. C. (2 Kings 8: 25-29;— 9: 27-30. 2 Chron. 22: 1-9.)

During the first eighty-five years of this period, the kingdom of Judah made rapid advances; but afterwards it continually degenerated, until it finally lost all its power.

6. When Athaliah heard that her son, king Ahaziah, had been slain by Jehu, she took possession of the vacant throne, and murdered all the males of the royal family, with the exception of Joash, the youngest son of Ahaziah, who, being then an infant,

During this reign, Homer flourished among the Greeks. The Parian Marbles place nun in the year 907 B c.