brought under his yoke, and these People uniting together foon revolted and elected a King of their

own.

A ftrange medley of religion now took place and lafted about three hundred years, at which time the celebrated Temple was built on Mount Gerizim, and this union of Nations and People henceforward took upon them the name of SAMARITANS.

DIEN

ΟΝ

ON THE BOOKS

O F THE

KING S.

A SHORT RECAPITULATION

OF THE

HISTORY.

THE

HE firft book concludes the life of David, gives his wife directions and charge to his Son Solomon, perfuafive exhortations to piety and right conduct, and the King's last advice respecting two State Prisoners, Joab and Shimei. By the exprefs command of David, Solomon is anointed, and publickly proclaimed King of

Ifrael by Zadoc, the High-Prieft, and Nathan the Prophet, and the eleven firft. Chapters of the first book, record his profperous, moft aflonifhingly glorious, peaceful, and happy reign.

After the death of Solomon, Rehoboam, his Son, at the age of forty, inftantly fet out for Sechem, a City in the tribe of Ephraim, almost the centre of the Kingdom, with the Princes, his Heads and Elders, his Nobles and all his Court, there to receive the honours of his Coronation. A vaft body of his People here affembled, and as they thought themselves oppreffed and overburthened with very heavy taxes, before they paid him homage, and admitted his proclamation by found of trumpet, they humbly offered him up a petition for a redress of their grievances.

Rehoboam, upon this, fummoned a Council from among the Elders, the Privy Counfellors of his Father, they gave their opinion unanimoufly for its being granted, affuring the Prince he would thereby gain and fecure the affections and loyalty of his People for ever. Rehoboam next formed a Council, from among the young men, who were grown up with him, and they well knowing the vanity and pride of the Prince, flattered his paffions by yielding to his wishes, and unwifely advised him to return a most haughty and infulting answer to the petition of his People,

1

my

my little finger fhall be thicker than my Fa"ther's loins; my Father chaftifed you with "whips, I will chaftife you with fcorpions" (lafhes ended with iron)-upon which ten tribes out of the twelve, inftantly revolted from Rehoboam. The Prince forely alarmed haftily fled to his chariot for fafety, and drove off full fpeed to the Capital.

The ten revolting Tribes, blew the trumpets and inftantly proclaimed Jeroboam, King of Ifrael.

Ever afterwards the Kingdom remained thus divided. Rehoboam was crowned at Jerufalem, and he affumed the title of King of Judah. The two Tribes of Benjamin and Judah were henceforward united.

The pofterity of David, in this last divifion, reigned three hundred and feventy-two years, during which period, nineteen Kings fucceeded one another, with only one interruption, which lafted fix years, Athaliah Queen Dowager and Mother of Ahaziah, having at that time ufurped the Throne of Judah.

The Kingdom of Ifrael continued only two hundred and thirty-feven years, and their Kings were all Idolaters, which occafioned that ftriking Prophely refpecting them,

They fhould be as reeds fhaken in the water."

The Hiftory of Judah, and Ifrael, during the fpace of one hundred and eighteen years is recorded,

corded in the first Book, it gives the reigns of the four firft Kings of Judah, ending with the death of Jehosophat, and alfo the reigns of the eight firft Kings of Ifrael. This Book alfo relates the awful, interefting, and inftructive lives, and characters, of the Prophet Elijah and Elifha.

The fecond book of the Kings, contains the remaining History of the Reigns in Judah and Ifrael, to the Captivity and deftruction of both Kingdoms; that of Ifrael is continued, from the rebellion of Moab, in the reign of Ahaziah, to the Captivity and final difperfion of Ifrael, among the Cities of the Medes, and the defolate and uninhabited Countries of Halah and Habor, in the Reign of Hofhea, the last King of Ifrael; a period of only one hundred and fifty-nine years, as the Kingdom of Judah remained alone a hundred and thirty five years after Ifrael.

The Hiftory of Judah, is here continued from the death of Jehofophat, to the Captivity in Babylon, under the reign of Zedekiah, a space of two hundred and forty-four years.

The last chapter relates the fiege and fore Famine occafioned thereby, thofe, who were flain by the fword, were happier far, than those who pined to death with hunger. On the ninth day, of the fourth month, after a blockade of more than two years, this ftrong Hold of Zion, an

almoft