TENTH STUDY

Blackboard Outline

I.Cau. Lea. Mon.1. Ten. tow. set. gov. 2. Con. sur. nat. 3. Dan. inv. 4. Ru. Sam. 5. Wor. am. peo.II.Char. Isr. Kin.1. Theo. kin. 2. Cons. kin. 3. Reg. by pro.III.Rei. Sau.1. Pros. and dec. 2. Fai. 1.) Un. tri. 2.) Mak. fri. 3.) Adv. rel. 4.) Lib. Isr.IV.Rei. Dav.1. Con. Isr. acc. 1.) Sub. 2.) Dis. 3.) Wit. rel. 2. Dav. achiev. 1.) Uni. tri. 2.) Sub. la. 3.) Org. gov. 4.) Est. ar. 5.) Est. rel. 6.) Conq. surr. nat. 7.) Rei. theo. kin.

Cau. Lea. Mon.1. Ten. tow. set. gov. 2. Con. sur. nat. 3. Dan. inv. 4. Ru. Sam. 5. Wor. am. peo.

Char. Isr. Kin.1. Theo. kin. 2. Cons. kin. 3. Reg. by pro.

Rei. Sau.1. Pros. and dec. 2. Fai. 1.) Un. tri. 2.) Mak. fri. 3.) Adv. rel. 4.) Lib. Isr.

Rei. Dav.1. Con. Isr. acc. 1.) Sub. 2.) Dis. 3.) Wit. rel. 2. Dav. achiev. 1.) Uni. tri. 2.) Sub. la. 3.) Org. gov. 4.) Est. ar. 5.) Est. rel. 6.) Conq. surr. nat. 7.) Rei. theo. kin.

Questions for Review

What event marks an epoch in Is´ra-el-ite history? What were the causes leading to the monarchy? What events in the period of the judges show a tendency toward settled government? What changes in government in the surrounding nations helped to bring on the monarchy in Is´ra-el? From what source did external danger lead the Is´ra-el-ites to desire a king? How had Sam´u-el unconsciously helped to prepare the way for a kingdom? What worldly spirit promoted the same result? What kind of a kingdom did God intend for Is´ra-el? What is a theocratic kingdom? Wherein was Is´ra-el an exception among Oriental kingdoms? By what institutions was the kingdom regulated? Name some instances of prophets rebuking kings. Into what two parts may Saul's reign be divided? Wherein was Saul a failure? How did he fail in gaining and holding friends? What was the condition of Is´ra-el when Da´vid came to the throne? What were the achievements of Da´vid? What great incomplete work did Da´vid finish? What did he do in the organization of his kingdom? What was the arrangement of his army? What were his services to the cause of religion? What nations did he conquer? What was the extent of his empire? In what spirit did he rule?

The Reign of Solomon

Part One

PLAN OF SOLOMON'S PALACE.PLAN OF SOLOMON'S PALACE.(According to Stade.)"Reprinted from Kent's History of the Hebrew People, from the Settlement in Canaan to the Division of the Kingdom. Copyrighted, 1896, by Charles Scribner's Sons."

The reign of Sol´o-mon may be regarded as the culminating period in the history of Is´ra-el. But, strictly speaking, the latter part of Da´vid's reign and only the former part of Sol´o-mon's constitute "the golden age of Is´ra-el"; for Sol´o-mon's later years manifested a decline, which after his death rapidly grew to a fall.

I.Sol´o-mon's Empireembraced all the lands from the Red Sea to the Eu-phra´tes, and from the Med-i-ter-ra´ne-an to the Syr´i-an desert, except Phœ-ni´cia, which was isolated by the Leb´a-non mountains. 1. Besides Pal´es-tine, he ruled over E´dom, Mo´ab, Am´mon, Syr´i-a (here referring to the district having Da-mas´cus as its capital), Zo´bah, and Ha´math. 2. On the Gulf of Ak´a-ba, E´zi-on-ge´ber was his southern port (1 Kings 9. 26); on the Med-i-ter-ra´ne-an, Ga´za (Az´zah) was his limit; in the extreme north, Tiph´sah, by the Eu-phra´tes (1 Kings 4. 24); in the desert, Tad´mor, afterward Pal-my´ra (1 Kings 9. 18).

II.His Foreign Relationswere extensive, for the first and only time in the history of Is´ra-el. 1. His earliest treaty waswith Tyre(Phœ-ni´cia), whose king had been his father's friend (1 Kings 5. 1). (What this alliance brought to Sol´o-mon see 1 Kings 5. 6-10; 2 Chron. 2. 3-14.) 2. His relationswith E´gypt: in commerce (1 Kings 10. 28, 29); in marriage, a bold departure from Is´ra-el-ite customs (1 Kings 3. 1). Perhaps Psalm 45 was written upon this event. 3.With A-ra´bi-a, the land bordering on the southern end of the Red Sea (1 Kings 10. 1-10, 14. 15). 4.With the Far East, perhaps India, referred to in 1 Kings 9. 21-28. 5.With the West, perhaps as far as Spain, the Tar´shish of 1 Kings 10. 22.

III.His Buildings.No king of Is´ra-el ever built so many and so great public works as did Sol´o-mon. Among these are named:

1.The temple, on Mount Mo-ri´ah, to be described later.

2.His own palace, south of the temple precincts, on the slope ofO´phel and Mo-ri´ah. This consisted of several buildings, as follows: 1.) The House of the Forest of Leb´a-non, so called because of its many columns of cedar; this was the forecourt, or entrance. 2.) The Porch to the Palace. 3.) The Throne Hall. 4.) The King's Palace. 5.) The Queen's Palace, or Harem.

3.His fortified cities, forming a cordon around his kingdom. (See the lists of these in 1 Kings 9. 17-19.)

4.His aqueducts, some of which may still be seen (Eccl. 2. 4-6).

IV. But all was not bright in the reign of Sol´o-mon. We must notice alsoHis Sins, for they wrought great results of evil in the after years. 1. That which led to all his other sins was hisforeign marriages(1 Kings 11. 1-4). These were the natural and inevitable results of his foreign relations, and were probably effected for political reasons as well as to add to the splendor of his court. 2. Histoleration of idolatry, perhaps actual participation in it (1 Kings 11. 5-8). We cannot overestimate the harm of Sol´o-mon's influence in this direction. At once it allied him with the lower and evil elements in the nation, and lost to him the sympathy of all the earnest souls.[13]3. Another of Sol´o-mon's sins, not named in Scripture, but referred to in many legends of the East, may have been adevotion to magical arts. He appears in Oriental traditions as the great master of forces in the invisible world, engaging in practices forbidden by the law of Mo´ses (Lev. 19. 31; Deut. 18. 10, 11).

Blackboard Outline

I.Sol. Emp.Pal. Ed. Mo. Amm. Syr. Zob. Ham. E.-G. G. T. T.II.For. Rel.Ty. Eg. Ar. F. E. W.III.Buil.1. Tem. 2. Pal. 1.) H. F. L. 2.) P. 3.) T. H. 4.) K. P. 5.) Q. P.IV.Sins.1. For. mar. 2. Tol. idol. 3. Mag.

Review Questions

What is the reign of Sol´o-mon called? How far is that a correct title? What lands were included in Sol´o-mon's empire? What cities were on its boundaries? With what countries did Sol´o-mon have treaties and foreign relations? How was Sol´o-mon connected with the court of E´gypt? What were some of Sol´o-mon's buildings? Name the various parts of his palace. What were the sins of Sol´o-mon?

Part Two

V.General Aspects of Is´ra-el in the Reign of Sol´o-mon.

1.It was a period of peace.For sixty years there were no wars This gave opportunity for development, for wealth, and for culture.

2.It was a period of strong government.The age of individual and tribal energy was ended, and now all the life of the nation was gathered around the throne. All the tribes were held under one strong hand; tribal lines were ignored in the government of the empire; every department was organized.

3.It was a period of wide empire.It was Is´ra-el's opportunity for power in the East; for the old Chal-de´an empire had broken up, the new As-syr´i-an empire had not arisen, and E´gypt was passing through a change of rulers and was weak. For one generation Is´ra-el held the supremacy in the Oriental world.

4.It was a period of abundant wealth(1 Kings 3. 12, 13; 4. 20; 10. 23, 27). The sources of this wealth were: 1.) Theconquestsof Da´vid, who had plundered many nations and left his accumulated riches to Sol´o-mon (1 Chron. 22. 14-16). 2.) Thetributeof the subject kingdoms, doubtless heavy (1 Kings 10. 25). 3.)Commercewith foreign countries (E´gypt, A-ra´bi-a, Tar´shish, and O´phir) in ancient times was not carried on by private enterprise, but by the government. Thetradeof the East from E´gypt and Tyre passed through Sol´o-mon's dominions, enriching the land. 4.) There were alsotaxeslaid upon the people (1 Kings 4. 7-19; 12. 4). 5.) The erection ofpublic buildingsmust have enriched many private citizens and made money plenty.

5.It was a period of literary activity.The books written during this epoch were Sam´u-el, Psalms (in part), Prov´erbs (in part), and perhaps Ec-cle-si-as´tes and Sol´o-mon's Song. Not all the writings of Sol´o-mon have been preserved (1 Kings 4. 32, 33).

VI.Dangers of the Period.There was an A-ra´bi-an tradition that in Sol´o-mon's staff, on which he leaned, there was a worm secretly gnawing it asunder. So there were elements of destruction under all the splendor of Sol´o-mon's throne.

1.The absolute power of the king.Da´vid had maintained the theocratic constitution of the state; Sol´o-mon set it aside and ruled with absolute power in all departments. He assumed priestly functions (1 Kings 8. 22, 54, 64); he abolished tribal boundaries in hisadministration (1 Kings 4. 7-19); he ignored both priests and prophets, and concentrated all rule in his own person.

2.The formal character of the worship.There was a magnificent temple and a gorgeous ritual, but none of the warmth and personal devotion which characterized the worship of Da´vid. The fervor of the Da-vid´ic Psalms is wanting in the literature of Sol´o-mon's age.

3.Luxury and corruption of morals.These are the inevitable results of abundant riches and worldly association. We do not need the warnings of Prov. 2. 16-19; 5. 3-6, etc., to know what a flood of immorality swept over Je-ru´sa-lem and Is´ra-el.

4.The burden of taxation.With a splendid court, an immense harem, and a wealthy nobility came high prices and high taxes; the rich growing richer rapidly, the poor becoming poorer. The events of the next reign show how heavy and unendurable these burdens grew.

5.Heathen customs.With the foreign peoples came the toleration of idolatry, its encouragement, and all the abominations connected with it. Jer-o-bo´am could not have established his new religion (1 Kings 12. 28) if Sol´o-mon had not already patronized idol worship.

6. Underlying all was the oldtribal jealousyof E´phra-im and Ju´dah, fostered by an able leader (1 Kings 12. 26), ready to break out in due time and destroy the empire.

Blackboard Outline

V.Gen. Asp. Isr.1. Pea. 2. Str. gov. 3. Wi. emp. 4. Abun. weal. 1.) Conq. 2.) Trib. 3.) Com. 4.) Tax. 5.) Pub. build. 5. Lit. act.VI.Dan. Per.1. Abs. pow. 2. For. wor. 3. Lux. cor. mor. 4. Bur. tax. 5. Hea. cus. 6. Tri. jeal.

Gen. Asp. Isr.1. Pea. 2. Str. gov. 3. Wi. emp. 4. Abun. weal. 1.) Conq. 2.) Trib. 3.) Com. 4.) Tax. 5.) Pub. build. 5. Lit. act.

Dan. Per.1. Abs. pow. 2. For. wor. 3. Lux. cor. mor. 4. Bur. tax. 5. Hea. cus. 6. Tri. jeal.

Questions for Review

Name five general aspects of Is´ra-el in Sol´o-mon's reign? What were the benefits of the peace at that time? What was the characteristic of Sol´o-mon's administration? What opportunity did the age give to a great empire for Is´ra-el? What were the sources of the wealth in Sol´o-mon's age? How was it a period of literary activity? What ancient legend illustrates the dangers of Sol´o-mon's age? What were some of the dangers? Wherein did Sol´o-mon set aside the Is´ra-el-ite constitution?What was the defect in the religion of Sol´o-mon's time? What evils resulted from the wealth of that time? What caused heavy taxation? What heathen customs were introduced? What showed that tribal jealousy was still existing?

Hints to the Teacher and Class

1. See that the outline of the lesson is learned, with all its divisions and subdivisions. Let a scholar place each division of the outline on the blackboard in the form given in the Blackboard Outline, and then let another scholar read it to the class.

2. Have a map of Sol´o-mon's empire drawn, with each of the subject lands shown upon it. "Bound" the empire; that is, name the countries surrounding it.

3. Let the diagram of buildings on Mount Mo-ri´ah and O´phel be drawn by one pupil, and explained by another.

4. Let the Review Questions be studied until they can be answered correctly.

The Temple on Mount Moriah

The most famous of all the buildings erected by Sol´o-mon, though by no means the largest, was the temple. It is so frequently mentioned in the Bible, and was so closely connected with the religious and secular history, both in the Old Testament and the New, that a detailed study of it is needed.

I.The Three Temples.All these stood in succession upon the same site, and were arranged upon the same general plan.

1.Sol´o-mon's Temple.Built about B. C. 970, and standing until B. C. 587, when it was destroyed by the Bab-y-lo´ni-ans (2 Kings 25. 8, 9).

2.Ze-rub´ba-bel's Temple.After lying desolate more than fifty years the second temple was begun about B. C. 534, under Ze-rub´ba-bel, the ruler of the exiles returned from Bab´y-lon (Ezra 3. 8). This temple was far inferior in splendor to the first, but soon became the object of pilgrimage to Jews from all lands and the center of Jew´ish national and religious life.

3.Her´od's Temple.The second temple having become dilapidated, Her´od the Great undertook its restoration on a magnificent scale. The work was begun about B. C. 20 and was not completed until A. D. 64. In the lifetime of Je´sus it was not yet finished (John 2. 20). This temple was destroyed by the Ro´mans under Ti´tus, A. D. 70. Its site is now occupied partially by the Dome of the Rock, miscalled the Mosque of O´mar, in Je-ru´sa-lem.

Map

II.The Situation.The city of Je-ru´sa-lem stood upon hills separated by three valleys radiating in a fanlike order, from a point atthe southeast. Northward runs the valley of the Kid´ron; northwest the valley of the Ty-ro´pœ-on, now almost obliterated; almost westward, with a curve northward, the valley of Hin´nom. Between the valley of the Kid´ron and the valley of the Ty-ro´pœ-on were two hills—on the north Mount Mo-ri´ah, and a little to the south a spur of lower elevation known as O´phel. On Mount Mo-ri´ah stood the temple, on O´phel the buildings of Sol´o-mon's palace. Later the temple area was enlarged to include both these hills. West of Mo-ri´ah, across the Ty-ro´pœ-on valley, was Mount Zi´on, upon which the principal part of the city stood.

III.The House of the Lord.This was a building not large, but magnificent and costly; made of stone and cedar, and decorated lavishly with gold and precious stones. It consisted of four parts:

1.The Porch, a lofty tower facing the east. Two pillars, either in the tower at the entrance or standing apart before it, are named (1 Kings 7. 21). The interior dimensions of the porch were about 30 feet from north to south, and 15 feet east and west[14](1 Kings 6. 3).

2.The Holy Placewas west of the porch, and was a chamber 60 feet long by 30 wide, and perhaps 30 feet high. In it stood, on the north, the table for "the showbread"—that is, the twelve loaves shown before the Lord; on the south, the golden candlestick, or lampstand[15]; and at the western end the golden altar of incense.

3.The Holy of Holies, or "the oracle" (1 Kings 6. 19, 20), was a cube, each dimension being 30 feet. It had no windows, but received a dim light through the veil which separated it from the adjoining room. This place was entered by the high priest only, and on but one day in the year, the day of atonement. The only article of furniture in the room was the Ark of the Covenant, containing the two stone tables of the law. The Ark doubtless was destroyed with the first temple, and in the second and third temples its place was indicated by a marble block, upon which the blood was sprinkled.

THE TEMPLE

4.The Chamberswere rooms for the priests, situated around the house, with entrance from without. They were in three stories, and were set apart for the residence of the priests while employed in the services of the temple. Each priest served two weeks in the year; not, however, two weeks in succession, but six months apart, and lived at his home for the rest of the time. In similar chambers around the old tabernacle E´li and Sam´u-el slept (1 Sam. 3. 2, 3).

IV. TheCourt of the Priestswas an open, unroofed quadrangle surrounding the House of the Lord, but mainly in front, toward the east. It was about 200 feet wide, north and south, by 275 feet long, east and west, a few feet lower in elevation than the floor of the temple proper. Here stood the greatAltar of Burnt Offering, upon which the daily sacrifice was offered, its site now shown under the Dome of the Rock; and near the door to the housethe Laverfor washing the sacrifices. Sol´o-mon built also a great "Sea," or reservoir of water, standing on the backs of twelve oxen, all of "brass," probably copper (1 Kings 7. 23-26). This was broken up by the Bab-y-lo´ni-ans, B. C. 587 (2 Kings 25. 13), and was not replaced in the later temples.

V. Around the Court of the Priests was another and larger corridor, theCourt of Is´ra-el, or "the men's court." In the later temples this was 320 by 240 feet in dimensions, 26 feet wide on the north and south, 24 feet wide on the east and west. The size of this court in Sol´o-mon's temple is not given, but was probably the same as in later times. This was the standing place of the worshipers (exclusively men) as they witnessed the service.

VI. These were the only courts around the first temple, as the space to the south of the last-named court was occupied by Sol´o-mon's palaces, from which a magnificent flight of steps ascended to the temple area (1 Kings 10. 5). After these buildings were destroyed the latest temple, that of Her´od, included their site in additional courts and buildings for the worship. East of the Court of Is´ra-el, and a little lower, stood theCourt of the Women, 200 feet square, having a lattice gallery on the western side, from which the women could look on the services of the altar. This court was also called "the Treasury" (John 8. 20) from the gift boxes fastened upon the wall (Mark 12. 41, 42). In each corner of this court was a room said to be 60 feet square, with an open roof.

VII. Around all these buildings and courts, with Her´od's temple, but not with Sol´o-mon's, was theCourt of the Gen´tiles, an irregular quadrangle of about 1,000 feet on each side (north 990, east 1,000, south 960, west 1,060). The wall on the east was surmounted by a double row of columns, and called Sol´o-mon's Porch (John 10. 23; Acts 3. 12). The "Beautiful Gate" was from the Court of the Gen´tiles to the eastern side of the Court of the Women (Acts 3. 1), through which the people passed on their way to the public worship.The narrow corridor extending entirely around the Court of the Women and the Court of Is´ra-el was called "Chel"—that is, the sacred inclosure—and no one except an Is´ra-el-ite was permitted to enter it. The Court of the Gen´tiles was not regarded by the Jews as sacred, since foreigners were allowed within it, and in its area had grown up a market for the sale of animals for sacrifice and tables for the exchanging of foreign money. Twice this court was purged of these desecrations by Je´sus (John 2. 13-17; Matt. 21. 12, 13).

The principal access to the temple in the time of Christ was a bridge over the Ty-ro´pœ-on valley from Mount Zi´on. Of this bridge a fragment of one arch still remains, known as "Rob´in-son's Arch."

The immediate surroundings of the temple, in the New Testament period, were the following: 1. On the north stood the Castle or Tower of An-to´ni-a, erected by the Ro´mans for the control of the temple area. 2. On the east was the valley of the Kid´ron. 3. On the south and west lay the curving valley of the Ty-ro´pœ-on.

Blackboard Outline

I.Thr. Tem.1. Sol. 970-587. 2. Zer. 534. 3. Her. B. C. 20. A. D. 70.II.Situa.Vall. Kid. Tyr. Hin. Mts. Mor. Oph. Zi.III.Hou. Lor.1. Por. 30x15. 2. H. P. 30x60. 3. H. H. 30x30. 4. Chamb.IV.Cou. Pri.200x275. Alt. Lav. "Sea."V.Cou. Isr.240x320.VI.Cou. Wom.200x200. "Treas." Rooms.VII.Cou. Gen.1,000. "Chel." Market. Bridge.

Hints to the Teacher and the Class

Let each pupil in turn draw on the blackboard one of the departments or courts of the temple, state its dimensions, and explain its uses.

Let a pupil recite the history of each temple.

Let one pupil state in what parts of the temple Je´sus walked and taught, and another events in the life of Saint Paul connected with the temple.

Review Questions

Who built the first temple, how long did it stand, and by whom was it destroyed? Who built the second temple, and at what time? Who built the third temple? When was it begun, finished, and destroyed? What building now stands on thesite of the temple? Between what three valleys was Je-ru´sa-lem situated? Give a description of each valley. Where were Mo-ri´ah, O´phel, and Zi´on located? Into what four parts was the "House of the Lord," or temple proper, divided? What were the dimensions and what was the location of the Porch? Describe the Holy Place and its contents. Describe the Holy of Holies. What took the place of the Ark in the later temples? What were the Chambers, and where were they situated? Where was the Court of the Priests? What were its dimensions? What stood in this court? Where was the Court of Is´ra-el? What were its dimensions and uses? What stood outside the Court of Is´ra-el adjoining Sol´o-mon's temple? Where was the Court of the Women in the latest temple? Describe this court and its uses? What was the exterior court to the temple in the time of Christ? What were the dimensions of this court? Where was the "Beautiful Gate"? Where was the "Chel"? Where was Sol´o-mon's Porch? How was this court used by the Jews? What did Je´sus do in this court? What was the principal means of access to the temple? What were the immediate surroundings of the temple?

The Kingdom of Israel

Part One

The splendors of Sol´o-mon's reign passed away even more suddenly than they arose. In less than a year after his death his empire was broken up, and two quarreling principalities were all that was left of Is´ra-el.

I. Let us ascertain theCauses of the Division of Is´ra-el. These were:

1.The oppressive government of Sol´o-mon(1 Kings 12. 3, 4). How far the complaints of the people were just, and to what degree they were the pretexts of an ambitious demagogue, we have no means of knowing. But it is evident that the government of Sol´o-mon, with its courts, its palaces, its buildings, and its splendor, must have borne heavily upon the people. Probably, also, the luxury of living among the upper classes, so suddenly introduced, led to financial crises and stringency of money, for which the government was held responsible by the discontented people.

2.The opposition of the prophets(1 Kings 11. 11-13, 29-33). It is a suggestive fact that the prophets were opposed to Sol´o-mon and friendly to Jer-o-bo´am. Their reason was a strong resentment to the foreign alliances, foreign customs, and especially to the foreign idolatries which Sol´o-mon introduced.

3.Foreign intrigues, especially in E´gypt. The old kingdoms were not friendly to this Is´ra-el-ite empire, which loomed up so suddenly, and threatened to conquer all the East. Sol´o-mon's attempt to win the favor of E´gypt by a royal marriage (1 Kings 3. 1) was a failure, for two enemies of Sol´o-mon, driven out of his dominions, found refuge in E´gypt, were admitted to the court, married relatives of the king, and stirred up conspiracies against Sol´o-mon's throne (1 Kings 11. 14-22, 40). Another center of conspiracy was Da-mas´cus, where Re´zon kept up a semi-independent relation to Sol´o-mon's empire (1 Kings 11. 23-25).

4.Tribal jealousy; the old sore broken out again. Notice that Jer-o-bo´am belonged to the haughty tribe of E´phra-im (1 Kings 11. 26), always envious of Ju´dah, and restless under the throne of Da´vid. The kingdom of the ten tribes was established mainly through the influence of this tribe.

5.The ambition of Jer-o-bo´amwas another force in the disruption. It was unfortunate for Sol´o-mon's kingdom that the ablest young man of that time in Is´ra-el, a wily political leader and an unscrupulous partisan, belonged to the tribe of E´phra-im, and from his environment was an enemy of the then existing government. The fact that he was sent for from E´gypt to the assembly at She´chem showed collusion and preparation of the scheme (1 Kings 12. 2, 3).

6. But all these causes might have been insufficient but forthe folly of Re-ho-bo´am(1 Kings 12. 13, 14). If Da´vid had been on the throne that day an empire might have been saved. But Re-ho-bo´am, brought up in the purple, was without sympathy with the people, tried to act the part of a tyrant, and lost his ancestral realm (1 Kings 12. 16).

II.The Results of the Division.These were partly political, partly religious, and were neither of unmixed good nor unmixed evil.

1. Thepolitical resultswere: 1.) The entiredisruptionof Sol´o-mon's empire. Five kingdoms took the place of one: Syr´i-a on the north, Is´ra-el in the center, Ju´dah west of the Dead Sea, Mo´ab east of the Dead Sea, and E´dom on the extreme south. Mo´ab was nominally subject to Is´ra-el, and E´dom to Ju´dah; but only strong kings, like A´hab in Is´ra-el and Je-hosh´a-phat in Ju´dah, could exact the tribute (2 Kings 3. 4; 1 Kings 22. 47). 2.) With the loss of empire camerivalry, and consequentweakness. For fifty years Is´ra-el and Ju´dah were at war, and spent their strength in civil strife, while Syr´i-a was growing powerful, and in the far northeast As-syr´i-a was threatening. 3.) As a natural result came at lastforeign domination. Both Is´ra-el and Ju´dah fell under the power of other nations and were swept into captivity, as the final result of the disruption wrought by Jer-o-bo´am.

2.The religious resultsof the division were more favorable. They were: 1.)Preservation of the true religion.A great empire would inevitably have been the spiritual ruin of Is´ra-el, for it must have been worldly, secular, and, in the end, idolatrous. The disruption broke off relation with the world, put an end to schemes of secularempire, and placed Is´ra-el and Ju´dah once more alone among their mountains. In this sense the event was from the Lord, who had higher and more enduring purposes than an earthly empire (1 Kings 12. 15-24). 2.)Protection of the true religion.Is´ra-el on the north stood as a "buffer," warding off the world from Ju´dah on the south. It was neither wholly idolatrous nor wholly religious, but was a debatable land for centuries. It fell at last, but it saved Ju´dah; and in Ju´dah was the unconscious hope of the world. 3.)Concentration of the true religion.The departure of Is´ra-el from the true faith led to the gathering of the priests, Le´vites, and worshiping element of the people in Ju´dah (2 Chron. 11. 13-16). Thus the Jew´ish kingdom was far more devoted to Je-ho´vah than it might otherwise have been.

Blackboard Outline

I.Cau. Div.1. Opp. gov. 2. Opp. pro. 3. For. int. 4. Tri. jeal. 5. Am. Jer. 6. Fol. Re.II.Res. Div.1. Pol. res. 1.) Dis. emp. 2.) Riv. and weak. 3.) For. dom.2. Rel. res. 1.) Pres. rel. 2.) Pro. rel. 3.) Conc. rel.

Cau. Div.1. Opp. gov. 2. Opp. pro. 3. For. int. 4. Tri. jeal. 5. Am. Jer. 6. Fol. Re.

Res. Div.1. Pol. res. 1.) Dis. emp. 2.) Riv. and weak. 3.) For. dom.

Review Questions

What causes may be assigned for the division of Is´ra-el? How far was Sol´o-mon's government responsible? What was the relation of the prophets to the revolution? What foreign intrigues contributed to break up the kingdom? Who were connected with these intrigues? What ancient jealousy aided, and how? What man led in the breaking up of the kingdom? Whose folly enabled the plot to succeed? What were the political results of the division? What were its religious results? How was this event from the Lord?

Part Two

III.The Kingdom of Is´ra-el.From the division the nameIs´ra-elwas applied to the northern kingdom andJu´dahto the southern. We notice the general aspects of Is´ra-el during its history, from B. C. 934 to 721.

1.Its extent.It embraced all the territory of the twelve tribes except Ju´dah and a part of Ben´ja-min (1 Kings 12. 19-21), held a nominal supremacy over Mo´ab east of the Dead Sea, and embraced about 9,375 square miles, while Ju´dah included only 3,435. Is´ra-el was about equal in area to Massachusetts and Rhode Island together.

2.Its capitalwas first atShe´chem, in the center of the land (1 Kings 12. 25); then, during several reigns, atTir´zah(1 Kings 15. 33; 16. 23); then atSa-ma´ri-a(1 Kings 16. 24), where it remained until the end of the kingdom. That city after a time gave its name to the kingdom (1 Kings 21. 1), and after the fall of the kingdom to the province in the center of Pal´es-tine (John 4. 3, 4).

3.Its religion.1.) Very soon after the institution of the new kingdom Jer-o-bo´am established a national religion, theworship of the calves(1 Kings 12. 26-33). This was not a new form of worship, but had been maintained in Is´ra-el ever since the exodus (Exod. 32. 1-4). In character it was a modified idolatry, halfway between the pure religion and the abominations of the heathen. 2.) A´hab and his house introduced the Phœ-ni´cianworship of Ba´al, an idolatry of the most abominable and immoral sort (1 Kings 16. 30-33), but it never gained control in Is´ra-el, and was doubtless one cause of the revolution which placed another family on the throne. 3.) Through the history of Is´ra-el there remained a remnant ofworshipers of Je-ho´vah, who were watched over by a noble array of prophets, and though often persecuted remained faithful (1 Kings 19. 14, 18).

4.Its rulers.During two hundred and fifty years Is´ra-el was governed by nineteen kings, with intervals of anarchy. Five houses in turn held sway, each established by a usurper, generally a soldier, and each dynasty ending in a murder.

1.)The House of Jer-o-bo´am, with two kings, followed by a general massacre of Jer-o-bo´am's family (1 Kings 15. 29, 30).

2.)The House of Ba´a-sha, two kings, followed by a civil war (1 Kings 16. 16-22).

3.)The House of Om´ri, four kings, of whom Om´ri and A´hab were the most powerful. This was the age of the prophet E-li´jah and the great struggle between the worship of Je-ho´vah and of Ba´al (1 Kings 18. 4-21).

4.)The House of Je´hu, five kings, under whom were great changes of fortune. The reign of Je-ho´a-haz saw Is´ra-el reduced to a mere province of Syr´i-a (2 Kings 13. 1-9). His son Jo´ash threw off the Syr´i-an yoke, andhisson, Jer-o-bo´am II, raised Is´ra-el almost to its condition of empire in the days of Sol´o-mon (2 Kings 14. 23-29). His reign is called "the Indian summer of Is´ra-el."

5.)The House of Men´a-hem, two reigns. Is´ra-el had by thistime fallen under the power of As-syr´i-a, now dominant over the East, and its history is the story of kings rising and falling in rapid succession, with long intervals of anarchy. From the fall of this dynasty there was only the semblance of a state until the final destruction of Sa-ma´ri-a, B. C. 721.

5.Its foreign relations.During the period of the Is´ra-el-ite kingdom we see lands struggling for the dominion of the East. The history of Is´ra-el is interwoven with that of Syr´i-a and As-syr´i-a, which may now be read from the monuments.

1.) There was aPeriod of Division. During the reign of the houses of Jer-o-bo´am and Ba´a-sha there were constant wars between Is´ra-el, Syr´i-a, and Ju´dah; and as a result all were kept weak, and "a balance of power" was maintained.

2.) Then followed aPeriod of Alliance—that is, between Is´ra-el and Ju´dah, during the sway of the House of Om´ri. The two lands were in friendly relations, and the two thrones were connected by marriages. As a result both Is´ra-el and Ju´dah were strong, Mo´ab and E´dom were kept under control, and Syr´i-a was held in check.

3.) Next came thePeriod of Syr´i-an Ascendency. During the first two reigns of the House of Je´hu, Syr´i-a rose to great power under Haz´a-el, and overran both Is´ra-el and Ju´dah. At one time Is´ra-el was in danger of utter destruction, but was preserved. Near the close of these periods the dying prophecy of E-li´sha was uttered (2 Kings 13. 14-25).

4.)The Period of Is´ra-el-ite Ascendency.Is´ra-el under Jer-o-bo´am II took its turn of power, and for a brief period was again dominant to the Eu-phra´tes, as in the days of Sol´o-mon.

5.)The Period of As-syr´i-an Ascendency.But its glory soon faded away before that of As-syr´i-a, which was now rapidly becoming the empire of the East. Its rise meant the fall of Is´ra-el; and under the unfortunate Ho-she´a, Sa-ma´ri-a was taken, what was left of the ten tribes were carried captive, and the kingdom of Is´ra-el was extinguished (2 Kings 17. 1-6).

IV.The Fate of the Ten Tribes.There has been much idle discussion over this subject and some absurd claims set up; for example, that the Anglo-Saxon race are descended from the ten lost tribes—a statement opposed to all history, to ethnology, and to every evidence of language.

1. After their deposition nearly all the Is´ra-el-ites, having losttheir national religion and having no bond of union,mingled with the Gen´tilesaround them and lost their identity, just as hundreds of other races have done. The only bond which will keep a nation long alive is that of religion.

2. Some remained in Pal´es-tine, others returned thither and formed thenucleus of the Sa-mar´i-tan people, a race of mingled origin (2 Kings 17. 24-29).

3. Some of those who remained in the East retained their religion, or were revived in it, and later became a part of theJews of the dispersion; though "the dispersion" was mainly Jew´ish, and not Is´ra-el-ite.

4. A fewfamilies united with the Jews, returned with them to Pal´es-tine after the exile, yet retained their tribal relationship; for example, An´na (Luke 2. 36).

Blackboard Outline

III.Kin. Isr.1. Ext. 9,375. 2. Cap. 1.) Sh. 2.) Tir. 3.) Sam.3. Rel. 1.) Wor. cal. 2.) Wor. Ba. 3.) Wor. Jeh.4. Rul. 1.) Hou. Jer. 2.) Hou. Ba. 3.) Hou. Om. 4.) Hou. Je. 5.) Hou. Men.5. For. Rel. 1.) Per. Div. 2.) Per. All. 3.) Per. Syr. Asc. 4.) Per. Isr. Asc. 5.) Per. Ass. Asc.IV.Fat. Ten. Tri.1. Min. Gen. 2. Sam. Peo. 3. Disp. 4. Jews.

Review Questions

How long did the new kingdom of Is´ra-el last? What was its extent? What were its three successive capitals? What three forms of religion were found in it? Who was the first king of the ten tribes? What family introduced foreign idolatry? How many kings ruled over the ten tribes? What were the five royal houses? Which house raised Is´ra-el almost to its ancient power? What is this period of prosperity called? Who was the greatest king of Is´ra-el? With what other history is that of Is´ra el interwoven? What were the five periods in the foreign relations of Is´ra-el? By what kingdom was Is´ra-el destroyed? Who was its last king? What finally became of the ten tribes?

The Kingdom of Judah

I.General Aspects of the Kingdom of Ju´dah.

1.Its territory.It embraced the mountain portion of the tribe of Ju´dah, from the Dead Sea to the Phi-lis´tine plain; a part of Ben´ja-min, in which tribe the larger part of Je-ru´sa-lem stood; and also a part of Dan (Chron. 11. 10). Sim´e-on was nominally within its border, but was practically given up to the A-ra´bi-ans of the desert; E´dom was tributary, though often in rebellion, and finally independent (1 Kings 22. 47; 2 Kings 8. 20); Phi-lis´ti-a was outside of its boundary. Its extent was about 3,435 square miles, about half the area of Massachusetts.

2.Its governmentwas a monarchy, with but one family on the throne, the line of Da´vid, in direct succession, with the exception of Ath-a-li´ah´s usurpation (2 Kings 11. 1-3), through nineteen reigns.

3.Its religion.Through all the history we find two forms of worship strongly opposed to each other, yet both rooted in the nation. 1.) The worship of Je-ho´vah through the temple, the priesthood, and the prophets. 2.) But side by side with this pure religion was the worship of idols upon "high places," probably begun as a form of worshiping Je-ho´vah, but degenerating into gross and immoral idolatry. There was a struggle going on constantly between these two elements in the state, the spiritual and the material. Notwithstanding the efforts of reforming kings like Je-hosh´a-phat, Hez-e-ki´ah, and Jo-si´ah, the general tendency was downward.

II.The Duration of the Kingdom.The kingdom lasted from B. C. 934 to 587—more than one hundred and thirty years longer than Is´ra-el. Reasons for its endurance may have been:

1.Its retired situation: hemmed in by mountains and deserts; at a distance from the ordinary lines of travel; not in the direct path of conquest from any other nation. Ju´dah had few foreign wars as compared with Is´ra-el.

2.The unity of its people.They were not ten tribes loosely connected, but one tribe, with a passionate love of their nation and a pride in their blood.

3.Its concentration at Je-ru´sa-lem.Through all its history there was but one capital, where the palace of the king and the temple of the Lord were standing together.

4.The reverence for the House of Da´vidalso kept the people together. There was no change in dynasty, and the loyalty of the people grew stronger through the generations toward the family on the throne. There being no usurpers, the throne was permanent until destroyed by foreign power.

5.The purity of its religiontended to keep the nation united and to keep it in existence. No bond of self-interest or of blood will hold a people together as strongly as the tie of religion. Ju´dah's strength was in the measure of her service of God, and when she renounced Je-ho´vah her doom came speedily.

III.Periods in the History.Though Ju´dah was not without political contact with other nations, yet its history is the record of internal events rather than external relations. We may divide its history into four epochs.

1.The first decline and revival.1.) The reigns of Re-ho-bo´am and A-bi´jah marked a decline indicated by the E-gyp´tian invasion and the growth of idolatry. 2.) The reign of A´sa and Je-hosh´a-phat showed a revival in reformation, progress, and power. Under Je-hosh´a-phat, Ju´dah was at the height of prosperity. This was the time of peace with Is´ra-el and of strength at home and abroad (2 Chron. 17. 5; 20. 30).

2.The second decline and revival.1.) For nearly two hundred years after the death of Je-hosh´a-phat the course of Ju´dah was downward. E´dom was lost under Je-ho´ram (2 Chron. 21. 8); the Ba´al-ite idolatry was introduced by the usurping queen, Ath-a-li´ah (2 Kings 11. 18); the land was again and again invaded under Jo´ash and Am-a-zi´ah, and Je-ru´sa-lem itself was taken and plundered. 2.) But a great reformation was wrought under Hez-e-ki´ah, who was the best and wisest of the kings of Ju´dah, and the kingdom again rose to power, even daring to throw off the As-syr´i-an yoke and defy the anger of the mightiest king then on the earth. At this time came the great event of the destruction of the As-syr´i-an host (2 Kings 19. 35).

3.The third decline and revival.1.) The reforms of Hez-e-ki´ah were short-lived, for his son Ma-nas´seh was both the longest in reigning and the wickedest of the kings, and his late repentance didnot stay the tide of corruption which he had let loose (2 Kings 21. 10-17; 2 Chron. 33. 1-18). The wickedness of Ma-nas´seh's reign was the great moral cause of the kingdom's destruction, for from it no reform afterward could lift the mass of the people. 2.) Jo-si´ah, the young reformer, attempted the task, but his efforts, though earnest, were only measurably successful, and after his untimely death the kingdom hastened to its fall (2 Kings 23. 29).

4.The final decline and fall.1.) The political cause of the destruction of the kingdom was the rise of Bab´y-lon. The old As-syr´i-an empire went down about B. C. 625, and a struggle followed between Bab´y-lon and E´gypt for the supremacy. Ju´dah took the side of E´gypt, which proved to be the losing side. 2.) After several chastisements and repeated rebellions Je-ru´sa-lem was finally destroyed by Neb-u-chad-nez´zar, king of Bab´y-lon, and the kingdom of Ju´dah was extinguished, B. C. 587.

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