THE KINGDOM OF THE NORTH
JEROBOAM.
(The story of the revolt of the northern part of the kingdom from the south has been told in the story of [Rehoboam]. Jeroboam, who became the king of the northern territory, was little improvement over Rehoboam, his rival in the south. He was not of royal birth, but, as a bright young man in Solomon's court, came under the great king's notice. He plotted, however, against his master, and, his treachery being discovered, fled to Egypt. As soon as Solomon died, Jeroboam returned from Egypt, and became the leader of the successful revolt against the tyranny of the young king of the south.)
The New Kingdom.
Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and dwelt therein; and he went out from thence, and built Penuel. And Jeroboam said in his heart, "Now the kingdom will return to the house of David: if this people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, then will the heart of this people turn again unto their lord, even unto Rehoboam king of Judah; and they will kill me, and return to Rehoboam king of Judah." Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold; and he said unto them, "It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem; behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt." And he set the one [{354}] in Beth-el, and the other put he in Dan. And this thing became a sin: for the people went to worship before, the one, even unto Dan. And he made houses of high places, and made priests from among all the people, which were not of the sons of Levi. And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like unto the feast that is in Judah, and he went up unto the altar; so did he in Beth-el, sacrificing unto the calves that he made: and he placed in Beth-el the priests of the high places which he had made. And he went up unto the altar which he had made in Beth-el on the fifteenth day in the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own heart: and he ordained a feast for the children of Israel, and went up unto the altar, to burn incense.
The Prophet from Judah and His Fate.
And, behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of the Lord unto Beth-el: and Jeroboam was standing by the altar to burn incense. And he cried against the altar by the word of Jehovah, and said, "O altar, altar, thus saith Jehovah: 'Behold, a son shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name; and upon thee shall he sacrifice the priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee, and men's bones shall they burn upon thee.'"
And he gave a sign the same day, saying, "This is the sign which Jehovah hath spoken: 'Behold, the altar shall be rent, and the ashes that are upon it shall be poured out.'"
STREET OF AN ANCIENT EASTERN CITY.
From a photograph taken by Prof. Lewis Bayles Paton of Hartford Theological Seminary, and used by his kind permission.
Notice the houses built over the street converting it almost into a tunnel.
And it came to pass, when the king heard the saying of the man of God, which he cried against the altar in Beth-el, that Jeroboam put forth his hand from the altar, saying, "Lay hold on him."
And his hand, which he put forth against him, dried up, so that he could not draw it back again to him. The altar also was rent, and the ashes poured out from the altar, according to the sign which the man of God had given by the word of Jehovah. And the king answered and said unto the man of God, "Entreat now the favor of Jehovah thy God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored me again."
And the man of God entreated Jehovah, and the king's hand was restored him again, and became as it was before.
And the king said unto the man of God, "Come home with me, and refresh thyself, and I will give thee a reward."
And the man of God said unto the king, "If thou wilt give me half thine house, I will not go in with thee, neither will I eat bread nor drink water in this place: for so it was charged me by the word of the Lord, saying, 'Thou shalt eat no bread, nor drink water, neither return by the way that thou camest.'"
So he went another way, and returned not by the way that he came to Beth-el.
Now there dwelt an old prophet in Beth-el; and one of his sons came and told him all the works that the man of God had done that day in Beth-el: the words which he had spoken unto the king, them also they told unto their father.
And their father said unto them, "What way went he?" Now his sons had seen what way the man of God went, which came from Judah.
And he said unto his sons, "Saddle me the ass."
So they saddled him the ass: and he rode thereon. And he went after the man of God, and found him sitting under an oak: and he said unto him, "Art thou the man of God that camest from Judah?" And he said, "I am."
Then he said unto him, "Come home with me, and eat bread."
And he said, "I may not return with thee, nor go in with thee: neither will I eat bread nor drink water with thee in this place: for it was said to me by the word of the Lord, 'Thou shalt eat no bread nor drink water there, nor turn again to go by the way that thou camest.'"
And he said unto him, "I also am a prophet as thou art; and an angel spoke unto me by the word of the Lord, saying, 'Bring him back with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water.'"
But he lied unto him. So he went back with him, and did eat bread in his house, and drank water. And it came to pass, as they sat at the table, that the word of the Lord came unto the prophet that brought him back: and he cried unto the man of God that came from Judah, saying, "Thus saith the Lord, 'Forasmuch as thou hast been disobedient unto the mouth of the Lord, and hast not kept the commandment which, the Lord thy God commanded thee, but camest back, and hast eaten bread and drunk water in the place of the which he said to thee, Eat no bread, and drink no water; thy body shall not come unto the sepulcher of thy fathers.'"
THE RUINS OF SAMARIA
From a photograph belonging to the Forbes Library, Northampton, Mass., and used by special permission
"To-day amid the peaceful beauty of the scene--the secluded vale covered with cornfields through which the winding streams flash and glisten into the hazy distance, and the gentle hill rises to the olives waving over its summit--it is possible to appreciate Isaiah's name for Samaria, the crown of the pride of Ephraim, the flower of his glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fat valley. There by the entrance of the gate Ahab drew his sentence of death from the prophet of Jehovah; and there they washed his blood from his chariot, when they had brought him back to his burial. There Jezebel slew the prophets of Jehovah and Jehu the priests of Baal."
And it came to pass, after he had eaten bread, and after he had drunk, that he saddled for him the ass, to wit, for the prophet whom he had brought back. And when he was gone, a lion met him by the way, and slew him: and his body was cast in the way, and the ass stood by it; the lion also stood by the body.
And, behold, men passed by, and saw the body cast in the way, and the lion standing by the body: and they came and told it in the city where the old prophet dwelt. And when the prophet that brought him back from the way heard thereof, he said, "It is the man of God who was disobedient unto the mouth of the Lord: therefore the Lord hath delivered him unto the lion, which hath torn him, and slain him, according to the word of the Lord, which he spoke unto him."
And he spoke to his sons, saying, "Saddle me the ass."
And they saddled it.
And he went, and found his body cast in the way, and the ass and the lion standing by the body: the lion had not eaten the body, nor torn the ass.
And the prophet took up the body of the man of God, and laid it upon the ass, and brought it back: and he came to the city of the old prophet, to mourn, and to bury him.
And he laid his body in his own grave; and they mourned over him, saying, "Alas, my brother!"
And it came to pass, after he had buried him, that he spoke to his sons, saying, "When I am dead, then bury [{362}] me in the sepulcher wherein the man of God is buried; lay my bones beside his bones. For the saying which he cried by the word of the Lord against the altar in Beth-el, and against all the houses of the high places which are in the cities of Israel, shall surely come to pass."
After this thing Jeroboam returned not from his evil way, but made again from among all the people priests of the high places: whosoever would, he consecrated him, that there might be priests of the high places. And this thing became sin unto the house of Jeroboam, even to cut it off, and to destroy it from off the face of the earth.
How the King's Son Died.
At that time Abijah the son of Jeroboam fell sick. And Jeroboam said to his wife, "Arise, I pray thee, and disguise thyself, that thou be not known to be the wife of Jeroboam: and get thee to Shiloh; behold, there is Ahijah the prophet, who spoke concerning me that I should be king over this people. And take with thee ten loaves, and cracknels, and a cruse of honey, and go to him: he shall tell thee what shall become of the child."
And Jeroboam's wife did so, and arose, and went to Shiloh, and came to the house of Ahijah. Now Ahijah could not see; for his eyes were blind by reason of his age.
And the Lord said unto Ahijah, "Behold, the wife of Jeroboam cometh to inquire of thee concerning her son; for he is sick: thus and thus shalt thou say unto her: for it shall be, when she cometh in, that she shall feign herself to be another woman."
And it was so, when Ahijah heard the sound of her feet, as she carne in at the door, that he said, "Come in, thou wife of Jeroboam; why feignest thou thyself to be another? for I am sent to thee with heavy tidings. Go, tell Jeroboam, 'Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel: Forasmuch as I exalted thee from among the people, and made thee prince over my people Israel, and rent the kingdom away from the house of David, and gave it thee: and yet thou hast not been as my servant David, who kept my commandments, and who followed me with all his heart, to do that only which was right in mine eyes; but hast done evil above all that were before thee, and hast gone and made thee other gods, and molten images, to provoke me to anger, and hast cast me behind thy back: therefore, behold, I will bring evil upon the house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam every male child, and will utterly sweep away the house of Jeroboam, as a man sweepeth away dung, till it be all gone. Him that dieth of Jeroboam in the city shall the dogs eat; and him that dieth in the fields shall the fowls of the air eat: for the Lord hath spoken it.'
"Arise thou therefore, get thee to thine house: and when thy feet enter into the city, the child shall die. And all Israel shall mourn for him, and bury him; for he only of Jeroboam shall come to the grave: because in him there is found some good thing toward the Lord, the God of Israel, in the house of Jeroboam. Moreover the Lord shall raise him up a king over Israel, who shall cut off the house of Jeroboam that day. For the Lord shall smite Israel, as [{364}] a reed is shaken in the water; and he shall root up Israel out of this good land, which he gave to their fathers, and shall scatter them beyond the River; because they have made their Asherim, provoking the Lord to anger. And he shall give Israel up because of the sins of Jeroboam, which he hath sinned, and wherewith he hath made Israel to sin."
And Jeroboam's wife arose, and departed, and came to Tirzah: and as she came to the threshold of the house, the child died.
And all Israel buried him, and mourned for him: according to the word of the Lord, which he spoke by the hand of his servant Ahijah the prophet. And the days which Jeroboam reigned were two and twenty years: and he died, and Nadab his son reigned in his stead.
MOUNT GERIZIM.
Mount Gerizim (2,849 feet) faces Mount Ebal, and in the narrow pass between them is Shechem. The Samaritans erected a temple on the mountain, making it the central shrine of the nation and a rival of Jerusalem, about the year 432 B.C. The flat stone shown in the picture is the place of sacrifice, which is still maintained by a little community of Samaritans.
NADAB.
(The dynasty of the house of Jeroboam was very brief after the death of its founder. Nadab his son reigned only two years, when he was murdered by a common soldier, probably while he was laying siege to one of the towns of the Philistines.)
And Nadab the son of Jeroboam began to reign over Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah, and he reigned over Israel two years. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the way of his father, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin. And Baasha the son of Ahijah, of the house of Issachar, conspired against him; and Baasha smote him at Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines; for Nadab and all Israel were laying siege to Gibbethon. Even in the third year of Asa king of Judah did Baasha slay him, and reigned in his stead.
BAASHA.
(Baasha, who assassinated Nadab and usurped the throne, seems not to have been of royal blood. He was probably an adventurous soldier who saw his opportunity and won his way to the crown by sheer force of audacity and daring. He began his reign by killing all the possible aspirants to the throne in the persons of the family of Jeroboam. His reign was marked by a succession of wars with Judah.)
And it came to pass that, as soon as Baasha was king, he smote all the house of Jeroboam; he left not to Jeroboam any that breathed, until he had destroyed him; according unto the saying of the Lord, which he spoke by the hand of his servant Ahijah the Shilonite: for the sins of Jeroboam which he sinned, and wherewith he made Israel to sin; because of his provocation wherewith he provoked the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger. And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days.
In the third year of Asa king of Judah began Baasha the son of Ahijah to reign over all Israel in Tirzah, and reigned twenty and four years. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin. And the word of the Lord came to Jehu against Baasha, saying, "Forasmuch as I exalted thee out of the [{369}] dust, and made thee prince over my people Israel; and thou hast walked in the way of Jeroboam, and hast made my people Israel to sin, to provoke me to anger with their sins; behold, I will utterly sweep away Baasha and his house; and I will make thy house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat. Him that dieth of Baasha in the city shall the dogs eat; and him that dieth of his in the field shall the fowls of the air eat."
And Baasha died, and was buried in Tirzah; and Elah his son reigned in his stead. And moreover by the hand of the prophet Jehu the son of Hanani came the word of the Lord against Baasha, and against his house, both because of all the evil that he did in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger with the work of his hands, in being like the house of Jeroboam, and because he smote him.
ELAH.
(The son of Baasha, the adventurer, seems to have been as weak and incompetent as his father was ready and daring. While his army was off to the wars, he stayed at home and indulged his appetites. He was "drinking himself drunk" in the house of his steward Arza, when Zimri, captain of his chariots, came in and murdered him in cold blood as he lay like a beast in the slumber of drunkenness.)
In the twenty and sixth year of Asa king of Judah began Elah the son of Baasha to reign over Israel in Tirzah, and reigned two years. And his servant Zimri, captain of half his chariots, conspired against him: now he was in Tirzah, drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza, which was over the household in Tirzah: and Zimri went in and smote him, and killed him, and reigned in his stead. And it came to pass, when he began to reign, as soon as he sat on his throne, that he smote all the house of Baasha: he left him not a single man child, neither of his kinsfolks, nor of his friends. Thus did Zimri destroy all the house of Baasha, according to the word of the Lord, which he spoke against Baasha by Jehu the prophet, for all the sins of Baasha, and the sins of Elah his son, which they sinned, and wherewith they made Israel to sin, to provoke the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger with their vanities.
MOUNT HERMON.
Mount Hermon, the great mountain barrier of northern Palestine, rises 9,200 feet above the sea. In the picture the range can be seen dimly, the ravines being filled with snow.
ZIMRI.
(There was wild work in Tirzah for a few days after Zimri killed the king. He followed up his advantage by assassinating all the children of Elah, so the house of Baasha, like the house of Jeroboam, was speedily exterminated. But Zimri's triumph was very short-lived. For just one week he wore the purple. Then the army returned and fell upon him. He went into the palace to defend himself, but finding his cause hopeless, he burned the palace over his own head, and perished in the flames. His name became a synonym for treachery in Israel, so that later, when Jezebel looked from her lattice and saw her foe Jehu below, she called out to him with the taunt, "Is it peace, thou 'Zimri,' thou master's murderer?")
In the twenty and seventh year of Asa king of Judah did Zimri reign seven days in Tirzah. Now the people were encamped against Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines. And the people that were encamped heard that Zimri had conspired, and had also murdered the king: wherefore all Israel made Omri, the captain of the host, king over Israel that day in the camp. And Omri went up from Gibbethon, and all Israel with him, and they besieged Tirzah. And it came to pass, when Zimri saw that the city was taken, that he went into the castle of the king's house, and burnt the king's house over him with fire, and died, for his sins which he sinned in doing that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, in walking in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin which he did, to make Israel to sin.
OMRI.
(In the confusion which followed the death of Zimri, there were two rival claimants to the throne, Omri and Tibni. Omri quickly prevailed, however, and at once began to show his great genius as a ruler. He established a dynasty so powerful that it lasted for four reigns. He built the city of Samaria, and waged many successful wars against neighboring peoples.)
Then were the people of Israel divided into two parts: half of the people followed Tibni the son of Ginath, to make him king; and half followed Omri. But the people that followed Omri prevailed against the people that followed Tibni the son of Ginath: so Tibni died, and Omri reigned. In the thirty and first year of Asa king of Judah began Omri to reign over Israel, and reigned twelve years: six years reigned he in Tirzah. And he bought the hill Samaria of Shemer for two talents of silver; and he built on the hill, and called the name of the city which he built, after the name of Shemer, the owner of the hill, Samaria. And Omri did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, and dealt wickedly above all that were before him. For he walked in all the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and in his sins wherewith he made Israel to sin, to provoke the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger with their vanities. So Omri slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria: and Ahab his son reigned in his stead.
THE MOABITE STONE.
Used by special permission of the Palestine Exploration Fund.
A monument of a Moabite king, Mesha, in which he describes wars with Omri, king of Israel. This famous stone was discovered in 1868. The translation of the inscription is as follows:--
"I, Mesha, am the son of Chemosh-Gad, king of Moab, the Dibonite. My father reigned over Moab thirty years, and I reigned after my father. And I erected this stone to Chemosh at Kirkha, a (stone of) salvation, for he saved me from all despoilers, and made me see my desire upon all my enemies, even upon Omri, king of Israel. Now they afflicted Moab many days, for Chemosh was angry with his land. His son succeeded him; and he also said, I will afflict Moab. In my days (Chemosh) said, (Let us go) and I will see my desire on him and his house, and I will destroy Israel with an everlasting destruction. Now Omri took the land of Medeba, and (the enemy) occupied it in (his days and in) the days of his son, forty years. And Chemosh (had mercy) on it in my days; and I fortified Baal-Meon, and made therein the tank, and I fortified Kiriathaim. For the men of Gad dwelt in the land of (Atar)oth from of old, and the king (of) Israel fortified for himself Ataroth, and I assaulted the wall and captured it, and killed all the warriors of the wall for the well-pleasing of Chemosh and Moab; and I removed from it all the spoil, and I (offered) it before Chemosh in Kirjath; and I placed therein the men of Siran and the men of Mochrath. And Chemosh said to me, Go take Nebo against Israel. (And I) went in the night, and I fought against it from the break of dawn till noon, and I took it and slew in all seven thousand (men, but I did not kill) the women (and) maidens, for (I) devoted them to Ashtar-Chemosh; and I took from it the vessels of Yahveh, and offered them before Chemosh. And the king of Israel fortified Jahaz and occupied it, when he made war against me; and Chemosh drove him out before (me, and) I took from Moab two hundred men, all its poor, and placed them in Jahaz, and took it to annex it to Dibon. I built Kirkha, the wall of the forest, and the wall of the city, and I built the gates thereof, and I built the towers thereof, and I built the palace, and I made the prisons for the criminals within the walls. And there was no cistern in the wall at Kirkha, and I said to all the people, Make for yourselves, every man, a cistern in his house. And I dug the ditch for Kirkha by means of the (captive) men of Israel. I built Aroer, and I made the road across the Arnon. I built Beth-Bamoth, for it was destroyed; I built Bezer, for it was cut (down) by the armed men of Dibon, for all Dibon was now loyal; and I reigned from Bikran, which I added to my land, and I built (Beth-Gamul) and Beth-Diblathaim and Beth-Baal-Meon, and I placed there the poor (people) of the land. And as to Horonaim, (the men of Edom) dwelt therein (from of old). And Chemosh said to me, Go down, make war against Horonaim and take (it. And I assaulted it, and I took it, and) Chemosh (restored it) in my days. Wherefore I made . . . . year . . . . and I . . . ."
AHAB.
How a Wicked King Met His Death.
(One of the wickedest kings who ever sat upon a throne was Ahab. This story tells how, while fighting in company with Jehoshaphat, he met his death in battle, and how the terrible prophecy of Elijah was fulfilled. With his customary trickiness, he tried to escape notice in the battle, by making his ally, the king of Judah, conspicuous. An archer, however, drawing his bow at a venture, struck the king between the joints of his armor, and inflicted a mortal wound.)
[Footnote: The story of the houses of Ahab and Jehu are told more fully in ["Tales of Elijah and Elisha,"] to be found in this volume.]
And they continued three years without war between Syria and Israel. And it came to pass in the third year, that Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came down to the king of Israel. And the king of Israel said unto his servants, "Know ye that Ramoth-gilead is ours, and we are still, and take it not out of the hand of the king of Syria?"
And he said unto Jehoshaphat, "Wilt thou go with me to battle to Ramoth-gilead?"
And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, "I am as thou art, my people as thy people, my horses as thy horses."
And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, "Inquire first, I pray thee, for the word of the Lord."
Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, [{378}] about four hundred men, and said unto them, "Shall I go against Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I forbear?"
And they said, "Go up; for the Lord will deliver it into the hand of the king."
But Jehoshaphat said, "Is there not here a prophet of the Lord besides, that we may inquire of him?"
And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, "There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the Lord, Micaiah the son of Imlah: but I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil."
And Jehoshaphat said, "Let not the king say so." Then the king of Israel called an officer, and said, "Fetch quickly Micaiah the son of Imlah."
Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah sat each on his throne, arrayed in their robes, in an open place at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them.
And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron, and said, "Thus saith the Lord, 'With these shalt thou push the Syrians, until they be consumed.'"
And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, "Go up to Ramoth-gilead, and prosper: for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king."
And the messenger that went to call Micaiah spoke unto him, saying, "Behold now, the words of the prophets declare good unto the king with one mouth: let thy word, I pray thee, be like the word of one of them, and speak thou good."
And Micaiah said, "As the Lord liveth, what the Lord saith unto me, that will I speak."
And when he was come to the king, the king said unto him, "Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall we forbear?" And he answered him, "Go up, and prosper; and the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king."
And the king said unto him, "How many times shall I adjure thee that thou speak unto me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord?"
And he said, "I saw all Israel scattered upon the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd: and the Lord said, 'These have no master; let them return every man to his house in peace.'"
And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "Did I not tell thee that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?"
And he said, "Therefore hear thou the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left. And the Lord said, 'Who shall entice Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?' And one said on this manner; and another on that manner. And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the Lord, and said, 'I will entice him.'
"And the Lord said unto him, 'Wherewith?'
"And he said, 'I will go forth, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.'
"And he said, 'Thou shalt entice him, and shalt prevail also: go forth, and do so.'
"Now therefore, behold, the Lord hath put a lying [{380}] spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets; and the Lord hath spoken evil concerning thee."
Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near, and smote Micaiah on the cheek, and said, "Which way went the spirit of the Lord from me to speak unto thee?"
And Micaiah said, "Behold, thou shalt see on that day, when thou shalt go into an inner chamber to hide thyself."
And the king of Israel said, "Take Micaiah, and carry him back unto Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king's son; and say, 'Thus saith the king, Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I come in peace.'"
And Micaiah said, "If thou return at all in peace, the Lord hath not spoken by me." And he said, "Hear, ye peoples, all of you."
So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead. And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, "I will disguise myself, and go into the battle; but put thou on thy robes."
And the king of Israel disguised himself, and went into the battle. Now the king of Syria had commanded the thirty and two captains of his chariots, saying, "Fight neither with small nor great, save only with the king of Israel."
And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, "Surely it is the king of Israel"; and they turned aside to fight against him: and Jehoshaphat cried out.
And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots [{381}] saw that it was not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing him. And a certain archer drew his bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the harness: wherefore he said unto the driver of his chariot, "Turn thine hand, and carry me out of the host; for I am sore wounded."
And the battle increased that day: and the king was stayed up in his chariot against the Syrians, and died at even: and the blood ran out of the wound into the bottom of the chariot. And there went a cry throughout the host about the going down of the sun, saying, "Every man to his city, and every man to his country."
So the king died, and was brought to Samaria; and they buried the king in Samaria. And they washed the chariot by the pool of Samaria; and the dogs licked up his blood; according to the word of the Lord which he spoke.
AHAZIAH.
The Brief Reign of an Evil King.
Ahaziah the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and he reigned two years over Israel. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the way of his father, and in the way of his mother, and in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, wherein he made Israel to sin. And he served Baal, and worshiped him, and provoked to anger the Lord, the God of Israel, according to all that his father had done.
And Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab. And Ahaziah fell down through the lattice in his upper chamber that was in Samaria, and was sick: and he sent messengers, and said unto them, "Go, inquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron whether I shall recover of this sickness."
But the angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, "Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say unto them, 'Is it because there is no God in Israel, that ye go to inquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron? Now therefore thus saith the Lord, Thou shalt not come down from the bed whither thou art gone up, but shalt surely die.'"
And Elijah departed. And the messengers returned unto him, and he said unto them, "Why is it that ye are returned?"
SAMARIA FROM THE SOUTH.
From a photograph of the Palestine Exploration Fund and used by special permission.
The revolt of the people of the north made necessary a new capital. It was first at Shechem, which was not, however, a strong situation from the military standpoint; then at Tirzah, but Omri chose finally a beautiful location at the head of a valley running down to the sea. Here on a hill rising 360 feet above the surrounding country was built one of the famous cities of the east--Samaria, meaning "watch-tower." It was the sacred city of the north, the rival of Jerusalem. The city was almost impregnable, and the sieges against it were always very long. The broad vale is visible for eight miles, then a low range of hills, and over them the sea.
"To-day amid the peaceful beauty of the scene--the secluded vale covered with cornfields through which the winding streams flash and glisten into the hazy distance, and the gentle hill rises to the olives waving over its summit--it is possible to appreciate Isaiah's name for Samaria, the crown of the pride of Ephraim, the flower of his glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fat valley. There by the entrance of the gate Ahab drew his sentence of death from the prophet of Jehovah; and there they washed his blood from his chariot, when they had brought him back to his burial. There Jezebel slew the prophets of Jehovah and Jehu the priests of Baal."
And they said unto him, "There came up a man to meet us, and said unto us, 'Go, turn again unto the king that sent you, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Is it because there is no God in Israel, that thou sendest to inquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron? therefore thou shalt not come down from the bed whither thou art gone up, but shalt surely die.'"
And he said unto them, "What manner of man was he which came up to meet you? and told you these words?"
And they answered him, "He was an hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins."
And he said, "It is Elijah the Tishbite."
Then the king sent unto him a captain of fifty with his fifty. And he went up to him: and, behold, he sat on the top of the hill. And he spoke unto him, "O man of God, the king hath said, 'Come down.'"
And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, "If I be a man of God, let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty."
And there came down fire from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.
And again he sent unto him another captain of fifty with his fifty. And he answered and said unto him, "O man of God, thus hath the king said, 'Come down quickly.'"
And Elijah answered and said unto them, "If I be a man of God, let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty."
And the fire of God came down from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.
And again he sent the captain of a third fifty with his fifty. And the third captain of fifty went up and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and besought him, and said unto him, "O man of God, I pray thee, let my life, and the life of these fifty thy servants, be precious in thy sight. Behold, there came fire down from heaven, and consumed the two former captains of fifty with their fifties; but now let my life be precious in thy sight."
And the angel of Jehovah said unto Elijah, "Go down with him: be not afraid of him."
And he arose, and went down with him unto the king. And he said unto him, "Thus saith the Lord, 'Forasmuch as thou hast sent messengers to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, is it because there is no God in Israel to inquire of his word? therefore thou shalt not come down from the bed whither thou art gone up, but shalt surely die.'"
So he died according to the word of Jehovah which Elijah had spoken.
JORAM.
(Joram, or Jehoram as it is sometimes written, was another evil king of the race of Ahab. Frightened by the fate of his brother he began his reign by an attack upon idolatry. But the old wicked blood flamed out, and his reign was marked by many excesses and much wrong-doing. The account of other events of this reign not given here, and how the king, already sick from arrow wounds received in battle, was killed by an arrow from the strong bow of Jehu, will be found in the ["Stories of Elijah and Elisha"] in this volume. Joram was a fighting king, but he was not always successful. The battle in which he received his wounds previous to his death was an attempt to take Ramoth-gilead in company with Ahaziah of Judah, but the Syrian archers wounded him so severely that he was forced to retire. The story given below is of an attack made upon Mesha, "sheep-master" king of Moab, who, it seems, refused two years previously the tribute of wool which he had paid to Israel. Joram called the kings of Judah and Edom together, and the three made an expedition to punish the Moabites. The armies would have perished miserably had it not been for a miracle performed by Elisha. The expedition, while momentarily successful, ended in the retreat of the allies without having fully accomplished their purpose.)
Now Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned twelve years. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, but not like his father, and like his mother; for he put away the pillar of Baal that his father had made. Nevertheless he cleaved unto the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, wherewith he made Israel to sin; he departed not therefrom.
Now Mesha king of Moab was a sheep-master; and he rendered unto the king of Israel the wool of a hundred thousand lambs, and of a hundred thousand rams. But it came to pass, when Ahab was dead, that the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel. And King Jehoram went out of Samaria at that time, and mustered all Israel. And he went and sent to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, saying, "The king of Moab hath rebelled against me: wilt thou go with me against Moab to battle?"
And he said, "I will go up: I am as thou art, my people as thy people, my horses as thy horses."
And he said, "Which way shall we go up?"
And he answered, "The way of the wilderness of Edom."
So the king of Israel went, and the king of Judah, and the king of Edom: and they made a circuit of seven days' journey: and there was no water for the host, nor for the beasts that followed them.
And the king of Israel said, "Alas! for the Lord hath called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab."
But Jehoshaphat said, "Is there not here a prophet of the Lord, that we may inquire of the Lord by him?"
And one of the king of Israel's servants answered and said, "Elisha the son of Shaphat is here, who poured water on the hands of Elijah."
And Jehoshaphat said, "The word of the Lord is with him."
So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him.
RUINS AT THE ANCIENT JERICHO.
Used by special permission of the Detroit Photograph Company.
The modern village of Jericho, near the ruins of ancient Jericho. With its mud walls and thatched roofs, it is one of the poorest and most miserable villages in all Palestine.
And Elisha said unto the king of Israel, "What have I to do with thee? get thee to the prophets of thy father, and to the prophets of thy mother."
And the king of Israel said unto him, "Nay: for the Lord hath called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab."
And Elisha said, "As the Lord of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor see thee. But now bring me a minstrel." And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the Lord came upon him.
And he said, "Thus saith the Lord, 'Make this valley full of trenches.' For thus saith the Lord, 'Ye shall not see wind, neither shall ye see rain, yet that valley shall be filled with water: and ye shall drink, both ye and your cattle and your beasts.'
"And this is but a light thing in the sight of the Lord: he will also deliver the Moabites into your hand. And ye shall smite every fenced city, and every choice city, and shall fell every good tree, and stop all fountains of water, and mar every good piece of land with stones."
And it came to pass in the morning, about the time of offering the oblation, that, behold, there came water by the way of Edom, and the country was filled with water.
Now when all the Moabites heard that the kings were come up to fight against them, they gathered themselves together, all that were able to put on armor, and upward, [{392}] and stood on the border. And they rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone upon the water, and the Moabites saw the water over against them as red as blood: and they said, "This is blood; the kings are surely destroyed, and they have smitten each man his fellow: now therefore, Moab, to the spoil."
And when they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and smote the Moabites, so that they fled before them: and they went forward into the land smiting the Moabites. And they beat down the cities; and on every good piece of land they cast every man his stone, and filled it; and they stopped all the fountains of water, and felled all the good trees: until in Kir-hareseth only they left the stones thereof; howbeit the slingers went about it, and smote it.
And when the king of Moab saw that the battle was too sore for him, he took with him seven hundred men that drew sword, to break through unto the king of Edom: but they could not. Then he took his eldest son that should have reigned in his stead, and offered him for a burnt offering upon the wall. And there was great wrath against Israel: and they departed from him, and returned to their own land.
THE PLAINS OF JERICHO.
Now almost uninhabited, covered with wild growth. The mounds in the middle distance cover the ancient city.
JEHU.
[Footnote: How Jehu, a captain in the army, came to the throne of Israel, is told in the ["Stories of Elijah and Elisha"] in this volume.]
How Jehu Destroyed the Children of Ahab and the Children of Ahaziah, and the Priests of Baal.
Now Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. And Jehu wrote letters, and sent to Samaria, unto the rulers of Jezreel, even the elders, and unto them that brought up the sons of Ahab, saying, "And now as soon as this letter cometh to you, seeing your master's sons are with you, and there are with you chariots and horses, a fenced city also, and armor; look ye out the best and meetest of your master's sons, and set him on his father's throne, and fight for your master's house."
But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, "Behold, the two kings stood not before him: how then shall we stand?"
And he that was over the household, and he that was over the city, the elders also, and they that brought up the children, sent to Jehu, saying, "We are thy servants, and will do all that thou shalt bid us; we will not make any man king: do thou that which is good in thine eyes."
Then he wrote a letter the second time to them, saying, "If ye be on my side, and if ye will hearken unto my voice, take ye the heads of the men your master's sons, and come to me to Jezreel by to-morrow this time."
Now the king's sons, being seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, which brought them up. And it came to pass, when the letter came to them, that they took the king's sons, and slew them, even seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets, and sent them unto him to Jezreel.
And there came a messenger, and told him, saying, "They have brought the heads of the king's sons."
And he said, "Lay ye them in two heaps at the entering in of the gate until the morning." And it came to pass in the morning, that he went out, and stood, and said to all the people, "Ye be righteous: behold, I conspired against my master, and slew him: but who smote all these? Know now that there shall fall unto the earth nothing of the word of the Lord, which the Lord spoke concerning the house of Ahab: for the Lord hath done that which he spoke by his servant Elijah."
So Jehu smote all that remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his great men, and his familiar friends, and his priests, until he left him none remaining. And he arose and departed, and went to Samaria.
And as he was at the shearing house of the shepherds in the way, Jehu met with the brethren of Ahaziah king of Judah, and said, "Who are ye?" And they answered, "We are the brethren of Ahaziah: and we go down to salute the children of the king and the children of the queen."
And he said, "Take them alive."
And they took them alive, and slew them at the pit of the shearing house, even two and forty men; neither left he any of them.
And when he was departed thence, he came upon Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him: and he saluted him, and said to him, "Is thine heart right, as my heart is with thy heart?"
And Jehonadab answered, "It is."
"If it be, give me thine hand." And he gave him his hand; and he took him up to him into the chariot.
And he said, "Come with me, and see my zeal for the Lord,"
So they made him ride in his chariot. And when he came to Samaria, he smote all that remained unto Ahab in Samaria, till he had destroyed him, according to the word of the Lord, which he spoke to Elijah.
And Jehu gathered all the people together, and said unto them, "Ahab served Baal a little; but Jehu shall serve him much. Now therefore call unto me all the prophets of Baal, all his worshipers, and all his priests; let none be wanting: for I have a great sacrifice to do to Baal; whosoever shall be wanting, he shall not live." But Jehu did it in subtlety, to the intent that he might destroy the worshipers of Baal.
And Jehu said, "Sanctify a solemn assembly for Baal." And they proclaimed it.
And Jehu sent through all Israel: and all the worshipers of Baal came, so that there was not a man left that came not. And they came into the house of Baal; and the house of Baal was filled from one end to another.
And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, that Jehu said to the guard [{398}] and to the captains, "Go in, and slay them; let none come forth." And they smote them with the edge of the sword; and the guard and the captains cast them out, and went to the city of the house of Baal. And they brought forth the pillars that were in the house of Baal, and burned them. And they broke down the pillar of Baal, and broke down the house of Baal, and defiled it, unto this day. Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel.
Howbeit from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, wherewith he made Israel to sin, Jehu departed not from after them, to wit, the golden calves that were in Beth-el, and that were in Dan.
And the Lord said unto Jehu, "Because thou hast done well in executing that which is right in mine eyes, and hast done unto the house of Ahab according to all that was in mine heart, thy sons of the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel."
But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the Lord, the God of Israel, with all his heart: he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, wherewith he made Israel to sin.
In those days the Lord began to cut Israel short: and Hazael smote them in all the coasts of Israel; from Jordan eastward, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, and the Reubenites, and the Manassites, from Aroer, which is by the valley of Arnon, even Gilead and Bashan. And Jehu died: and they buried him in Samaria. And Jehoahaz his son reigned in his stead. And the time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty and eight years.
JEHOAHAZ.
(The kingdom of Israel was nearly blotted out by the raids of the Syrians during the weak reign of Jehoahaz.)
In the three and twentieth year of Joash the son of Ahaziah, king of Judah, Jehoahaz the son of Jehu began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned seventeen years. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, and followed the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, wherewith he made Israel to sin; he departed not therefrom. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he delivered them into the hand of Hazael king of Syria, and into the hand of Ben-hadad the son of Hazael, continually.
And Jehoahaz besought the Lord, and the Lord hearkened unto him: for he saw the oppression of Israel, how that the king of Syria oppressed them. And the Lord gave Israel a saviour, so that they went out from under the hand of the Syrians: and the children of Israel dwelt in their tents, as beforetime. Nevertheless they departed not from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, wherewith he made Israel to sin, but walked therein: and there remained the Asherah also in Samaria.
And there were left to Jehoahaz of the people only fifty horsemen, and ten chariots, and ten thousand footmen; for the king of Syria destroyed them, and made them like the dust in threshing. And Jehoahaz died; and they buried him in Samaria: and Joash his son reigned in his stead.
JOASH.
(The oppression of the Syrians continued into the reign of Joash, but in the later days of the reign, Joash gained the ascendency over his foes in three great battles, according to the prophecy of Elisha when he was about to die, as is told in the ["Stories of Elijah and Elisha"] in another chapter of this volume.)
And Hazael king of Syria oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz. But the Lord was gracious unto them, and had compassion on them, and had respect unto them, because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not destroy them, neither cast he them from his presence as yet. And Hazael king of Syria died; and Ben-hadad his son reigned in his stead. And Joash the son of Jehoahaz took again out of the hand of Ben-hadad the son of Hazael the cities which he had taken out of the hand of Jehoahaz his father by war. Three times did Joash smite him, and recovered the cities of Israel.
JEROBOAM II.
(Jeroboam II. was an evil king, but as a soldier he was one of the greatest in the history of Israel. He extended the territory of the people in every direction. The country was prosperous in a commercial sense as it never had been before. The rich people lived in the most luxurious houses and spent their time in idleness and dissipation. But there was another side to the picture. The poor were terribly oppressed, and there was no such thing as justice. The people worshiped idols and indulged in all kinds of evil practices. We know most about the reign through the prophet Amos, who sternly denounced all this wickedness.)
In the fifteenth year of Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel began to reign in Samaria, and reigned forty and one years. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord: departing not from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, wherewith he made Israel to sin. He restored the border of Israel from the entrance of Hamath unto the sea of the Arabah, according to the word of Jehovah, the God of Israel, which he spoke by his servant Jonah the son of Amittai, the prophet, who was of Gath-hepher. For the Lord saw the affliction of Israel, that it was very bitter; for there was none shut up nor left at large, neither was there any helper for Israel. And the Lord said not that he would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven; but he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam the son of Joash.
ZECHARIAH.
(After the splendid but utterly corrupt reign of Jeroboam II., came a succession of little kings, ruling by virtue of the assassin's knife. The first was Zechariah. He reigned only six months before a conspirator, Shallum, slew him.)
In the thirty and eighth year of Azariah king of Judah did Zechariah the son of Jeroboam reign over Israel in Samaria six months.
And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, as his fathers had done: he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, wherewith he made Israel to sin. And Shallum the son of Jabish conspired against him, and smote him before the people, and slew him, and reigned in his stead.
This was the word of the Lord which he spoke unto Jehu, saying, "Thy sons to the fourth generation shall sit upon the throne of Israel." And so it came to pass.
SHALLUM.
(Shallum's reign was shorter still. He was on the throne only one month before the swift fate overtook him, and he fell before a successful rival, Menahem.)
Shallum the son of Jabesh began to reign in the nine and thirtieth year of Uzziah king of Judah; and he reigned the space of a month in Samaria. And Menahem the son of Gadi went up from Tirzah, and came to Samaria, and smote Shallum the son of Jabesh in Samaria, and slew him, and reigned in his stead.
MENAHEM.
(Although Menahem was able to wrest the crown away from Shallum, he did not prove to be much of a soldier. It was in his reign perhaps that the Assyrians first came into the territory of Israel, though they had been in Philistia before, while probably Ahab and certainly Jehu had paid tribute. Instead of resisting them, the king taxed his people heavily to pay the great tribute exacted by the Lords of the North.)
In the nine and thirtieth year of Azariah king of Judah began Menahem the son of Gadi to reign over Israel, and reigned ten years in Samaria. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord: he departed not all his days from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, wherewith he made Israel to sin.
There came against the land Tiglath-pileser the king of Assyria; and Menahem gave Tiglath-pileser a thousand talents of silver, that his hand might be with him to confirm the kingdom in his hand. And Menahem exacted the money of Israel, even of all the mighty men of wealth, of each man fifty shekels of silver, to give to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria turned back, and stayed not there in the land. And Menahem died; and Pekahiah his son reigned in his stead.
DAMASCUS
From a photograph belonging to the Forbes Library, Northampton, Mass., and used by special permission.
"In the bazars of Damascus can be found all the color and richness of the East. In the long dusk tunnels, shot by solid shafts of life, all is beautiful--the old walnut wood, the brown tobacco bales, the carpets, the spotted brown scones in the bakers' shops, the tawny sweetmeats, the golden Hauran wheat, the piles of green melons, the tables of snow from Hermon, the armor and the rich saddlebags, the human dresses. But even the bazars of Damascus fail to exhaust the significance of the city. To gather more of this you must come out upon the three great roads which go forth from her--west, south, and east. The western travels by Galilee to the Levant and the Nile. The southern, which leaves the city by the 'Gates of God,' takes the pilgrims to Mecca. The eastern is the road to Bagdad, Egypt, Arabia, Persia,--the city of the khalifs lies in the midst of the three, and the Mediterranean is behind her."
--G. A. Smith.
PEKAHIAH.
(We come now to another series of dark and bloody reigns, before the sun of Israel set forever in blood. After Pekahiah had reigned for two years, Pekah, the captain of his body guard, overpowered him with a company of fifty soldiers, and succeeded to the throne.)
In the fiftieth year of Uzziah king of Judah Pekahiah the son of Menahem began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned two years. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord: he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, wherewith he made Israel to sin. And Pekah the son of Remaliah, his captain, conspired against him, and smote him in Samaria, in the castle of the king's house, with Argob and Arieh; and with him were fifty men of the Gileadites: and he slew him, and reigned in his stead.
PEKAH.
(In Pekah's reign those irresistible invasions from the north continued. The only possible safety lay in a confederacy of all the southern states. In such a confederacy Israel and Syria and Philistia joined. Judah would not come in and the northern states tried to force her to do so. This attempt was successful in so far as the defeat of Judah was concerned, but the effort instead of uniting only weakened the two nations. The Assyrians overran the northern country, captured many important towns and took many captives. At last Pekah fell a victim to the assassin and Hoshea ruled over a broken and disorganized state.)
In the two and fiftieth year of Uzziah king of Judah Pekah the son of Remaliah began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned twenty years. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord: he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, wherewith he made Israel to sin.
In the days of Pekah king of Israel came Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, and took Ijon, and Abel-beth-maacah, and Janoah, and Kedesh, and Hazor, and Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali; and he carried them captive to Assyria. And Hoshea the son of Elah made a conspiracy against Pekah the son of Remaliah, and smote him, and slew him, and reigned in his stead.
DAMASCUS--THE RIVER ABANA.
From a picture in the possession of the Detroit Photograph Company and used by kind permission.
Damascus is one of the oldest cities of the world. It is on the edge of the desert and is made possible by the river Abana, which "bursts full born from the heart of Lebanon, runs a course of ten miles in a narrow gorge, and from the mouth flings itself abroad in seven streams and after watering the greater part of the plain it dies a way in a large marsh. Damascus was easily conquered by Nineveh, Babylon, and Memphis--she probably preceded them and she has outlived them. She has been twice supplanted,--by Antioch, and she has seen Antioch decay; by Bagdad, and Bagdad is forgotten. She has been many times sacked and twice at least the effective classes of her population have been swept into captivity, but this has not broken the chain of her history."--G. A. Smith.
HOSHEA.
(In spite of all the warnings of the prophets the people of Israel continued to disobey God and to do the things which were evil in his sight. The nation had its chance, and it threw that chance away. Then a terrible fate overtook it. A great wave of invasion came sweeping down from the North, and submerged the Northern kingdom. Samaria, the capital city, was destroyed, and the people were carried away by thousands into captivity.)
In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah began Hoshea the son of Elah to reign in Samaria over Israel, and reigned nine years. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, yet not as the kings of Israel that were before him. Against him came up Shalmaneser king of Assyria; and Hoshea became his servant, and brought him tribute. And the king of Assyria found conspiracy in Hoshea; for he had sent messengers to So king of Egypt, and offered no tribute to the king of Assyria, as he had done year by year: therefore the king of Assyria shut him up, and bound him in prison. Then the king of Assyria came up throughout all the land, and went up to Samaria, and besieged it three years. In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria took Samaria, and carried Israel away unto Assyria, and placed them in the Assyrian cities. And it was so, because the children of Israel had sinned against the Lord their God, which brought them up out of the land of [{412}] Egypt from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had feared other gods, and walked in the statutes of the nations, whom the Lord cast out from before the children of Israel, and of the kings of Israel, which they made. And the children of Israel did secretly things that were not right against the Lord their God, and they built them high places in all their cities. And they set them up pillars and sacred symbols upon every high hill, and under every green tree: and there they burnt incense in all the high places, as did the nations whom the Lord carried away before them; and wrought wicked things to provoke the Lord to anger: and they served idols, whereof the Lord had said unto them, "Ye shall not do this thing."
Yet the Lord testified unto Israel, and unto Judah, by every prophet, and by every seer, saying, "Turn ye from your evil ways, and keep my commandments and my statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by my servants the prophets." Notwithstanding they would not hear, but hardened their hearts, like to the hearts of their fathers, who believed not in the Lord their God. And they rejected his statutes, and his covenant that he made with their fathers, and his testimonies which he testified unto them; and they followed vanity, and became vain, and went after the nations that were round about them, concerning whom the Lord had charged them that they should not do like them. And they forsook all the commandments of the Lord their God, and made them molten images, even two calves, and worshiped all the host of heaven, and served Baal. And they [{413}] burned their sons and their daughters as sacrifice, and used divination and enchantments, and sold themselves to do that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger. Therefore the Lord was very angry with Israel, and removed them out of his sight: there was none left but the tribe of Judah only. Also Judah kept not the commandments of the Lord their God, but walked in the statutes of Israel which they made. And the Lord rejected all the people of Israel, and afflicted them, and delivered them into the hand of spoilers, until he had cast them out of his sight. For he rent Israel from the house of David; and they made Jeroboam the son of Nebat king: and Jeroboam drove Israel from following the Lord, and made them sin a great sin. And the children of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he did; they departed not from them; until the Lord removed Israel out of his sight, as he spoke by all his servants the prophets. So Israel was carried away out of their own land to Assyria, unto this day.