reprove him for it. But, instead of receiving his reproofs with temper and thankfulness, he was so exasperated, that he put the prophet in chains, and gave orders for the execution of several of his subjects.

Asa, towards the close of his life, grew very peevish and passionate, and was uneasy with all about him. This change of temper was greatly enhanced by his being violently afflicted with a disorder in his feet (probably what we call the gout) which, at length, rising upwards, put a period to his life in the 41st year of his reign. Instead of being buried, as the manner of the Jews was, his body was burnt with great quantities of perfumes and spices, after which his bones and ashes were collected together, and buried in a sepulchre which he had provided for himself in the City of David.

Asa was succeeded in the government of Judah by his son Jehoshaphat; but before we proceed to recount the transactions of his reign, we must take some notice of the occurrences and revolutions that took place among the kings of Israel.

In the first or second year of Asa's reign died Jeroboam, of some acute distemper, which the scripture does not specify. His reign was famous (or rather infamous) for the revolt of the ten tribes, the public institution of idolatry, and the terrible defeat which Abijam gave him, and which he himself appears not long to have survived.

Jeroboam was succeeded by his son Nadab, who imitated his father in all his wickedness; but his reign was not long. In less than two years he was treacherously killed by Baasha, his captain-general, who usurped the crown, and, to maintain himself in that usurpation, put every one that was related to his predecessor to death. This was certainly a very wicked and barbarous act, though it produced the accomplishment of the prophecy which Ahijah had denounced against the house of Jer

oboam.

He reigned twenty-four years, during which he was guilty of the greatest tyranny and oppression, and paid so little attention to his religious duties, as even to turn them into ridicule. For this disobedience, Jehu the prophet was sent, by the command of God, to tell him that both he and his whole race should be extirpated, in the same manner

as had been the family of Jeroboam. But these threats availed little; he still followed his iniquitous courses, and continued so to do till the time of his death, which happened in the twenty-sixth year of the reign of Asa, king of Judah.

Baasha was succeeded on the throne of Israel by his son Elah, who was as vicious and debauched a prince as his father. But his reign was very short; for, in the second year, while he was carousing in his steward's house, he was assassinated by Zimri, a considerable officer of the horse, who, to secure the kingdom to himself, immediately cut off all Baasha's friends and relations, by which was fulfilled the prediction of the prophet Jehu.

Zimri, though he had possessed himself of the throne, was far from being secure on it. He had not, as Baasha did, gained the army (which was then besieging Gibbethon, a city in the hands of the Philistines) over to his interest; so that, when they heard of Elah's death, they declared for Omri their general. In consequence of this he immediately raised the siege, and marching to Tirzar (the then royal city of the Israelites) soon made himself master of it. This so alarmed Zimri, that, seeing all lost, and despairing of any quarter from the enemy, he retired into one of the apartments of the palace, to which he set fire, and the whole building was consumed, himself perishing in the flames, after a reign of only seven days.

Every thing was now in the most embarrassed state, and the nation formed itself into two parties: one faction supported the interest of Omri, and the other declared for Tibni, the son of Ginath. This occasioned a civil war for four years, when Omri, having slain his rival, enjoyed the throne without farther interruption. But his reign must be acknowledged to have been very wicked, when we find it recorded of him, that he not only walked in the ways of Jeroboam, but did worse than all before him. He very probably introduced other and more abominable idolatries than had been practised by his predecessors, which are therefore called by the prophet Micah (chap. vi. ver. 16.) the works of the house of Ahab. He compelled the people to worship the golden calves, and, by severe laws (which, in consequence thereof were called the Statutes of Omri) restrained them from going to Jerusalem, and worshipping

the true God. During his reign he bought of one Shemer a piece of rising ground, whereon he built a palace for his own habitation, which, in a short time, increasing to a city, was, from the first owner of the place, called in Hebrew Shomeron (but, according to the Greeks, and our translation, Samaria) and was ever after made the place of the king's residence, and the metropolis of the Israelitish kingdom.

Omri paid the debt of nature about three years before Asa king of Judah. He was succeeded by his son Ahab, who, in wickedness, surpassed all his predecessors. But of this prince we shall treat at large in our next chapter, and conclude this with the following observation: That though, while Asa reigned in Judah, Israel was in the hands of seven or eight different princes, viz. Jeroboam, Nadab, Baasha, Elah, Zimri, Tibni, Omri, and Ahab; yet such was their hardness in sin and idolatry, that, in all these changes, not one of them ever thought of returning to the house of David, or paying any attention to the worship of the true God at Jerusalem.

CHAP. III.

Jehoshaphat succeeds to the government of Judah, and endeavors to extirpate idolatry. The wicked reign of Ahab, king of Israel. The prophet Elijah foretels a famine, which accordingly comes to pass. The manner of his living in exile, and his interview with Ahab. His contest with the priests of Baal, whom he orders to be put to death. He flies on account of the threats of Queen Jezebel, and appoints Elisha to the prophetic office in his stead. Ahab defeats Benhadad twice, and at length makes a dishonorable peace with him. Queen Jezebel procures the murder of Naboth, a citizen of Jezreel, for which God threatens Ahab and his posterity. Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, assists Ahab in the siege of Ramoth-Gilead, where Ahab is slain by an arrow. Jehoshaphat's wise government, prosperity and death. He is succeeded by his son Jehoram, who turns out a bloody prince, lives detestably, and dies unlamented. The wicked and inglorious reign of Ahaziah king of Israel. The prophet Elijah is translated into heaven, in the presence of his servant Elisha, who succeeds him in the prophetic office. Comparison between the prophet Elijah, John the Baptist, and our Blessed Redeemer.

ON the death of Asa, his son Jehoshaphat, who was then in the thirty-fifth year of his age, succeeded to the government of Judah. He was a prince possessed of most excellent morals, and in all acts of piety, as well as the reformation of religion, imitated, if not excelled, the former part of his father's reign. The first thing he did after his accession was, to extend his territories, and to establish garrisons in the several cities within his dominions, as well as in those which had been obtained from Jeroboam by his grandfather Abijam. To express his zeal for the service of God, he destroyed all those idolatrous high places, and groves, which had been made in the reign of his father, and were left after his decease. That the people might be properly acquainted with the nature and force of the laws, (of which they had for some time been ignorant) he sent itinerant priests and Levites with letters to the princes of all the principal cities throughout his dominions, as also the heads of each family, re

questing that they would receive them kindly, and assist them in expounding the law, and instructing his subjects, as well in the knowledge of their civil as religious duties.

Such judicious proceedings as these, in the infancy of his government, could not fail of gaining over the hearts of the people in general, who, to support the dignity of their sovereign, brought him presents from all quarters. This struck such a terror into his enemies, that instead of entertaining any thoughts of invading his dominions, they quietly submitted to his government. Even the Philistines came voluntarily and paid him a tribute, which had been suspended for some years, and the Arabians (whose riches consisted in cattle) sent him annually seven thousand seven hundred rams, and an equal number of he-goats, as an acknowledgment of their homage.

Jehoshaphat, to secure himself in this tranquil state, took particular care to make himself strong in arms, as well as in wealth. He had an army of above eleven hundred thousand men, besides those who were in garrisons, and such fortified places as he had supplied with abundance of all kinds of military stores. In short, he was rich and happy, great and honorable; beloved by his subjects, and revered by his enemies.

But, notwithstanding all this prudence, Jehoshaphat was guilty of an indiscretion of a material nature, namely, marrying his son Jehoram to Athaliah, daughter to Ahab, king of Israel, which both displeased God, and involved him and his family in various embarrassments.

Ahab, king of Israel, who succeeded his father Omri, was one of the most wicked princes, and abominable idolaters, that ever sat on the throne of Israel. He not only continued the worship of the calves, which Jeroboam had set up, but, having married Jezebel, the daughter of Ethbaal, king of Tyre, to indulge her, he introduced that mode of idolatry paid to the idol Baal, built a temple in Samaria, erected an altar, and made a grove, in which were daily committed the most horrid impurities.

As an instance of the daring impiety of the Israelites, while under the government of this wicked king, one Hiel, who lived at Bethel, the famous seat of all idolatry, ventured to rebuild Jericho, in defiance of the curse which Joshua had denounced against any man that should at

VOL. ii.

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