A history of the Israelitish nation : from their origin to their dispersion at the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans

Front matter

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Preface

The importance of the study of History as a branch of knowledge is universally admitted; and of all History, that contained in the Bible is the most ancient, the most authentic, and the most interesting. It gives us information of those events which we can learn no where else, and with which it is most necessary that we should be acquainted. Here we learn the origin of our race — the state in which they were created — -their unhappy fall — the revelation of God's merciful designs towards them, and the remarkable dispensations of Divine Providence towards a chosen generation, the descendants of Abraham, with whom God entered into covenant, and to whom and his posterity he made great and precious promises ; all of which were punctually and literally fulfilled. In the Sacred Scriptures we have an account of the first religious institutions established by divine authority ; and a complete code of the laws given to the Israelites by the hand of Moses, which, being typical, were not intended to be perpetual, but continued to be obligatory until the advent of the promised Messiah, in whom they met with their accomplishment, and, of course, ceased to be any longer in force. The moral law, however, clearly revealed at the same time, is of perpetual obligation; and remains immutable under all dispensations, although its extent and spirituality are much better understood since the light of the gospel has been manifested.

71 PEEFACE.

The history of the Bible exhibits human nature in its true colours ; and furnishes us with a wonderful variety of characters of men, occupying different stations, and acting under different circumstances. The character of the saint, as well as that of the sinner, is here portrayed; not as perfect, or free from every blemish; but as in the main, sincere and upright; as penitent for sins committed, and truly devoted to the service of God. The inspired penmen do not conceal the faults of the servants of God; but, with an impartial and faithful hand, their failings as well as their virtues are exhibited.

Many of the events of the sacred history are, it is true, of a marvellous kind; and as miracles do not take place in our times, and before our eyes, sceptical men are disposed to call in question the truth of events of this kind recorded in the Bible. But the evidence by which miracles are authenticated is too strong to be resisted by an impartial mind; and the events which followed, and the present condition of the world, cannot be accounted for on any other hypothesis, but the historic verity of the miracles recorded in the sacred volume.

It may to some seem an unnecessary labour to draw out the history contained in the Bible, as it can be better studied as written in the Sacred Scriptures, than in any abridgment. There is apparent force in this objection ; but it should be remembered, that there exists a lamentable negligence of the Holy Scriptures, and every thing which has any tendency to make the people acquainted with the facts recorded, should be made use of; and, as the sacred narrative of the Bible is often interrupted by genealogies, and ritual laws and ceremonies, it has been found, that by separating the history from other matters, and exhibiting it in the concisest and simplest manner, it may be made interesting to many, who otherwise would not take the pains to seek for it. Such an abridgment may be

PREFACE. Vii

serviceable, especially to the young, for whose benefit chiefly the work has been prepared.

It should be remarked, also, that this volume contains the history of an important period not contained in the Bible. I mean the period between the close of the Old Testament history, and the commencement of that of the New Testament. For the events and transactions of this period of nearly five hundred years, we have no inspired guide; and are under the necessity of resorting to mere human testimony. But it has been so ordered in Providence, that for the events of this period we have credible historians, on whom we can rely for the principal transactions.

Without some knowledge of the events of the intervening period, the reader of the Scriptures, when he has finished the Old Testament and begins the New, feels himself much at a loss, as here he finds a state of things for which he is not prepared by any thing which he has read in the Old Testament. There are also many collateral events which are requisite to a full understanding of the history of the New Testament ; a knowledge of which has a tendency to confirm his faith in the authenticity of the sacred history.

There is also a very important event, predicted indeed by our Lord, but which occurred after the termination of the history of Christ and his Apostles. I refer to the destruction of Jerusalem ; an account of which, taken chiefly from Josephus a Jew, Avho was an eye witness, closes the history contained in the present volume.

The attentive reader will no doubt remark, that the several parts of this history are not entirely homogeneous. On this subject it will be sufficient to remark, that originally it existed in several volumes, written at different times, and for different purposes; but these having fallen into the hands of the pre-

Viii PREFACE.

sent publisher, he hcas determined to make of them a continuous history. One important chasm, however, remained to be filled, namely, from the beginning of the regal government to the end of the Babylonish captivity. To fill this important period, the services of a young clergyman were obtained ; but his modesty does not permit us, at present, to mention his

name.

ARCHIBALD ALEXANDER.

Part I. Prom The Creation To The Death Op Joseph

PAGE

Section I. — Creation — Garden of Eden — Endowments of Man ... 1

Sect. II — Fall of our First Parents, and their Punishment .... 5

Sect. III. — Cain and Abel 9

Sect. IV. — Seth and his Posterity . 12

Sect. V. — Great corruption of Manners, the consequence of intermarriages

between the descendants of Seth and those of Cain . . . .13

Sect. VI.— The Deluge— The Ark 14

Sect. VII. — Noah and his Family leave the Ark 17

Sect. VIII. — The Earth peopled again from the three sons of Noah . . 19

Sect. IX. — Babel — The Confusion of Tongues 20

Sect. X. — Posterity of Shem 23

Sect. XI. — History of Abraham 25

Sect. XII. — Covenant of Circumcision — God visits Abram, and promises him

a Son by Sarah — Destruction of Sodom — Escape of Lot . . . 2i)

Sect. XIII. — Birth of Isaac — Command to Abraham to sacrifice his Son . 31

Sect. XIV. — Death of Sarah — Purchase of a Burying Place . . . .32

Sect. XV. — Abraham sends to his kindred for a wife for Isaac — Rebekah is

sent — Death of Abraham ......... 34

Sect. XVI. — Esau and Jacob born — Esau deprived of the blessing of the

first-born by the fraud of Rebekah and Jacob . . . . .36

Sect. XVII. — Jacob goes to Padan-aram, and is entertained by Laban — He is deceived by Laban, and receives Leah, instead of Rachel, to wife — Rachel also given to him for seven year's service . . . .40

Sect. XVIII.' — Jacob's return — Pursued by Laban — Esau comes with a host

to meet him, but God turns away his displeasure . . . .42

Sect. XIX. — Jacob's residence in Canaan — Dinah's misfortune — The Destruction of the Shechemites — Jacob goes to Bethel — Deborah dies — God appears to him at Bethel, when he builds arf altar to Jehovah . 47

Sect. XX. — Reuben's Incest — Death of Isaac — Joseph's Dreams — Jacob's fondness and partiality for Joseph — The envy of his Brethren — He is sold into Egypt 50

X CONTENTS.

PAGE

Section XXI. — Method taken to conceal the crime from their Father — His Grief — The Midianites sell him to Potiphar — His Temptation and Continence— Is cast into Prison ......... 54

Sect. XXII. — Dream of the Baker and Butler of Pharaoh in the Prison — Joseph's Interpretation — The Fulfilment — Dream of Pharaoh — Joseph sent for to interpret it — His counsel to Pharaoh, and exaltation . 56

Sect. XXIII. — Joseph's Administration. — The arrival of his Brothers —

His treatment of them — He retains Simeon and sends for Benjamin . 59

Sect. XXIV. — Their money returned — Jacob refuses to let Benjamin go — But the famine presses, and he at length consents — Joseph, after bringing his brothers into trouble, makes himself known, and sends for his Father 62

Sect. XXV. — Jacob, after asking counsel of God, goes down to Egypt to his

Sect. XXVI. — Jacob's interview with Pharaoh — Pressure of the Famine —

Joseph's policy 69

Sect. XXVII. — Jacob resides in Egypt seventeen years — His end draws

nigh — His interview with Joseph, and benediction on his Sons . . 70

Sect. XXVIII. — Jacob's dying Prophecy respecting his Sons — His Decease 71

Sect. XXIX. — Jacob is buried according to his request in Canaan — Mourning on account of the Patriarch ........ 74

Sect. XXX. — Joseph's brethren suspicious of his friendship — Character of Joseph — Length of his Life — His injunction respecting his bones — His decease 75

Part II. From The Death Of Joseph To The Death Of Moses

Section I. — The continuance of the Hebrews in the Land of Egypt — The cruel edicts of the Egyptians against the male Hebrew children — The birtli, concealment, exposure, and adoption of Moses — Miserable bondage of the Hebrews — Moses kills an Egyptian, and flies to Arabia, where he enters into the family of Jethro, priest of Midian, whose daughter he marries ............ 77

Sect. II. — Moses sojourns in Midian forty years — Receives his commission from God to go and deliver the People of Israel from their cruel bondage— The strong reluctance of Moses overcome — He is empowered to work Miracles — Aaron is associated with him in the Commission . S3

Sect. III. — Moses takes leave of Jethro — Circumcision — Aaron, his brother, joins him, and receives a full account of the Message of Jehovah — They go to the Hebrews first, and then appear before Pharaoh, and exhibit the miracles which they were directed to perform — Pharaoh's heart is hardened and the condition of the People is more wretched — God promises deliverance 86

Sect. IV. — Aaron's Rod becomes a Serpent — The Magicians of Pharaoh imitate the Miracle — Moses and Aaron turn the water into Blood — This also imitated by the Magicians — The Miracle of the Frogs — This also imitated by the Magicians — The Dust converted into Lice — Magicians confounded .......... S9

Sect. V.— The Miracle of "Divers kinds of Flies" — The Murrain— The Hail — Phnraoh affrighted by the Thunder which accompanied the Hail — But his heart remains obdurate — The Plague of the Locusts — Of the miraculous Darkness • . . 91

Sect. VI. — Institution of the Passover — The destruction of the first-born of

all the Egyptians — The Exodus 94

CONTENTS.

XI

PAGE

Section VII. — Number of the People — Time of sojourning — Change of the commencement of the Year — Reilemption of the first-born — The way which they were led — Joseph's bones — Succoth — Pillar of Fire and Cloud 96

Sect. VIII. — Pharaoh pursues the Israelites, and overtakes them at the edge of the Red Sea — Alarm of the People — Promise of Deliverance — The Sea divided by the Rod of Moses . 97

Sect. IX. — Israel in the Wilderness — Want of Water — Marah — Elim — Want of Food — Manna promised — Sabbath — Quails — Description of the Manna— Regulations for collecting it — Pot of Manna to be laid up for a Memorial 99

Sect. X. — Rebellion of the People at Rephidim for want of Water — The Rock

smitten — The People assailed by the Amalekites — Joshua defeats them 101

Sect. XI. — Jethro's visit to Moses — His wise counsel — Institution of Officers

— Jethro returns home .......... 103

Sect. XII. — Moses called up into the Mount — Communicates the words of Jehovah to the People — Tremendous exhibition on Mount Sinai — The Ten Commandments uttered in a voice of Thunder — Various other Laws 105

Sect. XIII. — Laws respecting Murder — Lex Talionis — Mischief by an Ox — Opening a Pit — Penalty for stealing an Ox or a Sheep — The killing of a Thief — Goods in Trust — Animals borrowed — Seduction — Idolaters — Witches 107

Sect. XIV. — Provision for the Poor, the Stranger, Widow, and Orphan — Loans to a Brother — Pledges — Speaking evil of Rulers — First-fruits — Animals torn by Wild Beasts — Slander Forbidden — Duties to Enemies — Sabbatical Year — Annual Festivals — The Passover — Feast of Tabernacles— And Feast of Harvest of Pentecost — Leaven forbidden in the Sacrifices — Other Laws .......... 1C9

Sect. XV. — The Angel of God promised to go before the People . . .111

Sect. XVI. — Moses, Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu called into the Mount — Glorious appearance of God — Tables of the Law .111

Sect. XVII. — Offerings for the Tabernacle — Pattern — Curtains — Altar — Layer— Holy, and IMost Holy Place, and their furniture . . . .113

Sect. XVIII. — Designation of Aaron and his Sons to the Priest's office — Sacerdotal Garments — Materials offered freely — Wisdom given to execute the work — Amount of Gold and Silver contributed — Whence obtained 114

Sect. XIX. — Erection of the Tabernacle — Laws respecting Sacrifices and Offerings — Sin-offerings — Unbloody Sacrifices — Drink-offerings — Flour-offerings . . . . . . . . . . , . .116

Sect. XX. — Consecration of the Priests and Levites — Holy Fire . . .118

Sect. XXI. — The Sin and fearful Punishment of Aaron's eldest Sons . . 120

Sect. XXII. — Clean and unclean animals — Leprosy, laws respecting it . . 121

Sect. XXIII. — Laws of Purity and Health 122

Sect. XXIV. — The Vow of the Nazarite , . . 124

Sect. XXV. — Great Day of Atonement • . . 125

Sect. XXVI. — Laws respecting the Priests and Levites — Sacerdotal Benediction 126

Sect. XXVII. — Laws respecting Incest 128

Sect. XXVIII. — Miscellaneous Laws 129

Sect. XXIX. — Daily Service of the Tabernacle 130

Sect. XXX.— Tables of the Law 131

Sect. XXXI. — Departure from Mount Sinai — Order of march .... 133

Sect. XXXII. — Moses' Invitation to Hobab 134

Sect. XXXIII. — The People rebel against Moses — A Burning sent among them — The Lord puts his Spirit on the Elders

XU CONTENTS.

PAGE

Section XXXIV. — New Troubles arise from an unexpected quarter . . 137

Sect. XXXV. — Men sent to explore the Promised Land . . . .139

Sect. XXXVI. — The People rebel against Moses again — God's Displeasure — Declares with an oath that none but Caleb and Joshua of all that generation should ever possess the Promised Land ...... 141

Sect. XXXVIL — The Rebellion of Korah, Dathan, Abiram and On, with two

hundred and fifty Princes of the Congregation .. . . . . 143

Sect. XXXVIII. — Second murmuring on account of the want of Water . . 146

Sect. XXXIX. — Message to the King of Edom — Death of Aaron . . .146

Sect. XL. — Fiery Serpents infest the People on account of their rebellion . 147

Sect. XLI. — Balak sends for Balaam to curse Israel 149

Sect. XLII. — Balaam blesses Israel 151

Sect. XLIII. — Seduction of the Israelites by the Daughters of Moab . .154

Sect. XLIV. — Punishment of the Israelites 154

Sect. XLV. — Second Census of the People 155

Sect. XLVI. — Overthrow of the Midianites 157

Sect. XLVII. — The tribes of Reuben and Gad ask permission to take their inheritance on the East of Jordan — Also the half tribe of Manasseh — Their request is granted . 158

Sect. XLVIII. — A retrospect of the journeyings of Israel in the wilderness 159

Sect. XLIX. — Deuteronomy, or recapitulation of the Law .... 161

Sect. L. — The Law to be inscribed on plaistered stones — The blessings from

Mount Gerizim, and curses from Mount Ebal ..... 164

Sect. LI. — A Prophecy of the Destruction of Jerusalem, and Captivity of the

Jews 167

Sect. Lll. — Covenant of Horeb renewed in the Plains of Moab . . . 168

Sect. LIII. — Valedictory of Moses concluded 169

Sect. LIV. — Inauguration of Joshua, and blessing of the Twelve Tribes . 171

Sect. LV. — Death of Moses 173

Part III. From The Death Of Moses To The Commencemext Of The Regal Government

Section I. — Entrance of the Host of Israel into the Promised Land under the

conduct of Joshua, the successor of Moses ...... 175

Sect. II. — The Passage of the Israelites over the River Jordan . . . 181

Sect. III. — Circumcision of the Israelites at Gilgal — The Passover is observed — The Manna ceases — The Captain of the Host of the Lord appears to Joshua ............. 183

Sect. IV. — The Conquest of Jericho — The curse denounced by Joshua against

the man who should rebuild this city 185

Sect. V. — The transgression of Achan — The Attack upon Ai, and the defeat of the Israelites — Joshua's Distress — The Lord's communication to him — Achan detected and punished with all his House — Righteousness of God in this transaction 187

CONTENTS. Xni

PAGE

Section VI. — Ai again assaulted and taken by stratagem, and utterly destroyed — Joshua erects an Altar in Ebal and offers Sacrifices — Writes a Copy of the Law on Stones — From Mount Gerizim and Ebal pronounces the Blessings and the Curses ......... 191

Sect. VII. — The Gibeonites deceive Joshua and the Princes, and obtain from them an oath that they should not be destroyed — The People would have had them to violate their engagement and destroy this People who had imposed on them — Joshua considers the oath obligatory — The general subject of the Obligation of Vows ...... 193

Sect. VIII. — Powerful combination of the Kings of Canaan to destroy the Gibeonites — Joshua is made acquainted with their danger, and hastens to their relief — Combined Kings defeated — Wonderful miracle of the Sun standing still — The e.xecution of five Kings . . . . 195 ^

Sect. IX. — A new combination under Jabin — Joshua defeats him, and takes Hazor, his capitol — Conquest of the whole hill-country — Parts unconquered 198

Sect. X. — Joshua divides the Land among the nine and a half Tribes — Caleb's Speech and Portion — Othnicl conquers Kirjath-zepher, and receives Caleb's daughter Achsah as his reward — Lot of Judah — Of Ephraim — Half Tribe of Manasseh — The case of Zelophehad — Children of Joseph complain of the narrowness of their limits 200

Sect. XI. — Shiloh the residence of the Ark — Seven tribes yet destitute of an inheritance — The lots of Benjamin — ^Of Simeon — Of Zebulon — Of Issachar — OfAsher — OfNaphtali — Of Dan — Joshua's inheritance . .204

Sect. XII. — Cities of Refuge appointed — Cities for the Levites — Suburbs to

the Cities also granted • 206

Sect. XIII. — The armed men of the two and a half Tribes have leave to return — Joshua's testimony and exhortation — They build an altar near Jordan — Impression of this event on Israel — Their deputation and solemn message — Their satisfactory answer — The People rejoiced at the successful issue 208

Sect. XIV. — Prosperous condition of Israel — Joshua's solemn address to the Elders and People — His Valedictory — His proposal that they should now choose whom they would serve — Decease of Joshua and Eleazar 210

Sect. XV. — Judah and Simeon directed to attack the Canaanites — Though successful they could not expel the Canaanites from every part of their lot — Benjamin not able to expel the Jebusites — Manasseh very unsuccessful in reclaiming their Possession — Solemn message of the Angel of God — Character of the generation who first possessed Canaan — The People forsake God after the decease of this generation — God raises up Judges — When the Judges were dead they again grievously provoked God to anger 214

Sect. XVI. — Othniel delivers Israel — Ehud delivers them from Moab, and

slays ten thousand Men • . . . 217

Sect. XVII. — Shamgar — Deborah judges Israel — Barak associated with her — The Tribes summoned to the help of the Lord against Jabin — Sisera defeated — His death by the hand of Jael — Song of Deborah and Barak 218

Sect. XVIII. — Midian oppresses Israel — A nameless Prophet is sent with a message from God to Israel — The Angel of the Lord appears to Gideon, who sacrifices a kid to Jehovah, and the Angel, after delivering his message, ascends in the flame — Gideon throws down the altar of Baal by Divine direction — Joash, Gideon's father, refuses to give him up — A great host gathered against Israel — Gideon collects the People — Asks for a two-fold sign, which is granted ...... 222

Sect. XIX. — Gideon collects his Forces — A mere handful in comparison of Midian, yet the Lord tells him there are too many — All are dismissed except three hundred — Gideon goes to the Midianitish host, and hears a dream which encourages him — The enemy are thrown into confusion, and slay one another — Two Princes of the Midianites are taken, Oreb and Zeeb — Their heads cut off 225

XIV CONTENTS.

PAGE

Section XX. — The Men of Ephraim complain of Gideon — The conduct of the Men of Succoth and Penuel — Zebah and Zalmunna, Kings of Midian, taken and slain — The People wish to make Gideon their permanent and hereditary ruler — He refuses — His idolatry — Midian subdued — The People enjoy a long repose ........ 227

Sect. XXT. — Ambition of Abimelech the son of Gideon — His cruelty — The Parable of Jotham — Transactions at Shechem — Contest of Gaal and Zebul — Abimelech suddenly comes and smites Gaal and his party — Abimelech killed by a Woman ........ 229

Sect. XXII. — Tola judges Israel for Twenty Years — Is succeeded by Jair — The Israelites decline to Idolatry — Fall under the dominion of Ammon — A reformation commenced — Jephthah called to lead the army . . 233

Sect. XXIII. — Jephthah attempts to settle the dispute by negotiation — Claims of the King of Ammon — Jephthah's just view of the whole subject in his able answer 235

Sect. XXIV. — Jephthah's vow — His Daughter comes out to meet her Father — His distress — Her piety and submission — An inquiry whether Jephthah actually put his daughter to death — Lamentations for her by the daughters of Israel 237

Sect. XXV. — Ingratitude of the People towards Jephthah — His vindication of himself and brethren — The Men of Ephraim smitten at the fords of Jordan — Detected by their pronunciation of a word — Jephthah dies, after a government of only six years 240

Sect. XXVI. — Ibzan of Beth-lehem — Nature of the Theocracy — Elon of Zebulon next judges Israel — Abdon of Ephraim — Great increase of population and the number in their armies ....... 241

Sect. XXVII. — An Angel appears to the wife of Manoah — And again to her and her husband — Samson is born — A Nazarite from the womb — Israel under the yoke of the Philistines — Samson seeks a wife of this race at Timnath — Slays a lion on his way to visit her — His Marriage — His Riddle — Its meaning discovered by his Wife — His method of paying the forfeit — His Wife given to another 243

Sect. XXVIII. — Samson, not knowing what was done, comes to visit his Wife — Her younger sister is offered by the fither — Samson declines all further connexion, and sets the grain of the Philistines on fire — Slays a thousand men in Lehi — A miraculous fountain opened in this place • 246

Sect. XXIX. — Moral character of Samson — His love of Delilah — By tampering with her the Philistines learn wherein his great strength consisted— His head shorn and his eyes put out — Is put into the prison at Gaza and kept at hard labour 248

Sect. XXX. — Origin of idolatry in Israel in the house of Micah — The Danites send spies to seek a new habitation — Six hundred men are sent out to seize a country visited by the spies — They carry off Micah's goes and the priest who officiated — These idols they set up and worshipped for a long time 251

Sect. XXXI. — History of the Levite and his concubine, and the war against

Sect. XXXII. — The Tribe of Benjamin refuse to give up the guilty perpetrators of the enormous wickedness — They defeat the other tribes with great slaughter in two successive battles — On the third day the men of Israel placed an ambush, and drew the men of Benjamin from Gibeon, by a pretended flight — The Tribe nearly extinguished — The Israelites repent of their exterminating severity ..... 256

Sect. XXXIII. — Jabesh-Gilead severely punished for refusing aid — The young virgins of this place only preserved, for wives to the surviving Benjamites — The daughters of Shiloh seized and carried off for the same purpose ............ 259

Sect. XXXIV. — History of Ruth, and Naomi her mother-in-law . . .261 s

CONTENTS. XV

PAGE

Section XXXV. — Boaz marries Ruth — her son Obed wastlie father of Jesse,

the father of David . . . . 265

Sect. XXXVI.— Birth of Samuel 270

Sect. XXXVII.— Hannah's Divine Song 272

Sect. XXXVIII. — Samuel is left at Shiloh — Eli's sons — God's message to Eli,

by a nameless Prophet . • 273

Sect. XXXIX. — Jehovah speaks to the child Samuel, and reveals his purpose

in regard to Eli's family — Eli's humble submission .... 276

Sect. XL. — The Israelites defeated by the Philistines — The two sons of Eli slain, and the Ark taken — The intelligence overcomes Eli, who falls back and breaks his neck — The wife of Phinehas also expires . . 27S

Sect. XLI. — The Ark carried to Ashdod and placed by Dagon — This idol falls on the floor, and is mutilated — The Philistines, afflicted with disease and mice, send back the Ark ........ 280

Sect. XLII. — Samuel judges Israel — Appoints a day of public prayer at Miz-

peh — Defeats the Philistines at Ebenezer ...... 283

Sect. XLIII, — Samuel in his old age associates his sons as judges with himself— Their bad character — The people demand a king — Samuel is displeased — But God directs him to comply, but to explain the nature of kingly government — By insisting on a king they rejected not Samuel, but God — The tendency of power to abuse ..... 286

Part IV

FROM THE INSTITUTION OF THE REGAL GOVERNMENT TO THE BABYLONISH CAPTIVITY.

Section I. — Saul's election as King — His victory over Nahash and the renewed confirmation of his kingdom — Samuel's charge — Saul's first offence — Jonathan's exploit and defeat of the Philistines — Saul sent to destroy the Amalekites — His second offence, and rejection from the kingdom 289

Sect. II. — Anointing of David — His introduction to Saul — His battle with Goliath, and victory over the Philistines — The friendship of David and Jonathan — David's escape from Saul's anger, and his marriage — Saul threatens his life — David's flight to Samuel — His return to Jonathan, and final parting . 297

Sect. III. — David's flight and first sojourn with the Philistines — He comes to the cave Adullam — Saul kills the priests — David delivers Keilah and is hunted by Saul — He spares Saul's life — Death of Samuel — David's adventure with Nabal — He spares Saul's life a second time — His second flight to the Philistines 304

Sect. IV. — David's wars at Ziklag — Saul's interview with the Sorceress at

Endor — His death at Gilboa, and the lamentation of David . . . 311

Sect. V. — David made King at Hebron — The civil war between David and Abner, or Ish-bosheth the son of Saul — Abner's revolt and death — The murder of Ish-bosheth 315

Sect. VI. — David made King over all Israel — He captures Jerusalem — Defeats the Philistines — The Ark brought to Jerusalem — David commanded not to build the Temple 318

Sect. VII. — David's wars — The organization of the army — David's kindness

to Mephibosheth — The war with the Ammonites 324

Sect. VIII. — David's sin in the affair of Bath-Sheba and Uriah — His domestic afflictions — Absalom's rebellion — David's restoration to the kingdom — Insurrection of Sheba 329