Judah and Benjamin, while Jeroboam, whom they had invited from Egypt, reigned over the other ten tribes.

The progress of this people from the accession of Saul to the division of the kingdom, presents to us not only a deeply interesting chapter of Hebrew history, but an equally remarkable portion of the interposition of God in human affairs. We have seen how the Divine purpose to establish a pure theocracy failed through the unfaithfulness of the people. The establishment of a limited monarchy succeeded: a monarchy limited, not by constitutional rule or popular representation, but by Divine law and Divine interposition. The events which have passed under our notice give us the issue of this new experiment. And what is the result? We have seen how, by the protection and blessing of Heaven upon the daring energy of David, and the mighty genius of Solomon, Israel rose to unexampled prosperity and power. When, in any age, did a people occupying so limited a territory, in so short a time rise to such eminence in martial prowess, the science of government, learned distinction, and commercial prosperity? What means all this? Does it not teach us, that if, under these new circumstances, Israel had been faithful to God, he could and would have made them, not only the greatest nation upon earth, but the medium through which he would dispense the blessings of his providence and the riches of his grace to all mankind? But for the reign of Solomon, we should never have seen the adaptation of the Hebrew territory to secure national distinction. Under his sway it stands before us as the centre of the world's religion and civilization, and as displaying elements of greatness, and agencies of usefulness, of unspeakable grandeur and extent. But as, in the former case, the unfaithfulness of the people blasted their hopes and ruined Israel, so here, the infidelity and licentiousness of the sovereign covered him with infamy, and hurled his nation into ruin. We wonder to see Israel so suddenly rise to opulence and power, so readily stretch forth her hands, and grasp the commerce of the world. Alas! the rapidity of Israel's elevation is only equalled by the suddenness of her fall, and the

depth of her disaster. And as a great master of strategy will effect the greatest results by the smallest manœuvre, so Divine Providence here accomplishes the prostration of Israel by unexpected and apparently unimportant means. Ten tribes revolt, and make an able and energetic young man their king; while a wandering prince obtains sufficient power to wrest Syria from the dominion of Israel. These objects are secured without the desolations of war, or any important national humiliation or loss; and at first we do not see why these circumstances should greatly affect Hebrew prosperity. Yet, unimportant as these changes appear, the hand of Heaven had produced them, and they were pregnant with terrible consequences. The division of the kingdom not only destroyed Hebrew unity, but ruined Hebrew commerce. By isolating Ezion-geber, Petra, and Jerusalem from Tyre, and cutting off all direct communication with Phenicia, it consequently became impossible to continue that maritime commerce with the East which had poured a flood of wealth into Israel. The same means gradually destroyed the overland traffic with Arabia, so that the kingdom of Judah lost her commercial status at once. But it may be said, "Israel still possessed the advantage of Phenician connexion." Yes; but to little purpose: for, Israel being unable to keep Syria in subjection, this new power interposed its authority between Baalbec and Palmyra; and all the Babylonish trade became, in consequence, subject to Syrian control, and therefore lost to Israel. Thus by these two means did consequences result to the Hebrews more terrible than any political convulsion, more ruinous than any defeat in war. The whole system of commercial polity, which Solomon had contrived with so much wisdom, and brought into successful operation, and which, like a net-work of arteries, diffused life and wealth among the Hebrew people, was in this way severed by the hand of Jehovah, and national decay and commercial ruin were the results. We shall henceforth have to consider the Hebrew people as divided into two minor states.

NOTES.

A, page 251.-The Sin and Punishment of Beth-shemesh.

THERE can be no doubt that this sin consisted in the prying curiosity of these persons; who had forgotten that these sacred things were in the immediate care of God, and that, being consecrated to him, it was profane in them to doubt his protecting care; and still more so, to open the holy ark. The principal difficulty in this passage, however, is the statement given in the authorized version respecting the number of men slain on this occasion: "Even he smote of the people fifty thousand and threescore and ten men." (1 Sam. vi. 19.) The improbability that so large a number of men as is here specified could have been slain out of the population of a small country town, has been admitted on all hands; and various ingenious efforts have been made to make the text speak some other meaning. Bochart proposed to insert the preposition, out of;" and thus to read, "seventy men, (to wit,) fifty OUT OF a thousand." Le Clerc proposes the same unauthorized addition in another place; thus rendering the text, "Seventy men out of fifty thousand." Bishop Patrick adopts Bochart's rendering, as most sonable." Kennicott gives a literal translation of the Hebrew text; thus: "And he smote among the men of Beth-shemesh, because they looked into the ark of Jehovah; even he smote among the people SEVENTY MEN, FIFTY THOUSAND MEN." This learned Hebraist, in a very lengthened argument, seems to show, that of these two numbers one is an interpolation: it will be perceived, they are not joined by a conjunction, as would be "absolutely necessary, in order to make of the two one sum total." And, having inferred that one of these numbers has been erroneously inserted into the text, he concludes, as fifty thousand appears to be a very improbable number, that "seventy" was the correct reading.

rea

In support of this it is urged, that Josephus has precisely this number. "But the anger and indignation of God pursued them; so that he slew seventy men of the village of Beth-shemesh." (" Antiquities," lib. vi. cap. i. sect. 4.) A similar number is found in the sacred text in an old manuscript of particular excellence, between five and six hundred years old, in the University of Oxford; which has, "He smote among the people seventy men, and the people lamented." Nor is this the only instance in which old manuscripts retain the number seventy, omitting entirely the fifty thousand.

But what appears decisive as to the meaning of the text, is the fact that, after recording this destruction, the sacred writer proceeds to say, that "the people lamented," and "the men of Beth-shemesh " sent a message to Kirjath-jearim. Now, if fifty thousand men had been slain, the people could not have remained, the men would not have been alive. The context, therefore, renders it indisputable, that the smaller number (seventy) was originally in the text alone, and gives the meaning of the sacred writer in what manner the alteration was introduced, it is not necessary to decide.

B, page 252.-Samuel and the Philistines.

Ir is not easy to define the exact import of this text.

A few years

after the event here recorded, we find the Philistines holding garrisons

in the country, and exercising a tyranny so complete, that they permitted no smith to remain in all the land of Israel; but compelled the Hebrews to go to the country of the Philistines to obtain instruments of iron for agricultural purposes. When it is remembered that this took place in "the days of Samuel," it seems clear that the text under consideration cannot mean that the Philistines were driven out of the country, and exercised no more authority over Israel during the remainder of Samuel's life. Nor is it probable that the country was now perfectly delivered, and that the Philistines afterward made renewed aggressions upon it. The passage, as explained by the general course of the history, appears to teach us this, that the cities of which the Philistines had taken possession during this irruption, were retaken by the Israelites after this miraculous victory; and that, although the Philistines held several posts in the country, and exercised authority over the Israelites who resided in those parts of the land bordering upon Philistia, they never marched a hostile force into the land of Israel, nor attempted to revenge this defeat, or repair its consequences, during the whole of the time that Samuel discharged the duties of chief magistrate.

C, page 253.-The judicial Circuit of Samuel.

FROM this statement it has been generally supposed that, while Samuel ordinarily heard causes and judged the people at his residence in Ramah, he went annually to the more important towns, in distant districts; that, by administering justice in the several parts of the country, disorder might be more effectually checked, and grievances more easily redressed. But when it is known that, while the length of the land of Israel, from Mount Hermon in the north, to Kadesh-Barnea in the south, was one hundred and eighty miles, and its average breadth about sixty-five miles; Bethel was but five miles from Ramah, Mizpeh less than four, and Gilgal about seventeen; it will be admitted that the object of the prophet in itinerating to those places could not have been for the purpose of placing the seat of judgment at the most convenient distance from the several great sections of the population.

Yet this appears to have been the opinion of Dr. Adam Clarke, who, on this text, says, "When he was at Bethel, the tribe of Ephraim and all the northern parts of the country could attend him; when at Gilgal, the tribe of Benjamin and those beyond Jordan might have easy access to him; and when at Mizpeh, he was within reach of Judah, Simeon, and Gad." But is it probable that Samuel would leave his home at Ramah, to go five miles to Bethel to judge the people there, for the convenience of the northern tribes, when the inhabitants of Dan would then be ninety miles distant? or, that he would remove his court four miles to Mizpeh, when there was then an inhabited territory extending forty miles farther to the south? Surely, if Judah and Gad could easily wait upon the prophet at Mizpeh, they might, without difficulty, have gone four miles farther to Ramah; and if Ephraim could come to Bethel, they might go five miles farther, to meet the judge at his home. It seems, therefore, that this circuit could not have been taken merely for the sake of placing the seat of judgment nearer the residence of the people; consequently, we must inquire whether this institution of Samuel cannot be accounted for on other grounds.

When it is remembered that Bethel was the scene of the most glori

ous revelations which were made by Jehovah to the founder of the Hebrew nation; that Gilgal was the first resting-place of the ark, and where the tabernacle was first raised after the passage of the Jordan; and that Mizpeh was the site selected for holding the most solemn assemblies of the people; it seems reasonable to conclude, that Samuel chose to fix his seat of judgment alternately at these places, that he might thus have an opportunity of recalling public attention to the most prominent and affecting facts in the history of the Hebrew people, and of enforcing on their mind the importance of their steady devotedness to the God of their fathers. (For the geography of Mizpeh, Gilgal, and Ramah, see ROBINSON and WILSON.)

D, page 253.-The Schools of the Prophets.

THE origin and character of these schools are subjects which, notwithstanding the labour and learning that have been spent in their investigation, are still veiled in much obscurity. The prophetical office, as it existed under the Mosaic economy, was evidently designed to be a great and influential element in the theocracy. When the people rebelliously murmured against the administration of Moses, instead of strengthening the hands of his servant by larger temporal powers, as might have been done, God was pleased to meet the case by a religious provision; and seventy men were divinely inspired to uphold the authority of God and of his servant, by speaking under the influence of the Holy Spirit to the people. From this time this class of religious teachers was maintained; and even in the darkest periods of Hebrew history, God left not himself without inspired witnesses to the truth of his revelation, and the spirituality of his religion. But in what manner new members were added to the number of these extraordinary ministers, we are not informed. There can be no doubt that it was by special Divine appointment; but whether this was preceded by any particular training or education, is not told us until the time of Samuel.

During the administration of this inspired judge, we read of companies of prophets living together, and acting in concert, under the direction of Samuel, in a manner which has led to the universal conviction, that these several companies were so many schools of young men, taught and disciplined under the direction of Samuel, and other aged prophets who succeeded him; and that from these, ordinarily, (although not always,) the prophets were selected by God, through the communication to them of the gift of inspiration. Both the rule and the exception are proved in the account which Amos gives of himself: "I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet's son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit: and the Lord took me as I followed the flock, and the Lord said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel." (Amos vii. 14, 15.) This statement seems clearly to show, that prophets were usually selected from "the sons of the prophets," as these students were called; (see 2 Kings ii. 3, 5, 7, 15 ;) but that, in his case, the rule was not observed, he having been divinely called from his labours in the field.

But then the obvious difficulty presents itself, which is so well put by Stillingfleet: "It is hard to conceive what influence any antecedent and preparatory dispositions can have upon receiving the prophetical spirit." Without staying to notice the requisites insisted on by Jewish