men of valour. There were, besides, the forces in actual service as guards of the cities. Under this king, Judah rose to a power and wealth which it had not known since the separation. For more than half his reign, Jehoshaphat was thus contented and prosperous. At length, however, he committed the great mistake of joining himself in affinity with the impious Ahab. He united his son Jehoram in marriage with Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel.

While at the court of the Israelitish king, Ahab proposes that they should unite their forces, to wrest Ramoth-gilead from the hands of the king of Syria.* This was an important place in the country of the eastern tribes. Jehoshaphat accedes to the proposition at once. He was not, however, willing to commence the war without consulting God by the prophets. Ahab gathered his false prophets, and they, of course, gave him the highest assurance of success. Still Jehoshaphat was not satisfied, and, at his request, Ahab sent and called for Micaiah, a prophet of the Lord, at the same time stating that he hated him on account of his faithful reproofs. As the two kings, in royal apparel, were sitting in the gate of Samaria, and the false prophets were vociferously urging them to go to the battle, Micaiah came into their presence. To the question of Ahab, he answered in the words of the false prophets, but in an ironical tone, "Go and prosper: for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king." Ahab adjured him to tell nothing but the truth, and the prophet answered, "I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills, as sheep without a shepherd: and the Lord said, These have no master; let them return every man to his house in peace." Ahab understood this as a discouraging answer, and as an implied reflection upon his weakness, and blamed Micaiah. The prophet then relates a vision which had been made known to him that God had permitted the false prophets to persuade Ahab to go to Ramoth to die there. To the injuries and insults of the false prophets, this bold man answers only by referring them to the time when his predictions should be fulfilled. The enraged king commands him to be imprisoned until he should come in peace. "And Micaiah said, If thou return at all in peace, the Lord hath not spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, O people, every one of you." The fearful words of the prophet did not change the purpose of the kings. They marched against Ramoth. In the battle, Ahab, fearing the truth of the prophet's words, disguised himself, while Jehoshaphat fought as king. Benhadad ordered his officers to direct all their efforts

Ahab was thus reaping the reward of his morbid clemency to this faithless and ungrateful king. It had not been more than twelve years since Ahab spared his life, and we find him already in possession of a part of Ahab's dominions.

against the king of Israel. They accordingly pursued after Jehoshaphat, but, discovering their mistake, turned back to seek Ahab. Ahab's scheme did not save him. "A certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the harness, or armour." (God accomplished his purposes and fulfilled the word of the prophet, even by what we term a random shot.) The battle was obstinately contested till night, when the order was given for every man to seek his city, and every man his country. Ahab died at evening, and was buried in Samaria. The blood from his chariot was given to the dogs, according to the word of Elijah. His son Abaziah reigned in his stead. Ahab was of a weak, yielding character, and, under the influence of Jezebel, sold himself to work wickedness. His reign is only remarkable as it includes so large a part of the miracles and teachings of Elijah; which, however they failed of producing any permanent effect upon the mind of the king, must yet have been a great blessing to the seven thousand pious of Israel.

When Jehoshaphat returned from Ramoth, Jehu the son of Hanani met him, and reproved him for his unwise expedition. "Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the Lord? therefore is wrath upon thee from the Lord. Nevertheless there are good things found in thee, in that thou hast taken away the groves out of the land, and hast prepared thine heart to seek God." He then went through his kingdom, reclaiming those who had wandered from the faith. He established judges in the cities, and charged them "to judge not for man, but for the Lord, who is with you in judgment. Wherefore let the fear of the Lord be upon you, take heed and do it: for there is no iniquity with the Lord our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of gifts."* A supreme council, composed of priests, Levites, and chief of the fathers, was established at Jerusalem. To these the more important causes were referred for adjudication: and they were charged to deal faithfully and courageously in the fear of Jehovah. Amariah the chief priest was to preside in all religious questions, and Zebadiah, ruler of the house of Judah, in civil matters.

Having thus provided for the administration of justice, Jehoshaphat turned his attention to commerce. He built ships at Ezion-geber, to go to Ophir for gold. That port, and the intervening country, were still under the power of Judah. At first he allowed the king of Israel to take part in the enterprise. For this the ships were broken. Taught by the prophet Eliezer as to the cause of the misfortune, Jehoshaphat declined any

It seems most probable that the 82d Psalm was composed at this time, and addressed to these judges.

further offers from Ahaziah, and prosecuted the enterprise alone. The trade does not appear to have been very successful, and was not long continued.

Soon after this, we find Jehoshaphat in alliance with the kings of Israel, and engaged in carying on a war with Moab. Moab had fallen to the kingdom of Israel in the separation. Until the death of Ahab it remained in subjection, but then rebelled. Jehoshaphat lent his aid to the king of Israel in reclaiming it to his subjection. Exasperated at the part he had taken in this war, the children of Moab turned their wrath against him. They enlisted the Ammonites and Edomites in their cause, and secured aid from the Syrians. From all these sources a large army was gathered, and marched against Jehoshaphat. They entered the land of Judah, and pitched their camp at Engedi. Alarmed at this array, "Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah." The whole congregation were assembled, and the king stood in the court of the temple, and prayed, acknowledging the sovereign power of God in all things, and in planting Judah as a nation; pleading his promises to hear the cries of his people in their emergency; urging their present danger and distress as a ground and motive for his present interference, closing with these memorable words of humility and faith, "O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do; but our eyes are upon thee." In the silence that pervaded that vast assembly, a single voice was heard, pronouncing deliverance. Jahaziel, a Levite, moved by the Spirit of the Lord, encouraged them to go without fear and meet the enemy, "and then to stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, for the battle is not yours, but God's." Upon this assurance, the king, and all the congregation, bowed their faces, and offered praise unto God. In the morning they went as directed to meet their threatening foe; but not so much in the strength of arms, as in the strength of faith. As they went, the singers went before them, praising God, "whose mercy endureth for ever." When they began to sing, the allied forces, from a supernatural influence, quarrelled among themselves, and destroyed one another; so that when the army of Jehoshaphat reached the scene of strife, their enemies were fallen, "and nothing was left for them but to take the spoils of the slain." After four days they returned with great joy, and songs of thanksgiving. "And the fear of God was on all those countries when they heard that the Lord fought against the enemies of Israel. So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet; for his God gave him rest round about." Thus ended the days of this pious king. "He reigned twenty-five years, and departed not from that which

was right in the sight of the Lord." He was buried with his fathers in the city of David, and Jehoram his son reigned in his stead.

Jehoshaphat was among the best of the kings of Judah. The kingdom was never more happy or prosperous than under his reign. He sought the Lord with all his heart; and proved the power of a strict adherence to his faith, to make a people both great and good. He was loved by his people, respected by foreign nations, and feared by his foes. He did more to settle the kingdom upon its right principles than all who had preceded him, from David onward. He was never elated by success. He was humble and relying upon the guidance and arm of God in all events. He strictly adhered to his principles to the last; and in the final public act of his life, his humility and his faith shine the clearest. He stands before us as a model of a wise, benevolent, and pious king.

SECTION XVI.

AHAZIAH'S REIGN-HISTORY OF ELISHA, AND THE REIGN OF JEHORAM-NAAMAN THE LEPER-THE SIEGE OF SAMARIA AND ITS MIRACULOUS DELIVERANCE-THE ANOINTING OF JEHU AND HAZAEL-THE REIGN OF JEHORAM AND AHAZIAH KING OF JUDAH.

THE remaining acts of Jehoshaphat's reign follow those of the king of Israel. He could not well extricate himself from the alliance he had made. We resume, therefore, the thread of the Israelitish history, at the time of the death of Ahab. Ahaziah his son came to the throne at a most unfortunate juncture of affairs. His kingdom weakened by the disaster at Ramoth, and the hearts of his best subjects alienated by the shameless idolatry of Ahab, he did nothing to reclaim their affections, "but walked in the way of his father, and in the way of his mother, and did evil in the sight of the Lord; and served Baal, and worshipped him."

After a short reign of between one and two years, he met with an accident which was fatal in its result: "He fell through a lattice in his upper chamber, in Samaria, and was sick." True to the idolatrous faith of his parents, Ahaziah sent to consult Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron. On their way thither, the messengers were met by Elijah, sent from the Lord with this message to the king: "Is it not because there is not a God. in Israel, that ye go to inquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron? Now, therefore, saith the Lord, Thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up." Thus warned, the messengers suddenly return to their master, and deliver the message which they had received. From the description of his

person, as well as from the tenor of his words, the king knew that the man who had thus boldly arrested his servants, wa Elijah. Determined to secure him, he sent a captain and fifty men to bring him into his presence. The officer went up to the prophet, and said, "Thou man of God, the king hath said, Come down. And Elijah answered, If I be a man of God, then let fire come down and consume thee and thy fifty;" and fire came down and consumed them. This was repeated a second time, with a like result. Still persisting in his purpose, and unaffected by the judgments his men had experienced, a third captain was sent to arrest the prophet. This captain, wiser than his master, came and besought Elijah, "O man of God, I pray thee, let my life, and the life of these fifty thy servants, be precious in thy sight." His prayer was granted. Warned of God, the prophet arose at once, and went down to the king; and repeats the message in person which he had previously sent by the king's messengers. "Ahaziah died according to the word of the Lord, which Elijah had spoken; and Jehoram, or Joram, (his brother,) reigned in his stead."*

Elijah had now finished his public labours; and the time of his departure was at hand. Conscious of this, he determines upon a circuit among the schools of the prophets, giving them his final instructions and benediction. Elisha, who had been forewarned of his master's coming departure, steadfastly adhered to his purpose of accompanying him in this last journey. At Gilgal, at Bethel, and at Jericho, Elijah urges him to remain, but the only answer of this faithful follower is, "As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee." As these two went on, they came to the Jordan, and Elijah, as if to make a last display of the miraculous power so long intrusted to him, "took his mantle and wrapped it together and smote the waters, and they were divided hither and thither so that they two went over on dry ground." Before he was taken from him, Elijah asked Elisha what he should do for him; and Elisha, conscious of the difficult duties before him, answers, "I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me." "And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing; nevertheless if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so." "As they still went on and talked, behold there appeared a chariot of fire and horses of fire, and parted them asunder, and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven." "Elisha saw it, and said, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof." But though bereaved, he was not without support; he

In 2 Kings i. 17, it is said that Jehoram's reign began in the second year of Jehoram, son of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah. As Jehoshaphat reigned after this nearly eight years, it is supposed that he admitted his son to reign with him for nine years before his death. The date here refers to the years of his reign as associate king.