The passage, 2 Kings xiv. 25, is abrupt, and separated from its connection; - Jeroboam, son of Joash, “restored the coast of Israel, from the entering of Hamath, unto the Sea of the Plain, according to the word of the Lord God of Israel, which he spake by the hand of his servant Jonah, the son of Amittai."a

b

The following passages have the most documentary character: 1 Kings i. iv. vi. vii. ix. 10, sqq. The passage, 2 Kings xviii.-xx., is not contemporaneous; it is by no means written by Isaiah. Yet the author seems to have made use of written authorities, which he frequently mentions-such as the Book of the Acts of Solomon, the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel, and of Judah."

с

The date of the book, and the legendary character of some of the narratives, forbid us to suppose these were the official annals of the realm; but it is difficult to determine whether they were private historical works, as Eichhorn supposes, or extracts from the annals, as Bertholdt and Movers maintain. The latter, however, thinks he used one authority which he has not mentioned; namely, the "Book of the Kings of Israel," which is referred to in 1 Ch. ix. 1, and 2 Ch. xx. 34."

[No reference is made elsewhere to this prophecy of Jonah, nor is the prophecy itself now extant.]

Chap. xiv. 19, xv. 31, xvi. 5, 14, 20, 27, xxii. 39, 2 Kings i. 17, x. 34, xiii. 8, 12, xv. 11, 15, 21, 26, 31.

e

Chap. xiv. 29, xv. 7, 23, xxii. 46, 2 Kings viii. 23, xii. 20, xiv. 18, 23, xv. 6, 36, xvi. 19, xx. 20, xxi. 17, xxiii. 28, xxiv. 5.

§ 185.

Hävernik, vol. ii. pt. 1, p. 150, sqq.

* [See Eichhorn's opinion, § 482, and Bertholdt's, p. 947, sqq. With respect to Eichhorn's hypothesis upon the affinity of our book and that of Chronicles, it may be remarked that there is no other vestige of the life of Solomonwhich, it is pretended, lies at its foundation, as collateral with the life of David - than the fact that some passages have a coloring somewhat more 31

VOL. II.

§ 184, b.

[FURTHER CHARACTERISTICS OF THESE BOOKS.

1. Numerous passages occur in which natural actions and events are referred to the ultimate, rather than the immediate cause. Thus, in 1 Kings xi. 31, it is Jehovah who puts the threat in Ahijah's mouth. In xii. 15, where Rehoboam refuses to grant the people's request, it is added, "The thing was from the Lord." The phrase "The word of God came," or "Thus saith the Lord," -as in the previous books, often denotes mere human counsels, as in xiii. 1, 2, 9, 17, 18, 20, 26, 32, and xiv. 5, where it is probable Ahijah knew from other sources that Jeroboam's wife was coming in disguise to inquire respecting her child. In xx. 13, where a prophet assures Ahab of the victory, the counsel is referred to Jehovah, though it apparently originated with the prophet himself. The same must be said of the mythical narrative in verses 35-42. False prophets make use of the authority of Jehovah; for example, "Zedekiah made him horns of iron, and said, 'Thus saith Jehovah, "With these shalt thou push the Syrians, until thou have consumed them,""" (xxii. 11.) The result was very different, for the Syrians conquered, and the king of Israel was slain. Micaiah-apparently a true prophet says to Ahab, in the name of Jehovah, "Go, and prosper, for Jehovah shall deliver it into the hand of the king." But when more earnestly adjured, he utters a prediction of an opposite character. Even Rab-shakeh

ancient and chronological than others. From Esther x. 2, and the citations of Chronicles, it may be doubted whether the author ever actually used those works. For the anti-Israelitic spirit of the history of Israel, sce Bertholdt, p. 949.]

appeals to the same authority, in 2 Kings xviii. 25"Am I come up without the Lord against this place? The Lord said to me, Go up against this land and destroy it.""

2. The priests seem to exert but little influence. Solomon had but two-Zadok and Abiathar, (1 Kings iv. 4.) They could be removed at the king's pleasure, for the latter had been previously discharged," and was afterwards restored to favor, (ii. 27.) However, their authority was sometimes respected, for Jehoiada would not suffer Athaliah to be slain in the temple when the priest forbade, (2 Kings xi. 15.) A priest and a prophet anointed Solomon king, (i. 34, 39.) The sacerdotal office did not necessarily descend to the sons, for the son of Zadok was a scribe, (iv. 2.) Even at the consecration of the temple, the priests are subordinate to the king. Uriah the priest makes an idolatrous altar at the command of Ahaz, (2 Kings xvi. 10—16;) and, at Hezekiah's command, (2 Kings xix.,) the elders of the priests wear sackcloth, contrary to the Mosaic law.

3. The book contains numerous mythical passages. In some of them the mythical portion is very conspicuous. Such are the two visions of Solomon, in 1 Kings iii. 5—15, and ix. 1-9; the story of the miraculous cloud of smoke at the consecration of the temple, (viii. 10-12;) the prophecy against the altar and Beth-el, with the symbolical action accompanying it, (xiii. 1—10, especially 4-6;) the story of the death of the prophet, (xiii. 11-32;) Ahijah's prophecy against Jeroboam, (xiv. 1-16;) the story of Elijah, (xvii.—xix.,) especially in the account of his miraculous support, (xvii. 6, xix.

But this seems contrary to the spirit of the Mosaic code, which does not deem it possible for a priest to be faulty, or, at least, makes no provision against a faithless priest. See Gramberg, 1. c. vol. i. p. 220, sqq.

r

5-8;) the supply of the widow's flour and oil, (xvii. 16,) and the restoration of the child, (verse 22;) the miraculous fire, (xviii. 38, sqq.;) the visit of Jehovah, (xix. 9-18.) The continuation and conclusion of the history of Elijah and his successor are filled with mythical narratives. Such are the accounts of the destruction of the soldiers sent to capture Elijah, (2 Kings i. 5—15;) and that of his ascent to heaven, (ii. 1—11;) Elisha's miraculous passage of the Jordan, his healing the deadly waters, and the destruction of the little children who mocked him, (ii. 19-22, and 23, 24.) The mythical narrative ascribes nearly the same acts to Elisha which had previously been wrought by Elijah; for example, Elisha increases the widow's oil, (iv. 1-7,) as his master had done, (1 Kings xvii. 16;) he restores the life of a child, (iv. 18-37,) and Elijah had done the same, (1 Kings xvii. 17-24.) He renders poisonous pottage wholesome, and feeds one hundred men with twenty barley loaves, (iv. 38-44.) He cures Naaman of the leprosy, (v. 1-27,) causes iron to swim, (vi. 1—7,)a and smites with blindness the troops sent to take him, leads them to the wrong place, and then restores their sight, gives them a feast, and sends them home, (vi. 15 -23.) After his death, a dead body is accidentally thrust into his tomb, and is restored to life as it touches his bones, (xiii. 14-21.) In all these instances, it is obvious the accounts are mythical.

The story of the shadow on the dial of Hezekiah being made to go backwards ten degrees, (2 Kings xx. 8-11,) is obviously a myth. But these are, perhaps, the only mythical accounts in the book.

a Eichhorn (Allg. Bib. vol. iv. p. 209, 210) thinks he fished the axe out of the river with a stick. Naturalistic attempts at explanation seem often more difficult to accept than the original story.

4. References to the ancient history of the Jews, and the Mosaic Law, or the Law of Jehovah, are most frequent in the latter part of the second book, as in 2 Kings xiv. 6, where a Mosaic statute is quoted, (compare Deut. xxiv. 16;) xvi. 3, where the nations cast out of Canaan for their idolatry are alluded to; and also in xvii. 7, 8, 11, 13, 35-39. The brazen serpent is mentioned as an idol, (xviii. 4.) The covenant of Jehovah and Law of Moses are referred to, (verse 12; compare verse 32.) Instances of this sort are numerous in the latter chapters of this book, (xxi. 1—8, xxii. xxiii.) This is one proof of the fidelity of the historian. As the Mosaic laws began to be written and made known, allusions to them occur in the history.

5. These books, like those of Samuel, abound in little natural touches, which show the author's delicate sense of historical fidelity, and prove he sometimes drew from nature. Some of the most striking traits of this character are the following: The threat of Benhadad, (in 1 Kings xx. 10,) that he would bring so large an army that the "dust of Samaria should not suffice for handfuls," with the truly laconic reply of Ahab, "Let not him that girdeth on, boast as he that putteth off," his armor. This is told Ben-hadad while he is drinking. He replies in a single word"-" Place;" that is, "Bring up the engines of war." Again: it is said, (verse 27,) "The children of Israel pitched before them like two little flocks of kids. But the Syrians filled the country. The conduct of Jezebel-equally infamous as a wife and a queen-is delineated with graphic fidelity, in xxi. 7, sqq., and 2 Kings ix. 30, sqq.: "She painted her eyes, and tired her head, and looked out at