III. Like the book of Judges, Ruth has been ascribed to Hezekiah, and also to Ezra; but the most probable, and, indeed, generally received opinion, is that of the Jews, who state it to have been written by the prophet Samuel. From

I. THE book of Ruth is generally considered as an appendix to that of Judges, and an introduction to that of Samuel; it is therefore placed, and with great propriety, between the books of Judges and Samuel. In the ancient Jewish canon of the Old Testament, Judges and Ruth formed but one book, because the transactions which it contained happened in the time of the Judges; although the modern Jews separate it from both, and make it the second of the five Megilloth or volumes which they place together towards the end of the Old Testament. It is publicly read by them in the synagogues on the feast of weeks or of Pentecost, on account of the harvest being mentioned in it, the first-fruits of which were offered to God on that festival. This book derives its name from Ruth the Moabitess, whose history it relates, and whom the Chaldee paraphrast supposes to have been the daughter of Eglon king of Moab; but this conjecture is utterly unsupported by Scripture; nor is it at all likely that a king's daughter would abandon her native country, to seek bread in another land, and marry a stranger.

II. Augustine refers the time of this history to the regal government of the Israelites; Josephus the Jewish historian, and some others of later date, to the time of Eli; Moldenhawer, after some Jewish writers, assigns it to the time of Ehud; Rabbi Kimchi and other Jewish authors conceive Boaz, who married Ruth, to have been the same person as Ibzan, who judged Israel immediately after Jephthah; Junius, comparing the book of Ruth with Matt. i., is of opinion, that the events recorded in this history took place in the days of Deborah; and the learned Archbishop Usher, that they happened in the time of Shamgar. As the famine which caused Elimelech to leave his country, "came to pass in the days when the Judges ruled" (Ruth i. 1.), Bishop Patrick has referred the beginning of this history to the judicature of Gideon, about the year of the world 2759, at which time a famine is related to have happened. (Judg. vi. 3-6.) Considerable difficulty has arisen in settling the chronology of this book. in consequence of its being mentioned by Saint Matthew (i. 5, 6.),-that Salmon the father of Boaz (who married Ruth) was married to Rahab (by whom is generally understood Rahab the harlot, who protected the spies when Joshua invaded the land of Canaan): and yet that Boaz was the grandfather of David, who was born about three hundred and sixty years after the siege of Jericho,-a length of time, during which it is difficult to conceive that only three persons, Boaz, Obed, and Jesse, should have intervened between Rahab and David. But this difficulty may readily be solved, either by supposing that some intermediate names of little consequence were omitted in the public genealogies copied by the evangelist (as we know to have been the case in some other instances); or by concluding, with Archbishop Usher, that the ancestors of David, being men of extraordinary piety, or designed to be conspicuous because the Messiah was to descend from them, were blessed with longer life and greater strength than ordinarily fell to the lot of men in that age. It is certain that Jesse was accounted an old man when his son David was but a youth (see 1 Sam. xvii. 12.); and, since

Ovid, Metam. lib. viii. fab. 1. M. de Lavaur in his Conference de la Fable avec l'Histoire Sainte, tom. ii. pp. 1–13., has shown that Samson, the judge of the Israelites, is the original and essential Hercules of pagan mythology; thus furnishing an additional proof how much the heathens have been indebted to the Bible. As his treatise is by no means of common occurrence, the reader will find an abridged translation of the pages

cited in Dr. A. Clarke's commentary on Judg. xvi.

2 Jerome expressly states that this was the case in his time.-Deinde subtexunt Sophetim, id est Judicum librum, et in eundem compingunt; quia in diebus Judicum facta ejus narratur historia. (Prologus Galeatus.) Eusebius, when giving Origen's catalogue of the sacred books, confirms Jerome's account. Eccl. Hist. lib. vi. c. 25.

De Doct. Christ. lib. ii. c. 8.

Josephus, Ant. Jud. lib. v. c. 9. 1. Seder Olam, c. 12. Moldenhawer, Introd. ad Libros Canonicos Vet. et Nov. Test. p. 43. Kimchi on Ruth, c. i. Junius, Annotat in Ruth i. Bishop Patrick on Ruth i. 1. Leusden, Philol. Heb. pp. 18. 86.

• Chronologia Sacra, part i. c. 12. pp. 69, 70. ed. Geneva, 1722, folio.

history could not have been reduced into its present form before the time of Samuel.

IV. The SCOPE of this book is partly to deliver the genealogy of king David through the line of Ruth, a heathen proselyte to the Jewish religion, and the wife of Boaz, whose adoption into the line of Christ has generally been considered Christian church. It had been foretold to the Jews that the as a pre-intimation of the admission of the Gentiles into the Messiah should be of the tribe of Judah, and it was afterwards further revealed that he should be of the family of David: and, therefore, it was necessary, for the full understanding of these prophecies, that the history of the family, in that tribe, should be written before these prophecies were revealed, to prevent the least suspicion of fraud or design. And thus this book, these prophecies, and their accomplishment, serve to illustrate each other. A further design of this book is to evidence the care of Divine Providence over those who sincerely fear God, in raising the pious Ruth from a state of the deepest adversity to that of the highest prosperity.

V. The book of Ruth, which consists of four chapters, may be conveniently divided into three sections; containing, SECT. 1. An account of Naomi, from her departure from Ca

naan into Moab, with her husband Elimelech, to her return thence into the land of Israel with her daughter-in-law Ruth. (ch. i.) B. c. 1241–1231.

SECT. 2. The interview of Boaz with Ruth, and their marriage. (ii. iii. v. 1.—12.)

SECT. 3. The birth of Obed, the son of Boaz by Ruth, from whom David was descended. (iv. 13—18.)

The whole narrative is written with peculiar simplicity; and the interviews between Boaz and Ruth display the most unaffected piety, liberality, and modesty; and their reverent observance of the Mosaic law, as well as of ancient customs, is portrayed in very lively and animated colours.

SECTION V.

ON THE TWO BOOKS OF SAMUEL.

I. Title.-II. Authors.-III. Argument, scope, and analysis of the first book of Samuel.-IV. Argument, scope, ana analysis of the second book of Samuel.-V. General observations on these two books.

I. In the Jewish canon of Scripture these two books form but one, termed in Hebrew the Book of Samuel, probably because the greater part of the first book was written by that prophet, whose history and transactions it relates. The books of Samuel appear to have derived their appellation from 1 Chron xxix. 29.: where the transactions of David's reign are said to be written in the book (Heb. words) of Samuel the seer. In the Septuagint version they are called the first and second books of Kings, or of the Kingdoms; in the Vulgate they are designated as the first and second books of Kings, and, by Jerome, they are termed the books of the Kingdoms; kings of Israel and Judah is related. as being two of the four books in which the history of the

II. Jahn is of opinion, that the books of Samuel and the two books of Kings were written by one and the same person, and published about the forty-fourth year of the Babylonish captivity: and he has endeavoured to support his conjecture with much ingenuity, though unsuccessfully, by the uniformity of plan and style which he thinks are discernible in these books. The more prevalent, as well as more probable opinion, is that of the Talmudists, which was adopted by the most learned fathers of the Christian church (who unquestionably had better means of ascertaining this point than we have): viz. that the first twenty-four chapters of the • Bedford's Scripture Chronology, book v. c. 5.

first book of Samuel were written by the prophet whose name they bear; and that the remainder of that book, together with the whole of the second book, was committed to writing by the prophets Gad and Nathan, agreeably to the practice of the prophets who wrote memoirs of the transactions of their respective times. That all these three persons were writers is evident from 1 Chron. xxix. 29.; where it is said: Now the acts of David, first and last, behold they are written in the book of Samuel the seer, and in the book of Nathan the prophet, and of Gad the seer: the memoirs of these prophets are here referred to as distinct books: but it would be natural for Ezra, by whom the canon of Jewish Scripture was completed, to throw all their contents into the two books of Samuel. It is certain that the first book of Samuel was written before the first book of Kings; a circumstance related in the former book being referred to in the latter. (1 Sam. ii. 31. with 1 Kings ii. 27.)

The first acts of David declared in 1 Chron. xxix. 29. to have been recorded by Samuel, were such as happened before the death of Samuel; and these end with the twenty-fourth chapter of the first book of Samuel. What parts of the remaining history of David were written by Nathan, and what by Gad, is at present very difficult to distinguish with exactness. Mr. Reeves has conjectured, with great probability, that as it appears from 1 Sam. xxii. 5. that Gad was then with David in the hold or place where he kept himself secret from Saul; and since it is thought that Gad, being bred under Samuel, was privy to his having anointed David king, and had, therefore, resolved to accompany him during his troubles; it has, from these circumstances, been supposed that the history of what happened to David, from the death of Samuel to his being made king at Hebron over all Israel, was penned by the prophet Gad. He seems the most proper person for that undertaking, having been an eye-witness to most of the transactions.

The first mention of the prophet Nathan occurs in 2 Sam. vii. 2. a short time after David was settled at Jerusalem. Nathan is frequently mentioned in the subsequent part of David's reign; and he was one of those who were appointed by David to assist at the anointing of Solomon. (1 Kings 1.32.) As this event took place not long before David's death, it is probable Nathan might survive the royal Psalmist; and, as he knew all the transactions of his reign from his settlement at Jerusalem to his death, it is most likely that he wrote the history of the latter part of David's reign; especially as there is no mention of Gad, after the pestilence sent for David's numbering the people, which was about two years before his death, during which interval Gad might have died. Gad must have been advanced in years, and might leave the continuation of the national memoirs to Nathan. For these reasons, it is probably thought that Nathan wrote all the remaining chapters of the second book of Samuel, after the first five.'

III. The FIRST BOOK of Samuel contains the history of the Jewish church and polity, from the birth of Samuel, during the judicature of Eli, to the death of Saul, the first king of Israel; a period of nearly eighty years, viz. from the year of the world 2869 to 2949. Its SCOPE is, first, to continue the history of the Israelites under the two last Judges, Eli and Samuel, and their first monarch Saul, and the reason why their form of government was changed from an aristocracy to a monarchy; thus affording a strong confirmation of the authenticity of the Pentateuch, in which we find that this change had been foretold by Moses, in his prophetic declaration to the assembled nation, a short time before his death, and upwards of four hundred years before the actual institution of the regal government. This book also exhibits the preservation of the church of God amidst all the vicissitudes of the Israelitish polity; together with signal instances of the divine mercy towards those who feared Jehovah, and of judgments inflicted upon his enemies. It consists of three parts: viz.

PART I. The Transactions under the Judicature of Eli. (ch. i.-iv.)

SECT. 1. The birth of Samuel (ch. i.), with the thanksgiving and prophetical hymn of his mother Hannah. (ii.) The tenth verse of this chapter is a prediction of the Messiah. "This admirable hymn excels in simplicity of composition, closeness of connection, and uniformity of sentiment; breathing the pious effusions of a devout mind, deeply impressed with a conviction of God's mercies to herself in particular, and of his providential government of the world in general;

1 Mr. Reeves, Preface to 1 Sam.

exalting the poor in spirit or the humble-minded, and abasing the rich and arrogant; rewarding the righteous, and punishing the wicked."2

SECT. 2. The call of Samuel, his denunciations against Eli by the command of God, and his establishment in the prophetic office. (iii.)

SECT. 3. The death of Eli, and the capture of the ark of God by the Philistines. (iv.)

PART II. The History of the Israelites during the Judicature of Samuel.

SECT. 1. The destruction of the Philistines' idol Dagon (v.); the chastisement of the Philistines, their restoration of the ark, and the slaughter of the Bethshemites for profanely looking into the ark. (vi.)

SECT. 2. The reformation of divine worship, and the repentance of the Israelites at Mizpeh, with the discomfiture of the Philistines, who were kept under during the remainder of Samuel's judicature. (vii.)

SECT. 3. The Israelites' request for a regal government; the destination of Saul to the kingly office (viii. ix.); his inau guration (x.); and victory over the Ammonites. (xi.) SECT. 4. Samuel's resignation of the supreme judicial power (xii.); though, in a civil and religious capacity, he "judged Israel all the days of his life." (1 Sam. vii. 15.)

PART III. The History of Saul, and the Transactions during his Reign.

SECT. 1. The prosperous part of Saul's reign, comprising his war with the Philistines, and offering of sacrifice (xiii.), with his victory over them. (xiv.)

SECT. 2. The rejection of Saul from the kingdom in consequence of his rebellion against the divine command in sparing the king of Amalek, and the best part of the spoil. (xv.)

SECT. 3. The inauguration of David, and the events that took place before the death of Saul (xvi.—xxviii.); including,

i. The anointing of David to be king over Israel (xvi.); his combat and victory over Goliath. (xvii.)

$ii. The persecutions of David by Saul;-his exile and covenant with Jonathan (xviii.); his flight (xix); friendship with Jonathan (xx.); his going to Nob, where he and his men ate of the shew-bread, and Goliath's sword was delivered to him; his flight, first to the court of Achish king of Gath, and subsequently into the land of Moab (xxi. xxii. 1-4.); the slaughter of the priests at Nob, with the exception of Abiathar. (xxii. 5-23.)

iii. The liberation of Keilah from the Philistines by David (xxiii. 1— 6.); his flight into the wilderness of Ziph and Maon (xxiii. 7-29.); Saul's life in David's power at Engedi, who spares it (xxiv.); the inhuman conduct of Nabal (xxv.); Saul's life spared a second time (xxvi.); David's second flight to Achish king of Gath. (xxvii.) SECT. 4. The last acts of Saul to his death; including, $i. Saul's consultation of the witch of Endor. (xxviii.)

ii. The encampment of the Philistines at Aphek, who send back David from their army. (xxix.)

$ iii. David's pursuit and defeat of the Amalekites who had plundered Ziklag, and from whom he recovers the spoil. (xxx)

§ iv. The suicide of Saul, and total disconfiture of the Israelites. (xxxi.)

IV. The SECOND BOOK of Samuel contains the history of David, the second king of Israel, during a period of nearly forty years, viz. from the year of the world 2948 to 2988; and, by recording the translation of the kingdom from the tribe of Benjamin to that of Judah, it relates the partial accomplishment of the prediction delivered in Gen. xlix. 10. The victo ries of David, his wise administration of civil government, his efforts to promote true religion, his grievous sins, and deep repentance, together with the various troubles and judgments

2 Dr. Hales's Analysis of Chronology, vol. ii. book i. p. 332. Few passages of Scripture have been discussed with more warmth than the relation contained in this 28th chapter of the first book of Samuel: some commentators have conjectured that the whole was a juggle of the Pythoness whom Saul consulted; others, that it was a mere visionary scene; Augustine and others, that it was Satan himself who assumed the appearance of Samuel; and others, that it was the ghost of Samuel, raised by infernal power, or by force of magical incantation. All these hypotheses, however, contradict the historical fact as related by the author of this book: for it is evident from the Hebrew original of 1 Sam. xxviii. 14. more closely translated, and compared throughout with itself, that it was "Samuel himself" whom Saul beheld, and who (or his spirit) was actually raised immediately, and before the witch had any time to utter any incantations, by the power of God, in a glorified form, and wearing the appearance of the ominous mantle in which was the rent that signified the rend ing of the kingdom from Saul's family. The reality of Samuel's appearance Ecclus. xlvi. 20.), and was also thus understood by Josephus, who has not on this occasion was a doctrine of the primitive Jewish church (compare only translated the original passage correctly, but likewise expressly states that the soul of Samuel inquired why it was raised. Antiq. Jud. lib. vi. 14. § 2. Dr. Hales's Analysis of Chronology, vol. ii. book i. pp. 355-360., where the subject is fully discussed and proved. See also Calmet's Dissertation sur l'Apparition de Samuel, Commentaire Littéral. tom. ii. pp. 331-336. of the prediction (which could only come from God); for "on the morrow,"

That it was Samuel himself is further evident from the clearness and truth

that is, very shortly after, Saul and his sons were slain.

It is evident, therefore, that two descriptions of writers were concerned in the composition of the books of Kings:first, those original, primitive, and contemporary authors, who wrote the annals, journals, and memoirs of their own times, from which the authors of our sacred history subsequently derived their materials. These ancient memoirs have not descended to us; but they unquestionably were in the hands of those sacred penmen, whose writings are in our possession, since they cite them and refer to them. The second class of writers consists of those, by whom the books of Kings were actually composed in the form in which we now have them. The Jews ascribe them to Jeremiah; and their opinion has been adopted by Grotius and other eminent commentators: others again assign them to the prophet Isaiah. But the most probable opinion is, that these books were digested into their present order by Ezra. The following are the grounds on which this opinion is founded and supported :1. The general uniformity of style and manner indicates that these books were written by one person.

2. The author evidently lived after the captivity of Babylon: for, at the end of the second book of Kings, he speaks of the return from the captivity. (2 Kings xxv. 22, &c.)

3. He says that in his time the ten tribes were still captive in Assyria, whither they had been carried as a punishinent for their sins. (2 Kings xvii. 23.)

4. In the seventeenth chapter of the second book of Kings, he introduces some reflections on the calamities of Judah and Israel, which demonstrate that he wrote after those calamities had taken place. Compare 2 Kings xvii. 6-24.

5. He almost every where refers to the ancient memoirs which he had before him, and abridged.

6. There is also every reason to believe, that the author was a PRIEST or a prophet. He studies less to describe acts of heroism, successful battles, conquests, political address, &c. than what regards the temple, religious ceremonies, festivals, the worship of God, the piety of princes, the fidelity of the prophets, the punishment of crimes, the manifestation of God's anger against the wicked, and his regard for the righteous. He every where appears greatly attached to the house of David. He treats on the kings of Israel only incidentally; his principal object being the kingdom of Judah, and its particular affairs.

Now, all these marks correspond with Ezra, a learned priest, who lived both during and subsequently to the captivity, and might have collected numerous documents, which, from the lapse of time and the persecutions of the Jews, are now lost to us. Such are the reasons on which Calmet has ascribed the books of Kings to Ezra, and his opinion is generally received. There are, however, a few circumstances that seem to militate against this hypothesis, which should be noticed, as not agreeing with the time of Ezra. Thus, in 1 Kings viii. 8. the ark of the covenant is represented as being in the temple "to this day:" and in 1 Kings xii. 19. the kingdoms of Israel are mentioned as still subsisting. In 1 Kings vi. 1. 37, 38. the author mentions the months of Zif and Bul, names which were not in use after the captivity. Lastly, the writer expresses himself throughout as a contemporary, and as an author who had been an eye-witness of what he wrote. But these apparent contradictions admit of an easy solution. Ezra generally transcribes verbatim the memoirs which he had in his possession without attempting

The divine authority of these books is attested by the many predictions they contain: they are cited as authentic and canonical by Jesus Christ (Luke iv. 25-27.), and by his apostles (Acts vii. 47. Rom. xi. 2-4. James v. 17, 18.), and they have constantly been received into the sacred canon by the Jewish and Christian churches in every age. Their truth and authenticity also derive additional confirmation from the corresponding testimonies of ancient profane writers.2 III. The FIRST BOOK OF KINGS embraces a period of one hundred and twenty-six years, from the anointing of Solomon and his admission as a partner in the throne with David, A. M. 2989, to the death of Jehoshaphat, A. M. 3115. It relates the latter part of David's life; his death, and the accession of Solomon, whose reign comprehended the most prosperous and glorious period of the Israelitish history; and prefigured the peaceful reign of the Messiah; Solomon's erection and consecration of the temple at Jerusalem (the beauty and perfection of which was a type of the beauty and perfection of the church of God); his awful defection from the true religion; the sudden decay of the Jewish nation after his death, when it was divided into two kingdoms,-under Rehoboam, who reigned over the kingdom of Judah, comprising the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, and under Jeroboam, who was sovereign of the other ten tribes that revolted from the house of David, and which in the Sacred Writings are designated as the kingdom of Israel; the reigns of Rehoboam's successors, Abijam, Asa, and Jehoshaphat; and those of Nadab, Baasha, Elah, Zimri, Omri, Tibni, the wicked Ahab, and Ahaziah (in part), who succeeded Jeroboam in the throne of Israel. For the particular order of succession of these monarchs, and of the prophets who flourished during their respective reigns, the reader is referred to the chronological table inserted in Appendix II. to this volume. The first book of Kings may be divided into two principal parts; containing, 1. The history of the undivided kingdom under Solomon; and, 2. The history of the divided kingdom under Rehoboam and his successors, and Jeroboam and his successors.

PART I. The History of Solomon's Reign (ch. i.—xi.) contains a narrative of,

SECT. 1. The latter days of David; the inauguration of Solomon as his associate in the kingdom, and his designation to be his successor. (i. ii. 1—11.)

SECT. 2. The reign of Solomon from the death of David to his undertaking the erection of the temple. (ii. 12—46 iii. iv.)

SECT. 3. The preparations for building the temple. (v.) SECT. 4. The building of the temple (vi.) and of Solomon's own house, together with the preparation of the vessels and utensils for the temple service. (vii.)

SECT. 5. The dedication of the temple, and the sublime prayer of Solomon on that occasion. (viii.)

SECT. 6. Transactions during the remainder of Solomon's reign-his commerce; visit from the queen of Sheba; the splendour of his monarchy; his falling into idolatry, and the adversaries by whom he was opposed until his death. (ix. x. xi.)

PART II. The History of the two Kingdoms of Judah and Israel. (ch. xii. xxii.)

SECT. 1. The accession of Rehoboam, and division of the two kingdoms. (xii.)

SECT. 2. The reigns of Rehoboam king of Judah, and of Jeroboam I. king of Israel. (xiii. xiv.)

SECT. 3. The reigns of Abijam and Asa kings of Judah, and

1 The consideration that these books were digested from memoirs, writ.

ten by different persons who lived in the respective times of which they wrote, will help to reconcile what is said of Hezekiah in 2 Kings xviii. 5. that, after him none was like him of all the kings of Judah, with what is said of Josiah in chap. xxiii. 25. that, like unto him was there no king before him; for, what is said of Hezekiah was true, till the eighteenth year of Josiah, when that pious sovereign began the reformation of which so much is said in the sacred history. Mr. Reeves, Pref. to Books of Kings. 2 Josephus, Antiq. Jud. lib. viii. c. 2. Eusebius, Prep. Evang. lib. x. Grotius de Veritate, lib. iii. c. 16., and Allix, Reflections upon the Books of the Old Testament, chap. ii. have collected several instances of the confir consult the testimonies given in Vol. I. pp. 69-78. supra. mation of the sacred historians from profane authors. On this subject also