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The Modern Reader's Bible

History Series

The Kings

A SERIES OF WORKS FROM THE SACRED SCRIPTURES PRESENTED
IN MODERN LITERARY FORM

v.5

THE KINGS

EDITED, WITH AN INTRODUCTION AND NOTES

BY

RICHARD G. MOULTON, M.A. (CAMB.), PH.D. (PENN.)

PROFESSOR OF LITERATURE IN ENGLISH IN THE

UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO

New York

THE MACMILLAN COMPANY

LONDON: MACMILLAN & CO., LTD.

1896

All rights reserved

16061

COPYRIGHT, 1896,

BY THE MACMILLAN COMPANY.

Norwood Press
J. S. Cushing & Co. - Berwick & Smith
Norwood Mass. U.S.A.

1896
v. 5.

INTRODUCTION

THE present volume is entitled 'The Kings.' But though kings may give a title to this period of Bible history, they are not its heroes. Previous volumes have brought out how the people of Israel had revolted from the invisible kingship which had once distinguished them from the nations, and had insisted upon visible rulers who should succeed by natural descent; how at the same time had grown up a never-failing order of Prophets, for whom no commission was necessary except the spiritual power of their message as they claimed to speak in the name of Jehovah. Thus two opposing forces henceforward constitute the government of Israel: it is a Secular Kingship, side by side with a Theocracy of which the spokesmen are the Prophets.

I have explained that it is not the purpose of the present series to construct a scientific history of Israel such as would satisfy historical inquiry, but to render assistance in catching the impression of the national history that is part of the national literature, its elements standing to one

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