are written in the book of Jehu the son of Hanani, who is mentioned in the book of the kings of Israel. II Chron. xxvi, 22. Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, first and last, did Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, write. II Chron. xxix, 30. Moreover Hezekiah the king and the princes commanded the Levites to sing praises unto the Lord with the words of David, and of Asaph the seer. II Chron. xxxii, 32. Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and his goodness, behold, they are written in the vision of Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, and in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. 2. Chron. xxxv, 25. And Jeremiah lamented for Josiah, and all the singing men and the singing women spake of Josiah in their lamentations to this day, and made them an ordinance in Israel: and, behold, they are written in the Lamentations. Besides these various books, the authors of which are named, we have the "Chronicles of the kings of Israel and Judah" referred to more than thirty times at least. Of the manner in which they are mentioned, the following is an example: I Kings, xiv, 19. And the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, how he warred, and how he reigned, behold they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel. The book of the "chronicles of the kings of Israel" is mentioned altogether in 19 places:- I Kings, xiv, 19. xv, 31. xvi, 5. 14. 20. 27. xxii, 39. II Kings, i, 18. x, 34. xiii, 8. 12. xiv, 15. 28. xv, 11. 15. 21. 26. 31. 36. The book of the "chronicles of the kings of Judah" is similarly mentioned in I Kings, xiv, 29. xv, 7. 23. xxii, 45. II Kings, viii, 23. xii, 19. xiv, 18. xv, 6. xvi, 19. xx. 20. xxi, 25. xxiii, 28. These quotations are found in our present books of Kings; and in the Chronicles are quoted, in a similar manner, "the book of the kings of Judah," and "the book of the kings of Israel,"—or, unitedly, "the book of the kings of Judah and Israel" - they are mentioned in II Chronicles xvi, 11. xx, 34. xxv, 26. xxvii, 7. xxviii, 26. xxxii, 32. xxxiii, 18. xxxv, 27. xxxvi, 8. In some of these places the subject admits the supposition that our existing books of Kings are referred to; but it also admits of the same view which has been taken above, namely, that earlier writings are quoted. 4. Different names of God. An argument in favour of the theory that the Pentateuch is a compilation from earlier records has been founded on the variation of name given to the Supreme Being. 6 In the first chapter of Genesis, to the fourth verse of the second chapter, he is called Elohim, the Gods,' which occurs 35 times, and he is there called by no other name. But in the rest of chap. ii, and in chap. iii, (except by the serpent, who calls him also Elohim) he is otherwise named Jehovah Elohim, which we translate the "Lord God," and this name occurs twenty times. The use of these terms [says Mr Davies] as here described, is, I think, a peculiarity which could not well have happened, in the original and entire composition of one age, one country, and one man. For however the mysterious meaning of the terms themselves may be discriminated, yet Elohim in the first chapter, and Jehovah Elohim, in the second and third, are evidently used in a synonymous sense, and precisely the same operations are ascribed to them. CELTIC RESEARCHES, p. 41. Other appellations, also, as Adonai and Shaddai, are found in various parts of the Old Testament, and all designate the Supreme Being, with equal propriety. They appear to be independent of one another, and neither by metaphor, etymology or periphrasis, can be reduced to one origin, as Deity and Divinity from Deus in Latin, the Supreme Being, and other similar expressions, which are found in all the modern languages. CHAPTER VI. CHRONOLOGICAL SUMMARY OF JEWISH HISTORY. The Hebrew Scriptures contain the most ancient accounts now existing of the world and of the human race. On this head they are strongly contrasted with the historical writings of the Greeks, the Romans, and all other ancient nations that we are now acquainted with. I do not speak of those stupendous monuments which cover the plains of Arabia, Asia, and the East, or of our own remains at Stonehenge, Avebury and elsewhere. These, if we could read them, would probably tell us of events quite as ancient as those which are recorded in the Pentateuch; but the comparison, which we are instituting, concerns written records only, in which particular the Jews claim precedence over all other nations. A brief sketch of the history contained in their Scriptures, arranged tabularly, from Genesis to Kings, may be of use to our present enquiry, and save the trouble of referring to the Scriptures themselves. The years given in the margin of our bibles, though in many places imperfect, furnish data for determining, with some degree of accuracy, the system of chronology generally received among the learned. The creation of the world is placed 4004 years before the beginning of the Christian era. The intervening dates of most importance are the following: B. C. 4004 World created-Adam and Eve formed by God out of the dust of the ground. 3130 Lamech, the seventh in descent from Adam, born. 3074 Adam dies. 3048 Noah is born. 3353 Lamech dies. 2448 The inhabitants of the earth, except Noah and his family, destroyed by the Deluge. 2093 Noah dies. 1921 Abraham goes down to Egypt. 1706 Jacob and his family go to settle in Egypt. 1491 The Israelites are led by Moses out of Egypt. 1451 The Israelites are led by Joshua into the land of Canaan. 1427 Joshua dies. The Israelites are governed by Judges. 1095 Saul is elected the first king of Israel. 1055 David becomes king of Israel after the death of Saul. 1015 David dies and is succeeded by Solomon. 975 Solomon dies, and is succeeded by Rehoboam; but Jeroboam, at the head of ten tribes, revolts from Rehoboam; and the kingdom is from this time divided into the two separate sovereignties of Israel and Judah. |