at which he was to be advanced to the noble position of an Egyptian Prince (Exod. ii. 1—10). His education was commensurate with the position to which he had been raised; he was "learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds" (Acts. vii. 22).

A gap in the history of the future leader of Israel's host, as related in the Pentateuch, is filled up by Josephus, Philo, and others, with legends highly improbable, and to which little credit can be attached.

At the age of forty he conceived the idea of freeing his enslaved brethren from the Egyptian yoke; "choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasure of sin for a season (Heb. xi. 25). From this passage in his history (Exod. ii. 11), it appears that he deplored the wrongs of his countrymen, and was deeply moved by their afflictions. Actuated by these feelings, on one occasion, he beheld an Egyptian (probably an officer) ill-treating a Hebrew, and in a moment of intense resentment inflicted death upon the oppressor. The next morning afforded him an opportunity of witnessing a strife between two Hebrew brethren. He proffered a friendly remonstrance, but his offices as a peace-maker were met by a rejoinder which at once exposed the perilous position in which he stood were he to remain in Egypt (Exod. ii. 13-15). He therefore fled to Arabia Petræa, and took refuge with a tribe of Midianites. Thus escaped from the vengeance of Pharaoh, he betook himself to a shepherd's life, and married the daughter of Jethro or Reuel, the priest of the tribe with whom he associated himself. The next forty years of his life were passed in this district, till, while tending the cattle of his fatherin-law, a miraculous appearance attracted his notice (Exod. iii. 2-10), and the voice of the God of the Hebrews commanded him to return and accomplish for

his brethren what he had before conceived and vainly endeavoured to execute. On that occasion, however, he followed the dictates of his own passion: but now he was to act as the servant of the Almighty. Aaron, his elder brother, met him, and joined in the mission to their distressed brethren. The Israelites accepted them

in the name of I AM. But their deliverance from bondage was not to be easily accomplished, and ten plagues were brought upon the Egyptians before Pharaoh would allow them to depart. After the Israelites had departed, under the leadership of Moses, the Egyptians pursued and overtook them on the shores of the Red Sea. The waters were divided, and a free passage opened for the Israelites. The Egyptians essaying to follow, were overwhelmed by the return of the waters. When God's people were thus miraculously delivered from the rage of their incensed oppressors, and safely encamped in the Peninsula of Sinai, Moses received, from the top of the mount of that name, the law which, with some additions, became ever after the national code. The next forty years of Moses' life were embittered by numerous untoward occurrences; but the great business which occupied it was that of preparing the people for entering that land which they were to wrest from the dominion of native and warlike tribes. Against these, however, Moses was not destined to lead Israel; he had incurred the just anger of God, and, as a punishment, was deprived of entering that land which was the goal of his, and his people's, fondest and most cherished hopes. Having appointed Joshua his successor, Moses, by the command of God, went to the top of Pisgah, on the east of Jordan, whence he was allowed to behold, though he was forbidden to enter, the inheritance of his people- the Land of Promise. The spot of his burial in the valley of Beth

K

peor, in the land of Moab, remained unknown to the children of Israel (Deut. xxxiv. and Jude v. 9).

See Robinson's Scripture Characters, and Millman's History of the Jews.

2. "State the circumstances which led to the separation of the kingdoms of Judah and Israel, and the chief events of their subsequent history."

The division of the kingdom, and many disastrous vicissitudes resulting therefrom, are to be traced to the dereliction in conduct that unhappily disgraced and embittered the latter years of King Solomon's reign. As all the calamities brought upon Israel in the time of their judges were providentially designed to exhibit the effects of forsaking the path marked out for them by God; so, for a departure from the paths of his father (1 Kings, xi.), Solomon received the awful intimation that his kingdom would be taken from him, and given to his servant Jeroboam. That the revolts and numerous disturbances in his own reign induced a sincere repentance on the part of Solomon, the book of Ecclesiastes fully testifies. He also acknowledged his folly and the justice of its unaverted punishment in strains of unreserved self-reproval "Thou didst stain thy honour, and pollute thy seed: so that thou broughtest wrath upon thy children, and wast grieved for thy folly."

But the circumstances which more immediately brought about the separation must be looked for in the history of the commencement of the reign of Rehoboam, the successor and sole heir of Solomon. No selfdenial on the part of the people was regarded as a burden when such sacrifice conduced to the splendour and completion of their temple, so ardently looked forward to with emotions of national but holy enthusi

asm.

But when the heavy taxes levied by Solomon were no longer applied to this pious purpose, they ceased to be viewed as legitimate imposts, and became the fertile cause of well-grounded complaints. Consequent disaffections from this cause contributed its portion of unpopularity even to the wise Solomon in his latter days; but when Rehoboam menaced, his subjects with a yoke heavier than that his father had imposed, an insurrection was the immediate issue. With ill-advised determination, Rehoboam in vain proceeded to Shechem, and sought the homage of the northern tribes. They appointed Jeroboam to present a violent remonstrance, demanding a redress of grievances. Rehoboam asked the advice of "the old men that stood before Solomon while he lived;" but followed that afterwards given, in opposition, by "the young men that were brought up with him, and stood before him." His haughty and insulting reply to the moderate remonstrance of his subjects caused the immediate alienation of the allegiance of the ten tribes, and he was compelled to flee to the tribe of Judah for refuge. Agreeably to divine pre-arrangement, Judah and Benjamin continued their obedience, and Rehoboam became their first king, under the title of King of Judah, while the "kingdom of Israel" was established, and Jeroboam elected (in accordance with the prophecy of Ahijah) king of the ten tribes (975 B.C.)

Rehoboam levied an army to subdue the revolted tribes; but the Lord sent the prophet Shemaiah to forbid his march. He consequently contented himself with the allegiance of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, and Jerusalem remained the capital of his diminished kingdom. As tranquility returned the priests flocked, in great numbers, to the holy city, and to the offices of its temple, and were cordially welcomed by their brethren. Though Solomon had left so many

wholesome lessons and warnings for the guidance of his son, yet he followed evil courses, verifying the prophetic reflection, “Who knoweth whether his son will be a wise man or a fool?" (Eccle. ii. 19). He caused a sad defection from the purity of the national religion, and a great portion of his subjects shared in his guilt— the worship of idols. To punish their idolatry, God caused Shishak, king of Egypt, who had, during Solomon's reign, afforded refuge to Jeroboam, to lead an army against Judah, and to conquer it. Rehoboam purchased some degree of forbearance from the Egyptians with the richest treasures of which the temple and the palace could be stripped (2 Chron. xii.) This reverse in his limited prosperity produced repentance in Rehoboam; but on the removal of the Egyptian invaders he returned to his former impieties, and died after an inglorious reign of 17 years.

Jeroboam, whose reign was one of still more hardened iniquity, outlived Rehoboam by five years, and Abijah, the second king of Judah, by two years. But the whole reign of Jeroboam presents an uninterrupted chain of calamitous vicissitudes, and an almost unbroken course of warfare with his rival contemporaries of Judah. During his period of exile in Egypt, the sympathies, manners, and religion of Jeroboam were much modified; and although elected by the people to his high office, he feared that the intercourse which their common religion must occasion between the kingdoms would be the means of transferring the allegiance of his subjects to their legitimate sovereign, the descendant of David. Hence, instead of allowing the people to go to Jerusalem to worship and sacrifice, he set up a golden calf in each of two distant parts of the land, Dan and Bethel, and taught Israel an admixture of worship composed of Egyptian idolatry and the ceremonials of the Mosaic law, selecting priests from the lowest of his