Conquerors & Kings (Wanderers in Time Book 3)

The golden censers, in which they carried the incense to the altar, were twenty thousand. The other censers, in which they carried fire from the great altar, to the little altar, within the temple, were fifty thousand. The sacerdotal garments, which belonged to the High Priest, with the long robes, and the oracle, and the precious stones, were a thousand.

He also made ten thousand sacerdotal garments of fine linen, with purple girdles, for every Priest: Also two hundred thousand garments of fine linen for the singers, that were Levites. Into this temple all the people entred that were distinguished from the rest by being pure, and observant of the laws. But he made that temple which was beyond this a wonderful one indeed; and such as exceeds all description in words; nay, if I may so say, is hardly believed upon sight. For when he had filled up great valleys with earth, which on account of their immense depth could not be looked on, when you bended down to see them, without pain; and had elevated the ground four hundred cubits, he made it to be on a level with the top of the mountain, on which the temple was built: How Solomon removed the ark into the temple; how he made supplication to God ; and offered publick sacrifices to him.

And when this invitation of the whole body of the people to come to Jerusalem was every where carried abroad, it was the seventh month before they came together: The feast of tabernacles happened to fall at the same time: So they carried the ark, and the tabernacle which Moses had pitched, and all the vessels that were for ministration to the sacrifices of God, and removed them to the temple. For they did not grow weary either of singing hymns, or of dancing, until they came to the temple.

And in this manner did they carry the ark. But when they should transfer it into the most secret place, the rest of the multitude went away; and only those Priests that carried it set it between the two cherubims: Now the ark contained nothing else but those two tables of stone that preserved the ten commandments, which God spake to Moses in mount Sinai; and which were engraved upon them.

But they set the candlestick, and table, and the golden altar, in the temple, before the most secret place, in the very same places wherein they stood till that time in the tabernacle. So they offered up the daily sacrifices. But for the brazen altar, Solomon set it before the temple, over against the door: And all the rest of the vessels they gathered together, and put them within the temple.

Now as soon as the Priests had put all things in order about the ark, and were gone out, there came down a thick cloud and stood there, and spread it self, after a gentle manner, into the temple: This cloud so darkened the place, that one Priest could not discern another: So these men were intent upon this thought. But Solomon rose up, for he was sitting before and used such words to God as he thought agreeable to the divine nature to receive, and fit for him to give.

I have indeed built this temple to thee and thy name; that from thence when we sacrifice, and perform sacred operations, we may send our prayers up into the air; and may constantly believe that thou art present, and art not remote from what is thine own. For neither when thou seest all things, and hearest all things, nor now, when it pleases thee to dwell here, dost thou leave the care of all men; but rather thou art very near to them all: How he had shewed all things that were come to pass to David his father: And how he had given him his name, and told to David what he should be called before he was born: For the Deity stands in need of nothing: But so far as we have been made superior, O Lord, to other animals by thee, it becomes us to bless thy majesty; and it is necessary for us to return thee thanks for what thou hast bestowed upon our house, and on the Hebrew people.

For with what other instrument can we better appease thee, when thou art angry at us, or more properly preserve thy favour, than with our voice? Which as we have it from the air, so do we know that by that air it ascends upwards [towards thee. And I beseech thee for the time to come to afford us whatsoever thou, O God, hast power to bestow on such as thou dost esteem; and to augment our house for all ages, as thou hast promised to David my father to do, both in his life- time, and at his death; that our Kingdom shall continue, and that his posterity should successively receive it to ten thousand generations.

Do not thou therefore fail to give us these blessings, and to bestow on my children that virtue in which thou delightest. And besides all this, I humbly beseech thee that thou wilt let some portion of thy spirit come down and inhabit in this temple; that thou mayst appear to be with us upon earth. As to thy self, the intire heavens, and the immensity of the things that are therein, are but a small habitation for thee: But I intreat thee to keep it, as thine own house, from being destroyed by our enemies for ever: But if this people be found to have sinned, and be thereupon afflicted by thee with any plague, because of their sin; as with dearth, or pestilence, or any other affliction which thou usest to inflict on those that transgress any of thy holy laws; and if they fly all of them to this temple, beseeching thee, and begging of thee to deliver them; then do thou hear their prayer, as being within thine house, and have mercy upon them, and deliver them from their afflictions.

Nay moreover this help is what I implore of thee, not for the Hebrews only, when they are in distress; but when any shall come hither from any ends of the world whatsoever, and shall return from their sins, and implore thy pardon, do thou then pardon them, and hear their prayer. For hereby all shall learn that thou thy self wast pleased with the building of this house for thee; and that we are not our selves of an unsociable nature, nor behave ourselves like enemies to such as are not of our own people; but are willing that thy assistance should be communicated by thee to all men in common; and that they may have the enjoyment of thy benefits bestowed upon them.

When Solomon had said this, and had cast himself upon the ground, and worshipped a long time, he arose up, and brought sacrifices to the altar: For there came a fire running out of the air, and rushed with violence upon the altar, in the sight of all; and caught hold of and consumed the sacrifices. He exhorted them also to be mindful, that by what methods they had attained their present good things, by the same they must preserve them sure to themselves, and make them greater and more than they were at present.

For that it was not sufficient for them to suppose they had received them on account of their piety and righteousness; but that they had no other way of preserving them for the time to come. For that it is not so great a thing for men to acquire somewhat which they want, as to preserve what they have acquired; and to be guilty of no sin, whereby it may be hurt. So when the King had spoken thus to the multitude, he dissolved the congregation: Insomuch that he sacrificed twenty and two thousand oxen; and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep.

For then it was that the temple did first of all taste of the victims; and all the Hebrews with their wives and children feasted therein. Nay besides this, the King then observed splendidly and magnificently the feast, which is called the feast of tabernacles, before the temple, for twice seven days; and he then feasted, together with all the people.

When all these solemnities were abundantly satisfied, and nothing was omitted that concerned the divine worship, the King dismissed them; and they every one went to their own homes: They also took their journey home with rejoicing, and making merry, and singing hymns to God. And indeed the pleasure they enjoyed took away the sense of the pains they all underwent in their journey home. So when they had brought the ark into the temple, and had seen its greatness, and how fine it was, and had been partakers of the many sacrifices that had been offered, and of the festivals that had been solemnized, they every one returned to their own cities.

And for himself, it said, that if he continued according to the admonitions of his father; he would advance him to an immense degree of dignity and happiness: But that still, if he should be a betrayer of the ordinances of the law, and forget them, and turn away to the worship of strange gods, he would cut him off by the roots; and would neither suffer any remainder of his family to continue; nor would overlook the people of Israel, or preserve them any longer from afflictions; but would utterly destroy them with ten thousand wars and misfortunes; would cast them out of the land which he had given their fathers, and make them sojourners in strange lands; and deliver that temple, which was now built, to be burnt and spoiled by their enemies; and that city to be utterly overthrown by the hands of their enemies; and make their miseries deserve to be a proverb; and such as should very hardly be credited for their stupendous magnitude: And that the answer that should be made by the remainder of the people should be, by confessing their sins, and their transgression of the laws of their countrey.

How Solomon built himself a royal palace, very costly, and splendid: For he was not equally zealous in the building of this palace, as he had been about the temple. But the palace, which was a building much inferior in dignity to the temple; both on account that its materials had not been so long beforehand gotten ready, nor had been so zealously prepared; and on account that this was only an habitation for Kings, and not for God, it was longer in finishing. However this building was raised so magnificently, as suited the happy state of the countrey of the Hebrews, and of the King thereof.

But it is necessary that I describe the intire structure, and disposition of the parts: This house was a large and curious building; and was supported by many pillars; which Solomon built to contain a multitude for hearing causes, and taking cognisance of suits.

The Travels of Marco Polo/Book 3/Chapter 15

It was sufficiently capacious to contain a great body of men; who would come together to have their causes determined. It was an hundred cubits long, and fifty broad, and thirty high; supported by quadrangular pillars, which were all of cedar: There was also another house so ordered, that its intire breadth was placed in the middle. It was quadrangular; and its breadth was thirty cubits: In which temple there was a large and very glorious room, wherein the King sat in judgment.

To this was joined another house that was built for his Queen. There were other smaller edifices for diet, and for sleep, after publick matters were over: Some of these Solomon built with stones of ten cubits; and wainscotted the walls with other stones that were sawed, and were of great value; such as are dug out of the earth for the ornaments of temples, and to make fine prospects in royal palaces; and which make the mines, whence they are dug, famous.

Now the contexture of the curious workmanship of these stones was in three rows; but the fourth row would make one admire its sculptures: Those trees and plants covered the stone that was beneath them, and their leaves were wrought so prodigious thin and subtile that you would think they were in motion.

But the other part up to the roof was plaistered over, and, as it were, embroidered with colours and pictures. He moreover built other edifices for pleasure: Now it is very hard to reckon up the magnitude, and the variety of the royal apartments; how many rooms there were of the largest sort; how many of a bigness inferior to those; and how many that were subterraneous and invisible; the curiosity of those that enjoyed the fresh air; and the groves for the most delightful prospect; for the avoiding the heat, and covering of their bodies. And to say all in brief, Solomon made the whole building intirely of white stone, and cedar wood, and gold, and silver.

He also adorned the roofs and the walls with stones set in gold, and beautified them thereby in the same manner as he had beautified the temple of God with the like stones.

He also made himself a throne of prodigious bigness of ivory; constructed as a seat of justice; and having six steps to it. On every one of which stood, on each end of the step, two lions: And besides these, he granted him certain cities of Galilee, twenty in number, that lay not far from Tyre: And after that time these cities were called the land of Cabul: Moreover the King of Tyre sent sophisms and enigmatical sayings to Solomon, and desired he would solve them, and free them from the ambiguity that was in them.

Now so sagacious and understanding was Solomon, that none of these problems were too hard for him; but he conquered them all by his reasonings; and discovered their hidden meaning, and brought it to light. He also went and cut down materials of timber out of the mountain called Libanus , for the roof of temples: Under this King there was Abdemon, a very youth in age; who always conquered the difficult problems which Solomon King of Jerusalem commanded him to explain.

He raised the eastern parts of the city higher; and made the city it self larger. He also joined the temple of Jupiter, which before stood by it self, to the city, by raising a bank in the middle between them; and he adorned it with donations of gold. Moreover he went up to mount Libanus, and cut down materials of wood for the building of the temples.

But that he afterward did solve the proposed riddles by means of Abdemon, a man of Tyre: How Solomon fortified the city of Jerusalem ; and built great cities: Hazor, and Megiddo; and the third Gezer: For which reason the King rebuilt it, as a city that was naturally strong, and might be useful in wars, and the mutations of affairs that sometimes happen.

Moreover he built two other cities, not far from it, Beth-horon was the name of one of them, and Baalath of the other. He also built other cities that lay conveniently for these, in order to the enjoyment of pleasures and delicacies in them; such as were naturally of a good temperature of the air, and agreeable for fruits ripe in their proper seasons; and well watered with springs.

Nay Solomon went as far as the desert above Syria, and possessed himself of it; and built there a very great city, which was distant two days journey from the upper Syria, and one days journey from Euphrates, and six long days journey from Babylon the great. When he had therefore built this city, and encompassed it with very strong walls, he gave it the name of Tadmor ; and that is the name it is still called by at this day among the Syrians; but the Greeks name it Palmyra.

Pharaoh in the Egyptian tongue signifies a King. For thus it was also that the Kings of Alexandria, who were called formerly by other names, when they took the Kingdom were named Ptolemies , from their first King. For when after their death there was a Queen reigned, he calls her by her name, Nicaule: As for my self, I have discovered from our own Books, that after Pharaoh, the father-in-law of Solomon, no other King of Egypt did any longer use that name; and that it was after that time when the fore-named Queen of Egypt and Ethiopia came to Solomon: But I have now made mention of these things, that I may prove that our Books and those of the Egyptians agree together in many things.

But King Solomon subdued to himself the remnant of the Canaanites, that had not before submitted to him; those I mean that dwelt in mount Lebanon, and as far as the city Hamath; and ordered them to pay tribute. He also chose out of them every year such as were to serve him in the meanest offices, and to do his domestick works, and to follow husbandry.

Antiquities of the Jews — Book VIII

For none of the Hebrews were servants [in such low employments. While all the Israelites were concerned in warlike affairs, and were in armour, and set over the chariots, and the horses; rather than leading the life of slaves. He appointed also five hundred and fifty rulers over those Canaanites who were reduced to such domestick slavery; who received the intire care of them from the King, and instructed them in those labours and operations wherein he wanted their assistance.

Moreover the King built many ships in the Egyptian bay of the Red Sea; in a certain place called Ezion-geber. It is now called Berenice ; and is not far from the city Eloth. This countrey belonged formerly to the Jews; and became useful for shipping, from the donations of Hiram King of Tyre. For he sent a sufficient number of men thither for pilots, and such as were skilful in navigation: And when they had gathered four hundred talents 9 together, they returned to the King again. When this Queen heard of the virtue and prudence of Solomon, she had a great mind to see him: Accordingly she came to Jerusalem with great splendour, and rich furniture.

For she brought with her camels laden with gold, with several sorts of sweet spices, and with precious stones. So she was amazed at the wisdom of Solomon: And especially she was surprized at the fineness and largeness of his royal palace; and not less so at the good order of the apartments. For she observed that the King had therein shewn great wisdom. But she was beyond measure astonished at the house which was called the forest of Lebanon: Nor was she less affected with those daily sacrifices which were offered to God; and the careful management which the Priests and Levites used about them.

When she saw this done every day, she was in the greatest admiration imaginable: For as for the report, it only attempted to persuade our hearing; but did not so make known the dignity of the things themselves as does the sight of them, and being present among them. I indeed who did not believe what was reported, by reason of the multitude and grandeur of the things I enquired about, do see them to be much more numerous than they were reported to be. Accordingly I esteem the Hebrew people, as well as thy servants and friends, to be happy, who enjoy thy presence, and hear thy wisdom every day continually.

One would therefore bless God who hath so loved this countrey, and those that inhabit therein, as to make thee King over them. Now when the Queen had thus demonstrated in words how deeply the King had affected her, she made that her disposition known by certain presents. For she gave him twenty talents 10 of gold; and an immense quantity of spices, and pretious stones.

And as he was very generous and liberal in his own temper, so did he shew the greatness of his soul in bestowing on her what she her self desired of him. So when this Queen of Egypt and of Ethiopia had obtained what we have already given an account of, and had again communicated to the King what she brought with her, she returned to her own Kingdom. How Solomon grew rich, and fell desperately in love with women: Concerning the death of Solomon. The wood which was brought to him at this time was larger and finer, than any that had ever been brought before.

But let no one imagine that these pine trees were like those which are now so named, and which take that their denomination from the merchants, who so call them that they may procure them to be admired by those that purchase them. For those we speak of were to the sight like the wood of the fig-tree; but were whiter and more shining. Now we have said thus much, that no body may be ignorant of the difference between these sorts of wood; nor unacquainted with the nature of the genuine pine tree.

And we thought it both a seasonable and human thing when we mentioned it, and the uses the King made of it, to explain this difference so far as we have done. Now the weight of gold that was brought him was six hundred sixty six talents: He also cast two hundred targets of gold, each of them weighing six hundred shekels. He also made three hundred shields; every one weighing three pounds of gold: He also made cups of gold, and of [precious] stones, for the entertainment of his guests; and had them adorned in the most artificial manner: For the King had many ships, which lay upon the sea of Tarsus: This addition that he made to those chariots and horses which he had before from these that were sent him, augmented the number of his chariots by above four hundred; for he had a thousand before: These horses also were so much exercised, in order to their making a fine appearance, and running swiftly, that no others could upon the comparison appear either finer or swifter: Their riders also were a farther ornament to them: They had also very long heads of hair, hanging down; and were clothed in garments of Tyrian purple.

They had also dust of gold every day sprinkled on their hair; so that their heads sparkled with the reflection of the suns beams from the gold. The King himself rode upon a chariot in the midst of these men, who were still in armour, and had their bows fitted to them. He had on a white garment; and used to take his progress out of the city in the morning. There was a certain place about fifty furlongs 11 distant from Jerusalem, which is called Etham: Now Solomon had a divine sagacity in all things; and was very diligent and studious to have things done after an elegant manner.

So he did not neglect the care of the ways; but he laid a causway of black stone along the roads that led to Jerusalem, which was the royal city: He also parted his chariots, and set them in a regular order; that a certain number of them should be in every city: And the King made silver so plentiful in Jerusalem, as stones in the street; and so multiplied cedar trees in the plains of Judea, which did not grow there before, that they were like the multitude of common sycamore trees.

Nay he forsook the observation of the laws of his fathers, and came to an end no way suitable to our foregoing history of him. He grew mad in his love of women, and laid no restraint on himself in his lusts. Nor was he satisfied with the women of his own country alone; but he married many wives out of foreign nations; Sidonians, and Tyrians, and Ammonites, and Edomites; and he transgressed the laws of Moses, which forbad Jews to marry any but those that were of their own people. He also began to worship their gods: This very thing our legislator suspected, and so admonished us before hand, that we should not marry women of other countries, lest we should be intangled with foreign customs, and apostatize from our own: But Solomon was fallen headlong into unreasonable pleasures, and regarded not those admonitions.

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He was forced to give them this demonstration of his kindness and affection to them, to live according to the laws of their countries. And as he grew into years, and his reason became weaker by length of time, it was not sufficient to recall to his mind the institutions of his own countrey: And this he did notwithstanding that he had his father, as a most excellent and domestick pattern of virtue; and knew what a glorious character he had left behind him, because of his piety towards God.

Nor did he imitate David, although God had twice appeared to him in his sleep, and exhorted him to imitate his father. So he died ingloriously. When Solomon heard this he was grieved, and greatly confounded, upon this change of almost all that happiness which had made him to be admired, into so bad a state. Nor had there much time passed after the Prophet had foretold what was coming, before God raised up an enemy against him; whose name was Ader: He was a child, of the stock of the Edomites, and of the blood royal.

And when he was grown up he loved him exceedingly: When Hadad heard in Egypt that both David and Joab were dead, he came to Pharaoh, and desired that he would permit him to go to his own countrey. Upon which the King asked what it was that he wanted, and what hardship he had met with, that he was so desirous to leave him? And when he was often troublesome to him, and intreated him to dismiss him, he did not then do it.

There he light upon one Rezon , who had run away from Hadadezer, King of Zobah, 13 his master, and was become a robber in that countrey; and joined friendship with him, who had already a band of robbers about him. So he went up, and seized upon that part of Syria, and was made King thereof. He also made incursions into the land of Israel; and did it no small mischief, and spoiled it, and that in the life- time of Solomon.

And this was the calamity which the Hebrews suffered by Hadad. He was left a child by his father, and brought up by his mother; and when Solomon saw that he was of an active and bold disposition, he made him the curator of the walls which he built round about Jerusalem. And he took such care of those works, that the King approved of his behavior, and gave him, as a reward for the same, the charge over the tribe of Joseph. Seeing therefore thou knowest the cause for which God hath changed his mind, and is alienated from Solomon, be thou righteous, and keep the laws: So Jeroboam was elevated by these words of the Prophet: And when he had so great a charge in the government, and called to mind what had been revealed to him by Ahijah, he endeavoured to persuade the people to forsake Solomon; to make a disturbance; and to bring the government over to himself.

But when Solomon understood his intention and treachery, he sought to catch him and kill him. But Jeroboam was informed of it beforehand; and fled to Shishak, the King of Egypt; and there abode till the death of Solomon. By which means he gained these two advantages; to suffer no harm from Solomon, and to be preserved for the Kingdom.

He was buried in Jerusalem: How, upon the death of Solomon , the people forsook his son Rehoboam ; and ordained Jeroboam King over the ten tribes. And when he was come to them, to the city Shechem, Rehoboam came to it also. For he had resolved to declare himself King to the Israelites, while they were there gathered together.

This delay gave occasion to a present suspicion; since he had not given them a favourable answer to their mind immediately: However they thought that his consultation about it, and that he did not presently give them a denial, afforded them some good hope of success. Upon which they gave him the advice which became friends, and those that knew the temper of such a multitude: God himself, I suppose, causing what was most advantagious to be condemned by him.

So he called for the young men, who were brought up with him, and told them what advice the elders had given him; and bid them speak what they thought he ought to do. So they advised him to give the following answer to the people: Accordingly when the multitude was come together to hear his answer on the third day, all the people were in great expectation, and very intent to hear what the King would say to them: Now this was done according to the will of God; that what Ahijah had foretold might come to pass.

By these words the people were struck, as it were by an iron hammer; and were so grieved at the words, as if they had already felt the effects of them: Nay they were so bitter, and retained their wrath so long, that when he sent Adoram, which was over the tribute, that he might pacify them, and render them milder, and persuade them to forgive him, if he had said any thing that was rash or grievous to them in his youth, they would not bear it; but threw stones at him, and killed him.

When Rehoboam saw this, he thought himself aimed at by those stones, with which the multitude had killed his servant; and feared lest he should undergo the last of punishments in earnest. So he got immediately into his chariot, and fled to Jerusalem. Where the tribe of Judah and that of Benjamin ordained him for their King. But the rest of the multitude forsook the sons of David, from that day; and appointed Jeroboam to be the ruler of their publick affairs.

But he was forbidden of God by the Prophet [Shemaiah] to go to war. For that it was not just, that brethren of the same countrey should fight against one another. He also said, that this defection of the multitude was according to the purpose of God. So he did not proceed in this expedition. And now I will relate first the actions of Jeroboam, the King of Israel. After which we will relate, what are therewith connected, the actions of Rehoboam, the King of the two tribes. By this means we shall preserve the good order of the history intire.

When therefore Jeroboam had built him a palace in the city Shechem, he dwelt there. He also built him another at Penuel, a city so called. And now the feast of tabernacles was approaching in a little time, Jeroboam considered, that if he should permit the multitude to go to worship God at Jerusalem, and there to celebrate the festival, they would probably repent of what they had done, and be enticed by the temple, and by the worship of God there performed; and would leave him, and return to their first King; and, if so, he should run the risque of losing his own life.

So he invented this contrivance: And when he had called those ten tribes together over whom he ruled, he made a speech to the people in these words: On which account I do not think it right for you to go so long a journey to Jerusalem, which is an enemies city, to worship him. It was a man that built the temple: I have also made two golden heifers, dedicated to the same God; and the one of them I have consecrated in the city Bethel; and the other in Dan: And I will ordain for you certain Priests and Levites from among your selves; that you may have no want of the tribe of Levi, or of the sons of Aaron.

But let him that is desirous among you of being a Priest bring to God a bullock and a ram: This was the beginning of miseries to the Hebrews: But we shall relate those things in their proper places hereafter. When the feast [of tabernacles] was just approaching, Jeroboam was desirous to celebrate it himself in Bethel; as did the two tribes celebrate it in Jerusalem. Accordingly he built an altar before the heifer, and undertook to be High Priest himself. So he went up to the altar, with his own Priests about him. But when he was going to offer the sacrifices, and the burnt-offerings, in the sight of all the people, a Prophet, whose name was Jadon , was sent by God, and came to him from Jerusalem: However, that this people may believe that these things shall so come to pass, I foretel a sign to them that shall also come to pass.

This altar shall be broken to pieces immediately: But that hand which he stretched out was enfeebled, and he was not able to pull it in again to him: The altar also was broken to pieces; and all that was upon it was poured out: So the King understood that he was a man of veracity, and had a divine foreknowledge; and intreated him to pray unto God, that he would restore his right hand.

Accordingly the Prophet did pray to God to grant him that request. So the King having received his hand recovered to its natural state, rejoiced at it; and invited the Prophet to sup with him.

For that was a thing God had forbidden him to do: How Jadon the Prophet was persuaded by another lying Prophet and returned [to Bethel: As also what words the wicked Prophet made use of, to persuade the King; and thereby alienated his mind from God. This man was bedrid, by reason of the infirmities of old age.

However he was informed by his sons concerning the Prophet that was come from Jerusalem, and concerning the signs done by him: Whereupon he was afraid, that this stranger and Prophet should be in better esteem with the King than himself, and obtain greater honour from him, and he gave orders to his sons to saddle his ass presently, and make all ready, that he might go out. Accordingly they made haste to do what they were commanded; and he got upon the ass, and followed after the Prophet. And when he had overtaken him, as he was resting himself under a very large oak tree, that was thick and shady, he at first saluted him; but presently he complained of him, because he had not come into his house, and partaken of his hospitality.

For I am a Prophet as thou art, and worship God in the same manner that thou dost: However, as Jadon was again going to Jerusalem, a lion assaulted him, and pulled him off the beast he rode on, and slew him. This continued till some travellers that saw it came and told it in the city to the false Prophet, who sent his sons, and brought the body unto the city, and made a funeral for him, at great expences.

And that as to the altar, it was but new, and had born abundance of sacrifices, and those large ones too: When he had thus spoken, he persuaded the King, and intirely alienated his mind from God, and from doing works that were righteous and holy; and encouraged him to go on in his impious practices. And so much shall at present suffice to have said concerning Jeroboam. Concerning Rehoboam ; and how God inflicted punishment upon him for his impiety by Shishak , [King of Egypt.

These he built first of all in the tribe of Judah. He also built other large cities in the tribe of Benjamin; and walled them about, and put garisons in them all, and captains, and a great deal of corn, and wine, and oil; and he furnished every one of them plentifully with other provisions that were necessary for sustenance.

Moreover he put therein shields, and spears, for many ten thousand men. The Priests also that were in all Israel, and the Levites; and if there were any of the multitude that were good and righteous men, they gathered themselves together to him: For they were not willing to be forced to worship the heifers, which Jeroboam had made: And after he had married a woman of his own kindred, and had by her three children born to him, he married also another of his own kindred who was daughter of Absalom by Tamar, whose name was Maachah ; and by her he had a son, whom he named Abijah.

He had moreover many other children by other wives. But he loved Maachah above them all. Now he had eighteen legitimate wives, and thirty 16 concubines: Now I cannot but think, that the greatness of a Kingdom, and its change into prosperity, often becomes the occasion of mischief and of transgression to men. For when Rehoboam saw that his Kingdom was so much increased, he went out of the right way unto unrighteous and irreligious practices: For so it usually happens, that the manners of subjects are corrupted at the same time with those of their governors: Agreeably whereto it now happened to the subjects of Rehoboam: But God sent Shishak, King of Egypt, to punish them for their unjust behaviour towards him.

Concerning whom Herodotus was mistaken, and applied his actions to Sesostris. For this Shishak, 41 in the fifth year of the reign of Rehoboam, made an expedition [into Judea] with many ten thousand men. For he had one thousand two hundred chariots in number that followed him: These he brought with him: But Shemaiah the Prophet told them, that God threatned to forsake them, as they had themselves forsaken his worship.

When they heard this, they were immediately in a consternation of mind; and seeing no way of deliverance, they all earnestly set themselves to confess that God might justly overlook them, since they had been guilty of impiety towards him, and had let his laws lie in confusion. So when God saw them in that disposition, and that they acknowledged their sins, he told the Prophet, that he would not destroy them: So when Shishak had taken the city without fighting, because Rehoboam was afraid, and received him into it; yet did not Shishak stand to the covenants he had made; but he spoiled the temple, and emptied the treasures of God, and those of the King, and carried off innumerable ten thousands of gold and silver; and left nothing at all behind him.

He also took away the bucklers of gold, and the shields, which Solomon the King had made. Nay he did not leave the golden quivers which David had taken from the King of Zobah; and had dedicated to God. And when he had thus done, he returned to his own Kingdom. Now it is manifest that he intended to declare that our nation was subdued by him: But as to such matters let every one speak what is agreeable to his own opinion.

So instead of famous warlike expeditions, and that glory which results from those publick actions, he reigned in great quietness; though not without fear: And he died, when he had lived fifty seven years, and reigned seventeen. He was buried in Jerusalem, in the sepulchres of the Kings.

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And his son Abijah succeeded him in the Kingdom: And this was the conclusion of these affairs. It must be now our business to relate the affairs of Jeroboam; and how he ended his life. For he ceased not nor rested to be injurious to God; but every day raised up altars upon high mountains, and went on making Priests out of the multitude.

How Jeroboam was beaten by Abijah: And also how, after the death of Jeroboam , Baasha destroyed his son Nadab , and all the house of Jeroboam. And whereas a son of his lay sick at that time, who was called Abijah ; he enjoined his wife to lay aside her robes, and to take the garments belonging to a private person, and to go to Ahijah the Prophet: He also enjoined her, when she came to him, to enquire concerning the child, as if she were a stranger, whether he should escape this distemper.

So she did as her husband bad her; and changed her habit, and came to the city Shiloh: And as she was going into his house, his eyes being then dim with age, God appeared to him, and informed him of two things; that the wife of Jeroboam was come to him: Why concealest thou thy self? Thou art not concealed from God: Since I made thee a great man, when thou wast little, or rather was nothing; and rent the Kingdom from the house of David, and gave it to thee; and thou hast been unmindful of these benefits; hast left off my worship; hast made thee molten gods, and honoured them; I will in like manner cast thee down again, and will destroy all thy house, and make them food for the dogs and the fowls.

For a certain King is rising up, by my appointment, over all this people, who shall leave none of the family of Jeroboam remaining. The multitude also shall themselves partake of the same punishment; and shall be cast out of this good land, and shall be scattered into the places beyond Euphrates; because they have followed the wicked practices of their King, and have worshipped the gods that he made, and forsaken my sacrifices. But do thou, O woman, make haste back to thy husband, and tell him this message. But thou shalt then find thy son dead: Yet shall he be buried with the lamentation of all the multitude, and honoured with a general mourning: So she was in lamentation as she went along the road, and mourned for the death of her son, that was just at hand.

She was indeed in a miserable condition at the unavoidable misery of his death, and went apace; but in circumstances very unfortunate, because of her son: Yet was she forced to make such haste on account of her husband. Accordingly when she was come back, she found that the child had given up the ghost, as the Prophet had said; and she related all circumstances to the King.

Yet did not Jeroboam lay any of these things to heart; but he brought together a very numerous army, and made a warlike expedition against Abijah, the son of Rehoboam, who had succeeded his father in the Kingdom of the two tribes. For he despised him, because of his age. But when he heard of the expedition of Jeroboam, he was not affrighted at it; but proved of a couragious temper of mind, superior both to his youth, and to the hopes of his enemy.

So he chose him an army out of the two tribes, and met Jeroboam, at a place called mount Zemaraim: His army consisted of four hundred thousand: Now as the armies stood in array ready for action, and dangers, and were just going to fight, Abijah stood upon an elevated place, and, beckoning with his hand, he desired the multitude and Jeroboam himself to hear first with silence what he had to say.

However I do not suppose he will enjoy it any longer: Yet when you were not any farther unjustly treated by my father, than that he did not speak to you so as to please you; and this only in compliance with the advice of wicked men, you in anger forsook him, as you pretended; but in reality you withdrew your selves from God, and from his laws. Although it had been right for you to have forgiven a man that was young in age, and not used to govern people, not only some disagreeable words; but if his youth and unskilfulness in affairs had led him into some unfortunate actions: For men ought to excuse the sins of posterity, on account of the benefactions of parents.

But you considered nothing of all this then, neither do you consider it now; but come with so great an army against us. And what is it you depend upon for victory? Is it upon these golden heifers, and the altars that you have on high places? Or is it the exceeding multitude of your army which gives you such good hopes? Yet certainly there is no strength at all in an army of many ten thousands when the war is unjust.

For we ought to place our surest hope of success against our enemies in righteousness alone, and in piety towards God. Which hope we justly have, since we have kept the laws from the beginning; and have worshipped our own God, who was not made by hands out of corruptible matter; nor was he formed by a wicked King, in order to deceive the multitude: I therefore give you counsel even now to repent, and to take better advice, and to leave off the prosecution of the war; to call to mind the laws of your countrey; and to reflect what it hath been that hath advanced you to so happy a state as you are now in.

This was the speech which Abijah made to the multitude. But while he was still speaking, Jeroboam sent some of his soldiers privately to encompass Abijab round about, on certain parts of the camp that were not taken notice of. And when he was thus within the compass of the enemy, his army was affrighted, and their courage failed them. But Abijah encouraged them, and exhorted them to place their hopes on God: He left behind him twenty two sons, and sixteen daughters: Under his reign the countrey of the Israelites enjoyed peace for ten years.

And so far concerning Abijah, the son of Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, as his history hath come down to us. But Jeroboam, the King of the ten tribes, died when he had governed them two and twenty years. In these two years he made an expedition against Gibbethon, a city of the Philistines, and continued the siege in order to take it: So the house of Jeroboam suffered the just punishment of his impiety, and of his wicked actions.

How Zerah , King of the Ethiopians , was beaten by Asa: He made a reformation of his Kingdom, and cut off whatsoever was wicked therein, and purified it from every impurity. Now he had an army of chosen men that were armed with targets and spears; out of the tribe of Judah three hundred thousand; and out of the tribe of Benjamin that bore shields and drew bows, two hundred and fifty thousand.

Now when Zerah had passed so far with his own army, Asa met him, and put his army in aray over against him; in a valley called Zephathah , not far from the city. And when he saw the multitude of the Ethiopians, he cryed out, and besought God to give them the victory, and that he might kill many ten thousands of the enemy. While Asa was saying this, God gave him a signal of victory; and joining battel cheerfully on account of what God had foretold about it, he slew a great many of the Ethiopians: And when they left off killing their enemies, they betook themselves to spoiling them, for the city Gerar was already taken; and to spoiling their camp.

So that they carried off much gold, and much silver, and a great deal of [other] prey, and camels, and great cattel, and flocks of sheep. Accordingly when Asa and his army had obtained such a victory, and such wealth from God, they returned to Jerusalem. Now as they were coming, a Prophet, whose name was Azariah , met them on the road, and bad them stop their journey a little: But your cities shall be overthrown, and your nation scattered over the whole earth, and live the life of strangers and wanderers.

When the King and the people heard this, they rejoiced; and all in common, and every one in particular took great care to behave themselves righteously. The King also sent some to take care, that those in the countrey should observe the laws also. And this was the state of Asa, King of the two tribes. I now return to Baasha, the King of the multitude of the Israelites, who slew Nadab, the son of Jeroboam, and retained the government.

He dwelt in the city Tirzah; having made that his habitation; and reigned twenty four years. He became more wicked and impious than Jeroboam or his son. He did a great deal of mischief to the multitude; and was injurious to God. For thus did Baasha, when the Prophet foretold to him what would come to pass, grow worse; as if what were threatened, the perdition of his family, and the destruction of his house; which are really among the greatest of evils; were good things: And at last he took his army, and assaulted a certain considerable city called Ramah , which was forty furlongs distant from Jerusalem: So they went and burnt some of them, and spoiled others: Now when the King of Israel heard this, he left off building and fortifying Ramah; and returned presently to assist his own people under the distresses they were in.

But Asa made use of the materials that were prepared for building that city, for building in the same place two strong cities; the one of which was called Geba , and the other Mizpah. So that after this Baasha had no leisure to make expeditions against Asa: For they were all busied in the siege of Gibbethon, a city of the Philistines.

But the army that was besieging Gibbethon, when they heard what had befallen the King, and that when Zimri had killed him he had gained the Kingdom; they made Omri their general King. Who drew off his army from Gibbethon, and came to Tirzah, where the royal palace was, and assaulted the city, and took it by force. But when Zimri saw that the city had none to defend it, he fled into the inmost part of the palace, and set it on fire, and burnt himself with it: Upon which the people of Israel were presently divided; and part of them would have Tibni to be King; and part Omri: Now it was in the thirtieth year 23 of the reign of Asa, that Omri reigned for twelve years: But he himself called it Semareon , from Semer , who sold him the mountain whereon he built it.

Now Omri was no way different from those Kings that reigned before him; but only that he grew worse than they. For they all sought how they might turn the people away from God, by their daily wicked practices. And on that account it was that God made one of them to be slain by another; and that no one person of their families should remain. This Omri also died at Samaria: For many of these Kings of Israel, they and their familys, were miserably destroyed, and taken away one by another, in a short time, for their transgression, and wickedness.

And all men allowed that he followed the works of David his fore-father, and this both in courage and piety. But we are not obliged now to speak any more of the affairs of this King. How Ahab , when he had taken Jezebel to wife, became more wicked than all the Kings that had been before him. Of the actions of the Prophet Elijah: Now Ahab, the King of Israel, dwelt in Samaria, and held the government for twenty two years; and made no alteration in the conduct of the Kings that were his predecessors, but only in such things as were of his own invention for the worse, and in his most gross wickedness.

He imitated them in their wicked courses, and in their injurious behaviour towards God: For he worshipped the heifers that he had made; and he contrived other absurd objects of worship besides those heifers: Together with the Hasdingi were the Lacringi , who were possibly also Vandals. They made peace and stayed on the eastern bank of the Danube. According to Jordanes ' Getica , the Hasdingi came into conflict with the Goths around the time of Constantine the Great. At the time, the Vandals were living in lands later inhabited by the Gepids , where they were surrounded "on the east [by] the Goths, on the west [by] the Marcomanni , on the north [by] the Hermanduri and on the south [by] the Hister Danube.

Around this time, the Hasdingi had already been Christianized. During the Emperor Valens 's reign —78 the Vandals accepted, much like the Goths earlier, Arianism , a belief that was in opposition to that of the Nicene orthodoxy of the Roman Empire. In or , Hunnic raids forced many Germanic tribes such as the Goths to migrate Westward. Worried that they might be targeted next by the Huns, the Vandals under king Godigisel , along with their allies the Iranian Alans and Germanic Suebians , moved westwards into Roman territory.

From this, historian Peter Heather concludes that at this time the Vandals were located in the region around the Middle and Upper Danube. In the Vandals advanced from Pannonia travelling west along the Danube without much difficulty, but when they reached the Rhine, they met resistance from the Franks , who populated and controlled Romanized regions in northern Gaul. Twenty thousand Vandals, including Godigisel himself, died in the resulting battle , but then with the help of the Alans they managed to defeat the Franks, and on December 31, the Vandals crossed the Rhine , probably while it was frozen, to invade Gaul, which they devastated terribly.

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Under Godigisel's son Gunderic , the Vandals plundered their way westward and southward through Aquitaine. On October 13, they crossed the Pyrenees into the Iberian peninsula. The Visigoths , who invaded Iberia before receiving lands in Septimania Southern France , crushed the Alans in , killing the western Alan king Attaces. Gunderic fled to Baetica, where he was also proclaimed king of the Silingi Vandals. Genseric is often regarded by historians as the most able barbarian leader of the Migration Period.

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It is possible that the name Al-Andalus and its derivative Andalusia is derived from the Arabic adoption of the name of the Vandals. The Vandals under Genseric also known as Geiseric crossed to Africa in According to Procopius, the Vandals came to Africa at the request of Bonifacius , the military ruler of the region.

Advancing eastwards along the coast, the Vandals were confronted on the Numidian border in May—June by Bonifacius. Negotiations broke down, and Bonifacius was soundly defeated. On 28 August , three months into the siege, St. Augustine who was 75 years old died, [50] perhaps from starvation or stress, as the wheat fields outside the city lay dormant and unharvested.

The death of Augustine shocked the Regent of the Western Roman Empire, Galla Placidia , who feared the consequences if her realm lost its most important source of grain. Some time in the summer of , Genseric soundly defeated the joint forces of both Bonifacius and Aspar, which enabled him to seize Hippo Regius unopposed. The Romans and the Vandals concluded a treaty in giving the Vandals control of coastal Numidia.

Genseric chose to break the treaty in when he invaded the province of Africa Proconsularis and seized Carthage on October Genseric made it his capital, and styled himself the King of the Vandals and Alans , to denote the inclusion of the Alans of northern Africa into his alliance. His siege of Palermo in was a failure as was the second attempt to invade Sicily near Agrigento in the Vandals occupied the island from when it was ceded to Odovacer.

The impression given by ancient sources such as Victor of Vita , Quodvultdeus , and Fulgentius of Ruspe was that the Vandal take-over of Carthage and North Africa led to widespread destruction. However, recent archaeological investigations have challenged this assertion. Although Carthage's Odeon was destroyed, the street pattern remained the same and some public buildings were renovated. The political centre of Carthage was the Byrsa Hill.

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New industrial centres emerged within towns during this period. Theodosius II, emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire, dispatched an expedition to deal with the Vandals in ; however, it only progressed as far as Sicily. During the next thirty-five years, with a large fleet, Genseric looted the coasts of the Eastern and Western Empires. Sea of the Vandals. In an effort to bring the Vandals into the fold of the Empire, Valentinian III offered his daughter's hand in marriage to Genseric's son. Before this treaty could be carried out, however, politics again played a crucial part in the blunders of Rome.

Diplomacy between the two factions broke down, and in with a letter from the Empress Licinia Eudoxia , begging Genseric's son to rescue her, the Vandals took Rome, along with the Empress and her daughters Eudocia and Placidia. The chronicler Prosper of Aquitaine [61] offers the only fifth-century report that, on 2 June , Pope Leo the Great received Genseric and implored him to abstain from murder and destruction by fire, and to be satisfied with pillage.

Whether the pope's influence saved Rome is, however, questioned. The Vandals departed with countless valuables. Eudoxia and her daughter Eudocia were taken to North Africa. In a Vandal fleet of 60 ships threatening both Gaul and Italy was ambushed and defeated at Agrigentum and Corsica by the Western Roman general Ricimer. As a result of the Vandal sack of Rome and piracy in the Mediterranean , it became important to the Roman Empire to destroy the Vandal kingdom. In , Majorian launched an expedition against the Vandals, but was defeated at the Battle of Cartagena.

In the Western and Eastern Roman empires launched an enormous expedition against the Vandals under the command of Basiliscus , which reportedly was composed of , soldiers and 1, ships. The Vandals defeated the invaders at the Battle of Cap Bon , capturing the Western fleet, and destroying the Eastern through the use of fire ships. In the s, the Romans abandoned their policy of war against the Vandals. The Western general Ricimer reached a treaty with them, [57] and in Genseric was able to conclude a "perpetual peace" with Constantinople.

Relations between the two states assumed a veneer of normality. The high-denomination imperial money was retained, demonstrating in the words of Merrills "reluctance to usurp the imperial prerogative". Although the Vandals had fended off attacks from the Romans and established hegemony over the islands of the western Mediterranean, they were less successful in their conflict with the Berbers.

Situated south of the Vandal kingdom, the Berbers inflicted two major defeats on the Vandals in the period — Differences between the Arian Vandals and their Trinitarian subjects including both Catholics and Donatists were a constant source of tension in their African state. Catholic bishops were exiled or killed by Genseric and laymen were excluded from office and frequently suffered confiscation of their property.

The same was also the case during the years — when Bishop Victor of Cartenna sent him, during a period of peace, a sharp refutation of Arianism and suffered no punishment. According to the Catholic Encyclopedia: According to the law of succession which he had promulgated, the oldest male member of the royal house was to succeed. Thus he was succeeded by his son Huneric — , who at first tolerated Catholics, owing to his fear of Constantinople, but after began to persecute Manichaeans and Catholics. Gunthamund — , his cousin and successor, sought internal peace with the Catholics and ceased persecution once more.

Externally, the Vandal power had been declining since Genseric's death, and Gunthamund lost early in his reign all but a small wedge of western Sicily to the Ostrogoths and had to withstand increasing pressure from the autochthonous Moors. Hilderic — was the Vandal king most tolerant towards the Catholic Church.

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He granted it religious freedom; consequently Catholic synods were once more held in North Africa. However, he had little interest in war, and left it to a family member, Hoamer. When Hoamer suffered a defeat against the Moors , the Arian faction within the royal family led a revolt, raising the banner of national Arianism, and his cousin Gelimer — became king. Hilderic, Hoamer and their relatives were thrown into prison. Byzantine Emperor Justinian I declared war, with the stated intention of restoring Hilderic to the Vandal throne.

The deposed Hilderic was murdered in on Gelimer's orders. Gelimer quickly assembled an army, [71] and met Belisarius at the Battle of Ad Decimum ; the Vandals were winning the battle until Gelimer's brother Ammatas and nephew Gibamund fell in battle. Gelimer then lost heart and fled. Belisarius quickly took Carthage while the surviving Vandals fought on. Again, the Vandals fought well but broke, this time when Gelimer's brother Tzazo fell in battle.

Belisarius quickly advanced to Hippo , second city of the Vandal Kingdom, and in Gelimer surrendered to the Byzantine conqueror, ending the Kingdom of the Vandals. North Africa, comprising north Tunisia and eastern Algeria in the Vandal period, became a Roman province again, from which the Vandals were expelled. Many others were put into imperial service or fled to the two Gothic kingdoms Ostrogothic Kingdom and Visigothic Kingdom. Some Vandal women married Byzantine soldiers and settled in north Algeria and Tunisia. The choicest Vandal warriors were formed into five cavalry regiments, known as Vandali Iustiniani , stationed on the Persian frontier.

Some entered the private service of Belisarius. He was also offered the rank of a patrician but had to refuse it because he was not willing to change his Arian faith ". As a distinct ethnic unit they disappeared". He was able to capture Carthage, but was assassinated by the Byzantines shortly afterwards.