A. The Elders of Israel came to Samuel, and said unto him, Behold, thou art old; and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a King to judge us like all the nations,-v. 4, 5.

Q. Was this request pleasing to Samuel, and agreeable to the will of God?

A. The thing displeased Samuel; and the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee; for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them.-v. 6, 7.

CHAPTER IX.

Q. Whom did God appoint, by Lot, to be the first King of Israel?

CHAPTER X.

A. Saul, the Son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin. v. 21.

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Q. Is there any confirmation of this in the New Testament?

A. St. Paul says in the Acts, Afterward they desired a King; and God gave unto them Saul, the Son of Cis, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, by the space of forty years.

Q. Did Saul behave himself in his kingdom so as to please the Lord?it

A. The prophet Samuel was commissioned to

tell him, The Lord hath rent the kingdom out of thine hand, and given it to thy neighbour, even unto David; because thou obeyedst not the voice of the Lord.-v. 17, 18.

Q. What confirmation do we find of these circumstances in the New Testament?

A. In the Acts, St. Paul says, When He had removed him, He raised up unto them David to be their King: to whom also He gave testimony, and said, I have found David, the Son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart; which shall fulfil all my will.

Q. What famous circumstance is recorded of David, which is afterward mentioned by our Saviour, to prove that "Man is Lord of the Sabbath?"

A. At David's request" the Priest gave him hallowed bread; for there was no bread there but the show-bread that was taken from before the Lord.-1 Sam. xxi. 6.

Q. How does our Saviour mention this circumstance?

A. He said unto the Pharisees, Have ye never read what David did, when he had need and was hungred, he and they that were with him? How he went into the house of God, in the days of Abiathar the High Priest, and did eat the shew bread, which is not lawful to eat, but for the Priests, and gave also to them that were with him -Mark ii. 25, 26.

Q. Did David prophecy of the coming of Christ?

A. Our Saviour says, David saith, in the book of Psalms, the Lord said unto my Lord, sit Thou on My right hand, till I make Thine enemies Thy footstool.-Luke xx. 42, 43.

Q. What was the most celebrated circumstance predicted of David?

A. Of this man's seed hath God, according to

His promise, raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus. -Acts xiii. 23.

Q. What pious wish is recorded of David, with regard to building a house for God?

A. He said unto Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in an house of Cedar, but the Ark of God dwelleth within curtains.-2 Sam. ix. 2.

Q. Is this desire of David recorded in the New Testament?

A. St. Stephen says in the Acts, David found favour before God, and desired to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob.-Acts vii. 46.

FIRST BOOK OF THE KINGS.

CHAPTER II.

Q. Who reigned after the death of David? A. Then sat Solomon upon the throne of David his father.-i. 2.

Q. What was the great character of Solomon? A. God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding, exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea-shore.

CHAPTER X.

And when the Queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to prove him with hard questions. v. 1.

Q. Have we any mention made of this circumstance in the New Testament?

A. Our Saviour.says, the Queen of the South shall rise up in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, a greater than Solomon is here.Matt. xii. 42.

Q. Is the magnificence of Solomon alluded to in any other part of the New Testament?

A. Our blessed Lord says, Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they toil not, neither do they spin and yet 1 say unto you that even Solomon, in all his glory, was not arrayed like one of these.-Matt. vi. 28, 29.

CHAPTERS XI.-XII.

Q. What happened to the Kingdom of Israel after the death of Solomon?

A. Rehoboam,* his Son, reigned in his stead, (v.43) When all Israel saw that the King hearkened not unto them, Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day: and it came to pass when all Israel. heard that Jeroboam was come again, that they sent and called him unto the congregation, and made him King over all Israel: there was none that followed the house of David but the tribe of Judah only, with the tribe of Benjamin. -v. 16, 19, 20, 21.

Q. Had this event been foretold?

A. The prophet Ahijah found Jeroboam in the

way; ; and he had clad himself with a new garment and Ahijah caught the new garment that was on him, and rent it in twelve pieces: and he said to Jeroboam, Take thee ten pieces: for thus saith

* Nine hundred and seventy-five years before Christ.

E

the Lord, the God of Israel; Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee.-Ch. xi. v. 29, 30, 31.

Q. Was this threat to be executed in the days of Solomon?

A. God said, I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand: but I will make him prince all the days of his life, for David my servant's sake; but I will take the kingdom out of his son's hands, and will give it unto thee, even ten tribes.-v. 34, 35.

Q. How many Kings reigned over Israel after the revolt of the ten tribes from the house of David?

A. Nineteen.

Q. Can you name them?

A. Jeroboam, (the first) Nadab, Baasha, Elah, Zimri, Omri, Ahab, Ahaziah, Jehoram, Jehu, Jehoahaz, Joash, Jeroboam, (the second) Zachariah, Shallum, Menahem, Pekahiah, Pekah, Hoshea, Q. What were their characters?

A. They all did evil in the sight of the Lord.

CHAPTER XVII.

Q. What celebrated Prophet flourished in the reign of Ahab?

A. Elijah the Tishbite.-v. 1.

Q. How was he supported during the famine in Israel?

A. The word of the Lord came unto him, saying, Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman to sustain thee: and Elijah said unto her, thus saith the Lord God of Israel; The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruise of oil fail, until the day that the Lord sendeth rain upon the earth.-v. 8, 9, 13, 14.