d into two parts:

(1) The united monarchy. This lasted one hundred and twenty years, and
had three kings, Saul, David, Solomon. Saul brought something of order
out of national chaos. David carried this still farther and made
Israel truly a great nation. Solomon, however, through too much luxury
and many political alliances, sowed the seeds of national decay.

(2) Now comes the division of the monarchy, brought on by the folly of
Rehoboam, Solomon's son. Because of his refusal to lighten the heavy
taxes, ten tribes revolted and established a kingdom under Jeroboam.
Ever after this they were known as Israel, also called by us the
Northern Kingdom. The Kingdom of Judah is also known as the Southern
Kingdom.

Israel, or the _Northern Kingdom_ went from the worship of the golden
calves to that of Baal, and continued on the downward course until
they went into captivity. They had only one good king, named Jehu, and
he was none too good.

Judah, or the _Southern Kingdom_ fared somewhat better, though even
here there was much idolatry. At last Judah too went into captivity,
on account of its sin. It is most suggestive to compare the triumphant
entry of Israel into the land, and its shameful exit in chains and
tears. It was all brought about through abandoning the God of Abraham.
There are some in modern days who claim that Israel had naturally a
monotheistic tendency, and on that account slowly worked its way out
of polytheism into monotheism. The writer does not so read the
history, but finds that Israel had an inveterate tendency to
polytheism, and that God only cured it of this sin through the sorrows
of the captivity.

#7. Fifth Period.--Captivity and return.# Read Ezra and Nehemiah.
This is not a period of great glory, like that of Solomon's reign. But
it is a period most remarkable on account of the fact that Judah was
now strictly monotheistic, and from that day to this, over two
thousand years, it has remained so. In the furnace fires of captivity
God cured his people once and forever of their besetting sin,
idolatry. This is a most remarkable fact, for the nations into which
they went as captives were themselves totally idolatrous.

In this period comes the building of the second temple, the reform
under Ezra, and the building of the walls of Jerusalem, under
Nehemiah.

#8.# Now the story closes for four centuries and does not open until
the New Testament times (with which we shall deal later on) begin.