ing on
the south-east, the bulk of the nation continued to ascend northwards,
and rejoined its outposts in the central region of the Euphrates, which
extends from the Tigris to the Khabur, from the Khabur to the Balikh and
the Aprie. They had already come into frequent conflict with most of the
victorious Assyrian kings, from Eammanirari down to Tiglath-pileser; the
weakness of Assyria and Chaldaea gave them their opportunity, and they
took full advantage of it. They soon became masters of the whole of
Mesopotamia; a part of the table-land extending from Carchemish to Mount
Amanus fell into their hands, their activity was still greater in the
basin of the Orontes, and their advanced guard, coming into collision
with the Amorites near the sources of the Litany, began gradually to
drive farther and farther southwards all that remained of the races
which had shown so bold a front to the Egyptian troops. Here was an
almost entirely new element, gradually eliminating from the scene of the
struggle other elements which had grown old through centuries of war,
and while this transformation was taking place in Northern and Central,
a similar revolution was effecting a no less surprising metamorphosis in
Southern Syria. There, too, newer races had gradually come to displace
the nations over which the dynasties of Thutmosis and Ramses had once
held sway. The Hebrews on the east, the Philistines and their allies on
the south-west, were about to undertake the conquest of the Kharu and
its cities. As yet their strength was inadequate, their temperament
undecided, their system of government imperfect; but they brought with
them the quality of youth, and energies which, rightly guided, would
assure the nation which first found out how to take advantage of
them, supremacy over all its rivals, and the strength necessary for
consolidating the whole country into a single kingdom.

[Illustration: 250.jpg TAILPIECE]

CHAPTER III--THE HEBREWS AND THE PHILISTINES--DAMASCUS

_THE ISRAELITES IN THE LAND OF CANAAN: THE JUDGES--THE PHILISTINES AND
THE HEBREW KINGDOM--SAUL, DAVID, SOLOMON, THE DEFECTION OF THE TEN
TRIBES--THE XXIst EGYPTIAN DYNASTY--SHESHONQ OR SHISHAK DAMASCUS._

_The Hebrews in the desert: their families, clans, and tribes--The
Amorites and the Hebrews on the left bank of the Jordan--The conquest
of Canaan and the native reaction against the Hebrews--The judges, Ehud,
Deborah, Jerubbaal or Gideon and the Manassite supr