he Lord; and he made a covenant with them, and took an oath of them
in the house of the Lord, and showed them the king's son.

And he commanded them, saying, "This is the thing that ye shall do: a
third part of you, that come in on the Sabbath, shall be keepers of
the watch of the king's house; and a third part shall be at the gate
Sur; and a third part at the gate behind the guard: so shall ye keep
the watch of the house, and be a barrier. And the two companies of
you, even all that go forth on the Sabbath, shall keep the watch of
the house of the Lord about the king. And ye shall compass the king
round about, every man with his weapons in his hand; and he that
cometh within the ranks, let him be slain: and be ye with the king
when he goeth out, and when he cometh in."

{273}{274}

[Illustration]
THE VALLEY OF THE KIDRON, LOOKING FROM JERUSALEM INTO THE WILDERNESS
OF JUDEA. ON THE LEFT IS THE VILLAGE OF SILOAM.

Used by special permission of the Detroit Photograph Company.

This is a very different view of the valley of the Kidron or the
valley of Jehoshaphat from those previously shown. The village of
Siloam, at the base of the Mount of Olives, is on the left and
Jerusalem is out of view on the right. There is now no water in the
ravine except in a very rainy season, but no doubt there was a
stream in ancient times. There is a spring which rises in the
valley, and which perhaps once flowed through it, but was diverted
to flow through the remarkable tunnel, built probably by Hezekiah,
through the ridge of the southern part of the temple hill. A very
ancient inscription found at the mouth of the tunnel in 1880
confirms this view.
[End illustration]

{275}

And the captains over hundreds did according to all that Jehoiada the
priest commanded: and they took every man his men, those that were to
come in on the Sabbath, with those that were to go out on the Sabbath,
and came to Jehoiada the priest. And the priest delivered to the
captains over hundreds the spears and shields that had been King
David's, which were in the house of the Lord.

And the guard stood, every man with his weapons in his hand, from the
right side of the house to the left side of the house, along by the
altar and the house, by the king round about.

Then he brought out the king's son, and put the crown upon him, and
gave him the testimony; and they made him king, and anointed him; and
they clapped their hands,