David and Solomon. From that
time onward the power of the Israelitish people declined, till they were
at last deprived of their national independence, and subjected to the
yoke of foreign conquerors. But in both the growth of the national power
under the Theocracy, and its decline, the presence of God and his
supremacy, as well over the covenant people as over the surrounding
nations, were gloriously manifested, and their training for the future
advent of the Messiah was steadily carried forward. Thus we have in
these historical books a wonderful diversity of divine manifestations,
which alike charm and instruct the pious mind.

2. It has already been shown (Chap. 15, No. 7) that the books of Kings
and Chronicles contain only _selections_ from a large mass of materials.
The same is probably true of the books of Judges and Samuel. The sacred
writers did not propose to give a detailed account of all the events
belonging to the periods over which their histories extended, but only
of those which were specially adapted to manifest God's presence and
guidance in the affairs of the covenant people. The history of some
persons is given very fully; of others with extreme brevity. But we may
say, in general, that this divine history, extending over a period of a
thousand years, is the most condensed in the world, as well as the most
luminous with the divine glory. The student rises from the perusal of it
with such clear views of God's presence and supremacy in the course of
human affairs, as cannot be gained from all the ponderous tomes of
secular history. Each book, moreover, presents some special phase of
God's providential movements, and contains, therefore, its special
lessons of instruction. With few exceptions, the _authors_ of the
historical books are unknown. We only know that they were prophetical
men, who wrote under the illumination and guidance of the Holy Spirit.

I. JOSHUA.

3. This book records the _conquest of the land of Canaan_ by the
Israelites under Joshua, and its _distribution by lot_ among the tribes
that received their inheritance on the west side of the Jordan. It
connects itself, therefore, immediately with the Pentateuch; for it
shows how God fulfilled his promise to Abraham that he would give to his
posterity the land of Canaan for an inheritance (Gen. 17:8), a promise
often repeated afterwards, and kept constantly in view in the whole
series of Mosaic legislation. The book naturally falls into tw