behold they are written in the book of
Samuel the seer, and in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the book
of Gad the seer." If, as some think, our present books of Samuel were
composed shortly after David's death, the author may well have been one
of the last two of the above-named prophets; but there are some
indications that he lived after the division of the Israelitish people
into the two kingdoms of _Judah_ and _Israel_.

In 1 Sam. 27:6 we read that Achish gave Ziklag to David;
"wheretofore," adds the sacred historian, "Ziklag pertaineth
unto the kings of Judah unto this day." The only natural
interpretation of these words is that the kings of Judah--not
any particular king of Judah, but the kings of Judah as a
line--are named in contrast with the kings of Israel. In several
other passages, where he is speaking of events that occurred
_before_ the separation of the two kingdoms, he puts Judah and
Israel together. 1 Sam. 11:8; 17:52; 18:16; 2 Sam. 3:10; 24:1.
But this can, perhaps, be explained from the fact that during
the seven years of David's reign at Hebron there was an actual
separation of Judah from the other tribes. It is a remarkable
fact that while the full term of David's reign is given (2 Sam.
5:4, 5), which implies that the writer lived after its close, no
notice is taken of his death. The reason of this omission cannot
be known. As the first book of Kings opens with an account of
David's last days and death, some have conjectured that it was
designedly omitted from the books of Samuel as superfluous, when
the historical books were arranged in the sacred canon.

IV. THE BOOKS OF KINGS.

15. These two books, like the two of Samuel, originally constituted a
single work. The division was first made by the Greek translators, was
followed by the Vulgate, and was finally admitted by Daniel Bomberg into
the printed Hebrew text. The Greek version of the Seventy and the Latin
version, having called the books of Samuel, the former, First and Second
of the Kingdoms, the latter, First and Second of the Kings, designate
these books as Third and Fourth of the Kingdoms or Kings. Each of the
historical books presents the covenant people under a new aspect, and
imparts new lessons of instruction. In the book of Joshua we see them
taking triumphant possession of the promised land through the mighty
assistance of Jehovah; the book of Jud