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37 The sons of Reuel; Nahath, Zerah, point at which the narration of events was Shammah, and Mizzah.

38 And the sons of Seir; Lotan, and Shobal, and Zibeon, and Anah, and Dishon, and Ezar, and Dishan.

39 And the sons of Lotan; Hori, and "Homam: and Timna was Lotan's sister.

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40 The sons of Shobal; Alian, and Manahath, and Ebal, Shephi, and Onam. And the sons of Zibeon; Aiah, and Anah.

41 The sons of Anah; Dishon. And the sons of Dishon; 10 Amram, and Eshban, and Ithran, and Cheran.

42 The sons of Ezer; Bilhan, and Zavan, and "Jakan. The sons of Dishan; Uz, and Aran.

43 ¶ Now these are the kings that reigned in the land of Edom before any king reigned over the children of Israel; Bela the son of Beor: and the name of his city was Dinhabah.

44 And when Bela was dead, Jobab the son of Zerah of Bozrah reigned in his stead.

45 And when Jobab was dead, Husham of the land of the Temanites reigned in his stead.

46 And when Husham was dead, Hadad the son of Bedad, which smote Midian in the field of Moab, reigned in his stead: and the name of his city was Avith.

47 And when Hadad was dead, Samlah of Masrekah reigned in his stead.

48 And when Samlah was dead, Shaul of Rehoboth by the river reigned in his stead.

49 And when Shaul was dead, Baal-hanan the son of Achbor reigned in his stead.

50 And when Baal-hanan was dead, "Hadad reigned in his stead: and the name of his city was 13 Pai; and his wife's name was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Mezahab.

51 Hadad died also. And the dukes of Edom were; duke Timnah, duke "Aliah, duke Jetheth,

52 Duke Aholibamah, duke Elah, duke Pinon,

53 Duke Kenaz, duke Teman, duke Mibzar, 54 Duke Magdiel, duke Iram. These are the dukes of Edom.

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broken off, at the close of the last chapter of the Second Book of the Kings. A period of more than three thousand years is comprised within the space of a few pages; the largest portion of which is included in the first chapter of this Book on which we now enter. We shall offer a few reflections as they are presented to our mind in the review.

How rapid is the course of time! Thousands of generations may be brought within a very short space. The age of the world, like the life of man, soon passes away. “A thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night." (Ps. xc. 4.) Never lose sight of this startling fact. Time passes rapidly away. Life is speedily drawing towards its close. Yet a little while, and every man living will be no more. A few more short years, perhaps, and the world itself shall cease to exist. That great day will have come, when time shall be no longer; and all will be swallowed up in one vast eternity. The wicked will be shut up for ever in hell. The righteous will be received into that eternal kingdom and glory, which God hath prepared for them before the foundation of the world. (Rev. x. 6.)

In looking over this list of names, we may select some, here and there, for profitable reflection. Can we think of the first man, Adam, and not call to mind our original creation, as taken from the dust of the ground; our original purity, as first created in the image of God; our grievous fall, in the sin of the first who sinned; the lamentable consequences which ensued, in the loss sustained, the sentence passed, and the death incurred, both of body and soul, in time and for ever? or can we forget the remedy provided, in the person of the promised Redeemer, then first made known to the world, who is emphatically styled the "Second Man," the "Lord from heaven?" (1 Cor. xv. 47.) Viewed in this light, one word embodies the whole substance of divine revelation; and profitably reminds us of all the great and essential truths of the gospel of our salvation through Christ our Lord.

Or, can you read the name of Enoch, and not be reminded of the man that walked with

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God, and was not found; for God took him; and thence learn the unspeakable happiness of having fellowship with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ; and how we ought to be looking forward to the coming of that day, of which he spake, saying, "Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him?" (Jude 14, 15.)

Or, can the name of Noah meet your eye, and not recall to mind the wickedness of the world, the destruction by the deluge, and his wonderful preservation in the ark? Does it not also remind you of the sudden and unexpected manner in which the Son of man shall come to judge the quick and the dead; in what an awful state the ungodly world will then be found; and how inexpressibly dreadful will be that desolation which will sweep away the wicked for ever into the pit of woe? (Matt. xxiv. 36-39.)

Or, can you read the names of his three sons, and not tremble at the consequences of filial impiety exhibited by one of them; and likewise praise God for enlarging Japheth, to whom we belong, and bringing us into Shem's tent, to love the Saviour whom his descendants rejected, and to enjoy the salvation and privileges which they cast off? These are but a few among many of the reflections which are suggested to mind, in looking over the substance of this chapter. But these may teach you how to read names; and what use you may make of those parts of the Word of God which some would pass over as if they were of no avail. "Every word of God is pure ;" and "all holy scriptures are able to make us wise unto salvation."

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2 Dan, Joseph, and Benjamin, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.

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The sons of Judah; Er, and Onan, and Shelah; which three were born unto him of the daughter of Shua the Canaanitess. And Er, the firstborn of Judah, was evil in the sight of the LORD; and he slew him.

4 And Tamar his daughter in law bare him Pharez and Zerah. All the sons of Judah were five.

5 The sons of Pharez; Hezron, and Hamul.

6 And the sons of Zerah; Zimri, and Ethan, and Heman, and Calcol, and Dara: five of them in all.

7 And the sons of Carmi; 'Achar, the troubler of Israel, who transgressed in the thing accursed.

8 And the sons of Ethan; Azariah.

9 The sons also of Hezron, that were born unto him; Jerahmeel, and Ram, and 'Chelubai.

10 And Ram begat Amminadab; and Amminadab begat Nahshon, prince of the children of Judah;

11 And Nahshon begat Salma, and Salma begat Boaz,

12 And Boaz begat Obed, and Obed begat Jesse,

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13 And Jesse begat his firstborn Eliab, and Abinadab the second, and Shimma the third,

14 Nethaneel the fourth, Raddai the fifth, 15 Ozem the sixth, David the seventh: 16 Whose sisters were Zeruiah, and Abigail. And the sons of Zeruiah; Abishai, and Joab, and Asahel, three.

17 And Abigail bare Amasa: and the father of Amasa was 'Jether the Ishmeelite.

18 And Caleb the son of Hezron begat children of Azubah his wife, and of Jerioth : her sons are these; Jesher, and Shobab, and Ardon.

19 And when Azubah was dead, Caleb took unto him Ephrath, which bare him Hur. 20 And Hur begat Uri, and Uri begat Bezaleel.

21 ¶ And afterward Hezron went in to the daughter of Machir the father of Gilead, whom he 10 married when he was threescore years old; and she bare him Segub.

22 And Segub begat Jair, who had three and twenty cities in the land of Gilead.

23 And he took Geshur, and Aram, with the towns of Jair, from them, with Kenath, and the towns thereof, even threescore cities. All these belonged to the sons of Machir the father of Gilead.

24 And after that Hezron was dead in

Caleb-ephratah, then Abiah Hezron's wife bare him Ashur the father of Tekoa.

25 ¶ And the sons of Jerahmeel the firstborn of Hezron were, Ram the firstborn, and Bunah, and Oren, and Ozem, and Ahijah.

26 Jerahmeel had also another wife, whose name was Atarah; she was the mother of Onam.

27 And the sons of Ram the firstborn of Jerahmeel were, Maaz, and Jamin, and Eker. 28 And the sons of Onam were, Shammai, and Jada. And the sons of Shammai; Nadab, and Abishur.

29 And the name of the wife of Abishur was Abihail, and she bare him Ahban, and Molid.

30 And the sons of Nadab; Seled, and Appaim: but Seled died without children. 31 And the sons of Appaim; Ishi. And the sons of Ishi; Sheshan. And the children of Sheshan; Ahlai.

32 And the sons of Jada the brother of Shammai; Jether, and Jonathan: and Jether died without children.

33 And the sons of Jonathan; Peleth, and Zaza. These were the sons of Jerahmeel. 34 Now Sheshan had no sons, but daughters. And Sheshan had a servant, an Egyptian, whose name was Jarha.

35 And Sheshan gave his daughter to Jarha his servant to wife; and she bare him Attai. 36 And Attai begat Nathan, and Nathan begat Zabad,

37 And Zabad begat Ephlal, and Ephlal begat Obed,

38 And Obed begat Jehu, and Jehu begat Azariah,

39 And Azariah begat Helez, and Helez begat Eleasah,

40 And Eleasah begat Sisamai, and Sisamai begat Shallum,

41 And Shallum begat Jekamiah, and Jekamiah begat Elishama. 42 Now the sons of Caleb the brother of Jerahmeel were, Mesha his firstborn, which was the father of Ziph; and the sons of Mareshah the father of Hebron.

43 And the sons of Hebron; Korah, and Tappuah, and Rekem, and Shema.

44 And Shema begat Raham, the father of Jorkoam and Rekem begat Shammai.

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45 And the son of Shammai was Maon: and Maon was the father of Beth-zur.

46 And Ephah, Caleb's concubine, bare Haran, and Moza, and Gazez: and Haran begat Gazez.

47 And the sons of Jahdai; Regem, and Jotham, and Gesham, and Pelet, and Ephah, and Shaaph.

48 Maachah, Caleb's concubine, bare Sheber, and Tirhanah.

49 She bare also Shaaph the father of Madmannah, Sheva the father of Machbenah, and the father of Gibea: and the daughter of Caleb was Achsa.

50 These were the sons of Caleb the son of Hur, the firstborn of "Ephratah; Shobal the father of Kirjath-jearim,

51 Salma the father of Beth-lehem, Hareph the father of Beth-gader.

52 And Shobal the father of Kirjath-jearim had sons; 12 Haroeh, and half of the Manahethites.

53 And the families of Kirjath-jearim; the Ithrites, and the Puhites, and the Shumathites, and the Mishraites; of them came the Zareathites, and the Eshtaulites.

54 The sons of Salma; Beth-lehem, and the Netophathites, "Ataroth, the house of Joab, and half of the Manahethites, the Zorites.

55 And the families of the scribes which dwelt at Jabez; the Tirathites, the Shimeathites, and Suchathites. These are the Kenites that came of Hemath, the father of the house of Rechab.

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We have again, in this chapter, another long list of ancient names. We will seek to gather some improvement from them. As before, we will select some here and there for this purpose.

The first is Israel. This is another name for Jacob. He obtained the birthright, and wrestled for the blessing. From that time his name was changed; and "Israel" was to be the future, designation of his family and people. Why so? Not merely because of their being descended from him; but because they ought to be like him, as all the true people of God are. Hence they were called "Israelites;" that is, men who, as princes, had power with God and prevailed. For many years this was the common designation of the ancient church of God; as Christians, after the name of Christ, are now termed; which to us implies, that we should be what we are called; that is, Christians indeed; men interested in the salvation of Christ, loving

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his name, and rejoicing in his salvation. You remember the case of Nathaniel. illustrates the remark before us. Christ saw him under the fig-tree; and knew what he was doing there. It is very probable, that he was then wrestling in prayer to God for some special blessing, as Jacob ages before had done.

And therefore our Lord addressed him in these words: 66 Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile !" (John i. 47.) In this manner, also, such expressions as the "house of Israel," and, the "seed of the house of Israel," and such like, are often to be understood; not merely as denoting Israel according to the flesh; but Israel after the Spirit; the seed of Israel, who are like their progenitor when the name of Israel was given to him. This distinction will throw a wonderful degree of light upon large portions of the Word of God; and

be "Holiness to the Lord upon the bells of the horses." (Zech. xiv. 20.) Not a furrow will be struck; nor a journey taken; nor a load carried, nor a bargain be made, but it shall be in the spirit of the gospel, and to the glory of God. Let us pray for such times. Let us pray that the earth may no longer groan under man's iniquities, but render unto the Lord the just revenue of praise and glory due to his name. May the Lord pour out his Spirit upon all flesh! And may "the earth be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea." (Ruth ii. 4; Habak. ii. 14.)

CHAPTER III.

1 The sons of David. 10 His line to Zedekiah. 17 The successors of Jeconiah.

make many passages plain which otherwise NOW these were the sons of David, which

might appear involved in great obscurity. Just as, when the apostle says, "We are the circumcision," he means, not we, who are descended from Abraham according to the flesh, to whom the rite was first enjoined; but we, who "worship God in the Spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh." (See Phil. iii. 3, with Rom. ix. 6-8.)

There are two names further on of a different description. Of one it is said, he was evil in the sight of the Lord; and the Lord slew him. Of the other, he was the troubler of Israel; who transgressed in the thing accursed (v. 7). How long after men are dead may the crimes they have committed be recorded against them! Indeed, time can never efface any man's sins. If they are not blotted out in the blood of the Lamb, they will all be forthcoming in the last day, when the judgment shall be set and the books opened. (Rev. xx. 11-15.)

Here is also the name of Boaz, the man who blessed his reapers in the name of the Lord, and who was blessed by them in the same spirit in return. Might not our farmers and labourers learn a profitable lesson from the field of Boaz ? When such a spirit and such language as, "The Lord be with you," and, "The Lord bless thee," shall prevail in our fields between master and men, there will soon

were born unto him in Hebron; the firstborn Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; the second 'Daniel, of Abigail the Carmelitess: 2 The third, Absalom the son of Maachah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur: the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith:

3 The fifth, Shephatiah of Abital: the sixth, Ithream by Eglah his wife.

4 These six were born unto him in Hebron; and there he reigned seven years and six months and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three years.

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5 And these were born unto him in Jerusalem; Shimea, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon, four, of 3 Bath-shua the daughter of Ammiel:

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16 And the sons of Jehoiakim: "3 Jeconiah his son, Zedekiah his son.

17¶ And the sons of Jeconiah; Assir, "Salathiel his son,

18 Malchiram also, and Pedaiah, and Shenazar, Jecamiah, Hoshama, and Nedabiah.

19 And the sons of Pedaiah were, Zerubbabel, and Shimei: and the sons of Zerubbabel; Meshullam, and Hananiah, and Shelomith their sister:

20 And Hashubah, and Ohel, and Berechiah, and Hasadiah, Jushabhesed, five.

21 And the sons of Hananiah; Pelatiah, and Jesaiah: the sons of Rephaiah, the sons of Arnan, the sons of Obadiah, the sons of Shechaniah.

22 And the sons of Shechaniah; Shemaiah: and the sons of Shemaiah; Hattush, and Igeal, and Bariah, and Neariah, and Shaphat, six. 23 And the sons of Neariah; Elioenai, and 1 Hezekiah, and Azrikam, three.

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24 And the sons of Elioenai were, Hodaiah, and Eliashib, and Pelaiah, and Akkub, and Johanan, and Dalaiah, and Anani, seven.

(1) Or, Chileab, 2 Sam. iii. 3. (2) Or, Shammua, 2 Sam. v. 14. (3) Or, Bath-sheba, 2 Sam. xi. 3. (4) Or, Eliam, 2 Sam. xi. 3. (5) Or, Flishua, 2 Sam. v. 15. (6) Or, Becliada, ch. xiv. 7. (7) Or, Abijam, 1 Kings xv. 1. (8) Or, Azariah, 2 Chron. xxii. 6;

(9) Or, Uzziah, 2 Kings xv. 30. (10) Or, Jehoahaz, 2 Kings xxiii. 30. | (11) Or, Eliakim, 2 Kings xxiii. 34. (12) Or, Mattaniah, 2 Kings xxiv. 17.

(13) Or, Jehoiachin, 2 Kings xxiv. 6; or, Coniah, Jer. xxii. 21. (14) Heb. Shealtiel.

or, Jehoahaz, 2 Chr. xxi. 17. | (15) Heb. Iiskijahu.

We have still before us the recapitulation of names. The family of David, in his line to Zedekiah, and onwards through the descendants of Jeconiah, is the subject of the present chapter. Some of these names we shall select for improvement.

On the mention of David, are we not reminded of many things in his history replete with instruction for our good? Ought we ever to forget the sweet psalmist of Israel, by whom the Spirit of the Lord spake, and whose word was in his tongue? Is not his early career brought before us? Can we forget his anointing by Samuel, the lion and the bear, the sling and the stone, his persecutions by Saul, his wonderful preservations, his miraculous escapes, his subsequent possession of the throne, his long and prosperous reign, his declining years, and peaceful death? How many things are associated with a single name in the sacred Word!

If you look into his family there are some names mentioned among his sons, which are calculated to teach many awakening lessons.

Who can read the name of Amnon, and not shudder at his horrible impiety? Who can hear the name of Absalom, and not be reminded of the fearful doom of rebels and traitors? Does not his sad end teach all children to honour their parents; all subjects to obey their king; all young persons to beware of pride and vanity, when they remember how he was caught by the hair of his head (of which he was excessively proud,) in the boughs of an oak; and there was slain, in the very act of rebellion both against God, his father, and his king? Or can you read the name of Adonijah, who usurped the throne before his father's death, and not learn what a great crime it is to desire the death of others, whether parents or not, that you may inherit their possessions? In the family of that devoted servant of God, how many wicked sons were found! How many things must have grieved him from day to day! Yet, although his "house was not so" with God as he desired, how happy was it for him to be enabled to say," he hath made with me an everlasting covenant ordered in all things and sure. This is all my salvation, and all my desire." Is such the case with you ? Is the great covenant of redemption and salvation by Jesus Christ sure and certain to you; all your salvation and all your desire? (2 Sam. xxiii. 1—5.)

The name of Solomon should teach you to offer Solomon's prayer; and ask the Lord to bestow upon you the blessing vouchsafed to him. To feel your ignorance, and to pray for an "understanding heart," are hopeful signs. "If any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God, and it shall be given him." At the same time, let it also teach you to avoid Solomon's sins. Keep close to the Lord. Never let your heart be divided. Let no idolatrous attachment to the world, or sinful compliance with any other object, ever draw you away from the simplicity of the truth as it is in Christ Jesus. Pray for wisdom to direct you. Pray for grace to keep you. If he had great excellencies, he had, also, great faults. If he rose to great eminence, he, also, sunk down to great depths of disgrace. Pray the Lord to keep you from these things; and from every thing likely to lead you to them. Forbidden indulgences are always danger

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