their former spirit in a few years, and resolved once more to try the strength of the Israelites in arms. They accordingly pitched their tents on an eminence in front of the Jewish camp, and sent a giant, one Goliath of Gath, to challenge any individual of their enemies to single combat. He presented himself before the intimidated tribes for forty days successively, without receiving any answer to his proposals, or his menaces; but at last he was attacked and slain by David, who at that time was a ruddy youth, and used no other weapons than a sling and a smooth stone chosen from a brook. The haughty Philistine no sooner fell, than David severed his head from his body, and carried it off in triumph, while the Philistines fled with the utmost precipitation, and were pursued with great slaughter to the gates of their own cities, Gath and Ekron.

Soon after this event they were overthrown in battle by David, and some great change seems to have been effected in their government, for about this time the Scripture speaks of a king whose name was Achish, and who resided at Gath. David, being compelled by the urgency of his affairs to seek an asylum in Gath, was brought before this monarch; but he, supposing from his behaviour that he was insane, would take no further notice of him than to command, that he should no more be brought into his presence.

B. C. Achish, the son of Maoch, afterward 1060. received David and all his followers into his protection; allotted him Ziglag for his particular dwelling; and proposed to entrust him with an honourable command in the army: but this design was overruled by the lords of the Philistines.

Achish and the Philistines now marched against Saul, who was encamped on mount Gilboa, and after a sanguinary contest, obtained a complete victory. They drove the Israelites before them with great slaughter; put Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua, to death: and pursued closely after Saul, but he fell by his own sword before they overtook him. This conquest put them in possession of a great part of the enemy's country.

On David's accession to the throne of his deceased rival, the Philistines did not offer to disturb him, but the irreconcileable enmity which subsisted between the nations soon produced other wars, all of which terminated in favour of the Israelites. The Philistines now were made tributary to David, and are supposed to have applied themselves to commerce and the arts of peace.

Many years after this period they were B. C. harassed by Nadab, king of Israel, who 953. besieged them in the city of Gibbe

thon, which was again invested by Elah, king of Israel, some years afterward; but they resisted the efforts of both these princes with equal intrepidity and success.

They are said to have courted the favour of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, by a voluntary payment of their tribute, which had been for some time neglected: but in the reign of his son Jehoram they rose in open rebellion, broke into his kingdom, plundered the royal treasury, and exterminated all his family except Athaliah and her son Ahaziah, who had the good fortune to escape their fury. This extraordinary success was probably owing to the assistance they received from the Arabians, who at the same period made

war upon the Israelites; but they were soon afterward recompensed by Uzziah, king of Judah, who dismantled Ashdod, Gath, and Jabneh, and built several strong cities among them to keep them in subjection.

B. C. They are supposed to have remained 740. peaceable under the government of Uz

ziah and Jotham: but in the reign of Ahaz they revolted, and warred against Judah with such success, that they added a considerable portion of country to their ancient territories. This acquisition was soon wrested from them by Hezekiah, the son of Ahaz; and, to add to their misfortunes, they were at the same time attacked by the Assyrians, who besieged their city Ashdod, and finally deprived them of their liberty. From this period they were tributary to the great monarchies as they succeeded each other, till their total destruction accomplished the animated predictions of the prophet Zephaniah. "Gaza shall be forsaken, and Askelon a desolation: they shall drive out Ashdod at the noon day, and Ekron shall be rooted up. Wo unto the inhabitants of the seacoasts, the nation of the Cherethites! the word of the Lord is against you: O Canaan, the land of the Philistines, I will even destroy thee, that there shall be no inhabitant; and the seacoasts shall be dwellings and cottages for shepherds, and folds for flocks."

CHAP. I.

THE HISTORY OF THE JEWS FROM THE BIRTH OF ABRAHAM TO THE BABYLONISH CAPTIVITY, INCLUDING THE GEOGRAPHY OF PALESTINE.

Talled the Land of Canaan, from Noah's HIS rich and beautiful tract of country was first grand-son, by whom it was peopled: but in later ages it has been distinguished by other appellations; such as the Land of Promise, the Land of God, the Holy Land,* Palestine,† Judea, and the Land of Israel.

It was bounded on the west by the Mediterranean; on the east by the lake Asphaltites, the river Jordan, the Samachonite lake, and the sea of Tiberias; on the north by the mountains of Antilibanus, or the province of Phoenicia; and on the south by Edom or Idumea.‡ Its extent,

*The Jews have dignified this country with the title of Holy Land on account of its metropolis, which was regarded as the centre of God's worship, and his peculiar habitation: and Christian writers have deemed it worthy of the same honour, as being the scene on which the coequal Son of God accomplished the great work of redemption.

† It was called Palestine from the Palestines or Philistines, who possessed a considerable share of it: and Judea, from the tribe of Judah, who inhabited the finest part of the whole. At present it is generally distinguished by the name of Palestine.

It is necessary to observe, that this description is confined to the part which is properly called "the Land of Promise;" the boundaries of that part which belonged to two tribes and a half on the other side Jordan, called Peraea, and of the kingdoms of Sihon, Og, &c.

according to the most accurate maps, appears to have been 200 miles in length, and about 80 in breadth at the widest part. It reached from 31 deg. 30 min. to 33 deg. 20 min. of north latitude; and from 34 deg. 50 min. to 37 deg. 15 min. of east longitude.

The serenity of the air, the fertility of the soil, and the incomparable excellence of the fruits of Palestine, induced the Jewish lawgiver to describe it, as 66 a land that flowed with milk and honey; a land of brooks and waters, of fountains that spring out of the hills and valleys; a land of wheat and barley, of vines, pomegranates, figs, and honey; a land where is no lack or scarcity of any thing." Its richness and fecundity have. been extolled even by Julian the apostate, and many writers have descanted upon its natural beauties: but, in consequence of the just anger of God, the greater part of it is now reduced into a mere desert, and seems incapable of culti vation.

Subsequent to its conquest by the children of Israel, Judea, in its most extensive sense, was divided into maritime and inland, as well as into champaign and mountainous; and again subdivided in Judea on this side, and Judea beyond Jordan. But the most considerable division was that made by lot among the twelve tribes, for the prevention of murmurs and discontent, when two tribes and a half were seated beyond the river, and the rest on this side. In the reign of king Solomon it was divided into twelve districts, each under a peculiar officer; and, in the time of

are not so easily ascertained, any more than the conquests and acquisitions which they afterward made under the reigns of their most prosperous monarchs.