Aaron the brother of Moses was made High Priest, and to him was committed the superintendance of religious ceremonies. Neither Moses nor Aaron were permitted to enter the promised land on account of their disobedience to a command of God; and they both died in the wilderness during the last year of their wandering. Joshua was appointed to succeed Moses in the important office of leader of the people, God promised him his support, and when all things were prepared, he led the Israelites to the banks of the river Jordan: as soon as their feet touched the water, the current was stopped, the river became dry ground, and the people entered the country opposite to the city of Jericho, which was taken in a miraculous manner. Some time after Joshua's death, Judges were appointed to govern Israel: they were 12 in number and their government lasted rather more than 300 years. Othniel was the first of the Judges, and Samuel the last. In his time the people desired to have a king like other nations, and God commanded him to anoint Saul of the tribe of Benjamin 1095 years B. C., to be the first king of Israel. Johim succeeded David of the tribe of Judah, and at his death the throne devolved to his son Solomon, who built a temple to the name of the "Lord his God;" in it were deposited the ark--the holy Scriptures, and other sacred things.--Solomon was succeeded by his son Rehoboam, the folly and wickedness of whose conduct induced ten of the tribes to revolt, and they chose Jeroboam one of his officers for their king. The two tribes that remained faithful to Rehoboam were Judah and Benjamin. Rehoboam's kingdom was called Judah, and the capital of it was Jerusalem. Jeroboam's kingdom was named Israel and its chief city was Samaria. Jeroboam was succeeded by his son Nadab; and after he had reigned two years, he was killed by Baasha, who usurped the crown and destroyed the whole race of Jeroboam, a man remarkable for his impiety.--All the succeeding kings of Judah were descendants of Rehoboam, which fulfilled the promise made by God to David, that he would "establish his house and the throne of his kingdom for ever:" this was a declaration that the Messiah was to be a descendant of David.