He that shall bruise the head of the serpent shall belong, says the Book of Genesis, to the race of Shem, to the posterity of Abraham and Jacob, to the kingdom of Judah. "But thou, Beth-lehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be Ruler in Israel." [Footnote 79] [Footnote 79: Genesis ix. 26; xii. 3; xlix. 10; Micah v. 2.] {224} Israel is at its apogee of splendour: David prophesies alike the sufferings and the glory of that Saviour of the world who is to be not merely the King of Zion, but "the Son and the Anointed of the Eternal:" "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" is the expression attributed to him by the prophet king. ... "All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head. ... They gave me also gall for my meat, and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink. ... They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture. ... He trusted on the Lord that he would deliver him; let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him. ... Ye that fear the Lord, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him, all ye the seed of Israel. ... All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn unto the Lord: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee." [Footnote 80] [Footnote 80: Psalms ii. 2, 6, 7; xxii. 1, 7; lxix. 21; xxii. 18, 8, 23, 27.] {225} The kingdom of David and of Solomon has begun to decay; Judah and Israel are separating; both kingdoms have their prophets, who at one time struggle against the crimes and evils of their respective ages, and, at another, occupy themselves in disclosing prospects of the future. "Hear ye now, O house of David. ... "Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. ... "The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. ... "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. ... "And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: "And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord; "... and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: "But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity, for the meek of the earth. ... {226} "Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The Lord hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. ...