Years B.C. 1. Jeroboam 22 990 2. Nadad 2 968 3. Baasha 23 966 4. Ela 1 943 5. Zimri and Omri 11 942 6. Ahab 22 931 7. Ahaziah 2 909 8. Jehoram or Joram 12 907 9. Jehu 28 895 10. Jehoahaz 17 867 11: Jehoash or Joash 16 850 12. Jeroboam II 41 834 1st Interregnum 22 793 13. Zechariah and Shallum 1 771 14. Menahem 10 770 15. Pekahiah 2 760 16. Pekah 20 758 2d Interregnum 10 738 17. Hoshea 9 728 --- --- Samaria taken 271 719 It appears to have escaped the notice of the greater number of commentators, that the separation of interests, which in the days of Rehoboam produced a permanent division of the tribes, had manifested itself at a much earlier period. In truth, it is extremely doubtful whether the union and co-operation between the northern and the southern communities, which was meant to be accomplished by the institution of monarchy, were ever cordial or efficient. There is no doubt, at least, that the two parties differed essentially in their choice of a successor to Saul; for, while the people of Judah invited David to the supreme power as their annointed sovereign, the suffrages of Israel were unanimous in favour of Ishbosheth, the son of the deceased king. We may therefore conclude, that the exactions of Solomon were the pretext rather than the true cause of the unfortunate dismemberment of the Hebrew confederation, which in the end conducted both sections of it by gradual steps to defeat and captivity. The kingdom of Judah, less distracted by the pretensions of usurpers, and being confirmed in the principles of patriotism by a more rigid adherance to the law of Moses, continued during one hundred and thirty years to resist the encroachments of the two rival powers, Egypt and Assyria, which now began to contend in earnest for the possession of Palestine. Several endeavours were made, even after the destruction of Samaria, to unite the energies of the Twelve Tribes, and thereby to secure the independence of the sacred territory a little longer. But a pitiful jealousy had succeeded to the aversion generated by a long course of hostile aggression; while the overwhelming hosts, which incessantly issued from the Euphrates and the Nile to select a field of battle within the borders of Canaan, soon left to the feeble councils of Jerusalem no other choice than that of an Egyptian or an Assyrian master.