The history of the world

§. I. That IEHORAM was made King sundry times. [unspec 30]

IEHORAM the sonne of Iehosaphat King of Iuda began to reigne at thirtie two yeeres of age, and liued vntill hee was fourtie yeeres olde, being eight yeeres a King: but of these eight yeeres, which Iehoram is saide to haue reigned, foure are to bee reckoned in the life of his father, who going to the Syrian warre with Ahab, left this Iehoram King in his stead, as Ahab did his sonne Ahazia. This appeares by the seuerall beginnings,* 1.1 which are giuen in Scripture to the two Iehorams kings [unspec 40] of Israel and Iuda, and to Ahazia the eldest sonne of A∣hab. For Ahazia is saide to haue begun his reigne, in the seuenteenth yeere of Iehosaphat. Iehoram the brother of Ahazia succeeded him in the second yeere of IEHORAM the sonne of IEHOSAPHAT King of Iuda, that is, in* 1.2 the next yeere after that Iehoram of Iuda was designed king by his father; it being (as wee finde elsewhere) the eighteenth yeere of IEHOSAPHAT himselfe, who went* 1.3 with the Israelite against Moab. Heereby it appeares that the full power and execu∣tion of the royall office was retained still by Iehosaphat, who gouerned absolutely by himselfe, not communicating the rule with his sonne. But in the fist yeere of IE∣HORAM King of Israel, which was the two and twentieth of 〈◊〉〈◊〉, the olde* 1.4 [unspec 50] King tooke vnto him, as partner in the Gouernement, this his eldest sonne, who was at that time thirtie two yeeres olde, his Father being fiftie seuen. Now for∣asmuch as IEHOSAPHAT reigned twentie fiue yeeres, it is cuident that his sonne did not reigne alone till the eighth of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 King of Israel. The like regard is to bee* 1.5

Page 519

had in accounting the times of other Kings of Iuda and Israel, who did not alwayes reigne precisely so long as the bare letter of the text may seeme at first to affirme: but their yeeres were sometimes compleat, sometimes onely current, sometimes con∣founded with the yeeres of their successors or foregoers, and must therefore be sound by comparing their times with the yeeres of those others, with whom they did be∣gin and end.

It were perhaps a thing lesse needfull than curious, to enquire into the reasons moouing Iehosaphat either to assume vnto him his sonne as partner in the Kingdome, whilest he was able himselfe to command both in peace and in warre, the like hauing neuer beene done by any of his progenitors, or hauing once (in the seuenteenth of [unspec 10] his reigne) vouchsated vnto him that honour, to resume it vnto himselfe, or at least∣wise to deferre the confirmation of it, vntill foure or fiue yeeres were passed. Yet forasmuch as to enter into the examination of these passages, may be a meane to find some light, whereby we may more cleerely discouer the causes of much extraordi∣nary businesse ensuing, I hold it not amisse to make such coniecture, as the circum∣stances of the Storie briefly handled in the Scriptures may seeme to approoue.

Wee are therefore to consider, that this King Iehosaphat was the first of Rehoboams issue that euer entred into any streight league with the Kings of the ten Tribes. All that reigned in Iuda before him, had with much labour and long warre, tired them∣selues in vaine, making small profit of the greatest aduantages that could be wished. [unspec 20] Wherefore Iehosaphat thought it the wisest way, to make a league offensiue and de∣fensiue betweene Israel and Iuda, whereby each might enioy their owne in quiet.

This confederacie made by a religious King, with one that did hate the Lord,* 1.6 could not long prosper, as not issuing from the true roote and fountaine of all wisedome: yet as a piece of sound policie, doubtlesse it wanted not faire pretences of much common good thereby likely to arise, with mutuall fortification of both those king∣domes, against the vncircumcised nations their ancient enemies. This apparant bene∣fit, being so inestimable a iewell, that it might not easily be lost, but continue as here∣ditarie from father to sonne, it was thought a very good course to haue it confirmed by some sure bond of affinitie, and thereupon was Athalia the daughter of Omri and [unspec 30] sister of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 King of Israel, giuen in marriage to Iehoram, who was sonne and heire apparant to the King of Iuda. This Ladie was of a masculine spirit, and had learned so much of Queene Iezabel her brothers wife, that she durst vndertake, and could throughly perform a great deale more in Ierusalem, than the other knew how to com∣passe in Samaria. Shee was indeede a fire-brand, ordained by God to consume a great part of the noblest houses in Iuda, and perhaps of those men or their children, whose worldly wisedome, regardlesse of Gods pleasure, had brought her in.

The first fruits of this great league, was the Syrian warre at Ramoth Gilead, where∣in Iuda and Israel did aduenture equally, but the profit of the victorie should haue redounded wholly to Ahab: as godly Princes very seldome thriue by matching [unspec 40] with Idolators, but rather serue the turnes of those false friends, who being ill af∣fected to God himselfe, cannot be well affected to his seruants. Before their setting foorth Ahab designed, as King, his sonne Ahazia; not so much perhaps in regard of the vncertaine euents of warre (for none of his predecessors had cuer done the like vpon the like occasions) nor as fearing the threatnings of the Prophet Micaia (for he despised them) as inuiting Iehosaphat by his owne example, to take the same course, wherein he preuailed. [unspec 50]