IDOLATRY AND DEFEAT. 235

did not attempt to do it, but attacked the men of Judah
without delay. He set an ambush behind them, think-
ing, no doubt, that he would with ease cut them all to
pieces. And sndeed it looked ill enough for the subjects
of Abijah, when they saw that whether they looked
forward or backward, there were foes to face. In this
difficulty they cried to the Lord, and he answered their
prayer by giving them a complete victory. The children
of Israel fled, and five hundred thousand of them were
slain that day by Abijah and his people. They pur-
sued their victory, and took several cities which had
belonged to Jeroboam. That king never recovered
from the vexation of this defeat, though he lived for a ’
year or two after.

George. And what more did Abijah do? did he fight
another battle ?

Grandfather. He did not do much more; he only reign-
ed three years in all. He was succeeded by his son Asa,
an excellent and pious prince, who reigned for forty
years. During ten years of his reign the kingdom of
Judah had peace. There was little peace in the sister
kingdom. When Asa ascended the throne, Jeroboam
was king of Israel; when Asa died, Ahab was king of
Israel, and between Jeroboam and Ahab six kings reigned
in Israel, so that in the course of the reign of Asa, king
of Judah, eight different kings bore the sceptre in Israel.

George. What became of them all? did they die ?

Grandfather. The greater number of them suffered
death by violence. Jeroboam, after having reigned