278 BATTLES OF THE BIBLE.

Marianne. I don’t like Jehu very well for killing so
many people, although of course they deserved it.

Grandfather. It was the will of God that he should
put all these people to death, therefore in so far he did
right, yet he was not a good man. He killed all the
worshippers of Baal, and broke down the images of that
false god ; but he encouraged the people to worship the
golden calves which had been set up by Jeroboam, the
first king of Israel.

Marianne. I do not understand, grandfather, why the
kings of Israel persisted in worshipping these golden
calves ; they must have known it was wrong.

Grandfather. The worship of the calves was begun
and kept up to prevent the ten tribes from going up to
Jerusalem to worship, because if they did that, they
might again submit themselves to the house of David.
Jehu did away with the worship of Baal, because that
could be no advantage to him; the worship of the golden
calves he thought tended to the strengthening of his
kingdom, therefore he encouraged it. The misfortunes
that came upon him in consequence teach us that we
ought not to consider what is gainful but what is good ;
that we ought willingly to bear worldly loss if we can-
not prosper but by encouraging sin.

George. What misfortunes came upon him ?

Grandfather. Hazael, king of Syria, fought against
him successfully, but we are not told the particulars of
any of their battles. After reigning twenty-eight years
he was succeeded by his son Jehoahaz. He had the