Thus at last the city, which had been full of people, sat solitary, bewailed by Jeremiah in exquisite elegies. The poorest only were left, under Gedaliah, the constant friend of Jeremiah. See Jer. 40:6. His brief rule brought a gleam of light, a tran-

slent relief from the long monotony of disaster and despair. But the dastardly murder of this noble man by Ishmael, who was jealous of him, added the last bitter ingredient to the already bitter cup of the harried remnant, Jer. 40 and 41. Notwithstanding Jeremiah’s earnest protestations, they finally deserted their own land, and settled in Egypt, Jer. 44:1.

Thus ended the kingdom of Judah, and thereafter the Jews became a scattered people. Though the return under Ezra seemed likely to renew their kingdom, this also was a transient dream which ended in their final overthrow in A. D. 70. Note how pathetically, in his last paragraph, the chronicler snatches at the one small crumb of comfort left, in the pity providentially shown to Jehoiachin by the Babylonian king. God had not forgotten the sure mercies of David!

(a) What are the two main divisions of the book? (b) Who is the leading character in the first division?

(c) The reigns of how many kings, in Judah and Israel respectively, are recorded in this book?

(ad) How do the dynasties of the two governments compare?

(e) In what ways was the course of Judah like that of Israel? In what ways different?

(Each question applies to the paragraph of corresponding number in the Comments.)