120 TRANSFER OF THE 



CHAP. III. 



dred shekels of silver, of which -two hundred 

 were converted into an image for idolatrous 

 worship. 



Under these two first monarchs the Israelites 

 were engaged in constant hostilities ; and though 

 they occasionally met with reverses, they were 

 generally, especially under David, successful ; 

 and it is obvious, from scattered notices, that by 

 these operations the mass of the precious metals 

 was increased 1 : thus the spoil of Rahab was of 

 the weight of a talent of gold ; and near the close 

 of the same reign, when Moab and Zobah and 

 the Syrians of Damascus were defeated, the gold 

 and silver and brass of these nations were brought 

 together, and dedicated to the public service 2 . 



It seems then clear, that when the peaceful 

 reign of Solomon commenced, the accumulated 

 mass of gold and silver must have been the 

 collection of more than eight hundred years, 

 reckoning from Abraham, or of near five hun- 

 dred years since the Israelites, on their removal 

 from Egypt, had become an independent and, 

 on the whole, a flourishing nation. The spoil of 

 the several tribes which was taken during the 

 theocracy was carefully preserved in the public 

 treasury, and was protected by the solemn sanc- 

 tion of the religion of the Hebrews, which kept it 

 in the tabernacle under the title of the Treasure 



1 2 Samuel,, cap. xii. v. 3. 



2 1 Chronicles, cap. xviii. v. 8 1J< 



