THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 447 



«#E5S^ 



Chap. v. 



Tlucliiating State of the India Trade — Hurt by Military Expeditions of the 

 Perfians — Revives under the Ptolemies-— Falls to Decay under the 

 Romans. 



THE profperous days of the commerce with the Elanitie 

 Gulf feemed to be at this time nearly pall ; yet, after 

 the revolt of the ten tribes, Edom remaining to the houfe 

 of David, they ftill carried on a fort of trade from the Ela* 

 nitic Gulf, though attended with many difficulties. This 

 continued till the reign of Jehofaphat* ; but, on Jehoram's 

 fucceeding that prince, the Edomites f revolted and chofe 

 a king of their own, and were never after fubject to the 

 kings of Judah till the reign of Uzziah :j:, who conquered 

 Eloth, fortified it, and having peopled it with a colony of 

 his own, revived the old traffic. This fubfiited till the reign 

 -of Ahaz, when Rezin king of Damafcus took Eloth ||, and 

 expelled the Jev^s, planting in their ilead a colony of Syri- 

 ans. 



* 1 Kings, chap. xxii. ~er. 48. 2 C'nron. chap. xx. ver. 36. f 2 Kings, chap. viii. ver. 22. 

 2 Chron. chap. xx.i. ver. 10. ±2 Ki*gs, chap. xiv. ver. 22. 2 Chron, chap. 26. ver. ii. 



|| 2 King?, chap. xvi. ver. 6. 



