that He had chosen him, thus saying,
'I have found Me David, after Mine own heart,
that he will perform all My will by his works.'
This David was a prophet and a wonderful king,
and pleased God to his life's end,
and ever obeyed Him with all his heart.
He was therefore exalted to great honours,
because he ever sought how he might please God.
After him reigned over the kingdom of Israel
many kings, diversely disposed;
Some believed in the living God,
some in idols to their own destruction,
and those who worshipped God were exalted
and were always victorious in fight;
as for those who turned from God to shameful idolatry,
they were put to shame, and were ever unsuccessful.
One of these was Ahab the wicked king
who despised his Creator, and chose to him Baal,
the god of the heathen, who had no goodness,
but was a cruel devil, detected in heresy.
This king's queen was the most infamous of women,
called Jezebel, fiercely minded.
She incited her husband to every cruelty,
and they provoked God with hostile works.
In those days was Elijah, a holy prophet of God,
who besought God that He would withdraw rain-showers
from the evil king, for his cruelty;
so three years and a half passed by
without rain-showers and reeking dew,
and the prophet Elijah departed out of that land,
and God fed him by the ministrations of birds,
until He sent him to a certain widow
in the Sidonian country, and the prophet said to her;
'Thus saith the God of Israel, that oil shall not fail thee,
