The next books of the Bible, the so-called Books of Kings and Chronicles, narrate the events of the monarchical period of the Jewish people. After Samson, the judge was the prophet Samuel. Under him, the Israelite tribes decided to unite into one state under the scepter of the king. Samuel anointed Saul king over Israel. After Saul, David reigned first, then his son Solomon. Under Solomon's son, Raboam, the united kingdom was divided into two: Judah in the south, and Israel in the north of the Holy Land. The books of Samuel describe a period of five hundred years: from the birth of Samuel (1100 years B.C.) until the release of the Judean king Jeconiah from prison (in 567 B.C.). In the Hebrew Bible, the Book of Kings is divided into two parts called Sepher Shemuel (Book of Samuel) and Sepher Melachim (Book of Kings). In the Bible of the Seventy Interpreters (Greek translation), as well as in the Russian Bible, the book of Sepher Shemuel is divided into two parts, which are called the First and Second Books of Kings. The book of Sefer Melachim is also divided into two parts, which are called the Third and Second Books of Kings. According to tradition, the writer of the first part of the First Book of Samuel was the prophet Samuel (1 Samuel 125), the authors of the end of the First Book (1 Samuel 2631) and the entire Second Book of Samuel were the prophets Nathan and Gad. The Third and Second Books of Kings were written by several prophetic chroniclers. The books of Chronicles partially repeat and partially supplement the books of Kings. In the Hebrew Bible, they make up one book, which is called the Decrenacle. Seventy interpreters called this book "Chronicles", i.e. "on the omitted" and divided it into two books.

The First Book of Samuel begins its narrative with the birth of Samuel. Pious, but childless, Anna prayed to God for a son. She named him Samuel and, according to her vow, dedicated him to the service of God under the high priest Elijah. Anna's hymn of praise on the occasion of the birth of her son (1 Samuel 2) formed the basis of some of the irmoi of the canons sung at all-night vigils. In the life of the prophet Samuel (1 Samuel 14) there are many interesting and instructive things, for example, about the importance of raising children (after all, the family of the good but weak-willed high priest Elijah was rejected by God for the iniquities of his children). When Samuel grew old, he resigned from the title of judge and anointed Saul of the tribe of Benjamin as king (1 Samuel 512). Further, the book of Kings tells about the reign of Saul. At first, Saul was obedient to God, but then he became proud and began to disregard the will of God. For this reason, Samuel, by God's direction, anointed the Bethlehem lad David from the tribe of Judah as king over Israel (1 Sam. 1316). At that time, the war between the Jews and the Philistines began, and young David, with God's help, defeated the Philistine giant Goliath (1 Samuel 17). Goliath's defeat brought the Jews victory over the Philistines and glory to David, which in turn aroused Saul's jealousy. After that, Saul pursued David for the rest of his days, trying to kill him (1 Sam. 1824). The First Book of Samuel ends with Saul's visit to the Sorceress of Endor, an unsuccessful war with the Philistines and the death of Saul (1 Samuel 2531). David recorded his sorrows because of the unjust persecution of Saul in his psalms.

The book of 2 Samuel tells about the forty-year reign of David. The first years of David's reign were very successful because God helped him in everything. David took away the Jebusite fortress of Jerusalem, making it his capital city. Here he moved the Ark of the Covenant and wanted to build the first temple instead of the portable tabernacle (tent temple). But the Lord through the prophet informed David that the temple would be built by his son (2 Samuel 110). The second half of David's reign was overshadowed by his fall into sin with the married Bathsheba and the subsequent family and state upheavals. In particular, much sorrow was brought to David by the rebellion of his son Absalom and the outbreak of internecine war (2 Sam. 1124). David bitterly lamented his sin of adultery in his penitential 50th Psalm. For a Christian, there are many instructive things in the life of King David: his deep faith in God, his unshakable hope for His help, compassion for the weak and offended, the ability to see his shortcomings, repent and correct them. The apostles speak of David with great respect. The Holy Fathers of the Church in their teachings often cited examples from the life of King David. His inspired psalms are an immortal monument of religious poetry and formed the basis of divine services. In the Second Book of Kings there is a prophecy about the eternal kingdom of the Messiah Christ. This prophecy was given to David through the prophet Nathan (cf. 2 Samuel 7:1216; cf. 2 Samuel 7:1216; cf. 2 Samuel 7:1216). Mf. 22, 42; Lux. 1, 3233).

The third book of Kings describes the reign of Solomon, whom God endowed with great wisdom for his faith and modesty. Solomon built a temple in Jerusalem, which in beauty and wealth surpassed all the palaces and pagan temples of his time. Under Solomon, Israel reached the height of its prosperity and glory (1 Kings 1:10). 111. However, heavy taxes and heavy construction work placed a heavy burden on the people and caused discontent. Solomon darkened his glory as a wise ruler by polygamy and the admission of pagan temples near Jerusalem. Dissatisfaction with Solomon led to the fact that after his death, under Rehoboam (1 Kings 1:10). 12), the kingdom of Israel was divided into two: the kingdom of Judah, with kings from the line of David and its capital in Jerusalem, and the kingdom of Israel, which had kings of various dynasties, with the capital city of Samaria (980 years B.C.).

After Rehoboam, the Third Book and the Second Book of Kings tell in parallel about events in the kingdoms of Judah and Israel: the deeds of the kings, the exploits of the prophets, wars and the religious state in these kingdoms. The kings of Israel, fearing that their subjects, visiting the Temple in Jerusalem, would wish to return under the scepter of the king of Judah, began to build pagan temples in various parts of Israel and incline the people to worship idols. Their policies contributed to the apostasy of the people of Israel from God. At this time of decline for religion, God sent Israel some remarkable prophets who delayed the process of spiritual decay. Among these messengers of God, two prophets Elijah and his disciple Elisha stand out in particular. The Prophet Elijah (900 B.C.) was one of the most ardent champions of the true faith and piety (1 Kings 1721). Grieving over the spiritual destruction of his people, Elijah was resolute and tough in punishing the wicked. Elijah was called to the prophetic ministry by God under the impious Israeli king Ahab. The bloodthirsty wife of Ahab, the daughter of the Sidonian priest Jezebel, killed many Jewish prophets and filled Israel with priests, servants of Baal. In order to bring Ahab and the people of Israel to their senses, Elijah struck the land with a three-year drought. He himself hid at the brook of Chorath, where a raven brought him food every day. When the stream dried up, Elijah moved to the widow of Zarephath, who, through the prayer of the prophet, did not run out of flour and oil in her vessels for two years. When the widow's only son died, Elijah raised him from the dead by prayer. At the end of a three-year drought, Elijah gathered the King, pagan priests, and the people of Israel to Mount Carmel. Here, through the prayer of Elijah, fire in the form of lightning fell from heaven and burned up the sacrifice made by Elijah and everything around it in front of everyone. Seeing such an amazing miracle, the people believed in God and immediately repented of idolatry with tears. The priests of Baal who came to the mountain were captured and destroyed. After that, the long-awaited rain fell, the hunger stopped. For his holy life and for his ardent love for God, the Prophet Elijah was taken alive to heaven in a fiery chariot.

The Second Book of Kings begins with an event that tells about the assumption of Elijah into heaven. The prophet Elisha was a disciple of Elijah and at the time of his ascension to heaven received his cloak and prophetic gift. Elisha labored for more than 65 years, under six Israelite kings (from Ahaz to Jehoash). He fearlessly spoke the truth to the impious kings, denouncing their impiety. He was deeply revered by the people of Israel, distinguished by strength of spirit, firm faith and perspicacity. By his time, the prophetic brotherhoods in the kingdom of Israel reached their highest development. His most glorious miracles include the resurrection of a young man, the transformation of the water of the Jericho spring from salt to fresh, and the healing of the Syrian commander Naaman from leprosy. In addition, with his sagacity and wise advice, the prophet Elisha brought victory to the kings of Israel many times. Elisha died in extreme old age in Samaria under King Joash (4 Kings 210). The Lord Jesus Christ mentioned the prophets Elijah and Elisha several times in His teachings. Every believer should get acquainted with their lives and deeds. Despite the efforts of the prophets Elijah, Elisha, and others, idolatry and vile pagan practices eventually undermined the spiritual foundation of the Israelite people. For the sin of apostasy, God allowed the destruction of the kingdom of Israel. After several defeats by the Assyrian forces in 722 BC. The kingdom of Israel fell (4 Kings 17). After that, many Israelites were resettled in Assyria, and some of the Assyrians were resettled in Israel. From the Israelites, who mixed with the Assyrians, the Samaritans were formed. The rest of the narrative of the Second Book of Kings focuses on the Kingdom of Judah. Of the kings of Judah, the pious Hezekiah should be mentioned. When Hezekiah ascended the throne after the death of his wicked father, he set out to bring the weakened Judah back to order. First of all, his eyes were fixed on the internal state of the country: religion had by that time weakened. Under the influence of their pagan neighbors, the Jews gradually began to forget the true God, and they began to erect altars to the pagan gods, sometimes next to the temple. Hezekiah went out boldly, destroying the temples of idols, cutting down pagan oak groves and everything that reminded the people of idols. By these measures he restored the true faith among the Jews. Of the events of his reign, the most remarkable is the miraculous defeat by an angel of the 185,000-strong Assyrian army, which besieged Jerusalem under the leadership of Sennacherib (2 Kings 18). Also instructive is the story of the miraculous healing of Hezekiah, who was to die, but was pardoned by God for his faith and good works. Hezekiah left behind a bright memory among the people on a par with the pious kings David and Josiah (2 Kings 2223). Under Hezekiah there lived the prophet Isaiah, one of the greatest prophets of all time. Being a deeply educated man and poet, the prophet Isaiah wrote a remarkable book, replete with predictions about the Messiah and his grace-filled Kingdom. Isaiah is called the Old Testament evangelist. King Hezekiah's successors encouraged idolatry. Under them, the prophets were persecuted and killed. For example, during the reign of Hezekiah's son, King Manasseh, the elderly prophet Isaiah was sawed with a wooden saw. The prophet Jeremiah also suffered much. The kingdom of Judah, like the kingdom of Israel, was filled with iniquity. Despite its alliance with the Egyptians, the kingdom of Judah finally fell after several defeats at the hands of the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar. The magnificent temple and the city of Jerusalem were razed to the ground. Many inhabitants were killed or taken captive to Babylon (586 B.C., see 2 Kings 1925). The Babylonian captivity lasted 70 years (beginning with the first captivity in 605 AD). B.C.). It ended in the third year after the conquest of the Babylonian Empire by the Persian king Cyrus (539 BC). Spiritual support for the Jewish captives was provided by the prophets Ezekiel and Daniel (see Ezekiel and Daniel). Table 1).

From the narratives of the Books of Kings, a general and immutable spiritual law clearly follows: faith in God and piety prolong the prosperity of the country, and impiety leads to inevitable destruction. Military force, skillful diplomacy, and other external advantages are only of secondary importance to the well-being of a country in the history of many nations.

The Book of Ezra

The book of Ezra tells about the events at the end of the Babylonian captivity. In the Hebrew Bible, there is only one book of Ezra, which is called "Ezra". In the Greek Bible of the Seventy Interpreters and in the Slavonic Bible there are two more "non-canonical" Books of Ezra, so there are three of them in total. The main content of the Book of Ezra is the return of the Jews from the Babylonian captivity. The first return of the Jews followed the decree of Cyrus in 536 under the leadership of Zerubbabel and the high priest Joshua. Then the restoration of the temple began. The second return of the Jews was led by Ezra under Artaxerxes Longiman. Ezra, the grandson of the high priest of Sarai, who had been killed by Nebuchadnezzar, was close to the court of the Persian king and was the tutor of Artaxerxes Longiman. In the 7th year of his reign (457 B.C.), Artaxerxes issued a decree according to which Ezra was allowed to return with willing Jews from Babylon to Jerusalem and there to engage in the restoration of the city and the religious enlightenment of the Jewish community. After 14 years of governing the people, Ezra transferred all power to Nehemiah, and he himself concentrated his activities on teaching the people the Law of God and on collecting the books of the Holy Scriptures into one codex. He founded the "Great Synagogue" society, with the help of which, under the leadership of the last prophets Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi, Ezra made a revision and correction of the Holy Scriptures, gathering them into one composition, and, thus, completed the compilation of the canon of the Old Testament books. The books written after Ezra were not included in the list of sacred books and are therefore called "non-canonical", although they are highly respected and are placed in many translations of the Bible. Most of these books after Ezra were written in the then common Greek language.

The Book of Nehemiah

Nehemiah came from the tribe of Judah and, probably, from a royal family. He held the high rank of cupbearer at the court of the Persian kings. In the 20th year of the reign of the Persian king Artaxerxes Longiman (465424 B.C.) in 446 B.C., Nehemiah learned from his compatriots who had come from Palestine about the deplorable state of Jerusalem. He persuaded the king, and he sent Nehemiah to his homeland as a ruler with extensive powers. Here he built a city and erected walls around it, despite the resistance of the Samaritans. Having built the city, settled it and consecrated the walls, Nehemiah together with Ezra began to enlighten the people and regulate their moral and social life: the Law of Moses was read, the Feast of Tabernacles was celebrated, the rich forgave the debts of the poor, and the people's covenant with God was renewed. After that, Nehemiah returned to Artaxerxes, but then he came back to Jerusalem and worked to eradicate various crimes among the people. Thus, for 30 years, until his death, Nehemiah worked for the benefit of the restoration of Jerusalem and the strengthening of faith among the people. Just as Nehemiah's work was a continuation of Ezra's, so the book of the former is a continuation of the book of the latter. Ezra describes the beginning of the restoration of Jerusalem, namely the temple and spiritual and moral enlightenment, and Nehemiah describes the construction of walls, the settlement and restoration of the city, and the civil structure on religious principles. The purpose of both books is to continue the history of the people of God and to show the ways of God's Providence by which the people were saved and prepared in anticipation of the promised Messiah. The decree of Artaxerxes, given to Nehemiah in 446 B.C., has a special significance, since it begins the calculation of Daniel's weeks regarding the coming of the Messiah (Dan. 9:2227). Being a historical monument of God's mercies to the chosen people, the book of Nehemiah has a highly instructive value. Nehemiah's self-sacrificing love for his country and people, for whose sake he, like Moses, neglected the luxurious life of the king's court, and his unselfish and tireless work for the welfare and glory of his country, are a high example to follow.

Book of Esther

The book got its name from the main character in it named Esther, which means "star". Due to her beauty, the Jewish orphan Hadassa became the wife of the Persian king Artarxerxes, receiving the name Esther. Esther was raised by her uncle Mordecai, who worked as a doorkeeper at the royal court. Mordecai had saved the life of a king whom the conspirators wanted to kill a few years earlier. Mordecai's merit was noted in Persian documents. Some time after Esther became queen, the king's all-powerful minister, the proud Haman, hating the Jews, decided to exterminate them within the Persian Empire. For this purpose, as if in the name of the king, he wrote a corresponding decree and began to look for an opportunity to give it to the king for signature. By God's providence, Mordecai learned of Haman's plan. Haman, confident in the success of his plot and hating Mordecai, hastened to prepare the gallows for him. But events did not go according to Haman's plan. At the feast, Esther boldly revealed his plot and that he was going to hang her uncle, to whom the king owed his life. Learning of Haman's willfulness, the enraged king destroyed the decree he had prepared and ordered Haman to be hanged on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai ("do not dig another pit yourself!"). In memory of the salvation of the Jews from Haman, the holiday of Purim (in Hebrew "lot") was established.

The Last Years Before the Savior