where he communed with God on Mount Sinai, even like Moses. Only once
more did he appear again to Ahab, and that was to rebuke him for having
permitted the murder of a poor subject whose property he had coveted,
and to foretell the horrors in which his line should end.

Ahab was not wholly hardened, and often had gleams of good which brought
favour upon him. A new enemy had risen up since the Canaanites had been
destroyed, and the Philistines repressed, by David; namely, the Syrians,
a powerful nation, whose capital was at Damascus, a city which is said
to be a perfect paradise, so delicious is the climate, and so lovely
the two rivers, one making the circuit of the walls, the other flowing
through the middle of the town. These Syrians were appointed to bring
punishment upon Samaria; but at first, two great victories were
vouchsafed to Ahab, because Benhadad, King of Syria, fancied that
the Israelites only won because their gods were gods of the hills.
Afterwards, when Ahab went out to recover Ramoth Gilead, wilfully
trusting to lying prophets, and silencing the true one, not all his
disguise could avail to protect him; he was slain in the battle; and
when his chariot was washed, the dogs licked his blood, as they had
licked that of his victim Naboth.

Ahaziah, his son, soon died of a fall from the top of his palace, and
the next brother Jehoram reigned, trying to make an agreement between
the worship of God and of Baal. It was now that Elijah was taken away
into Heaven by a whirlwind, leaving behind him Elisha to carry on his
mission of prophecy and to execute the will of the Lord. It was Elisha
who sent a messenger to anoint Jehu, the warrior who performed the
vengeance of the Lord upon the House of Ahab. In the year 884 Jehoram
was slain in his chariot; Jezebel, thrown out of window by her own
slaves, perished miserably among the ravenous flocks of street dogs; and