9.  As to the character of these original documents, it is plain that a portion of them were written by prophets.  By some the books of the kings of Israel and Judah so often referred to, have been regarded as simply the public annals of the two kingdoms written by the official annalists, the “scribes” or “recorders” so often spoken of.  No doubt such annals existed, and entered largely into the documents in question.  But the right interpretation of 2 Chron. 20:34, shows that, in some cases at least, the writings of prophets were incorporated into these annals.  The extended history of Elijah and Elisha cannot have been the work of the public scribes of the kingdom of Israel, but of prophets, writing from the prophetic point of view.  The question, however, is not one of practical importance, since, whatever may have been the source or character of the materials employed, the writers of the books now under consideration, used them at their discretion under the guidance of the Spirit of God.  To us, therefore, they come with the weight of prophetic authority.  The further consideration of the relation between the books of Kings and Chronicles is reserved for the special introductions to these books.  It may be added here that the probable date of the former is the first half of the Babylonish captivity; of the latter, the time of Ezra under the Persian rule.

10.  The books of Ezra and Nehemiah constitute a continuation of the books of Chronicles, and need not be particularly noticed in the present connection.  For their authorship and date, as also for the book of Esther, see the particular introductions to these books.

III.  THE PROPHETICAL BOOKS.

11.  Under the prophetical books, in the stricter sense of the word, may be included the three Greater prophets—­Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel—­Daniel (though largely historical), and the twelve Minor prophets.  These will all come up hereafter for separate consideration.  At present we view them simply with reference to the growth of the Old Testament Canon.  From the settlement of the Israelities in the land of Canaan to the time of Samuel, a period of several centuries (according to the chronology followed by the apostle Paul, Acts 13:20, four hundred and fifty years), we read of several appearances of the “angel of the Lord.”  Judges 2:1; 6:11; 13:3.  The notices of prophets during the same period are only three in number.  Judges 4:4; 6:8; 1 Sam. 2:27.  But with Samuel began a new era.  He was himself one of the greatest of the prophets, and he established a school of the prophets over which he himself presided. 1 Sam. 10:5, 10; 19:20.  From his day onward such schools seem to have flourished as a theocratic institution throughout the whole period of the kings, though more vigorously at certain times. 1 Kings 18:4; 20:35; 2 Kings 2:3, 5; 4:1, 38, 43; 5:22; 6:1; 9:1.  So far as we have notices of these schools, they were under the