A retelling of the events of the Books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles, this could be considered a product of the revival of Jewish national consciousness. The Hebrews, finding it necessary to federalize their tribal union, chose Saul King, and his successors, David and Solomon, raised this nation to a status of some glory. Less well known is the sequel, the division into two kingdoms, and their long and contentious histories ending in conquest and captivity. Such colorful personalities as Ahab, Jezebel and Elijah, Athaliah, Isaiah and Jeremiah belong to this era. But Comay, the author of many books on Israel's past and present, does the public a dubious service with this easy-reading version. She has neither given her subject the grandeur of the original nor presented a really detailed modern analysis of the period when Judaism was still developing. Comay, in fact, adds very little to the Biblical accounts, and if she is less prejudiced and bloodthirsty than the chroniclers, she is also less inspired.