THE NATIONS OF THE SOUTH-EAST Israel was cut in two by the Jordan.

The districts east of the Jordan were those that had first been conquered; it was from thence that the followers of Joshua had gone forth to possess themselves of Canaan.

But this division of the territory was a source of weakness.

The interests of the tribes on the two sides of the river were never quite the same; at times indeed they were violently antagonistic.

When the disruption of the monarchy came after the death of Solomon, Judah was the stronger for the fact that the eastern tribes followed those of the north.