CHAPTER X. In Judah-HEZEKIAH reigned 29 years. B.C. 722 to 694. 2 KINGS XVIII., XIX., XX. 2 CHRON. XXXII. COTEMPORARY PROPHETS-ISAIAH, MICAH, and COTEMPORARY EVENTS. 717. The extinction of the kingdom of Israel. 714. Numa succeeded Romulus at Rome. 712. Berodach-baladan, or Merodach-baladan, king of Babylon. 710. Croto'na founded. 708. Esar-haddon, or Assur-haddon, succeeds Sennacherib in Assyria. 705. Tirhakah, the Ethiopian, king of Egypt. of Judah. The state While the kingdom of Israel was thus utterly destroyed, and its people scattered in foreign lands, Judah began to recover from the evils brought upon it by the wicked Ahaz. King of Judah at the time. Hezekiah, the son of Ahaz, was its king; and had enjoyed the crown for six years when Samaria was destroyed. Hezekiah's character. "Like unto him was there no king before or after him that turned to the Lord with all his heart, with all his soul, and with all his might." His piety, how manifested. He purified the temple, restored the altar and sacred vessels, reformed the priesthood, revived the worship of Jehovah, and utterly extirpated idolatry throughout his whole dominion. Amongst other things he broke in pieces the brazen serpent made by Moses; because the people burnt incense to it, and it had become an object of serpent-worship. blessed him. How God His great zeal and true piety so endeared him to the Almighty, that the kingdom prospered, and his enemies could not stand before him. Hezekiah's First. The Philistines were re successes. pulsed and restrained within their proper limit; Next. The cities dismembered from Judah were recovered; and Thirdly, The Assyrian yoke imposed upon Judah by Ahaz was shaken off. sented this. How Assyria re- Sennacherib, the son of Shalmane'ser, greatly exasperated against the king for refusing to pay the tribute, marched with a powerful army against him. (B.c. 709.) The effect produced. Hezekiah was alarmed; and being unprepared to resist so powerful a foe, purchased peace with a large sum of money. How it was To furnish the needful sum, he obtained. was obliged to despoil the temple of its treasures. What fol. lowed. Sennach'erib took the money, but scandalously evaded the articles he had agreed to. How Sennacherib broke the treaty. Being resolved to push his way into Egypt, he first reduced the fortified towns of Judah which lay in his route; having done which, he thought it would not be safe to leave Jerusalem in its strength. ceeded. How he pro- He accordingly sent three of his generals to besiege it, and wrote a letter to Hezeki'ah demanding its immediate surrender. Why he went not himself. He could not go himself, because the king of Ethio'pia was marching with a large army to invade Assyria, and he wished to intercept him. kiah did. What Heze- Hezekiah was greatly distressed, and went to the temple to lay the case before God in prayer. God hears his prayer. God heard him, and sent Isaiah to assure him that Jerusalem should be protected and his enemies destroyed. What occurred. The same night "the angel of the Lord" passed through the Assyrian camp, and smote every man to the amount of 185,000. (B.c. 708.) This "angel of the Lord" was probably a hot wind; hence Isaiah calls it a "blast" (xxvii. 7), and Jeremiah "a destroying wind." It is well known that the Simoon is most fatal to all who are exposed to it, and if it happen to pass over persons asleep who cannot guard against it, there is little chance of their escaping its suffocating influence. Sennacherib murdered. When Sennach'erib heard of this terrible judgment, he hastened back to Assyria, laid his complaint against Nisroch, his god; and was murdered by two of his own sons. king Hezekiah. What next befel Soon after the destruction of Sennacherib's army, Hezeki ah fell sick, and the prophet Isaiah told him to "set his house in order, for he should surely die." (B.c. 708.) Effect this threat produced. The pious king prayed earnestly that his life might be spared to complete the work which he had begun. God heard his prayer, and sent Isaiah to tell him his life should be prolonged for 15 years. Result of his prayer. The promise is confirmed. The prophet confirmed his message by the following sign: The shadow of the royal sun-dial went backward 10 degrees, "by which it had gone down." The sun-dial of king Ahaz, the father of Hezekiah, is the first on record. Of course it was by miraculous interposition that the shadow made by the gnomon of a sun-dial should go in a way contrary to the sun, and though it seems a very |