Verse 3. "Shalmaneser.'-This prince is called simply Shalman in Hos. x. 14. He was the successor of Tiglathpileser, and, according to Hales, his reign extended from 726 to 714 B.C. Besides the final subversion of the kingdom of Israel by this prince, as recorded in this chapter, Josephus preserves a passage from the archives of Tyre, from which it appears that the Assyrian king over-ran Phoenicia also, and received the submission of all the country except Tyre. The elder Tyre (Palæ-Tyrus), Sidon, Acre, and other towns, seem to have been glad of the opportunity of exchanging the yoke of their dominant neighbour for that of a foreign power; for they assisted the Assyrian with a fleet of sixty ships, which the Tyrians defeated with only twelve ships. Upon this, Shalmaneser advanced to Tyre and kept it in a state of blockade for five years, when his death occasioned the undertaking to be discontinued. This is very similar to what happened on other occasions, as Heeren remarks. While the Phoenician states under the control of Tyre readily submitted to foreign invaders, the free and sovereign Tyre herself offered a vigorous and powerful opposition to the most famous conquerors -Alexander himself not excepted. [APPENDIX, No. 46.] 4. So king of Egypt.'-This So-the Sabaco of profane authors, the Sabakoph of the monuments-was an Ethiopian who ruled in Egypt, and whose right to the crown may have been (at least in part) derived from marriage, although Herodotus represents him as solely an intrusive conqueror. He reigned fifty years, when, being warned by an oracle, he resigned his dominion and withdrew to his own country. His name occurs at Abydos, and the respect paid to his memory by his successors may be held to imply that his dominion was not regarded as a wrongful usurpation. Hales conjectures that the true cause of his leaving Egypt may have been the apprehension of an Assyrian war, which he had perhaps in the first instance sought to avert, by prompting the king of Israel to rebel against Shalmaneser. [APPENDIX, No. 47.]

17. And they caused their sons and daughters to pass through the fire, and used divination and enchantments.— It is disputed whether by causing children to pass through the fire,' —an idolatrous act so often mentioned in Scripture-a human sacrifice or only a dangerous ceremony is indicated. We long inclined to the opinion that an actual immolation by fire to a sanguinary idol was intended: but on carefully reconsidering the matter, we are more

to them, nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them:

36 But the LORD, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt with great power and a stretched out arm, him shall ye fear, and him shall ye worship, and to him shall ye do sacrifice.

37 And the statutes, and the ordinances, and the law, and the commandment, which he wrote for you, ye shall observe to do for evermore; and ye shall not fear other gods.

38 And the covenant that I have made with you ye shall not forget; neither shall ye fear other gods.

39 But the LORD your God ye shall fear; and he shall deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies.

40 Howbeit they did not hearken, but they did after their former manner.

41 So these nations feared the LORD, and served their graven images, both their children, and their children's children: as did their fathers, so do they unto this day.

disposed to adopt the other alternative, which supposes the act to be ceremonial. The chief reasons for this conclusion are that passing through' is an action of life, not of death; and that there are numerous traces of such an action, as a ceremony, among various idolatrous nations of ancient and modern times. It will be observed that this passing through the fire was in honour of Moloch; and to this rite of this 'grim idol' the Rabbi David D'Beth Hillel thinks he sees an analogy in a remarkable ceremony which he witnessed at Madras, in 1832.* In the Choolay bazaar is a pagoda called Damarajah, nigh the gate of which was put a heap of wood at 5 o'clock, P.M.; they set fire to this and burned it till past 6 o'clock, till it became charcoal; after which they spread the charcoal over the ground to about ten cubits length and five broad. They do not allow any one to take a single charcoal; when one had taken a small charcoal to burn his cheroot, they cried with him aloud until he was obliged to return it before burning his cheroot. During the time of the burning of the fire, people were riding on an elephant, and on a camel covered with red cloth, and standing nigh the fire; then different kinds of images passed around the fire. About half-past six they brought out two images, one of a woman and the other of a swan, decorated with different flowers, and they surrounded the fire-place with music and firing of guns, and then they went away. About a quarter of an hour after they returned back again with about fifty people, mostly naked and barefoot, and their bodies yellow marked, and they walked around the fire circle three times, and after that they walked barefoot above the fire. I was astonished at this work, but could not stay longer to see the end of it, owing to the multitude of people, who cared not for anybody. I remained nearly deprived of breath from their pushing me. I went home, and on the next day I sent for one of the Pooshalies or priests of this pagoda, and inquired concerning this conduct, and the origin of it. He said to me that its origin had emanated from one woman whom they call Nullahılanga-deva, the wife of Shago-deva, which was one of the hundred kings.

*The illustration is from a book printed at Madras, and very scarce in England, entitled, The Travels of the Rabbi D' Beth Hillel, from Jerusalem through Arabia, Koordistan, part of Persia and India, to Madras.

After her said husband died she burnt herself, as he said, along with his dead body, and further added, that who believes in her and passes the fire never will be burnt, but that he will be saved from all sickness and disasters, and all his sins be forgiven. I said to them, they do not pass through the fire, but only above the charcoal, which does not harm so much. He said, no; but that very likely I had come rather too late. I said, no; but that I came before they commenced burning the wood, and stood there until they passed over the charcoal. He said, very likely I could not see. I understood his meaning: he spoke honourably, but his meaning was that I was an unbeliever in these things, therefore I could not see into their truth. Also he told me that the two images which they caused to go round the fire, viz., of this woman and of the swan which she rode upon towards the fire, were to be burnt. I again said to him, that according to this rule or story this festival ought to be called after her name, why then do you call it after the name of Damarajah? He answered, that she presented the title to Damarajah, who was many years after her, and he being a very righteous and just king, ascended alive to heaven in a chariot of fire, where she presented him with this title.' This Hindoo custom is mentioned by other writers. Sonnerat adds the fact that the votaries often pass through the fire with their children in their arms.'

An analogous custom is also found in America. In some ancient hieroglyphical paintings,' writes Humboldt (Researches, i. 183), we trace the ceremonies practised on the birth of a child; the midwife invoking the gods who reside in the abodes of the blest, sprinkled water on the forehead and breast of the new-born infant, and after pronouncing different prayers, in which water was considered as the symbol of the purification of the soul, the midwife bade the children draw near who had been invited to give the child a name. In some provinces a fire was lighted at the same time, and the infant was seemingly made to pass through the flame, and undergo the double purification of fire and water. This ceremony reminds us of usages which in Asia appear to be lost in the darkness of the remotest ages.'

In our own country it appears to have been usual among the Druids to light up large fires upon May eve on the tops of the cairus, in honour of the sun. Two such fires were also kindled on May day in every village, and between them all the victims, human and animal, destined for sacrifice were compelled to pass. We find a marked allusion to part of this practice in the Godo-din of Aneurin, a Northumbrian Briton who lived in the sixth century, and which is translated in Davis's Mythology and Rites of the British Druids:-'In the festival of May they celebrated the praise of the holy ones in the presence of the purifying fire, which was made to ascend on high. On the Tuesday they wore their dark garments; on the Wednesday they purified their fair attire; on the Thursday they truly performed their due rites; on the Friday the victims were conducted round the circle; on the Saturday their united exertions were displayed without the circular dance; on the Sunday the men with red blades were conducted round the circle; on the Monday was seen the deluge of gore up to the belt.'

24. Cuthah. This seems to be only the Chaldee name for Cush,' which, in its original application, appears to have referred to the tract of country better known as Susiana, and now as Khusistan. This country, anciently famous for its fertility, but now for the most part a desert, extends inland from the eastern bank of the Tigris in the lower part of its course, and from the stream formed by the confluence of that river with the Euphrates. Geographically, it was part of Persia, though bordering on Assyria Proper; but it certainly formed a part of the Assyrian dominion. Josephus agrees that Cuthah was in Persia; and although nothing very positive can be stated, there does not seem any greater probability than that which Khusistan offers. This province is now shared between the Arabs and Persians, the former possessing that portion which is washed by the Tigris, and the latter

having authority over the south-eastern portion, which is fronted by the united Tigris and Euphrates and by the upper end of the Persian Gulf. But even the Persian part of Khusistan is chiefly in the occupation of Arabian and Persian tribes, which acknowledge little, if any, submission to the Persian governors. The Jews applied the denomination Cuthites,' as a general term, to all the new settlers.

Ava.'-The general identity of name, as noticed in the preceding note, would seem to strengthen the statement of Josephus, that the five names merely describe different tribes of Cuthites, and in this view, the names may be conceived to be those of the principal towns denominating the particular districts from which they came. If so, we should be very much inclined to suspect that Ava is to be sought at Ahwaz, the only probable place of similar name in Khusistan. This town is situated upon the river Karun, which discharges its waters into the head of the Persian Gulf; and agrees very well with the position which Sanson, without any apparent knowledge of Ahwaz, assigns to Ava. It was a famous city, described as one of the largest in the world, in the time of the caliphs of Baghdad, and appears to have occupied the site of a more ancient city. Its extensive ruins still attest its ancient importance. It is noticed in Kinneir's Geographical Memoir of the Persian Empire, and, more completely, in a memoir printed in an appendix to Captain Miguan's Travels in Chaldæa, and also in the second volume of the Royal Asiatic Society's Transactions.

'Hamath.'-This is thought to denote the Syrian territory on the Orontes, the capital of which, of the same name, has been noticed under Num. xiii. It is supposed that Shalmaneser, having conquered this country, removed some of its inhabitants to Palestine. There is nothing but the name to sanction this conclusion; and we should rather think that some place in Assyria or Khusistan may have been intended.

Sepharvaim.'-Calmet thinks that these are the Saspires, mentioned by Herodotus as dwelling between Armenia and Colchis; and who, according to Major Rennell, would, in modern geography, occupy eastern Armenia. These are probably not different from the Sarapanes whom Strabo places in Armenia. We much rather incline to the opinion that the name is to be sought in that of Siphara, a city on the Euphrates, above Babylon, at that part where that river makes the nearest approach to the Tigris, and consequently to Assyria Proper. The probabilities for this seem to us incomparably the strongest, and chiefly on account of its proximity to Khusistan and Assyria. If the Samaritans were assembled from such different and remote countries as some expositors suppose, they must have spoken different languages: and as no notice is ever taken, either in the Scripture or elsewhere, of a diversity of tongues among them, this may be regarded as strengthening the probability that the different sections of the Samaritan colony all proceeded from the same region.

26. Therefore he hath sent lions among them.'-That they for this reason felt it necessary to worship the God of the land,' led some of the Rabbins to characterize the Cuthites as 'proselytes of lions.' The whole transaction strikingly illustrates the prevalent notions of ancient idolatry. They believed that each land and people had its tutelary god, and, conceiving Jehovah himself to be such a god, they had no hesitation in admitting that their punishment came from him, for neglecting his worship in the country over which he presided. We may here restate a remark we made on a former occasion, that no ancient people denied the God whom the Jews worshipped to be a true God; but they disputed that he was the only God-and alone entitled to the worship of mankind. The Samaritans either were not acquainted with this claim, or did not submit to it; but they had no reluctance to admit the God of Israel to a wretched and unholy partnership with the gods they had been accustomed to honour. In the course of time, their worship of the only true God became more pure and simple: but they always re

369

Nergal, The Rabbinical commentators believe that this idol was in the form of a cock, founding their not very happy conjecture apparently upon the fact, that in the Talmud the similar word in tarnegol, means a cock. The more measured researches of Norberg, Gesenius, and other inquirers into the astrolatry of the Assyrians and Chaldeans, lead to the conclusion that Nergal was the Zabian name of the planet Mars. This name of the planet, both among the Zabians and Arabians, means ill-luck, misfortune: and it was by no means peculiar to the mythology of the West to make it the symbol of bloodshed and war. Among the people first named, the planet Mars was typified under the figure of a man holding in one hand a drawn sword, and in the other a human head just cut off; and his garments were also red, which, as well as the other ideas attached to this idol, were no doubt founded on the reddish hue which the body of the planet presents to the eye. Among the southern Arabs his temple was painted red, and they offered to him garments stained with blood, and also a warrior (probably a prisoner) who was cast into a pool. Some would rather derive the name from the Sanscrit Nrigal, Man-devourer,' spoken of a fierce warrior, and corresponding to Merodach. [APPENDIX, No. 48.]

Ashima.'-The Jerusalem Talmud says that this idol was worshipped under the similitude of a lamb, but the higher authority of the Babylon Talmud, indicating or following the general current of Rabbinical opinion, makes it to have been an idol represented in the form of a goat without hair. This interpretation, which seems to be regarded as the most probable, is founded upon the fact, that the Samaritan version uses a similar word to this as equivalent to the species of goat named in the Hebrew of Deut. xiv. 5, under the name of akko (see the note there); and from the further consideration that the word as it stands may be referred to a root which sometimes occurs in the sense to be laid waste or bare, whence bare or bald, which joined to the other make a bald or bare goat. This is the way the interpretation has been obtained, and it is not more fanciful than many others of the same description.

31. Nibhaz.-The Jewish interpreters, knowing nothing of this idol, have, as usual, grounded their conclusions upon the possible signification of the name. Deriving

nabach,

the word in nibhaz, or rather nibchaz from ♬ 'to bark,' they have assigned to it the figure of a dog. Gesenius rejects this, on the ground that there is no trace of dog-worship in ancient Syria. But to this we must demur, remembering the ancient account of the image of a large dog at the mouth of the river to this day called Nahr elKelb or Dog-river (ancient Lycus), which, it was believed, used to bark at the season when the dog-star by its heliacal appearance gave certain notice that the sun had attained the greatest elevation and that the Nile was about to overflow. This allusion to the Nile seems to point to Egypt as the source of this worship. We, however, do not believe the Avites to have been a Syrian people, and therefore this is rather an illustrative word or correction than an explanation directly applicable to Nibhaz. In the Zabian books the corresponding name indicates an evil demon who sits upon a throne on the earth while his feet rest upon the bottom of Tartarus: but it is doubtful whether he might be identified with the Nibhaz of the Avites.

scholars have been able to make nothing further than that in Pehlevi Tarthakh may mean 'deep darkness,' or 'hero of darkness.' Gesenius in his Der Prophet Jesaia thinks that under this name some malign planet (Saturn or Mars) was worshipped, but our information respecting the Assyrian superstitions is too meagre to enable us to identify this idol with certainty.

1

'Adrammelech.'-We know nothing more of this idol than this text states. It is manifest that the last member of the name melech (king) is Semitic, whence it is argued that the first member is Semitic also, in which case the whole means 'the magnificence of the king.' But some contend that, although the melech is Semitic, the first member of the name is Assyrian, and that the word means 'king of the fire'. Selden and others have identified him with Moloch, on the ground that the general signification of the name and the offering of children by fire is the same in both. It may be so without interference with the conclusion founded on the apparently astrological character of the Assyrian idolatry that this idol represented one of the heavenly bodies; and the general conclusion seems to be that it was either the planet Saturn or the sun. The form which the Talmud assigns to Adrammelech is that of a mule; but Kimchi affirms that he was worshipped under that of a peacock.

'Anammelech.'-Selden and some others think this only another name for Adrammelech, but the mass of learned opinion distinguishes them from each other. The signification of the name is still more uncertain than that of Adrammelech, nor have we any clearer apprehension respecting the object of worship and the form under which it was exhibited. The Talmud alleges that the idol bore the figure of a hare, but Kimchi says that it had the shape of a pheasant or quail.

CHAPTER XVIII.

1 Hezekiah's good reign. 4 He destroyeth idolatry, and prospereth. 9 Samaria is carried captive for their sins. 13 Sennacherib invading Judah is pacified by a tribute. 17 Rab-shakeh, sent by Sennacherib again, revileth Hezekiah, and by blasphemous persuasions soliciteth the people to revolt. Now it came to pass in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that 'Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign.

2 Twenty and five years old was he when

he began to reign; and he reigned twenty and in Jerusalem. His mother's name nine years in Jerusalem. also was Abi, the daughter of Zachariah. 3 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father did.

4 He removed the high places, and brake the 'images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the 'brasen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan.

2 Heb. statues.

3 Num. 21. 9.

5 He trusted in the LORD God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him.

6 For he clave to the LORD, and departed not from following him, but kept his commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses.

7 And the LORD was with him; and he prospered whithersoever he went forth: and he rebelled against the king of Assyria, and served him not.

8 He smote the Philistines, even unto 'Gaza, and the borders thereof, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city.

9 ¶ And it came to pass in the fourth year of king Hezekiah, which was the seventh year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against Samaria, and besieged it.

10 And at the end of three years they took it even in the sixth year of Hezekiah, that is the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel, Samaria was taken.

11 And the king of Assyria did carry away Israel unto Assyria, and put them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes:

12 Because they obeyed not the voice of the LORD their God, but transgressed his covenant, and all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded, and would not hear them, nor do them.

13¶ Now in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah did 'Sennacherib king of Assyria come up against all the fenced cities of Judah, and took them.

14 And Hezekiah king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria to Lachish, saying, I have offended; return from me: that which thou puttest on me will I bear. And the king of Assyria appointed unto Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold.

15 And Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the house of the LORD, and in the treasures of the king's house.

16 At that time did Hezekiah cut off the gold from the doors of the temple of the LORD, and from the pillars which Hezekiah king of Judah had overlaid, and gave it to the king of Assyria.

17 And the king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rabsaris and Rab-shakeh from Lachish to king Hezekiah with a "great host against

Jerusalem. And they went up and came to Jerusalem. And when they were come up, they came and stood by the conduit of the upper pool, which is in the highway of the fuller's field.

18 And when they had called to the king, there came out to them Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, which was over the houshold, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder.

19 And Rab-shakeh said unto them, Speak ye now to Hezekiah, Thus saith the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this wherein thou trustest?

15

13

20 Thou sayest, (but they are but "vain words,) I have counsel and strength for the Now on whom dost thou trust, that thou rebellest against me?

war.

16

21 Now, behold, thou trustest upon the staff of this bruised reed, even upon Egypt, on which if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt unto all that trust on him.

22 But if ye say unto me, We trust in the LORD our God: is not that he, whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah hath taken away, and hath said to Judah and Jerusalem, Ye shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem?

17.

23 Now therefore, I pray thee, give pledges to my lord the king of Assyria, and I will deliver thee two thousand horses, if thou be able on thy part to set riders upon them.

24 How then wilt thou turn away the face of one captain of the least of my master's servants, and put thy trust on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen ?

25 Am I now come up without the LORD against this place to destroy it? The LORD said to me, Go up against this land, and destroy it.

26 Then said Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, and Shebna, and Joah, unto Rab-shakeh, Speak, I pray thee, to thy servants in the Syrian language; for we understand it: and talk not with us in the Jews' language in the ears of the people that are on the wall.

27 But Rab-shakeh said unto them, Hath my master sent me to thy master, and to thee, to speak these words? hath he not sent me to the men which sit on the wall, that they may eat their own dung, and drink their own piss with you?

18

28 Then Rab-shakeh stood and cried with

82 Chron. 32. 1. Isa. 36. 1. Ecclus. 48. 18. 13 Or, talkest. 14 Heb. word of the lips. 18 Heb. the water of their feet!

7 Chap. 17. 6. 12 Or, secretary; 17 Or, hostages.

a loud voice in the Jews' language, and spake, saying, Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria:

29 Thus saith the king, Let not Hezekiah deceive you: for he shall not be able to deliver you out of his hand :

30 Neither let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD, saying, The LORD will surely deliver us, and this city shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria.

31 Hearken not to Hezekiah: for thus saith the king of Assyria, 1920Make an agreement with me by a present, and come out to me, and then eat ye every man of his own vine, and every one of his fig tree, and drink ye every one the waters of his "cistern:

32 Until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of corn and wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of oil olive and of honey, that ye may live, and not die and hearken not unto Hezekiah,

19 Or, Seek my favour.

when he "persuadeth you, saying, The LORD will deliver us.

33 Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered at all his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria?

34 Where are the gods of Hamath, and of Arpad? where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivah? have they delivered Samaria out of mine hand?

35 Who are they among all the gods of the countries, that have delivered their country out of mine hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem out of mine hand?

36 But the people held their peace, and answered him not a word: for the king's commandment was, saying, Answer him not.

37 Then came Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, which was over the houshold, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder, to Hezekiah with their clothes rent, and told him the words of Rab-shakeh. 21 Or, pit.

22 Or, deceiveth.

CHAP. Xviii. The greater part of this history is also found, with some variation and with very large additions, in 2 Chron. xxix., xxxii., and Isaiah xxxvi. In this and other instances, the parallel in Isaiah agrees more exactly with the history as given in Kings than as in Chronicles. In fact, the historical chapters in Isaiah, and we may add in Jeremiah, are almost identical, in every respect, with the corresponding passages in 2 Kings; whereas, in 2 Chronicles, the same facts are related in a different form of words and with varied details, with also further particulars not contained either in 2 Kings or in the Prophets. These also contain some passages which are not to be found in Chronicles. Having thus apprised the reader that the parallelism between this book and Isaiah commences with this chapter, while that with 2 Chron. still continues, we shall, in what remains of 2 Kings, give our more particular, but not exclusive, attention to the facts which are nowhere else repeated. [On 13, 14, see APPENDIX, No. 49.] Verse 4. Brake in pieces the brazen serpent.'-This was a bold and healthy measure. Some kings, however bent on the extirpation of idolatry, would have hesitated at the destruction of that which was certainly in itself an interesting memorial of the remarkable transaction with

SERPENT WORSHIP.-From a Painting at Pompeii.

which it had been associated. But when it had become a temptation and a snare to a loose-minded people, the king saw that the well-being of the nation required its destruction. We may wonder how it happened that the Hebrews could fall into such absurdity as the worship of a brazen serpent. But our surprise will be diminished on reflecting that serpent-worship, under some form or other, was one of the most diffused idolatries of the ancient world. We may refer to the general considerations on animal-worship which have been stated in the note (Deut. iv.) on the gods of Egypt; and the reference is particularly appropriate, as the ancient nations of eastern Europe and western Asia confessedly derived the practice of serpent-worship, and the ideas connected with it, from that country. In fact, the serpent makes a very conspicuous appearance in the animal-worship of Egypt, where not only was its figure displayed in various idolatrous combinations, but the living animal itself was honoured, as it is at this day, in the temples of India. In Egypt, the cerastes, or horned snake, was sacred to Ammon, and was interred after death in his temple. This serpent was harmless. Another, more commonly represented in Egyptian sculptures, and that which appears as a crowning figure in the images of kings and gods, was the venomous naia haj, which was regarded as an emblem of Cueph, the good deity; and it is remarkable, that, under all the various modifications of serpent-worship, the serpent was made the deified symbol of something good and beneficent, It symbolized the good genius' also among the Greeks and Romans, and their worship of the healing power (Esculapius), under the same figure, was but a part of the same general idea. It would be curious, but perhaps not in this place profitable, to inquire how arose this regard to an animal which the Scripture certainly does not mention worthily, but seems rather to associate with the Wicked One, and with the ruin which his machinations occasioned. Was it that the good of idolatry was the evil of Scripture? It may be, however, that the serpent was thus chosen as the most fitting emblem of that system which endowed the universe and all its parts-the greatest and the least-with an intelligent and living soul; and its emblematic fitness as a type of nature, thus imagined, may perhaps be found in the peculiarities of its organization. Its remarkable longevity-its peculiar