enemies. Their prophecies were thus of a higher order than those which had gone before; and the period of their ministry may be viewed as one of transition from the instructions and institutes of Moses and Samuel to the teaching and revelation of the Gospel, and to the setting up of that spiritual kingdom which they so emphatically announced while they spake of the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow.

To these times (if not, as some think, a little earlier, during the reign of Joash in Judah) we may probably refer the prophecies of Joel (Jehovah is God), the earliest* of those prophets whose writings have come down to us in the form of a separate canonical Book. Joel called the people to repentance, denouncing the Divine judgments upon transgression, but proclaiming favour to the penitent, and (in the true spirit of germinating prophecy) speaking of temporal restoration and prosperity in terms which point to still greater blessings in the future kingdom of Messiah. He also declared the calamities which were about to come upon the enemies of God's people— namely, the Phoenicians and Philistines, the Egyptians and Edomites.

Jonah and Hosea prophesied in Israel during the reign of Jeroboam II. The mission of Jonah (a dove) is assigned by some to a period during the first thirty years of Jeroboam's reign; but the date cannot be precisely ascertained. This prophet predicted the successes and conquests of Israel; and was sent to summon the Ninevitest to repentance. The prophecy of Hosea (save), delivered perhaps towards the latter end of Jeroboam's reign, relates chiefly, but not exclusively, to the affairs of Israel. Hosea describes the idolatry and corruptions prevalent among the Israelites, and declares their punishment; but at the same time declares their subsequent forgiveness. His prophecies abound with reproofs, exhortations, promises, and messages of mercy. About the same time, Amos (of uncertain meaning; perhaps, a burden), a herdsman of Tekoah in Judah, during the reign of Uzziah, denounced severe judgments against the oppressors of Israel; and also against Israel and Judah themselves, on account of their transgressions: declaring to the latter the purifying effect of God's chastisements, and conveying promises of mercy and manifold blessings to be received by the people upon their reformation-pointing to still

* [The more general opinion is that Jonah was the earliest of the prophets.] + The greatness of Nineveh (Jonah iii. 3) is recorded by Diodor. Sic. ii. 3. Joppa is mentioned as a seaport of the Jews, by Strabo, xvi. 2; and is spoken of as a place of great antiquity by Pomponius Mela, i. 11. It was here, according to ancient writers, that Andromeda was chained to a rock, and was rescued from a great sea-monster by Perseus.

better things to come. We have already stated (p. 272) that Isaiah began to prophesy in Judah at the end of the reign of Uzziah.

ELEMENTARY AND GENERAL QUESTIONS.

724. By whom was Joash succeeded on the throne of Judah? 725. What was the general character of Amaziah's reign?

726. Give the particulars of his expedition against the Edomites. 727. Relate his war with Israel, and its results.

728. Describe the circumstances of his death.

729. How long did Amaziah reign? Who succeeded him?

730. What was the character of the greater part of Uzziah's reign?

731. Relate the events of that period, foreign and domestic.

732. Into what sin did Uzziah afterwards fall, and how was he punished?

733. What prophet began his ministry in the latter part of Uzziah's reign? 734. How long did Uzziah reign ?

735. Who succeeded Jehoahaz on the throne of Israel?

736. By whom was Jehoash encouraged with the promise of success against the Damascene Syrians?

737. How many victories over the enemy did Jehoash obtain? Why no more? With what result?

738. What miracle was wrought at the sepulchre of Elisha?

739. By whom was Jehoash succeeded?

740. What was the general character of the reign of Jeroboam II. ?

741. By what successes was this reign distinguished?

742. How long did Jeroboam II. reign? What state of things in Israel followed his death?

743. Who was the next king of Israel, being the last of the house of Jehu?

744. Relate the death of Zachariah, and of Shallum.

745. Who was Menahem ?

746. Explain the circumstances attending the tributary subjection of Menahem to Pul, king of Assyria.

747. How did Menahem raise the money which he had to pay to Pul?

748. How long did Menahem reign over Israel? By whom was he succeeded? 749. How long did Pekahiah reign? What was the manner of his death? By whom was he succeeded?

750. Relate the circumstances of the mission of Jonah to Nineveh.

ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.

751. Who is the first king of Assyria mentioned in Scripture ?

752. When did Joel prophesy?

753. During whose reign did Jonah and Hosea prophesy in Israel? 754. What is the substance of Hosea's prophecies ?

755. When and where did Amos prophesy? What is the substance of his prophecies? 756. Date the following events. In Judah, accession of Amaziah-death of Amaziah, and accession of Uzziah (or Azariah)-death of Uzziah. In Israel, accession of Jehoash-death of Jehoash, and accession of Jeroboam II.-death of Jeroboam II.-the interregnum which followedaccession of Zachariah-death of Zachariah, and of Shallum-accession of Menahem-death of Menahem, and accession of Pekahiah-death of Pekahiah, and accession of Pekah.

757. Give the meanings of-Amaziah, Uzziah (Azariah)—Jehoash, Jeroboam, Zachariah, Shallum, Menahem, Pekahiah-Joel, Jonah, Hosea, Amos,

CHAPTER XXXVII.

REIGNS OF JOTHAM AND AHAZ IN JUDAH.
(B. c. 758-726.)

REIGNS OF PEKAH AND HOSHEA IN ISRAEL.-END OF THE KINGDOM OF ISRAEL.

(B. C. 759-721.)

(2 Kings xv. 27—xvii. 41; xviii. 9-12; 2 Chron. xxvii. xxviii. ; Isa. vii. 1—x. 4.)

JOTHAM (perhaps, Jehovah is perfect), who succeeded his father Uzziah on the throne of Judah (B. c. 758), was distinguished by his piety. He built the higher gate of the Temple, and erected many fortresses for the defence of the country.

He defeated the Ammonites, and imposed upon them a tribute of a hundred talents of silver, and ten thousand measures each of wheat and barley, which they continued to pay during three years. But the latter part of his reign was disturbed by the outbreak of hostilities against Judah on the part of Rezin, king of Syria, and Pekah, king of Israel.

After a reign of sixteen years, Jotham was succeeded (B. C. 742) by his son АHAZ (he has seized, i. e. he possesses = possessor), an impious and idolatrous prince, in consequence of whose iniquities the country was involved in great calamities. 'He walked in the ways of the kings of Israel: and made also molten images for Baalim. Moreover, he burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burnt his children in the fire, after the abominations of the heathen whom the Lord had cast out before the children of Israel. He sacrificed also, and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree.' 2 Chron. xxviii. 2-4.

At the beginning of this reign, the allied forces of Syria and Israel entered Judah and laid siege* to Jerusalem, resolved, if possible, to raise to the throne 'the son of Tabeal'† (Isa. vii. 6), in the place of Ahaz, and thus to effect the final overthrow of the house of David. On this occasion, however, the Divine power was interposed for the deliverance of Jerusalem, according to a remarkable prophecy of Isaiah (involving a prediction of the future Messiah, ch. vii.); and the confederates were obliged to raise the siege and to withdraw from Judah.

[Perhaps, however, the words in 2 Kings xvi. 5 and Isa. vii. 1, ought to be differently rendered, and only mean that the confederates intended to besiege Jerusalem. See Browne's Ordo Saclorum, p. 240, and Keil on 2 Kings xvi. 5.] † It is not known who was this son of Tabeal (God is good). Some have supposed that he was Zichri, or else a general of the Syrian army.

Ahaz, however, persevered in his impiety; and, after a brief respite, the kings of Syria and Israel made separate inroads upon Judah with terrible success. Rezin, king of Syria, carried off a large number of Jews to Damascus; he also captured Elath, which had been recovered by Uzziah (p. 271). Pekah marched against Ahaz, whom he defeated with great loss; and Zichri, a champion of Ephraim, slew Maaseiah, the king's son, and two other eminent persons. The army of the Israelites then returned to Samaria, laden with spoil, and taking with them a large number of prisoners-who, however, were dismissed unhurt, after a protest against their retention in captivity by a prophet named Oded, strengthened also and supported by a protest on the part of several of the leading men in Israel.

Encouraged by these events, the Edomites and the Philistines made incursions into the south and south-west parts of Judah, where they committed considerable ravages with impunity.

Ahaz now sent an embassy to Tiglath-Pileser, king of Assyria (probably the successor of Pul), with a present of all the gold and silver which could be found among the treasures of the Temple, and commissioned to make a tender of future tribute, on condition of receiving effectual assistance in the present emergency. This advantageous offer was eagerly accepted. Tiglath-Pileser immediately marched against Damascus, and, having taken it and slain Řezin, reduced the whole country to subjection, thus putting an end to the kingdom of the Damnascene Syrians, according to the prophecies of Amos (i. 5), and Isaiah (viii. 4; xvii. 3). At the same time he took possession of the trans-Jordanic territory, a considerable portion of which, after the death of Jeroboam II., Uzziah appears to have annexed to Judah (2 Chron. xxvi. 10*); and he sent away captive into Assyria and Mediat the tribes of Reuben, Gad and half Manasseh.

Ahaz, having been in this way delivered from his enemies in Syria and Israel, paid a visit to his ally, or rather his master, the king of Assyria, during his sojourn at Damascus. And here he found fresh food for his impiety. Struck with the ap

* [But the legitimacy of the inference drawn from this passage is denied by Gesenius and Keil. See also Stanley's Sinai and Palestine, Appendix § 6.]

+ [It is doubtful whether any of the Israelites were carried into Media on this occasion (1 Chron. v. 26). They were so afterwards, as we know from 2 Kings xvii. 6; xviii. 11. The question turns upon the locality of Halah, Habor, and Gozan. Mr. Riddle (see Index), probably following Kitto's Cyclopædia, places all these in Media; but Professor Rawlinson (in Smith's Dict.) fixes them in the northern part of Assyria, identifying Habor with the Chaboras, and Gozan with Mygdonia.]

pearance of an idolatrous altar, he caused a model of it to be sent to the high priest Urijah, with instructions to erect a similar altar at Jerusalem. On his return home, Ahaz made solemn offerings on this altar; * and having caused the Brazen Altar of Burnt Offering to be brought out of the court of the. Temple (p. 324), and placed on the north side of the new one, designing to use it as a smaller altar, for himself 'to inquire by,' while the new altar was to be used for the general purposes of public worship-he then despoiled the sacred edifice, and closed its doors, at the same time setting up idolatrous altars in every corner of Jerusalem, thus doing all that he could towards the suppression of the true worship in his dominions. The idolatry to which Ahaz attached himself appears to have been the (Zoroastrian) worship of the sun, light, and fire. Hence the horses and chariots which were dedicated to the sun. (2 Kings, xxiii. 11.) The celebrated sun-dial of Ahaz (Isı. xxxviii. 8), seems to have owed its origin to Babylon.†

Ahaz died after a reign of sixteen years (B. c. 726), and was buried in the city of David, but not in the sepulchres of the kings. He was succeeded by his son Hezekiah.

Nearly contemporaneous with the reigns of Jotham and Ahaz in Judah were those of Pekah and Hoshea in Israel.

PEKAH (opening, deliverance), the son of Remaliah, a commander of the Israelitish army, having made his way to the throne (p. 274) by the assassination of his predecessor (B. C. 759), remained in possession of it during a period of twenty years. The chief events of his reign-consisting in his invasion of Judah in alliance with the king of Syria, and his eventual defeat by the king of Assyria, involving the captivity of two tribes and a half-have already been recorded in connection with the history of Ahaz. Pekah fell (B. C. 739) before a conspiracy, headed by HOSHEA (save), son of Elah, who, apparently after nine years' anarchy, obtained possession of the throne (B.c. 730).

In the early part of the reign of Hoshea, Shalmaneser, the successor of Tiglath-Pileser, king of Assyria, invaded the country, and laid it under tribute. Hoshea, however, was afterwards induced to withhold payment of this tribute, in conse

* Some suppose that this altar was erected in the court of the Temple, and made to occupy the place of the brazen altar, which was removed to the north side of the court.

† Compare Herodotus, ii. 109.

The state of things in Israel under many of the successors of Jeroboam II. has been compared to that in Rome under Claudius, Nero, Galba, Vitellius, Commodus, Septimius Severus, &c.