Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/333



HE Lord  ceased  not  to  send  to  the  Israelites  holy  prophets who  preached  penance  to  them  both  by  word  and example. But the  Israelites  would  not  be  converted,  and  their wickedness increased  to  such  an  extent  that  the  Almighty  resolved to punish  them  in  His  wrath,  and  utterly  to  destroy  them. He therefore caused  Salmanazar,  king  of  Assyria,  to  come  against them with  a mighty  army. He laid  siege to  the  strong  city  of Samaria,  and  after  three  years  took  it  and  carried  off  most  of its  inhabitants  captives ;  and  thus  the  kingdom  of  Israel  ceased to exist. Thus the  prophecy  of  Amos  (9,  8)  was  fulfilled:  “Behold, the eyes  of  the  Lord  God  [are]  upon  the  sinful  kingdom,  and I will destroy  it  from  the  face  of  the  earth:  but  yet  I will  not utterly destroy  the  house  of  Jacob.”

The Israelites  having  been  slain  or  carried  off  into  captivity, their land  had  become  almost  a wilderness,  and  the  Assyrian king, in  order  to  people  it  again,  sent  thither  thousands  of  his pagan subjects  who,  settling  amongst  the  scattered  remains  of the  ten  tribes,  were  soon  so  mixed  up  with  them  that  they  became, as it  were,  a new  nation,  and  scarcely  a trace  remained  of  the people of  Israel.