Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/355



URING the  reign  of  Achaz  the  people  of  Juda  were  visited with a terrible  calamity. That unhappy  king  had  sacrificed his own  children  to  the  idol  Moloch,  one  of  the  chief  gods  of  the Gentiles. He had  closed  the  gates  of  the  Temple,  and  broken the sacred  vessels. The Lord  therefore  delivered  him  into  the hands of  the  king  of  Syria,  who  slew  in  one  day  a hundred  and twenty thousand  men  of  Juda,  while  two  hundred  thousand  women and children  were  carried  into  captivity.

Achaz having  died  a short  time  after,  his  son  Ezechias ascended the  throne. This pious  prince  immediately  cast  down the altars  which  his  unhappy  father  had  everywhere  raised  to  the pagan gods;  he  threw  open  again  the  gates  of  the  Temple,  and exhorted the  Levites  to  purify  it  from  the  profanations  that  had taken place  there;  saying  that  it  was  because  of  the  sins  of  the people, and,  above  all,  because  of  their  idolatry,  that  so  many misfortunes had  come  upon  them.

And God  blessed  Ezechias  and  was  with  him  in  all  he  did; so that  in  his  days  the  kingdom  of  Juda  regained  all  its  former  prosperity. Nevertheless it  came  to  pass  that  after  some  years,  Sennacherib, king of  Assyria,  came  with  a mighty  army,  and  besieged  Jerusalem.

Then Ezechias  went  to  the  Temple  and  prayed. He also sent priests,  clothed  in  sackcloth,  to  the  prophet  Isaias,  to  ask him to  intercede  with  God  on  behalf  of  him  and  his  people. The prophet sent  word  to  Ezechias  not  to  fear,  for  that  God  had  heard his prayer,  and  would  destroy  the  Assyrians,  and  that  their  king, returning to  his  own  country,  should  perish  by  the  sword.

That same  night  the  angel  of  the  Lord  went  to  the  camp of the  Assyrians,  and  killed  one  hundred  and  eighty-five  thousand warriors. Thus Sennacherib  was  obliged  to  return  in  disgrace to his  own  country. There he  went  to  the  temple  of  his  god, and his  own  sons  slew  him  with  the  sword. Thus was  fulfilled the prophecy  of  Isaias.

Ezechias, some  time  after,  fell  sick  and  lay  at  the  point  of death. The prophet  Isaias  was  sent  to  tell  him  to  put  his  house