Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume VIII.djvu/602

 588 HEBREWS Jeroboam. His dynasty, assisted by the influ- ence of Elisha, was in many respects pros- perous. To it belonged the kings Jehoahaz, Joash, Jeroboam II., and Zechariah, with whose murder by Shallum it ended (773). Shallum met with the same fate after a month through Menahem, whose son Pekahiah was slain and succeeded by his chariot driver Pe- kah. The murderer of the latter, Hoshea, was the last of the usurpers, and the last king of Israel. This state, which during all its exis- tence was exposed to violent shocks from its neighbors, Judah, the Philistines, Moab, which revolted, and especially from the Syrians of Damascus, against whom its possessions be- yond the Jordan could seldom be defended, had recovered some strength by repeated vic- tories under Joash and Jeroboam II. ; but soon after, rotten and decayed through idolatry, despotism, and anarchy, it became an easy prey to the growing power of Assyria, to whose king Phul it became tributary after an inva- sion in the reign of Menahem. Tiglath-pileser conquered its E. and N. provinces, carrying off the inhabitants to Assyria, in the time of Pekah, and Shalmaneser destroyed it entirely, conquering the capital, Samaria, after a siege of three years (721), taking Hoshea prison- er, and dispersing the inhabitants throughout the K E. provinces of his empire, where their idolatrous habits made them likely to lose their nationality and soon to disappear among their neighbors, though scattered remnants may occasionally have emerged at later peri- ods, and in various countries, as representa- tives of the ten tribes of Israel. The proph- ets Ahijah of Shiloh, who contributed to the election of Jeroboam I., Elijah, the hero of the Mosaic religion under Ahab, his great dis- ciple Elisha, the two contemporaries of Jero- boam II., Amos and Hosea, Micah, who lived in the last period, and many others, strove in vain to check the growing power of evil by appeals to the conscience of rulers and peo- ple, boldly denouncing the despotism, hypoc- risy, and licentiousness of kings, princes, and priests, the selfishness, pride, and extravagance of the rich, the extortions, deceptions, and se- ductions practised on the people, and again and again kindling the spirit of justice, truth, patriotism, humility, or hope. The rival state of Judah enjoyed more frequent periods of prosperity and lawful order, as well as a longer duration. There the interest of the dynasty, which continued in a direct line of succession down to the latest period, was identical with that of the people. Their common enemy was the idolatry which reigned in Israel. Their common safeguard was the law, which was here supported by the Levites, and more effectively defended by the prophets. Corruption, how- ever, often led both government and people to break down their only wall of protection, and to imitate the pernicious example of their neighbors. This tendency prevailed as early as the reign of Rehoboam, the most important event of which was the invasion of Shishak (Sheshonk), king of Egypt, who pillaged the temple and the royal palace. War against Jeroboam was almost continually waged du- ring this and the following short reign of Abijam. The successor of the latter, Asa, abolished idolatry, checked public immorality, routed an invading army of Ethiopians, re- sisted the attacks of Baasha of Israel through an alliance with the king of Damascene Syria, and fortified Gibeah and Mizpah against an invasion from the north. Jehoshaphat, his son, made peace with Israel, and even fought in alliance with Ahab against Benhadad of Syria (897), subdued Idumaea, and fought suc- cessfully against the Moabites and their allies, but was unfortunate in an attempted expe- dition to Ophir. Internally, too, his reign was one of the most successful, the salutary re- forms of his father being further developed. But his son Jehoram, having married Athaliah, a sister of Ahab, followed the example of the court of Samaria, and also lost his father's conquest, Idumaea, by a revolt. Ahaziah was equally attached to the house of Ahab, whose fate he shared. Having gone to visit Jehoram, he was mortally wounded by the conspirators under Jehu, and expired on his flight at Megid- do (884). On receiving news of that event, Athaliah his mother usurped the government, exterminating all the royal princes except one, Joash, a child of one year, who was saved by his aunt and secreted in the temple. Six years later Jehoiada, an old priest, matured a con- spiracy, the legal heir to the house of David was produced in the temple, and the queen, who hastened thither, w as slain. The altars of Baal were now destroyed, and the temple was repaired under the influence of Jehoiada ; but an invasion of Hazael from Syria could not be repulsed, and the capital itself was saved only by an immense ransom. After the death of Jehoiada Joash abandoned his teachings, and even the son of his benefactor, Zechariah, who boldly reprimanded him, fell a victim to his tyranny, which was ended with his life by a conspiracy (838). His successor Amaziah pun- ished the murderers of his father, and made a successful expedition to Idumsea, but was made prisoner in a battle against Joash, king of Israel, which he had wantonly provoked by a challenge, and, having returned after the death of that king to his conquered and un- fortified capital, was deprived by a conspiracy of his throne and life. The following reign of Uzziah or Azariah was not only one of the longest in the history of the Hebrews, lasting 52 years, but also distinguished by victories over the Philistines, Arabians, and Ammonites, and by the flourishing condition of husbandry, mechanical arts, and literature. Besides Amos and Hosea, who were active also in Judah, Jonah and Joel were among the prophets of that period. Of the last we still possess a beautiful poetical description of a dreadful devastation by locusts, perhaps alle-