Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume VIII.djvu/603

 HEBREWS 589 gorically of barbarians, when "the land was as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness." Another de- structive event was a long remembered earth- quake. Jotham, the son of Uzziah, who du- ring the last years of his reign acted as regent, continued after his father's death (759) his beneficent rule ; but his son Ahaz again in- troduced idolatry, and his reign was disgrace- ful and disastrous. Kezin and Pekah, allied against him, advanced as far as Jerusalem, which was saved only by the dearly purchased aid of Tiglath-pileser, king of Assyria, who conquered Damascus, carried its inhabitants into captivity, and slew Eezin. Ahaz declared himself the subject of his Assyrian deliverer, and also suffered attacks by the revolted Phi- listines, while the state of the interior of the country provoked the immortal denunciations of Isaiah and Micah. But these prophets ex- press in no less glowing words their hopes of a better future, which seemed to be realized in the succeeding reign of Hezekiah the son of Ahaz. This pious king followed almost en- tirely the injunctions of Isaiah, who was bold enough to advise an uncompromising abolition of ancient abuses and restoration of the Mosaic law, war against the Philistines, independence of Assyria, and at the same time the rejection of any alliance with Egypt ; and was powerful enough to brave the general corruption, to baffle the plots of the court, and to maintain the courage of the people as well as of the sick king during the great invasion of Sennacherib, rhen the state was on the brink of ruin. Thus Judah escaped the fate of her sister state, which had a few years before been conquered and devastated by the Assyrians, and which now began to be repeopled principally by Cuthseans, an idolatrous people subject to their rule, who, mingling their rites with those of their new territory about Samaria, became af- terward known under the name of Samaritans (Kuthim), while scattered portions of the an- cient Hebrew inhabitants augmented the num- ber of the subjects of Hezekiah. But the reign of his son Manasseh, longer than that of Uzziah, was more disgraceful than that of Ahaz. Idolatry was not only publicly intro- duced, but had its altars even on Mount Mo- riah. The most abominable practices pre- vailed, including the bloody worship of Moloch, and Jerusalem was filled with the blood of the innocent victims of tyranny, while the limits of the country were narrowed by hostile neigh- bors. Amon, the son of Manasseh, followed in his father's footsteps, but was murdered after two years. Josiah, his successor, how- ever, was a zealous imitator of Hezekiah, and was assisted in his radical reforms by the re- viving influence of the prophets, among whom were Nahum, Zephaniah, the young Jeremiah, and their female colleague Huldah. Nahum celebrated the final fall of Assyria, and the de- struction of Nineveh its capital, "the bloody city full of lies and robbery, (whence) the prey departeth not," which was then completed by the allied Babylonians and Medes. But the power of Babylonia, lately founded by Nabo- polassar, was now growing to a threatening extent, and the position of the weak kingdom of Judah between this and the rival power of Egypt doomed it to a sudden catastrophe. Pharaoh Necho having commenced a campaign against Babylonia through Philistia, Josiah op- posed his march, and fell in the battle of Me- giddo. His son Jehoahaz was sent prisoner to Egypt, and the younger Jehoiakim (or Eljakim) appointed king in his stead. The great victory of the Babylonians, however, over Necho on the Euphrates, soon made Jehoiakim a vassal of their empire. He afterward revolted, against the advice of Jeremiah, who saw the impossi- bility of resisting the sway of Nebuchadnez- zar, the successor of Nabopolassar. The king was as little inclined to listen to his council in his foreign as he was in his domestic policy. Jeremiah's prophecies were burned. Anoth- er prophet, Uriah, was punished for the bold- ness of his rebukes with death. The Chalde- ans soon invaded the country, and were joined by its neighboring enemies. After the death of his father and a short siege of Jerusalem, Jehoiachin or Jeconiah, the son of Jehoiakim, terminated the war by a voluntary surrender to Nebuchadnezzar, who sent him with his fam- ily, his army, and thousands of the most im- portant citizens, to Babylonia as captives. The treasures of the temple and royal house were plundered. Mattaniah, an uncle of the dethron- ed king, was appointed his successor, as vassal of the conqueror, under the name of Zedekiah (598). It was the last reign of the house of Da- vid. Zedekiah, a weak prince, was induced by a misguided patriotism to revolt against Nebu- chadnezzar. Jeremiah in vain exerted all his zeal and eloquence to dissuade the king and the people from this pernicious step. He was per- secuted by both ; the seductive influence of false prophets prevailed. The second siege of Jeru- salem by Nebuchadnezzar now ensued (588). It fell after a desperate defence. The king, who attempted to escape with the remnants of his troops, was made prisoner in the neigh- borhood of Jericho, was deprived of his eyes after having seen the slaughter of his children, and was sent in chains to Babylon. The tem- ple was burned, its vessels were plundered, the walls and palaces of Jerusalem destroyed, and all important or wealthy citizens carried into the Babylonish captivity. Jeremiah was spared and allowed to remain with Gedaliah, whom Nebuchadnezzar appointed his viceroy at Mizpah, and around whom a number of the remaining people soon gathered. But this last centre, too, was soon destroyed by the assas- sination of Gedaliah. A number of the sur- viving officers emigrated with their followers and Jeremiah, 'who tried in vain to dissuade them, to Egypt, whither the sword of the Chal- deans still followed them. The annihilation of the state of Judah was complete. The book