Others called them, so they left Me;

They sacrifice to Baals, and to images burn incense.

Yet I taught Ephraim to walk, I took them in Mine

arms.

But they know not that I healed them.

He shall return to Egypt,

And Assyria be his king;

Because they would not turn to Me.

And the sword shall whirl down on his cities,

And destroy his princes,

And devour his counsellors.

And at the joy of the Harvest-feast, the Feast of Tabernacles, spake Hosea, saying:

Rejoice not, Israel, for joy, like the nations,
For thou hast gone astray from thy God.

Threshing-floor and wine-press shall not feed them,
And the new wine shall fail her.

They shall not dwell in Jehovah's land,
But Ephraim shall return to Egypt,
In Assyria shall they eat the unclean.
They shall not pour out wine to Jehovah,
And their offerings shall not please Him;
Their bread shall be like mourners' bread,
All that eat it are unclean;

For their bread is for their hunger,
It cometh not to Jehovah's house.
What will ye do in the festal day,
In the day of Jehovah's feast?
Come are the days of visitation,
Come the days of recompense;
Israel shall know it.

II. KINGS, xv.-xvii.

CHAPTER VII.

II. CHRONICLES, xxviii. PSAlms, lxxx. ISAIAH, vii. HOSEA, vii., x.-xiv.

FALL OF SAMARIA.

Conspiracy of Pekah-League against Assyria-War with JudahSiege of Jerusalem-Invasion of Tiglath-pileser-Pekah Assassinated-Hoshea King-Another League-Hosea Against the Foreign Policy-Hoshea a Captive-A Sermon of Warning-Capture of Samaria-Deportation-Beth-aven's Calf-Utter DestructionWords of Comfort-An Assyrian Satrapy-Peopling SamariaLearning the Fear of Jehovah-Idols of the Nations-The Ruined Vineyard.

Now Menahem slept with his fathers; and Pekahiah (Jah Openeth) his son reigned in his stead. And Pekahiah son of Menahem reigned over Israel in Samaria two years. And he did evil in the sight of Jehovah; he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin. And Pekah son of Remaliah, his captain, conspired against him, and with him were fifty men of the Gileadites; and he smote Pekahiah in Samaria, in the hold of the king's house, together with Argob and Arieh (Lion), and slew him, and reigned in his stead. And Pekah son of Remaliah reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty years. And he did evil in the sight of Jehovah; he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin.

And it came to pass in those days, that Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel, and Rezin king of Damascus,

the Philistines also, made a league against the king of Assyria, but Ahaz king of Judah would not join their league. Therefore they counselled together, saying: Let us go up against Judah, and distress it, and break through and take it, and set up as king in the midst of it the son of Tabeel. And Jehovah delivered Ahaz into the hand of the king of Syria; and they smote him, and carried away a great multitude of captives, and brought them to Damascus. And he was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel, who smote him with a great slaughter. The Philistines also invaded the cities of the lowland, and of the south of Judah, and took Bethshemesh, and Aijalon, and Gederoth, and Soco with its villages, and Timnah with its villages, and Gimzo with its villages. Then Rezin king of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel came up against Jerusalem, and besieged Ahaz, but could not take the city. And Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, saying Thy servant and thy son am I; come up, and save me out of the hand of the king of Syria, and out of the hand of the king of Israel, who are risen up against me. And Ahaz took the silver and gold that was found in Jehovah's house, and in the treasures of the king's house, and sent a present to the king of Assyria. And the king of Assyria hearkened unto him; and the king of Assyria went up against Damascus, and took it, and carried the people captive to Kir, and slew Rezin. And the king of Assyria came up against the land of Israel, and took Ijon, and Abel-beth-maacah, and Janoah, and Kedesh, and Hazor, and Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali, and carried them captive to Assyria.

And Hoshea (Salvation) son of Elah made a conspiracy against Pekah son of Remaliah, and smote him,

HOSEA AGAINST THE FOREIGN POLICY. 423

and slew him, and reigned in his stead. And Hoshea son of Elah reigned in Samaria over Israel nine years. And he did evil in the sight of Jehovah, yet not like the kings of Israel that were before him. Against him came up Shalmaneser (Shalman be Gracious) king of Assyria; and Hoshea became his servant, and paid him tribute.

(And it came to pass afterward that Hoshea entered into a league against the king of Assyria with the kings of the nations around about, and he sent presents also unto Seveh king of Egypt. But concerning a league with Egypt spake Hosea son of Beeri, saying :)

Ephraim he waxeth old among the nations,
Ephraim is a cake not turned.

Strangers devoured his strength, and he knew it not;
Gray hairs are sprinkled on him, and he knew it not ;
And they turned not to Jehovah their God,

Nor sought Him for all this.

But Ephraim is like a simple, senseless dove:

To Egypt they have called; to Assyria are they gone.

As they go, I spread My net upon them,

Like fowl of the air I bring them down;

I punish them, as was foretold.

Woe to them! for they have wandered from Me;
Destruction for they have sinned against Me;
Though I redeem them, against Me they speak lies.

And Hosea son of Beeri said, moreover :

Ephraim hath compassed Me with lies,

And with deceit the house of Israel;

Ephraim chaseth wind, and hunteth the east wind;
Every day he multiplieth lies and falsehood.

With Assyria they made a league,

And oil is carried unto Egypt.

But now turn to thy God;
Keep love and right,

And constantly trust in Jehovah.

And the king of Assyria found conspiracy in Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, because he sent messengers to Seveh king of Egypt, and paid not the yearly tribute to the king of Assyria; therefore the king of Assyria shut him up, and bound him in prison. This is the word that Hosea son of Beeri spake, saying:

Thou art destroyed, O Israel,

For who is thy help?

Where is then thy king,

To save thee in all thy cities?

And thy judges, of whom thou saidst : "Give me a king and princes?"

I give thee a king in My wrath,

And take him away in Mine anger.

Ephraim's guilt is bound up, stored away his sin.
From the power of hell shall I save them?
From death shall I redeem them?

Where are thy plagues, O death?
Where thy destruction, hell?

Pity is hid from Mine eyes.

There cometh an east wind (Assyria),

A wind of Jehovah coming up from the desert,

And Ephraim's cistern is dried up, parched his fountain; It robbeth the treasury of all precious vessels.

Samaria doeth penance,

For she rebelled against her God.