son of Amoz, because he counselled Hezekiah to rebel against the king of Assyria, saying: Go, get thee unto this high officer, unto Shebna, who is over the palace, and say: What doest thou here? and whom hast thou here, that thou hast hewed thee out here a sepulchre?-hewing him a lofty sepulchre, carving him a dwelling in the rock! Behold, Jehovah hurleth thee violently, clutching thee tight. He will roll thee with a long roll into a land of broad plains; there shalt thou die, thither shall go the chariots of thy glory, thou shame of thy lord's house. I will thrust thee from thine office, and from thy station shall they pull thee down. And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will call My servant Eliakim son of Hilkiah, and clothe him with thy robe, and bind him with thy girdle, and put thy government in his hand; and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah. And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; and he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.

CHAPTER V.

II. KINGS, xviii.-xx. II. CHRONICLES, Xxxii. PROVERBS, XXV. ISAIAH, xxii., xxx., xxxi., xxxvi., xxxvii.

THE INVASION OF SENNACHERIB.

Hezekiah Rebels-Egyptian Alliance-Denounced by Isaiah-Egypt Helpeth in Vain-The Name of Jehovah-Jehovah Shieldeth Zion-Sennacherib Enters Judah-Preparations for Defence-Denounced by Isaiah-Look to Jehovah—Hezekiah Pays Tribute— Unconditional Surrender Demanded-Assyrian Embassy-Sennacherib's Letter-Spread before Jehovah-Asking the Prayers of Isaiah-Isaiah Prophesies-The Assyrian Shall be Turned back— An Angel of God-Assyrian Disaster-Sennacherib MurderedProsperity of Hezekiah.

AND in the days of Sennacherib king of Assyria Hezekiah rebelled against the king of Assyria, and served him not. And Hezekiah sent messengers unto Egypt to make a league against the king of Assyria. And Isaiah spake, saying: Woe to the rebellious children, saith Jehovah, that take counsel, but not of Me, weaving a web, but not of My spirit, that they may add sin to sin; that go running into Egypt, but have not asked at My mouth, to take refuge in the stronghold of Pharaoh, and to seek shelter in the shadow of Egypt! But Pharaoh's stronghold shall prove your shame, and shelter in Egypt's shadow your confusion.

His princes are at Zoan, and his ambassadors are come to Hanes. All are ashamed of a people that cannot profit them, that is no help nor profit, but shame, and also reproach.

Through the land of trouble and distress, whence come the lioness and lion, the viper and flying serpent, they carry their riches on the shoulders of young asses, and their treasures on the humps of camels, to a people that doth not profit them. For Egypt helpeth in vain, and to no purpose.

Thus said the Lord Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel: In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and confidence is your strength; but ye would not. And ye said, Nay, but on horses will we flee; therefore shall ye fee; and, On the swift will we ride; therefore shall your pursuers be swift. A thousand, at the rebuke of one at the rebuke of a few shall ye flee; till ye be left like a pine-tree on the mountain top, or like a banner on an hill.

And Isaiah spake, saying: Our help is in the name of Jehovah. Behold, the Name of Jehovah cometh from far; His wrath destroyeth, and is sore heavy; His lips are full of anger, and His tongue like a devouring fire, and His breath like an overflowing torrent, reaching to the neck, to sift the nations with the sieve of destruction. Ye shall sing a song as in the night when a feast beginneth, with gladness of heart, as when one marcheth to the pipe unto Jehovah's mount, unto the Rock of Israel. And Jehovah shall cause the peal of His voice to be heard, and make the blow of His arm to be seen, with fierce wrath; while flaming fire devoureth-cloud-bursts, tempest, and hailstones. For at the voice of Jehovah shall the Assyrian be broken in pieces, when He smiteth with His rod.

And Isaiah spake further, saying: Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help, and trust in horses; and put their faith in chariots, because they are many,

PREPARATIONS FOr defence.

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and in horsemen, because they are very strong; and have not looked unto the Holy One of Israel, nor inquired of Jehovah! But the Egyptians are men, and not God, and their horses flesh, and not spirit; and Jehovah stretcheth out His hand, and the helper stumbleth, and the holpen falleth, and they all are consumed. together.

Thus saith Jehovah unto me: As, when a lion growleth over his prey, if a crowd of shepherds shout at him, he feareth not their voice, and is not dismayed at their tumult; so shall Jehovah of Hosts come down to fight upon Mount Zion, and upon the hill thereof. Like birds flying, so will Jehovah of Hosts shield Jerusalem ; covering and delivering, passing over and preserving. Return ye unto Him against whom ye have sore rebelled, O children of Israel.

In that day they shall cast away each his not-gods of silver, and his not-gods of gold, which your hands have made you for sin, and Assyria shall fall by the sword, not of man; and the sword, not of men, shall devour him. He shall flee before the sword, and his young men shall be made captive. And his rock shall pass away through terror, and his princes be dismayed at the banner, saith Jehovah, whose fire is in Zion, and His furnace in Jerusalem.

And Sennacherib king of Assyria came, and entered into Judah, with a great army (an hundred and eightyfive thousand men), and besieged the fortified cities. And when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib was come, and that he was purposed to fight against Jerusalem, he took counsel with his princes and his mighty men to stop the waters of the fountains which were without the city; and they helped him. And much people was gathered to

gether, and they stopped all the fountains, and the brook that flowed through the midst of the land, saying: Why should the king of Assyria come, and find much water? And Hezekiah built up all the wall that was broken down, the outer wall also, and built towers thereon, and strengthened the citadel, the city of David, and prepared weapons and shields in abundance. And he set captains of war over the people.

Then spake Isaiah son of Amoz, saying: A day of discomfiture, and treading down, and confusion, from the Lord, Jehovah of Hosts, in the valley of vision. Kir undermineth, Shoa is on the siege-mount. Elam bare the quiver, with chariots, footmen and horsemen; Kir made bare the shield. Thy choicest valleys were full of chariots, and horsemen marshalled their ranks at the gate. So the covering of Judah was removed; and thou didst look in that day to the arms in the House of the Forest. And ye saw the breaches of the city of David, that they were many. And ye collected the waters of the lower pool. And ye numbered the houses of Jerusalem, and pulled down the houses to fortify the wall. And ye made a reservoir between the two walls for the water of the old pool. But ye looked not unto Him that made her, and Him that formed her ye beheld not from afar.

And Hezekiah king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria to Lachish, saying: I have sinned; return from me. That which thou puttest on me will I bear. And the king of Assyria appointed unto Hezekiah king of Judah. three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold. And Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the house of Jehovah, and in the treasures of the king's house. At that time Hezekiah cut off the gold from the doors of the temple of Jehovah, and from the pillars