in this book of the covenant. And Josiah gave to all the people lambs and kids for the passover offerings, unto all that were present, to the number of thirty thousand, and three thousand bullocks. These were from the king's substance. His princes also gave willingly unto the people. And the service was set in order, and the priests stood in their place, and the Levites by their courses, according to the king's commandment. And they killed the passover, and the priests sprinkled the blood, and the Levites flayed the sacrifices. And they roasted the passover with fire according to the ordinance, and divided speedily unto all the people. And afterward they prepared for themselves. So the children of Israel that were present kept the passover at that time, and the feast of unleavened bread seven days. And there was no passover like to that kept in Israel from the days of the judges that judged Israel; not in all the days of the kings of Israel, nor of the kings of Judah.

And after many days it came to pass, that Neco king of Egypt went up to fight against the Assyrians at Carchemish on the Euphrates; and Josiah went out against him. And Neco sent ambassadors unto him, saying: What have I to do with thee, thou king of Judah? I come not against thee this day, but against the house wherewith I have war; and God hath commanded me to make haste. Forbear thee from God, who is with me, that he destroy thee not. Nevertheless Josiah would not turn his face from him, but strengthened himself to fight against him, and hearkened not unto the words of Neco, from the mouth of God, and came to fight in the valley of Megiddo. And the archers hit King Josiah ; and the king said to his servants: Have me away; for I am sore wounded. So his servants took him out of the chariot,

DEATH OF JOSIAH.

501

and put him in the second chariot that he had, and brought him to Jerusalem; and he died, and was buried in the sepulchres of his fathers.

And he did that which was right in the eyes of Jehovah, and walked in all the way of David his father, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left. And like him was there no king before him, that turned to Jehovah with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; neither after him arose there any like him. And all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah. And the people of the land took Jehoahaz (Jah Holdeth) second son of Josiah, and anointed him, and made him king in his father's stead.

CHAPTER IX.

II. KINGS, xxiii., xxiv. II. CHRONICLES, Xxxvi. JEREMIAH, vii., xi., xvii.-xx., xxii., xxv., xxvi., xxxv., xxxvi., xlvi.

KING JEHOIAKIM.

Jehoahaz a Captive-Jeremiah's Dirge-Tributary to Egypt-Jehoiakim Made King-Jeremiah at the Temple Gate-Jerusalem like Shiloh—Arrest of Jeremiah—His Trial-His Defence—Example of Micah-Acquittal-Fate of Uriah-The Broken CovenantBreaking the Sabbath-The Potter's Work-The Symbol of the Bottle-Put in the Stocks-Denouncing Passhur-Battle of Carchemish Song of Jeremiah-Babylonian Captivity Foretold-The Rechabites-Their Example a Text-Writing the Prophecies-The Fast Day-Baruch Reads to the People-Before the Privy Council-Connivance-Reading before the King-The Prophecies are Burned-Searching for Jeremiah-The Prophecies RewrittenTributary to Babylon-Rebellion-Nebuchadrezzar VictoriousDeath of Jehoiakim.

JEHOAHAZ was twenty-three years old when he began to reign; and his mother's name was Hamutal daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. And he reigned three months in Jerusalem; then Pharaoh-neco put him in chains at Riblah in the land of Hamath, and removed him from reigning in Jerusalem. And concerning Jehoahaz king of Judah (whose reign was like the reign of Shallum son of Jabesh, king of Israel) spake Jeremiah, saying:

Weep not for the dead, and bemoan him not;
Weep sore for him that goeth away;

For he returneth no more,

Nor seeth the land of his birth.

JEREMIAH AT THE TEMPLE GATE. 503

For thus saith Jehovah touching Shallum son of Josiah, king of Judah, that reigned instead of Josiah his father, who is gone forth from this place: He shall not return thither again; but in the place whither they have led him captive shall he die, and see this land no more.

And Pharaoh-neco levied a tribute from the land of an hundred talents of silver, and a talent of gold. And Pharaoh-neco made Eliakim (El Establisheth) son of Josiah king, and changed his name to Jehoiakim (Jah Establisheth). And he took Jehoahaz away; and he came to Egypt and died there. Twenty-five years old was Jehoiakim when he began to reign; and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem; and his mother's name was Zebidah daughter of Pedaiah of Rumah. And Jehoiakim gave the silver and the gold to Pharaoh. Moreover he assessed the land to give the money according to the commandment of Pharaoh; he exacted the silver and the gold of the people of the land, of every one according to his assessment, to give it unto Pharaoh-neco.

And Jehoiakim did evil in the sight of Jehovah, according to all that his fathers had done. And in the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah, came this word from Jehovah unto Jeremiah, saying, Thus saith Jehovah : Stand in the gate of Jehovah's house, and proclaim there this word, and say, Hear the word of Jehovah, all Judah, that enter in at these gates to worship Jehovah. Thus saith Jehovah of Hosts, the God of Israel: Amend your ways and your works, and I will cause you to dwell in this place. Trust not in lying words, saying, The temple of Jehovah, the temple of Jehovah, the temple of Jehovah, are these. For if ye throughly amend your ways and your works; if ye throughly execute judgment between a man and

his neighbor; if ye oppress not the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and shed not innocent blood in this place, and walk not after other gods: then will I cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers, from everlasting unto everlasting.

Behold, ye trust in lying words, that cannot profit. Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not, and come and stand before Me in this house, which is called by My name, and say, We have been rescued in order again to do all these abominations? Is this house, which is called by My name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Yea, behold, I have seen it, saith Jehovah.

Go ye unto My place in Shiloh, where I caused My name to dwell at first, and see what I did to it for the wickedness of My people Israel. And now, because ye have done all these things, saith Jehovah, and I spake unto you, rising up early and speaking, but ye heard not; and I called you, but ye answered not: therefore will I do unto the house, which is called by My name, wherein ye trust, and unto the place which I gave to you and to your fathers, as I did to Shiloh. And I will cast you away from Me, as I have cast away all your brethren, the whole seed of Ephraim.

And the priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speak these words in the house of Jehovah. And it came to pass, when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking all that Jehovah commanded him to speak to all the people, that the priests and the prophets and all the people laid hold on him, saying: Thou shalt surely die. Why hast thou prophesied in the name of Jehovah, saying, This house shall be like Shiloh, and