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not despise it； and his own people lived happily。
3。 Now there was at that time a prophet； whose name was Nahum；
who spake after this manner concerning the overthrow of the
Assyrians and of Nineveh： 〃Nineveh shall be a pool of water in
motion （23） so shall all her people be troubled； and tossed； and
go away by flight； while they say one to another； Stand； stand
still； seize their gold and silver； for there shall be no one to
wish them well； for they will rather save their lives than their
money； for a terrible contention shall possess them one with
another； and lamentation； and loosing of the members； and their
countenances shall be perfectly black with fear。 And there will
be the den of the lions； and the mother of the young lions！ God
says to thee； Nineveh； that they shall deface thee； and the lion
shall no longer go out from thee to give laws to the world。〃 And
indeed this prophet prophesied many other things besides these
concerning Nineveh； which I do not think necessary to repeat； and
I here omit them； that I may not appear troublesome to my
readers； all which thing happened about Nineveh a hundred and
fifteen years afterward： so this may suffice to have spoken of
these matters。
CHAPTER 12。
How Upon The Death Of Jotham； Ahaz Reigned In His Stead； Against
Whom Rezin； King Of Syria And Pekah King Of Israel； Made War； And
How Tiglath…Pileser； King Of Assyria Came To The Assistance Of
Ahaz； And Laid Syria Waste And Removing The Damascenes Into Media
Placed Other Nations In Their Room。
1。 Now Jotham died when he had lived forty…one years； and of them
reigned sixteen； and was buried in the sepulchers of the kings；
and the kingdom came to his son Ahaz； who proved most impious
towards God； and a transgressor of the laws of his country。 He
imitated the kings of Israel； and reared altars in Jerusalem； and
offered sacrifices upon them to idols； to which also he offered
his own son as a burnt…offering； according to the practices of
the Canaanites。 His other actions were also of the same sort。 Now
as he was going on in this mad course； Rezin； the king of Syria
and Damascus； and Pekah； the king of Israel； who were now at
amity one with another； made war with him； and when they had
driven him into Jerusalem； they besieged that city a long while；
making but a small progress； on account of the strength of its
walls； and when the king of Syria had taken the city Elath； upon
the Red Sea； and had slain the inhabitants； he peopled it with
Syrians； and when he had slain those in the ＇other＇ garrisons；
and the Jews in their neighborhood； and had driven away much
prey； he returned with his army back to Damascus。 Now when the
king of Jerusalem knew that the Syrians were returned home； he；
supposing himself a match for the king of Israel； drew out his
army against him； and joining battle with him was beaten； and
this happened because God was angry with him； on account of his
many and great enormities。 Accordingly there were slain by the
Israelites one hundred and twenty thousand of his men that day；
whose general； Amaziah by name； slew Zechariah the king's son； in
his conflict with Ahaz； as well as the governor of the kingdom；
whose name was Azricam。 He also carried Elkanah； the general of
the troops of the tribe of Judah； into captivity。 They also
carried the women and children of the tribe of Benjamin captives；
and when they had gotten a great deal of prey； they returned to
Samaria。
2。 Now there was one Obed； who was a prophet at that time in
Samaria ；he met the army before the city walls； and with a loud
voice told them that they had gotten the victory not by their own
strength； but by reason of the anger God had against king Ahaz。
And he complained that they were not satisfied with the good
success they had had against him； but were so bold as to make
captives out of their kinsmen the tribes of Judah and Benjamin。
He also gave them counsel to let them go home without doing them
any harm； for that if they did not obey God herein； they should
be punished。 So the people of Israel came together to their
assembly； and considered of these matters； when a man whose name
was Berechiah； and who was one of chief reputation in the
government； stood up； and the others with him； and said； 〃We will
not suffer the citizens to bring these prisoners into the city；
lest we be all destroyed by God； we have sins enough of our own
that we have committed against him； as the prophets assure us；
nor ought we therefore to introduce the practice of new crimes。〃
When the soldiers heard that； they permitted them to do what they
thought best。 So the forenamed men took the captives； and let
them go； and took care of them； and gave them provisions； and
sent them to their own country； without doing them any harm。
However； these four went along with them； and conducted them as
far as Jericho； which is not far from Jerusalem； and returned to
Samaria。
3。 Hereupon king Ahaz； having been so thoroughly beaten by the
Israelites； sent to Tiglath…Pileser； king of the Assyrians； and
sued for assistance from him in his war against the Israelites；
and Syrians； and Damascenes； with a promise to send him much
money； he sent him also great presents at the same time。 Now this
king； upon the reception of those ambassadors； came to assist
Ahaz； and made war upon the Syrians； and laid their country
waste； and took Damascus by force； and slew Rezin their king； and
transplanted the people of Damascus into the Upper Media； and
brought a colony of Assyrians； and planted them in Damascus。 He
also afflicted the land of Israel； and took many captives out of
it。 While he was doing thus with the Syrians； king Ahaz took all
the gold that was in the king's treasures； and the silver； and
what was in the temple of God； and what precious gifts were
there； and he carried them with him； and came to Damascus； and
gave it to the king of Assyria； according to his agreement。 So he
confessed that he owed him thanks for all he had done for him；
and returned to Jerusalem。 Now this king was so sottish and
thoughtless of what was for his own good； that he would not leave
off worshipping the Syrian gods when he was beaten by them； but
he went on in worshipping them； as though they would procure him
the victory； and when he was beaten again； he began to honor the
gods of the Assyrians； and he seemed more desirous to honor any
other gods than his own paternal and true God； whose anger was
the cause of his defeat； nay； he proceeded to such a degree of
despite and contempt ＇of God's worship＇； that he shut up the
temple entirely； and forbade them to bring in the appointed
sacrifices； and took away the gifts that had been given to it。
And when he had offered these indignities to God； he died； having
lived thirty…six years； and of them reigned sixteen； and he left
his son Hezekiah for his successor。
CHAPTER 13。
How Pekah Died By The Treachery Of Hoshea Who Was A Little After
Subdued By Shalmaneser； And How Hezekiah Reigned Instead Of Ahaz；
And What Actions Of Piety And Justice He Did。
1。 About the same time Pekah； the king of Israel； died by the
treachery of a friend of his； whose name was Hoshea； who retained
the kingdom nine years' time； but was a wicked man； and a
despiser of the Divine worship； and Shalmaneser； the king of
Assyria； made an expedition against him； and overcame him； （which
must have been because he had not God favorable nor assistant to
him；） and brought him to submission； and ordered him to pay an
appointed tribute。 Now； in the fourth year of the reign of
Hoshea； Hezekiah； the son of Ahaz； began to reign in Jerusalem；
and his mother's name was Abijah； a citizen of Jerusalem。 His
nature was good； and righteous； and religious； for when he came
to the kingdom； he thought that nothing was prior； or more
necessary； or more advantageous to himself； and to his subjects；
than to worship God。 Accordingly； he called the people together；
and the priests； and the Levites； and made a speech to them； and
said； 〃You are not ignorant how； by the sins of my father； who
transgressed that sacred honor which was due to God； you have had
experience of many and great miseries； while you were corrupted
in your mind by him； and were induced to worship those which he
supposed to be gods； I exhort you； therefore； who have learned by
sad experience how dangerous a thing impiety is； to put that
immediately out of your memory； and to purify yourselves from
your former pollutions； and to open the temple to these priests
and Levites who are here convened； and to cleanse it with the
accustomed sacrifices； and to recover all to the ancient honor
which our fathers paid to it； for by this means we may render God
favorable； and he will remit the anger he hath had to us。〃
2。 When the king had said this； the priests opened the temple；
and when they had set in order the vessels of God； and east out
what was impure； they laid the accustomed sacrifices upon the
altar。 The king also sent to the country that was under him； and
called the people to Jerusalem to celebrate the feast of
unleavened bread； for it had been intermitted a long time； on
account of the wickedness of the forementioned kin