,,stories ,,of ,,the ,,prophets         
,,commission ,,on ,,jewish ,,education  
of the                 ,,union ,,of     
,,american ,,hebrew ,,congregations     
and the                  ,,central      
,,conference ,,of ,,american ,,rabbis   
,,david ,,philipson1 ,chairman          
,,joseph ,l4 ,,baron           ,,david  
,,marx              ,,edward ,n4        
,,calisch         ,s4 ,,felix           
,,mendelsohn              ,h4 ,g4       
,,enelow              ,,julian          
,,morgenstern              ,,harry ,w4  
,,ettelson         ,,joseph ,,rauch     
,,max ,,heller                ,,william 
,,rosenau              ,,samuel ,,koch  
,,samuel ,,schulman                     
,,gerson ,b4 ,,levi            ,,abba   
,h4 ,,silver              ,,harry ,,levi
                ,,abram ,,simon         
,,louis ,l4 ,,mann             ,,louis  
,,witt                                  
,,louis ,,wolsey                        
,,george ,,zepin1 ,secretary            
,,stories ,,of ,,the ,,prophets         

7,before the ,exile7                    
,,by ,,isaac ,,landman                  
,to                               ,my   
,parents                 ,who first     
introduced me to the ,prophets1         
this book is dedicated with             
love and devotion4                      
,,contents4   ,i4 ,,the ,,shepherd ,,of 
,,tekoah4     #a4 ,an ,end to ,war      
#b4 ,in the ,days of ,prosperity     #c4
 ,the ,man ,who ,dared     #d4 ,treason 
and a ,fight     #e4 ,priest ,against   
,prophet     #f4 ,the ,prophet in       
,tekoah  ,,ii4 ,,the ,,man ,,who        
,,learned ,,his ,,lesson4     #a4 ,an   
,eventful ,night     #b4 ,the ,tragedy  
with a ,purpose     #c4 ,the ,repentant 
,returns  ,,iii4 ,,the ,,statesman      
,,prophet4     #a4 ,the ,vision in the  
,temple     #b4 ,the ,parable of the    
,vineyard     #c4 ,a ,coward on the     
,throne     #d4 ,on ,deaf ,ears     #e4 
,the ,survival of the ,fittest     #f4  
,working with the ,remnant     #g4 ,like
 ,father1 ,like ,son     #h4 ,the       

,prophet ,triumphs     #i4 ,the ,fruit  
of ,his ,labor  ,,iv4 ,,the ,,commoner4 
#a4 ,his ,awakening     #b4 ,the ,cause 
of the ,common ,people     #c4 ,when    
,samaria ,fell     #d4 ,judah ,learns   
,its ,lesson  ,v4 ,,the ,,prophet ,,of  
,,woe ,,and ,,hope4     #a4 ,the ,escape
     #b4 ,the ,boy ,king     #c4        
,jeremiah's ,call     #d4 ,the ,seething
 ,caldron     #e4 ,the ,great ,discovery
     #f4 ,a ,new ,covenant     #g4 ,to  
the ,fore ,again     #h4 ,the ,shadow of
 a ,king     #i4 ,the ,temple of the    
,lord     #aj4 ,a ,narrow ,escape       
#aa4 ,a ,taste of ,martyrdom     #ab4   
,the ,woe of the ,prophet     #ac4      
,teacher and ,pupil     #ad4 ,baruch's  
,first ,venture     #ae4 ,the ,king     
,hears and ,acts     #af4 ,beginning of 
the ,end     #ag4 ,the ,first           
,deportation     #ah4 ,in ,exile and in 
the ,homeland     #ai4 ,a ,friend in    
,need     #bj4 ,in the ,midst of        
,despair     #ba4 ,lamentations and a   
,vain ,hope     #bb4 ,cowardice and     

,treachery     #bc4 ,jeremiah1 the      
,martyred                               
,,list ,,of ,,illustrations   ,the      
vision of ,isaiah the son of            
,amoz4--,isaiah ,i1 #a  ,prepare to meet
 thy ,god1 ,o ,israel4--,amos ,,iv1 #ab 
,yea1 ,i will betroth thee unto me in   
righteousness1 and in judgment1 and in  
loving kindness1 and in mercy4--,hosea  
,,ii1 #ba  ,here am ,i1 send            
me4--,isaiah ,,vi1 #h  ,and they shall  
beat their swords into plowshares1 and  
their spears into                       
pruning-hooks4--,isaiah ,,ii1 #d  ,for  
the transgression of ,jacob is all this1
 and for the sins of the house of       
,israel4--,micah ,i1 #e  ,i sat alone   
because of ,thy hand4--,jeremiah ,,xv1  
#ag  ,and thou1 ,pashur1 and all that   
dwell in thy house shall go into        
captivity4--,jeremiah ,,xx1 #f          
,,foreword   ,the company of inspired   
men1 commonly known as the prophets of  
,israel1 were the unique product of the 
,jewish religious genius4 ,they were    

pre-eminently preachers of              
righteousness4 ,fearless and undaunted1 
they told the house of ,israel their    
sins and the house of ,jacob their      
transgressions4 ,they contemplated the  
facts of life from the highest point of 
view4 ,for them religion and morality   
were blended1 ethics and politics were  
one4 ,theirs was peculiarly a social    
message2 the demand for justice         
underlies all their thinking and        
speaking4 ,they had a veritable passion 
for righteousness2 through all the ages 
their words have been torches lighting  
the way of men struggling upward towards
 the truth4  ,though living over        
twenty-six hundred years ago1 these men 
are very modern4 ,as a great thinker has
 well said1 ,the spirit of the prophets 
of ,israel is in the modern soul4 ,the  
foremost workers for the welfare of     
their fellowmen to-day posit social     
justice as the first article of their   
program4 ,the world to-day1 as never    
before1 is filled with cries for social 

righteousness as the indispensable      
foundation for the structure of society4
 ,what is this but harking back to the  
eternal message of the ancient prophets8
 ,let justice flow as water passionately
 and unreservedly demanded ,amos of old2
 for him and his brother prophets this  
was the sine qua non for society's      
welfare2 the same may be said of the    
thousands and tens of thousands to-day  
of every creed and every nation who are 
toiling for the social salvation of     
their fellowmen the world over4 ,ages   
meet2 the words of the ancient preachers
 of righteousness are still the         
inspiration for the seekers after       
justice everywhere4  ,the story of the  
life work of these giants of the spirit 
has often been told1 but it can be told 
none too often1 particularly if the     
telling is well done1 as is the case in 
the present volume4 ,each one of these  
men delivered the same message in his   
own individual and inimitable way4 ,yet 
their work was continuous and forms a   

consecutive tale4 ,in the speeches and  
experiences of each one of them the     
eternal truths they present appears in  
differing light4 ,the author of the     
present volume approaches his subject1  
one might say1 from the dramatic        
standpoint1 for1 with fine insight1 he  
has culled from the lives of the        
prophets those striking and intense     
experiences which illustrate most       
powerfully the indomitable spirit of    
these men who followed right in scorn of
 consequence1 for were they not the     
messengers of the ,god of right whose   
demand upon men is1 as told by one of   
them in imperishable words1 to do       
justice1 to love mercy and to walk      
humbly with ,god8  ,the author has      
succeeded well in his characterization  
of the various prophets4 ,his pages glow
 with the vital spark of each prophet's 
flaming figure4 ,he has named his book  
fittingly ,stories of the ,prophets1 and
 interesting stories has he told4 ,he   
has brought to his task not only a      

sympathetic appreciation of his subject1
 but an imaginative faculty that has    
enabled him to supply links in the      
narrative suggested if not actually     
given in the incidents preserved in the 
recorded annals4  ,from the words of the
 prophets themselves he has1 therefore1 
occasionally built up situations which  
if not strictly indicated in the        
original text may1 at any rate1 be      
imagined4 ,not as predictors of events  
in the far future1 for this the prophets
 were not1 despite frequent             
interpretations of their words along    
this line1 but as bold speakers of the  
truth1 as fiery preachers of the right1 
as intrepid champions of the poor and   
oppressed1 as fearless denouncers of    
corruption and wrong in high places does
 our author present the leading figures 
in his book4 ,as such1 their words are  
as significant for us to-day as they    
were for the men of their generation1   
and their impassioned accents sound as  
forcefully now as they did then4 ,this  

is brought out clearly and strikingly in
 the sketches of this volume1 which     
without doubt will succeed in giving a  
vivid picture to the reader of these    
towering spirtual heroes who belong to  
the ages1 speakers of the everlasting   
nays and yeas of the ,everlasting ,god4 
,,david ,,philipson4  ,,cincinnati1     
,,september1 #aiab4                     
,,the ,,shepherd ,,of ,,tekoa           
,,chapter ,i4                           
,an ,end to ,war4      ,damascus has    
fallen6     ,damascus has fallen66  ,the
 whole city of ,samaria rang with the   
glad tidings4 ,fleet-footed runners1 who
 had started with this precious news on 
the day of victory1 covered more than   
one hundred and fifty miles to bring it 
to the capital of the ,kingdom of       
,israel4  ,they crossed mountains and   
swam rivers1 fairly flew over fertile   
plains and through busy cities1         
shouting1 while there was breath in     
their bodies3     ,damascus has fallen6 
,many of the messengers fell exhausted  

on the way1 but others took up the      
wonderful news from the front and       
carried it on1 until the whole northern 
part of the kingdom knew of the king's  
victory4  ,little by little the whole   
story was told to the eager             
,samarians--how the king1 ,jeroboam     
,,ii1 himself led the hosts of ,israel2 
how attack followed attack upon the     
fortified ,syrian capital2 how the first
 breach was made in the outer wall2 how 
the valiant ,israelites rushed upon the 
enemy1 and how the final victory was won
 for ,israel's standard4  ,what a       
celebration was there in ,samaria that  
long-to-be-remembered day6  ,not since  
the days when the first ,jeroboam led   
the rebellion of the ten tribes against 
,king ,solomon's weak son1 ,rehoboam1   
and established the independent kingdom 
of the ,ten ,tribes1 with ,samaria as   
the capital1 was there such rejoicing in
 that city4  ,we can picture the        
celebration in our mind's eye2 we cannot
 describe it in words4  ,parents who had

 sent their sons to the war now laughed 
happily through their tears1 because    
there would be an end to war4  ,sisters 
whose brothers doubtless lay dead in and
 about the walls of the doomed city1 now
 sang songs of joy in the midst of their
 weeping1 because there would be an end 
to war4  ,the strongest and finest men  
of ,israel had given their lives for    
their country1 but now1 thank ,god6     
there would be an end to war4  ,the fall
 of ,damascus meant the end of a hundred
 and fifty years' war1 commenced by     
,ben-hadad ,i1 of ,syria1 against       
,israel1 long before ,jeroboam's        
great-grandfather established the       
dynasty of ,jehu on the throne of       
,israel4  ,it meant even more than that2
 it meant the end of ,syrian oppression1
 and1 perhaps1 a period of peace to the 
long-troubled and war-ridden kingdom of 
,israel4  ,no wonder1 then1 that there  
were feasts of rejoicing and            
full-throated cries3      ,damascus has 
fallen6 ,long live ,king ,jeroboam6     

,damascus has fallen6 ,long life to the 
house of ,jehu6  ,all day and all night 
,samaria swarmed with people4 ,the      
streets were thronged with shouting men 
and women who had come from ,geba and   
,dothan1 and even from ,jezreel on the  
north1 and from ,schechem and ,shiloh   
and ,bethel on the south1 to help       
celebrate the great victory4            
,sacrifices were brought at all the     
sanctuaries of ,israel--in ,bethel1 in  
,dan1 in ,gilgal1 in ,beersheba4        
,priests and people brought             
thank-offerings1 and1 together1 sang    
praises to ,god3     ,god is my light   
and my salvation1     ,whom shall ,i    
fear8     ,god is the strength of my    
life1     ,of whom shall ,i be afraid8  
,truly1 ,god was on the side of ,israel1
 or else the ,syrians could not have    
been defeated4 ,he was showing favor to 
the ,northern ,kingdom1 and was pleased 
with ,israel1 for was not ,judah1 the   
,southern ,kingdom1 too1 paying tribute 
to ,jeroboam8  ,and so they recalled how

 ,joash1 the father of the great        
,jeroboam ,,ii1 defeated ,amaziah1 king 
of ,judah1 took him captive1 partially  
demolished the walls of ,jerusalem1 and 
looted the ,temple in ,jerusalem4   ,the
 older men of ,samaria remembered the   
fine sarcasm with which ,joash treated  
,amaziah's challenge to war1 in his     
reply3  ,the thistle that was in        
,lebanon sent to the cedar that was in  
,lebanon1 saying1 ',give thy daughter to
 my son to wife1' and there passed by a 
wild beast that was in ,lebanon1 and    
trod down the thistle4  ,how young and  
old laughed at the repetition of this   
clever little story that compared       
,israel to a cedar in its strength and  
to a wild beast in its fighting power1  
and ,judah to a poor1 little thistle to 
be tramped upon6  ,jeroboam ,,ii was    
indeed a son of his father4 ,joash      
humbled ,judah1 ,israel's enemy on the  
south2 ,jeroboam humbled ,syria1        
,israel's enemy on the north4  ,not     
satisfied with the fall of ,damascus1   

however1 ,jeroboam pushed right ahead   
and captured ,lodebar and ,karnaim1     
which he turned over to ,assur-dan1 king
 of ,assyria4  ,the fact is that        
,jeroboam had to do this4 ,it was his   
end of a bargain made with ,assur-dan4  
,it was agreed between the two that the 
,assyrians would keep their hands off   
during the war between ,israel and      
,syria4  ,as a reward for ,assur-dan's  
non-interference1 ,jeroboam undertook to
 capture these two cities and turn them 
over to the ,syrians to become part of  
his empire4  ,having fulfilled his      
agreement1 ,jeroboam continued his      
victorious march further north1 and     
never stopped until he had laid low the 
pride of ,hamath1 the prosperous city on
 the river ,orontes4  ,jeroboam ,,ii1   
thus had the great distinction of       
restoring the boundaries of the ,kingdom
 of ,israel to the proportions of the   
empire of ,david and ,solomon1 from the 
entrance of ,hamath unto the sea of     
,arabah1 which is the ,dead ,sea4       

,wonderful was the reception prepared   
for the king and his victorious army on 
their return to ,samaria4 ,more people  
had come to the city to join in the     
welcoming demonstration than had        
pilgrimed to ,jerusalem on the          
,passover1 in the days before the       
division of the kingdom4  ,the northern 
walls were massed with people1 and the  
gates were decorated with flowers4      
,priests and elders1 dressed in spotless
 white and led by the high priest1      
,amaziah1 himself1 awaited ,jeroboam and
 his generals just outside of the city  
and preceded them to the gates4 ,such an
 acclamation of joy as greeted the king 
upon his entrance through the gates had 
never been heard in ,samaria4  ,passing 
through a triumphal arch of stone and   
marble1 the procession was met by       
hundreds of maidens and children1       
clothed in linen and gold1 who led the  
way1 singing and strewing flowers in the
 path of the heroes4  ,a turn in the    
street led to the market-place4 ,here   

had been built a great triumphal arch of
 ivory and gold1 beyond which was an    
altar1 specially erected for the        
occasion4  ,passing through the arch1   
,amaziah and ,jeroboam mounted the steps
 that led to the altar4 ,all the rest   
remained below4 ,when the priest and the
 king faced the people the singing and  
the shouting ceased4 ,with due ceremony1
 and according to the rites1 the king   
brought a thanks-offering to ,god for   
his victories and his safe return4 ,when
 ,amaziah placed the sacrifice upon the 
altar a deep hush fell over the great   
assembly4  ,slowly the smoke of the     
sacrifice rose to heaven1 and the       
multitude of people1 like one man1 fell 
on their knees and worshiped4  ,jeroboam
 was deeply moved4 ,solemnly he raised  
his right hand1 and1 from the depths of 
his grateful heart1 he said3     ,peace 
to the house of ,israel6  ,like the     
rumble of a mighty wave rolling toward  
the shore came the response from the sea
 of worshiping people3     ,to the house

 of ,israel1 peace6  ,for one whole week
 after ,jeroboam's triumphant entry into
 the capital1 ,samaria was a place of   
feasting and rejoicing4 ,when1 by       
command of the king1 the celebration    
came to an end and the people began to  
return to their homes1 each one1 on     
leaving the city's gates1 repeated to   
himself the now answered prayer of over 
a century3     ,peace to the house of   
,israel6     ,to the house of ,israel1  
peace6                                  
,,chapter ,,ii4                    ,in  
the ,days of ,prosperity4   ,it was     
market day in ,samaria4  ,great throngs 
of people crowded all the streets4 ,they
 jostled each other good naturedly1     
traded1 bargained1 renewed              
acquaintanceship1 spoke of their home   
towns and expressed the hope of meeting 
again4  ,the market place itself1 where 
the many bazaars displayed wonderful    
merchandise from many cities and many   
lands1 was an especially lively place4  
,it was gay with life and color4 ,gilded

 chariots and ivory-bedecked litters    
passed to and fro4 ,heralds announced   
particularly important personages and   
escorts and cleared a way for them with 
whip or spear4 ,military men and        
merchant princes1 with many followers1  
often scattered the smaller merchants   
and petty traders in their path through 
the market4 ,many were caught under the 
wheels of the vehicles of the rich when 
they did not get out of the way quickly 
enough4 ,others were purposely thrust   
aside by the wealthy aristocrats simply 
to show their disdain4   ,it was a      
typical ,samarian market day--crowds and
 noise2 buying and selling2 idle rich   
and drudging poor2 haughty military     
grandees1 in their resplendent attires1 
and cowed1 miserable beggars in their   
rags2 color and laughter at the bazaars1
 and tears and sorrow at the auction    
block just across the way--always crowds
 and always noise4  ,the auctioneer was 
shouting above the general din the good 
points of a man who had just been placed

 on the block4  ,to be sold till the    
,jubilee ,year1 he cried4 ,how much am  
,i bid8  ,a clerk read the court's      
decree that this man was to be sold for 
debt4 ,it was signed by the judges1 who 
sat in the ,east ,gate of ,samaria4 ,the
 document was a cold1 formal statement4 
,it did not take into account the reason
 why this man1 in the full vigor of     
manhood1 had fallen into debt4 ,his     
creditors had pushed the poor fellow    
hard for their money4 ,he could not pay4
 ,he pleaded with the judges that the   
sickness of his wife and children had   
reduced him to direst need1 but it was  
without avail4 ,he could not pay his    
debts and must work them off as a slave 
for seven years2 that was the decree of 
the court4 ,after seven years he would  
be a free man again4 ,cases like this   
were very common4  ,the keen eye of the 
auctioneer noted a man at the far edge  
of the platform who had made several    
attempts as if to bid during the sale4  
,he was a middle-aged man1 tall and     

thin1 but wiry4 ,his face was bronzed   
from exposure to sun and wind4 ,he wore 
a long woolen mantel that completely    
covered him1 even to the sandals on his 
feet4  ,how much am ,i bid8 ,the        
auctioneer spoke the question directly  
to this country yokel1 while he winked  
at the crowd in front of him4 ,he       
thought that the fellow who came to the 
market clad in such clothes1 instead of 
his ,sabbath best1 had little money with
 him to buy a slave1 and less use for   
one4 ,so he spoke the question again to 
the farmer1 expecting an answer that    
would make the crowd laugh and put them 
in good humor4  ,the country yokel again
 made as if to speak but changed his    
mind and backed away1 facing the        
auctioneer4  ,he had hardly backed three
 paces when he bumped into some one4 ,he
 was pushed violently forward1 and1     
before he could recover1 winced under a 
stinging crack from a whip4  ,he turned 
quickly and faced two brutish looking   
men1 swearing at his awkwardness and    

cursing his impudence for being in the  
way4  ,the farmer could have given a    
good account of himself in a square     
fight with these men1 but he knew better
 than to start a fight with them4 ,they 
were the foreguards to a splendid       
pleasure outfit--the outfit of a very   
rich ,samarian merchant4 ,a fight meant 
arrest and punishment at the hands of   
,samarian judges1 whether he was in the 
right or not4 ,the rich of ,samaria had 
the judges under their thumbs4 ,a       
stranger or a poor man1 in fact1 anyone 
who had no influence in ,samaria1 stood 
little chance of getting justice4  ,so  
the farmer cleared the way4 ,standing   
aside1 he watched the chariot drawn by  
four ,egyptian steeds1 surrounded by    
guards1 slaves and hangers-on1 make its 
way through the crowded market place1   
paying no attention to the rights and   
privileges of any one4 ,the wealthy     
merchant in the chariot held his head up
 proudly4 ,he greeted only the          
prosperous looking2 upon the curious    

crowds and small merchants1 he looked   
down with contempt4  ,the merchant whose
 attendants had so grossly insulted the 
farmer drew up before a great palace4   
,rich carpets were spread from the      
chariot to the steps of the mansion4    
,the rich man's followers bowed low as  
he passed up the steps and through the  
door held open by attendants4 ,some     
followed him into the house2 others     
mingled with the people in the market   
place2 the slaves went to their quarters
 by a rear entrance4  ,the stranger in  
the woolen robe was not as green as he  
looked4 ,he had witnessed the growth and
 prosperity of ,samaria during the last 
twenty years of ,jeroboam ,,ii's reign  
until it became the busiest trade center
 in the ,empire4  ,leaning against the  
stone column1 on which was graven the   
record of ,jeroboam's victory over      
,damascus1 and still smarting from the  
lash of the servant's whip1 he recalled 
the story of ,samaria's great strides to
 its present prosperous condition4  ,the

 subjugation of ,judah on the south1    
which this farmer had good cause to     
remember2 the conquest of ,syria on the 
north and ,jeroboam's peace compact with
 ,assyria further east1 assured a long  
period of peaceful development within   
the empire4  ,new highways were built1  
so that the farther ends of the country 
were brought close together for business
 purposes4 ,farmers could bring their   
crops to the cities easily4 ,many       
remained in the cities and engaged in   
business pursuits4 ,caravans traveled   
great distances1 bringing precious      
luxuries from one part of the empire to 
another1 and even from foreign          
countries4  ,many thus became very      
wealthy4 ,they built themselves palaces 
for winter residences in the cities and 
palaces for summer residences in the    
country4 ,to get rich seemed to be the  
aim of everybody2 and1 with riches1 came
 ostentation and luxuriant living4  ,the
 city of ,samaria1 especially1 was the  
center for ,israel's most wealthy men4  

,their homes were wonders of stone and  
ivory4 ,the furnishings rivaled in      
beauty the splendor of the outside4 ,the
 rooms were high and spacious4 ,the beds
 and tables and chairs were of the      
finest wood of ,lebanon1 carved by the  
craftsmen of ,tyre1 and inlaid with     
ivory4 ,the coverings were of the       
richest purple and gold from ,egypt and 
the ,indies4 ,wine cellars were a part  
of every house and feasts were spread   
whenever the occasion offered itself4   
,fatted lambs and calves were           
slaughtered daily to supply the tables1 
and new instruments were invented to    
furnish music at the feasts4  ,this1    
however1 was only one side of the       
picture of ,samaria in its days of      
greatest prosperity4 ,the farmer knew   
that there was another1 much less       
beautiful4 ,while the rich were growing 
richer1 the poor were growing poorer4   
,the rich1 thinking only of themselves1 
their wealth1 their power1 their good   
times1 cheated and oppressed the poor   

unmercifully4 ,they gave false weights  
and short measure and sold at high      
prices1 poor stuff at that4 ,they would 
drive a poor man into debt and have him 
sold into slavery2 so that human beings 
became a drug on the market1 as it were4
 ,in fact1 at the very auction which the
 farmer watched that day1 one poor man  
was sold for the price of a pair of     
shoes4 ,the poor had even no chance to  
get justice in the courts4 ,the greed   
for money placed corrupt officials in   
office and the offenders bribed them to 
the undoing of the poor and needy4      
,strange to say1 the ,israelites1 in    
whose midst there were those who lived  
such scandalous lives and treated the   
poor people so outrageously--the        
,israelites--nevertheless1 believed in  
their hearts that they had not forgotten
 ,god4 ,they believed that ,god was with
 them2 that ,he loved them above all    
other peoples2 that ,he guarded and     
protected them2 that ,he sent them all  
their blessings of prosperity and peace4

  ,this is the way they reasoned it out3
 ,had not ,god helped them to defeat    
,judah8 ,had not ,god been with them    
when they crushed their ancient foe1    
,syria8 ,did not ,god send them rain in 
season1 so that crops were good and     
plentiful8  ,therefore1 said they1 ,god 
is on our side4 ,let us go up to the    
sanctuaries and offer sacrifices upon   
,his altars4  ,and so1 at festival      
times1 ,bethel and ,gilgal1 and ,dan and
 ,beersheba were crowded with the rich1 
offering their sacrifices1 feasting1    
drinking and rejoicing4 ,it never       
entered their minds that ,god is the    
,god of the poor1 as well as of the     
rich4 ,though they continued to rob and 
oppress and enslave the poor and the    
needy and the helpless1 they were       
perfectly satisfied with the idea that  
all ,god asked of them was to offer the 
prescribed sacrifices4 ,if there were   
any who knew differently1 or thought    
differently1 they seemingly did not dare
 say so in anybody's hearing4 ,for the  

poor1 these were1 indeed1 evil times4   
,at this point in his musings1 the      
farmer actually shuddered4 ,he was not  
aware that his peculiar dress and his   
peculiar position at the moment had     
attracted attention4 ,while he was      
contrasting in his mind the great       
difference between the rich and the poor
 in ,samaria1 several men1 having       
nothing better to do1 had stopped to    
stare at the yokel4 ,as is always the   
case when people stand in the street and
 gawk1 a large crowd soon assembled4 ,a 
military chariot stopped near the group 
of curious gazers to see what was going 
on4 ,soon several others were halted    
there1 including gilded and gaudy       
litters1 in which fashionably dressed   
women were being conveyed4 ,all stared1 
called each other's attention to the    
queerly garbed stranger1 and finally    
laughed outright4  ,the man who was the 
center of attraction became aware of the
 crowd only when he had reached that    
point in his thoughts1 the horrible     

picture of which had made him shudder4  
,when he noticed the crowd1 he gasped4  
,he recovered from his astonishment     
quickly1 however4 ,he opened his mantle1
 showing his gaunt1 powerful form4 ,he  
raised his head and faced the crowd4    
,his face1 strong and sunburned1 was    
tense and drawn for a moment2 then it   
relaxed4 ,deep lines1 expressing severe 
pain1 were furrowed in his forehead4    
,the crowd1 in turn1 was astonished at  
the complete change that had come over  
the yokel4 ,before they recovered from  
their mistaken opinion about the man1   
they saw him clinch his fists in        
determination and heard his voice ring  
out clearly and distinctly1 above the   
din of the market place3     ,hear ye1  
,who turn justice to wormwood     ,and  
cast down righteousness to the earth2   
,who trample upon the poor     ,and     
afflict the just2     ,who take a bribe 
,and thrust aside the needy in the gate3
     ,i know how manifold are your      
transgressions1     ,saith the ,lord1   

,god of hosts1     ,and how mighty your 
sins1     ,the end of my people ,israel 
hath come1     ,saith the ,lord1 ,god of
 hosts1     ,i can no longer forgive4   
,this outspoken attack upon ,samaria1   
its rich1 and its military nobles1 was  
so extraordinary that it amazed the     
crowd4 ,having spoken1 the farmer turned
 away and was soon lost among the       
bazaars4 ,some looked after him1        
astonished at his recklessness in laying
 himself open to the revenge of the     
powers that be4 ,others looked after    
him1 amazed at his bravery and          
fearlessness4  ,that night many in      
,samaria had heard of the unknown       
stranger and his speech in the market   
place4 ,at many dinner tables the       
question was asked3  ,who is this man   
who dares to lift his voice against the 
high and powerful in behalf of the poor 
and downtrodden8  ,who is this man who  
dares to proclaim the doom of the       
,kingdom of ,israel in the days of its  
greatest prosperity8                    

,,chapter ,,iii4                        
,the ,man ,who ,dared4   ,there lived a 
man in the little town of ,tekoah1 in   
the ,kingdom of ,judah1 twelve miles    
south of ,jerusalem1 who made a living  
from dressing sycamore trees4  ,in      
ancient ,palestine1 the fruit of the    
sycamore that grew in ,judah was dried1 
ground into flour and used for making   
coarse bread4 ,this bread was eaten by  
the very poorest people1 who could not  
afford to buy wheat4  ,now1 the man who 
lived from gathering poor fruit1 out of 
which poor bread was made1 for poor     
people1 must1 himself1 have been very   
poor4  ,but a poor man may love his     
country as much as a rich man2 and1 when
 the foolish war between ,amaziah of    
,judah and ,joash of ,israel broke out1 
this dresser of sycamore trees1 from    
,tekoah1 followed his king on the       
battlefield4  ,at the battle in which   
,amaziah was defeated and ,joash gained 
his greatest victory1 leading to the    
destruction of part of the              

fortifications of ,jerusalem1 this man1 
fighting valiantly in the front ranks1  
with many other patriotic ,judeans1 laid
 down his life for his country4 ,he was 
buried in the trenches1 an unknown hero1
 whose name is not even in the records4 
,but history gives us the record of his 
son1 named ,amos4 ,left with his widowed
 mother1 after the war1 the burden of   
finding a living for the two was soon   
thrust upon him4 ,there was only one    
thing that he knew by which he could    
earn money--dressing sycamore trees4    
,he went at his work with a vim4 ,as he 
grew up1 and his and his mother's needs 
increased1 his wits became sharpened4   
,why could he not dry and grind the     
sycamore fruit himself8 ,this he did and
 increased his income4 ,then1 his mother
 suggested that she would bake the flour
 into bread1 if he would sell it4 ,amos 
agreed to that1 and the little family   
thrived4  ,one day ,amos brought the    
idea to his mother that their sycamore  
bread could be sold at a better price in

 ,jerusalem4 ,he asked for permission to
 go there and his mother1 desiring more 
that her son should see the capital than
 that he should get higher prices for   
the bread1 said3  ,go1 my son1 and ,god 
be with thee4  ,that trip to ,jerusalem 
and the several trips that followed1    
made a great impression upon the young  
man and gave a remarkable turn to his   
whole life4  ,he saw ,jerusalem1 of     
whose beauty and glory his father had   
often told him1 a fallen city4 ,it had  
not yet recovered from the terrible     
results of the war with ,amaziah of     
,israel2 ,king ,uzziah had not yet      
restored the treasures and vessels of   
which the temples had been looted2 and1 
in the quarter of the city where ,amos  
sold his bread1 oh6 such poverty1 such  
wretchedness1 such desolation6  ,his    
heart was filled with grief4 ,he went to
 the trenches where he knew his father  
lay in an unmarked grave1 and wept      
bitterly4 ,there1 at his father's grave1
 a wonderful thought came to him4 ,a new

 light entered into his life and a great
 determination for his future career4   
,his mind once made up1 he soon outlined
 a plan for himself1 and having the     
determination to carry the plan through1
 he made rapid progress4  ,with the     
additional profits that resulted from   
his business trips to ,jerusalem1 ,amos 
bought sheep and goats and became a     
shepherd1 as well as a gatherer of      
sycamore fruit4  ,the great rocky       
wilderness that slopes from the         
limestone hills of ,tekoah down to the  
,dead ,sea was just the place where     
sheep and goats could prosper4  ,so1 in 
addition to the thriving business of his
 old trade1 he dealt1 also1 in goat milk
 and wool and in the animals themselves4
  ,often1 as he sat on the hillsides1 in
 the cool of the sycamores1 and watched 
his flocks1 his mind would turn to the  
things he saw and heard in ,jerusalem4  
,he had heard there that ,bethel1 one of
 the sanctuaries of ,israel1 was always 
filled with pilgrims at festival        

time--and he determined upon a trip to  
,bethel1 twenty-two miles north of      
,tekoah4  ,he returned greatly          
disheartened4  ,wealth and feasting saw 
,i there1 ,amos told his mother1 and    
wine and song1 and altars reeking with  
blood of fatted lambs and oxen2 but ,god
 was not in the heart of the people of  
,israel4  ,his mother chided him gently4
 ,to say such things was blasphemy2 for 
sacrifices were demanded of all the     
people by the religious laws of the     
state2 and it was also commanded that a 
portion of the sacrifice should be      
consumed by him who brought             
it--therefore the feasting4 ,as to the  
song and wine1 did not the ,sweet       
,singer say1 ,serve the ,lord with      
gladness8  ,amos did not reply4 ,he knew
 that his good-hearted mother had given 
expression to the idea of ,god's worship
 as all the people1 both of ,israel and 
of ,judah1 at that time1 understood it4 
,they brought the sacrifices1 as        
prescribed by the priests at the        

sanctuaries2 a portion of the           
slaughtered animal was given to ,god on 
the altar1 and the portion that was     
eaten by the sacrificer was looked upon 
as a meal--a banquet--participated in by
 him and ,god1 together2 such a meal    
soon became a feast1 with wine and song4
 ,unfortunately1 these banquets often   
degenerated into drunkenness and        
revelry4  ,amos felt that such worship  
of ,god was not right1 but he had not   
yet discovered what was wrong4  ,when   
the period of prosperity opened up for  
,israel1 with ,jeroboam ,,ii's conquest 
of ,damascus1 ,judah also felt the good 
times4 ,amos1 now an experienced master 
herdsman1 took the advantage afforded by
 the peace and improved business        
conditions4 ,he traveled with his       
stock-in-trade to far northern markets1 
to ,samaria1 to ,damascus1 to ,hamath1  
and1 from there his caravans wended     
their way east1 even as far as the ,city
 ,asshur1 the capital of ,assyria4  ,he 
was not a mere trader1 however4 ,he was 

a close observer and a student of men   
and things wherever he led his caravans4
 ,he talked with strangers about other  
lands which he had not visited and      
became1 therefore1 well acquainted with 
political1 religious and social         
conditions everywhere4  ,all this made  
no change in the outward circumstances  
of ,amos4 ,success did not turn his     
head4 ,he did not build himself a       
palace1 but remained with his mother in 
the village of ,tekoah1 where he was    
born and raised4 ,he did not indulge    
himself with fine clothes and high      
living1 but continued to dress simply   
and live plainly4  ,his mother was often
 greatly worried about ,amos4 ,when he  
returned from a far northern and eastern
 trip he would betake himself to his    
beloved hills and sycamore groves and   
flocks4 ,he would work with the most    
lowly of his sycamore fruit gatherers2  
but he would often spend hours by       
himself in the woods or in the          
wilderness4  ,it was during these       

lonesome hours that ,amos added high    
thinking to his simple living4 ,the     
grandeur of ,samaria and the wealth he  
saw displayed in ,bethel did not deceive
 him4 ,neither did the peace compact    
between ,jeroboam ,,ii and ,assur-dan   
,,iii blind him to the exact state of   
affairs in the relationship between the 
two countries4  ,he knew that           
,tiglath-,pileser ,,iii1 the successor  
of ,assur-dan1 had crushed all          
rebellions in ,assyria1 which ,assur-dan
 ,,iii had failed to do1 and was        
reorganizing the army of the great      
empire4 ,he knew that ,damascus1 which  
had been weakened by ,jeroboam ,,ii     
beyond hope of recovery1 would be the   
first point of conquest for the young   
and energetic ,pul1 as ,tiglath-,pileser
 was called4 ,next before him1 to the   
south1 lay the rich ,kingdom of ,israel1
 the booty from whose palaces and       
sanctuaries would be an enormous prize  
for the ,assyrian emperor and his army4 
,after ,damascus1 must come ,samaria6   

,in other words1 ,amos saw distinctly   
that the time was near when ,israel     
would have to fight again for its       
independence and its very life2 and he  
asked himself1 ,is ,israel prepared8    
,clearly it was not4 ,the rich had      
become unfit for war1 because of their  
luxuriant living4 ,the poor had become  
unfit for war1 because of their         
oppression by the rich4 ,should the     
,assyrians invade the land1 how could   
such a nation of weaklings defend its   
home and its liberty8  ,israel must be  
warned6 ,it must be awakened from its   
stupidity to a realization of the danger
 ahead6 ,the rich must cease their      
extravagances and become manly men      
again6 ,the poor must be given their    
rights1 must be treated justly and      
righteously1 that they may become manly 
men again6 ,only a nation of moral1     
upright1 ,god-fearing men can hope for  
victory6 ,if the ,assyrians should      
defeat and crush ,israel1 it will be    
,god's punishment visited upon ,israel  

for its sins and crimes4  ,amos had     
often discussed these things with his   
mother4 ,she was not surprised1         
therefore1 when1 one day1 upon his      
return from a long trip into ,assyria1  
,amos said to her1 ,i am called to the  
cities of ,israel4 ,my mission will be  
prolonged many days4  ,the good woman   
knew and understood4 ,laying her hands  
upon his head1 she repeated the blessing
 with which she had blessed him when1 as
 a timid young man1 he made his first   
trip to ,jerusalem3  ,go1 my son1 and   
,god be with thee4  ,and so it was that 
,amos1 the herdsmen of ,tekoah1 had     
dared to speak for the poor people in   
,samaria1 and to prophesy the fall of   
the ,kingdom4  ,his first speech        
attracted little attention1 but others1 
in various parts of the country1 to the 
same effect1 followed4 ,many laughed at 
them2 few thought seriously about them4 
,but ,amos was not so easily            
discouraged4 ,he concluded that the     
wrong idea the people had about ,god1   

how to worship ,him and what ,he        
demanded of them1 was the cause of all  
the evil4 ,amos1 therefore1 selected the
 sanctuaries during festival season as  
the place where he must do his          
preaching4  ,he went especially to      
,bethel1 the king's sanctuary1 where    
,jeroboam brought his sacrifices and    
where the great nobles and soldiers and 
richest merchants gathered and reveled  
in their feasts4  ,one day ,amos broke  
in upon a reveling group1 with the      
unexpected call3     ,prepare to meet   
thy ,god1 ,o ,israel6  ,such a call was1
 indeed1 unexpected4 ,the ,israelites1  
assembled at the sanctuary1 offering    
their sacrifices1 believed that they    
were with their ,god4 ,some one told    
,amos as much1 and the crowd jeered at  
the fool1 who evidently did not         
understand his religion4  ,this laughter
 ceased suddenly1 however1 when ,amos   
began to chant a mournful dirge3        
,hear ye this word which ,i take up for 
a lamentation over you1         ,o house

 of ,israel6     ,fallen1 no more to    
rise1 is the virgin ,israel6     ,cast  
down upon her soil she lies1     ,there 
is none to raise her up4     ,the city  
that taketh the field with a thousand1  
,hath but a hundred left2     ,and the  
one that taketh the field with a        
hundred1     ,hath but ten left4  ,a    
young officer1 who felt that the army1  
the pride of the ,kingdom1 had been     
grossly insulted1 rushed forth from the 
crowd and exclaimed1 hotly3 ,thou art a 
false prophet6 ,prophesy no more4  ,then
 he continued1 explaining to ,amos and  
to the crowd1 that ,god could not have  
sent such a message to the house of     
,israel4 ,god was with them1 he said1   
and was gracious to them4 ,israel was   
stronger1 mightier than ever before and 
,israel was1 that very day1 at ,bethel1 
at ,gilgal1 at ,beersheba1 bringing     
thanks-offerings to ,god4  ,amos stood  
stolidly by and listened until the young
 man had finished4 ,then he replied3    
,thus saith ,god to the house of        

,israel3     ,ye that oppress the poor  
and crush the needy1     ,that trample  
upon the just and cause the poor of the 
land to fail1     ,seek ,me and live1   
,but seek not ,bethel1     ,and ,gilgal 
do not enter1     ,to ,beersheba go not 
over2     ,for ,gilgal shall surely go  
into captivity     ,and ,bethel shall   
come to naught4     ,seek ,god and not  
evil     ,that ye may live     ,and so  
,god1 the ,lord of hosts1     ,may be   
with you1 as you say4     ,hate evil and
 love good1     ,and establish justice  
in the gate4     ,perhaps ,god will be  
gracious1     ,the ,god of hosts1 to a  
remnant of ,joseph4  ,the young officer 
shook his head in disgust and walked    
away4 ,others1 however1 remained awhile1
 meditating upon what ,amos had said4   
,amos1 too1 when he went his way1 felt  
that his words had made an impression4  
,he thought they had fallen1 like seeds1
 upon fertile soil4 ,would these seeds  
take root8 ,would they grow and         
flourish8 ,would they bear fruit when   

the crisis for ,israel came8  ,but first
 a crisis for ,amos came1 when he had to
 fight for his life4                    
,,chapter ,,iv4                         
,treason and a ,fight4   ,for some time1
 now1 ,amos had been preaching his new  
and formerly unheard-of ideas1 to the   
effect that ,god prefers rather that man
 be just to his fellowmen than that he  
offer sacrifices2 that ,israel had      
become weakened because of its          
indulgence in luxuriant living1 on the  
one hand1 and because of the oppression 
and ill treatment of the poor and needy1
 on the other2 that ,god would be with  
the people against their enemies only   
when the people turned away from their  
idolatrous worship and sought ,god1 by  
doing good and hating evil4  ,and he had
 been rewarded with laughter and jeers  
and derision on the part of the people  
he tried to save6  ,any other man would 
have given up long ago2 not so ,amos4   
,his rebuffs1 however1 made him somber  
and morose4  ,in his great address at   

,bethel he held out the hope to ,israel 
that ,god might forgive ,his people for 
their crimes and sins if they began to  
lead godly lives4 ,his continued failure
 to impress the people with this        
message1 however1 finally led him to the
 belief that ,god would measure out the 
severest justice to ,israel1 in         
accordance with their sins1 and without 
mercy4  ,amos had become a well-known   
figure at all the sanctuaries4 ,most of 
the people thought him to be one of     
those wandering dervishes1 known as     
,sons of the ,prophets1 who made their  
living by a kind of fortune telling1 or 
forecasting the future1 as did ,samuel  
in the early days when he told ,saul    
where the lost asses were2 only1 that   
,amos was one of the ,sons of the       
,prophets run mad1 judging from the way 
he talked and the strange things he     
said4  ,this did not trouble ,amos4     
,what worried him was the fact that the 
people would not listen to his          
addresses4  ,so1 in the year #gde1 he   

journeyed again to ,bethel1 where a     
great festival was to be celebrated4 ,he
 was determined that the people should  
hear4 ,he was well prepared1 too4       
,instead of beginning with a            
condemnation of ,israel1 he used new    
tactics3  ,thus saith ,god1 he began4   
,for three transgressions of ,damascus1 
yea1 for four1 ,i will not turn away the
 punishment thereof4  ,that was         
interesting4 ,we always like to hear    
about the punishments that others will  
receive for their misdeeds1 even if we  
close our ears to those that threaten   
us4  ,and1 as for ,damascus1 she was    
,israel's ancient foe1 and the listeners
 rather liked the idea that ,god was to 
visit her with destruction4  ,when ,amos
 had recounted the sins of ,damascus and
 announced that the people of ,syria    
shall go into captivity into ,kir1 there
 was loud applause4  ,some cried1 ,let  
the ,prophet speak6  ,amos continued4   
,he mentioned the sins for which ,god   
would punish ,gaza1 ,tyre1 ,idumia1     

,ammon1 ,moab1 and each period was      
greeted with volleys of applause4  ,amos
 paused for a moment4 ,he swallowed a   
lump that had risen in his throat and   
lowered his voice4 ,he spoke1 sadly and 
regretfully3     ,thus saith ,god1      
,for three transgressions of ,judah1    
,yea1 for four1 ,i will not revoke its  
punishment4     ,because they reject    
,god's law1     ,and do not keep ,his   
statutes2     ,because their lies have  
caused them to err1     7,the lies7     
,after which their fathers did walk4    
,therefore1 ,i will send a fire upon    
,judah     ,and it shall devour the     
palaces of ,jerusalem4  ,poor1 weak     
little ,judah6 ,the ,prophet was        
declaring the doom of his own country6  
,it was a thing to laugh at6 ,and how   
they did laugh6  ,but it was no laughing
 matter for ,amos4 ,his heart was wrung 
with woe from his own people4 ,he waited
 for the uproar to subside1 and then    
went on to the very point which he had  
come to make3     ,thus saith ,god1     

,for three transgressions of ,israel1   
,yea1 for four1 ,i will not revoke its  
punishment4     ,because they sell the  
righteous for money1     ,and the needy 
for a pair of shoes2     ,who trample on
 the head of the poor1     ,and turn    
aside the way of the humble4     ,upon  
garments taken in pledge they stretch   
themselves beside         every altar1  
,and the wine of those who have been    
fined they drink in the house         of
 their ,god4  ,jeers and threatening    
cries were hurled at ,amos from all     
directions1 but he stood his ground4    
,with the art of a master orator he won 
back his displeased audience4           
,passionately he poured forth the story 
of ,israel and its relationship to      
,god--a story he knew so well--and      
brought the people back to breathless   
attention4 ,he recounted the wonders    
,god had done with and for ,israel from 
the days when ,he brought them out of   
,egypt1 poor1 miserable slaves1 until   
this day of their wealth and glory4     

,here someone stepped out from the crowd
 and took up the argument for the       
people4 ,if all this beautiful story is 
true1 he claimed1 then ,god may punish  
and destroy all the nations that ,amos  
had mentioned2 but ,israel1 to whom ,god
 had shown special favors1 even up to   
this day1 ,god will not destroy4  ,quick
 as a flash the ,prophet answered3      
,are ye not as the ,cushites to me1     
,o children of ,israel8 saith ,god4     
,did ,i not bring up ,israel out of the 
land of ,egypt     ,and the ,philistines
 from ,caphtor     ,and the ,syrians    
from ,kir8     7,but7 you1 especially1  
have ,i known of all the races of the   
earth1     ,therefore will ,i visit upon
 you all your iniquities4     ,behold1  
the eyes of the ,lord ,god are upon the 
sinful kingdom1     ,and ,i will destroy
 it from the face of the earth4     ,an 
adversary shall surround the land1      
,and shall strip from thee thy strength2
     ,and thy palaces shall be          
plundered4     ,verily1 ,i am now       

raising up against you     ,o house of  
,israel1 a nation1     ,and they shall  
oppress you     ,from the entrance of   
,hamath     ,even to the brook of the   
,arabah1     ,saith the ,lord1 ,god of  
hosts4  ,treason6 ,treason6 rose up the 
cry from the several army men who had   
been listening4  ,treason6 ,treason6 was
 shouted immediately from many          
directions4  ,the army officers who had 
raised the cry now rushed toward ,amos1 
threatening him with bodily harm4       
,treason6 ,treason6 was echoed by most  
of the crowd4 ,hundreds now surged      
forward and things looked bad for the   
,prophet4  ,to meet this danger1 ,amos  
brought into play all the strength and  
power that he had stored up during his  
shepherding days4 ,out in the wilderness
 near ,tekoah he had often fought with  
robbers who had stolen his sheep1 and1  
like ,david1 even with wild beasts that 
had stolen his lambs4  ,prepared just   
for this kind of an emergency1 keen of  
eye and alert of mind1 he met the       

leaders as they came on4  ,unfortunately
 for ,amos1 there was nothing that could
 afford him protection from the rear4   
,he could meet any number that might    
attack him face to face2 but while he   
was guarding in front someone might     
strike him in the back--and he was      
surrounded by the mob4  ,traitor6       
,traitor6 they shouted4  ,his blood     
boiled with anger4 ,he1 a traitor6 ,he1 
guilty of treason6 ,why1 he was the only
 man who saw the danger of his people   
and had ventured to warn them6  ,seek   
,god and ye shall live6 kept flashing   
through his mind4 ,but this was no time 
for preaching1 not even for thinking4   
,it was time for action4  ,and act he   
did6  ,the weak1 undergrown army        
officers were like men of straw before  
,amos and he disposed of them as easily4
 ,with the speed of lightning he turned 
face1 fearing an attack from the rear4  
,there1 however1 the people had not     
awakened to what was going on4  ,facing 
front again1 he saw that the army       

officers had not yet recovered from his 
blows4 ,they were sprawled on the ground
 before him and a few of the people were
 laughing at their discomfiture4  ,amos 
had no desire to continue the fight and 
started to help the officers up2 but1 at
 that moment1 he felt two pairs of hands
 lay hold of his mantle at the neck4  ,a
 sudden turn1 a quick stretching of his 
brawny arms1 like a swimmer making for  
speed1 and the two men1 merchants1 clad 
in their holiday finery1 were pushed to 
either side into the crowd4  ,now1 as   
soon as the bystanders saw with what    
ease ,amos was handling his opponents1  
they began to laugh and take sides4 ,a  
crowd always does that4 ,some urged     
,amos to go on fighting2 others urged   
the sprawling victims to attack4  ,amos1
 however1 was not there to fight1 nor   
did his opponents fancy a good beating  
at his hands4 ,in the meantime a small  
group of the king's guard came up1 post 
haste1 and began to disperse the crowd4 
,the crowd scattered1 but gathered again

 in various streets1 in small groups1   
discussing the unusual occurrences of   
the day4  ,they spoke1 in whispers1     
overawed by the fearlessness of the     
,prophet--some by his ability in        
self-defense2 some by the force of his  
speeches4  ,in the palaces of the rich  
and mighty1 gathered in ,bethel at that 
time1 ,amos--what he said and what he   
did--was the topic of conversation no   
less than he was in the streets1 only in
 one of these palaces was hatched a     
clever scheme for the ,prophet's        
undoing4                                
,,chapter ,v4                           
,priest ,against ,prophet4   ,that very 
night the most prominent people in      
,israel--military and                   
civilian--assembled at ,bethel1 and     
decided that something must be done to  
get rid of the ,prophet4 ,they          
considered ,amos crazy1 and1 therefore1 
dangerous4 ,a little group of leaders   
gathered in the house of one of the     
merchant princes of ,samaria to adopt a 

definite plan of action4  ,the ,high    
,priest1 ,amaziah1 was called into      
consultation4 ,he saw the seriousness of
 the matter1 as they all did4 ,such     
preaching must be stopped6  ,this man1  
spoke one of the priests1 is destroying 
the worship of ,god in ,israel4 ,if we  
are no longer to bring sacrifices on    
,god's chosen altars1 wherewith shall we
 worship him8 ,besides1 he added very   
pointedly1 without sacrifices the income
 of the priesthood will be ruined1 and  
the sons of ,aaron will be reduced from 
their high and holy office to beggary4  
,nay1 this is not the worst1 began      
another priest1 who did not think so    
much of his income from the sacrifices  
as the former speaker4 ,the sons of     
,aaron can work1 as do other men4  ,what
 is more serious1 he continued1 is1 that
 this ,prophet proclaims all other      
people as equal in the sight of ,god    
with ,israel2 that ,god has performed   
wonders for them1 as for us4 ,i fear1 he
 concluded solemnly and with bowed head1

 that if such teaching will continue1   
,israel will lose faith in its ,god4  ,a
 captain of the host sprang to his feet4
 ,you priests1 he said1 savagely1 worry 
about many minor things4 ,this man is   
telling the people that ,god1 ,himself1 
is raising up a powerful nation to      
destroy our great empire4 ,he is filling
 our peaceful people with dread and fear
 of the imagined enemy and will disturb 
the peace of our country4  ,yea1 cried a
 wealthy merchant1 and its business     
prosperity4  ,all of which1 added       
another merchant and slave dealer1 is1  
as our friend has said1 looking at the  
captain1 simply imagination4 ,the actual
 danger lies in his arousing the common 
people4 ,he tells the poor that they are
 not getting their rights2 that they are
 not being judged honestly2 that the    
weak and the needy ought to be protected
 and helped--by us1 by us6 ,as if we    
have anything to do with them6 ,i tell  
you that it is here the danger lurks4   
,if this crazy ,prophet is not silenced 

immediately1 the merchant and military  
classes will face open rebellion on the 
part of the common horde4  ,the last    
speaker seemed to have said the final   
word on the subject4 ,all were silent1  
their eyes turned toward ,amaziah4 ,the 
aged priest had not yet ventured an     
opinion2 but he had been thinking deeply
 on what was said by the others4 ,he    
agreed1 for the most part1 with the     
speakers who had preceded him2 but he   
counseled caution and delay4 ,perhaps1  
now that the ,prophet has seen          
opposition1 ,amaziah concluded1 he will 
quit and go home to ,judah4  ,but ,amos 
did not quit1 nor did he go home4 ,the  
fight1 that morning1 was a mere         
incident1 to be forgotten2 but his      
mission to his people burned deep in his
 soul1 a flame that could not be        
quenched4  ,on the day of the conclusion
 of the great festival1 ,amos again     
appeared in the sanctuary4 ,this time it
 did not take long for a crowd to       
gather4 ,in fact1 most of the people    

were looking for him to appear4 ,even   
the richest and most exclusive1 who     
usually are not interested in such men1 
had heard about ,amos and had come to   
see and hear him1 expecting something   
unusual to occur4  ,amos did not waste  
any time4 ,without preparatory remarks1 
he gave voice to his warning call3      
,prepare to meet thy ,god1 ,o ,israel6  
,hardly had the words left the          
,prophet's lips1 when a man stepped     
forward from the crowd1 and facing ,amos
 with threatening fists1 exclaimed3     
,hold thy peace6 ,thou art a false      
,prophet4 ,who hath sent thee to        
prophesy8  ,here was a challenge to     
,amos4 ,who1 indeed1 had appointed him a
 ,prophet8 ,who had set him up to judge 
the people's wrongdoing8 ,who had       
commanded him to declare ,israel's doom8
 ,what entitled him to speak in the name
 of ,god8  ,this challenge1 however1 was
 just what ,amos was looking for4 ,he   
had wanted a number of times to correct 
the mistaken idea the people had of him4

  ,there were1 in the land1 the         
long-established ,schools of ,prophets4 
,these schools were under the protection
 of the king4 ,at the head of each was a
 leader1 like ,samuel1 ,elijah and      
,elisha of the olden days4 ,the leader  
was called ,the ,seer and his pupils    
,sons of the ,prophets4  ,now1 the      
,seers and ,sons of the ,prophets1 with 
the exception of such strong and        
powerful characters as the three great  
men mentioned1 usually did the bidding  
of the king and his officers1 and       
prophesied to please them4  ,amos was   
not a member of any of these established
 schools4 ,he was a free lance--in      
truth1 the first of the independent     
,prophets1 who cried out against the    
evils of their day and who1 fearlessly  
and without favor1 laid the blame where 
it belonged--on king1 on priest1 and on 
people4  ,amos1 therefore1 grasped this 
opportunity to set himself aright4 ,he  
answered his questioner with a series of
 beautiful similes3     ,do two walk    

together unless they be agreed8         
,does a lion roar in the forest when    
there is no prey for him8     ,does a   
young lion cry out in his den unless he 
has taken something8     ,can a trumpet 
be blown in a city and the people not   
tremble8     ,can calamity befall a city
 and ,god hath not sent it8     ,surely1
 the ,lord doeth nothing1     ,unless   
,he revealeth ,his purpose to ,his      
servants1 the ,prophets4     ,the lion  
hath roared2 who does not fear8     ,the
 ,lord ,god hath spoken2 who can but    
prophesy8  ,god1 then1 it was1 not the  
head of a ,school of ,prophets1 or a    
king1 or a priest1 who had sent ,amos to
 prophesy6 ,he1 himself1 had no desire  
to speak these terrible things he was   
saying to his people4 ,a force over     
which he had no control--,god1 had      
impelled him to his task4 ,it was the   
still1 small voice of which ,elijah     
spoke4 ,though his heart bled1 while    
delivering the message1 ,amos could not 
help himself4 ,god had commanded him2 he

 had but to obey6  ,before the          
challenger could continue the argument1 
there was a disturbance on the outskirts
 of the crowd4 ,a murmur arose and all  
craned their necks to see what was going
 on4 ,the crowd opened1 forming a wide  
aisle1 through which there advanced a   
tall1 majestic figure1 with flowing robe
 and gray beard4  ,the ,high ,priest6   
,amaziah6  ,the ,high ,priest6  ,the    
people whispered to each other and an   
expectant silence followed1 as the      
venerable priest walked through the row 
of bowed heads1 toward the sanctuary4   
,he stopped in front of ,amos and looked
 at him curiously4  ,amaziah was an old 
man1 but as erect as a cedar in         
,lebanon4 ,he was dressed in an ephod1  
the holy garment of his office4 ,the    
robe was of fine twined linen1 with     
threads of blue1 scarlet and purple1    
embroidered in gold4 ,two shoulder      
pieces1 fastened to the shoulders of the
 ephod with cords of wreathed gold1 came
 down the front of the garment to just  

above the girdle1 where they were       
fastened with two golden rings4 ,held by
 these cords above1 and by blue ribbons 
through the golden rings below1 was the 
breastplate1 the insignia of the ,high  
,priest4 ,on the front of the           
breastplate1 in gold settings1 were     
twelve precious stones1 four rows of    
three stones each1 on each of which was 
engraved the name of one of the tribes  
of ,israel4 ,a mitre on his head        
completed the ,high ,priest's holy      
vestments4  ,thus brilliantly arrayed1  
for glory and for beauty1 ,amaziah made 
a great contrast to the simply clad     
shepherd1 robed in his woolen mantle1 as
 they faced each other4  ,the splendor  
of ,amaziah1 his age and his authority1 
the tension caused by the struggle that 
was imminent between the ,priest and the
 ,prophet1 overawed the assembly4 ,there
 was a deep silence1 like the calm      
before a heavy downpour4  ,amos1 cool   
and collected1 always prepared for an   
emergency1 bowed low to ,amaziah out of 

respect to his gray head4 ,amaziah1 who 
was equally prepared for an emergency1  
smiled at ,amos1 kindly1 in greeting4   
,amos1 of course1 did not know that     
,amaziah was working out a plan that had
 been outlined previous to his starting 
for the sanctuary4 ,only those who were 
in the ,priest's confidence knew that he
 had sent a message to ,king ,jeroboam1 
when it was reported that a crowd had   
gathered about ,amos and that the       
,prophet would1 no doubt1 deliver       
another address4 ,the message to        
,jeroboam read3     ,amos hath conspired
 against thee in the midst of the house 
of ,israel2 the land is not able to bear
 his words4 ,for thus     hath ,amos    
said1 ',jeroboam shall die by the sword1
 and ,israel     shall surely be led    
away captive out of his land4'  ,the    
messenger proceeded1 post haste1 to the 
palace of the king1 and ,amaziah1       
quietly and with dignity1 went to the   
sanctuary4  ,hardly had ,amos lifted his
 head from his low salute1 when ,amaziah

 addressed him3     ,o seer6 ,go1 flee  
away to the land of ,judah1 and there   
eat     bread1 and prophesy there2 but  
prophesy not again any more     in      
,bethel1 for it is the king's sanctuary1
 and it is the     royal residence4     
,how the ,priest misunderstood the      
,prophet6 ,just because ,bethel was the 
king's sanctuary and the royal residence
 and the seat of all the mighty in the  
land of ,israel1 ,amos had selected it1 
above all other places1 to preach his   
message there4  ,but ,amaziah's little  
speech contained something more         
important to ,amos than this4 ,amaziah  
had addressed the ,prophet as seer1 he  
had taken him for the leader of a       
,school of ,prophets4 ,amos immediately 
disclaimed such a questionable          
distinction4 ,he answered ,amaziah3     
,i am no ,prophet1 nor am ,i the son of 
a ,prophet2 but ,i was a     herdsman   
and a dresser of sycamore trees1 when   
,god took me     from following the     
flock and ,god said to me1 ',go1        

prophesy     against ,my people         
,israel4'  ,entirely unprepared for such
 an answer1 and not quite certain       
whether he understood what ,amos meant  
by his claim that he had taken his      
orders direct from ,god1 ,amaziah was   
disconcerted4 ,amos did not give the    
,priest a chance to recover from his    
surprise and continued3     ,now1       
therefore1 hear thou the word of ,god3  
',thou sayest1     ,prophesy not against
 ,israel1 nor preach against the house  
of ,isaac4' ,therefore1 thus saith ,god1
 ',thy sons and thy     daughters shall 
fall by the sword and thy land shall be 
divided by line2 and thou shall die upon
 an unclean soil1     and ,israel shall 
surely be led away captive out of this  
land4'  ,the fearlessness of the        
,prophet in attacking the ,high ,priest 
dismayed ,amaziah and his followers     
greatly4 ,the crowd1 too1 by its        
acclamations1 was evidently siding with 
,amos4 ,amaziah was1 therefore1 placed  
on the defensive4 ,in broken and halting

 sentences he defended himself and the  
people4 ,the ancient laws of ,israel1 he
 pointed out1 were being adhered to by  
all ,israelites4 ,he1 for one1 was not  
afraid1 even if the ,day of ,god1 the   
judgment day1 should come to-morrow4    
,now1 a man like ,amaziah might not fear
 the strict judgment which1 ,amos said1 
,god was to visit upon ,israel2 but1 how
 about those who were guilty of the     
crimes of which ,god1 through the       
,prophet1 was accusing ,israel8 ,amos   
understood this1 though ,amaziah did    
not4 ,the ,prophet was speaking to all  
the people and not to one man in        
particular4 ,therefore1 he continued3   
,woe unto those that desire the ,day of 
,god6     ,wherefore would ye have the  
,day of ,god8     ,it is darkness and   
not light4     ,it is when one flees    
from a lion1     ,and a bear meets him2 
,or goes into a house and leans his hand
 upon a wall1     ,and a serpent bites  
him4     ,shall not the ,day of ,god be 
darkness and not light1     ,yea1 murky 

darkness1 without a ray of light8  ,that
 is why1 retorted the ,high ,priest1 the
 people come to ,bethel and ,gilgal and 
the other sanctuaries4 ,they bring their
 sacrifices to ,god1 that ,he may       
forgive their sins1 against the coming  
of the ,day of ,god1 when all the guilty
 shall be judged and punished4  ,amos   
did not interrupt ,amaziah because he   
was an old man1 and ,amos knew what     
courtesy was due the aged4 ,but when the
 ,priest had finished1 the ,prophet1    
with fine sarcasm1 showed the           
uselessness and selfishness of the whole
 artificial scheme as practiced at the  
sanctuaries3     ,come to ,bethel and   
transgress1     ,at ,gilgal increase    
your transgressions1     ,and bring in  
the morning your sacrifices1     ,and   
every third day your tithes6     ,burn  
some leaven bread as a thanks-offering1 
,and proclaim aloud the voluntary       
offerings1     ,for you love to do so1  
,o ,israelites6  ,the sarcastic smile1  
however1 suddenly faded from the        

speaker's lips1 as he asked3      ,did  
ye bring me sacrifices and              
meal-offerings in the wilderness1       
forty years1 ,o ,house of ,israel8      
,then1 with the power and fervor of the 
,god-inspired man he was1 ,amos         
denounced bitterly the whole system of  
worshiping ,god by means of sacrifices1 
and delivered a message1 new to his     
hearers1 relating to what ,god really   
expected from ,israel3     ,i hate1 ,i  
despise your feasts1     ,and ,i will   
take no delight in your festivals2      
,with your meal-offerings ,i will not be
 pleased1     ,and the peace-offerings  
of your fattlings ,i will not regard    
with favor4     ,banish from me the     
noise of your songs2     ,to the melody 
of your viols ,i will not listen4       
,but let justice roll down as waters1   
,and righteousness as a never-failing   
stream4  ,these concluding sentences    
literally stunned the crowd4 ,priest and
 people gasped at the ,prophet's        
proclamation that ,god did not command  

the sacrifices at ,sinai and did not    
care for them1 but that1 instead1 ,he   
demanded justice and righteousness on   
the part of ,his people4 ,the ,prophet  
had upset all their ideas and traditions
 regarding their religious forms and    
practices1 and he claimed ,god for his  
authority6  ,no one can tell just what  
might have happened1 there and then1 had
 not a company of the royal guard1 in   
answer to ,amaziah's note to the king1  
rushed upon the crowd and dispersed it  
in the name of the king4  ,in the name  
of the king1 also1 the leader of a small
 detachment of the guard made his way to
 ,amos and placed him under arrest4     
,amos might have been successful in     
getting away1 had he resisted2 but1     
being a law-abiding man1 he submitted to
 the authorities1 and1 long before the  
scattered crowd was aware of what had   
happened to the ,prophet1 he was whirled
 away in a chariot to the palace of the 
king4                                   
,,chapter ,,vi4                         

,the ,prophet in ,tekoah4   ,king       
,jeroboam ,,ii was now an old man4 ,the 
vehemence and determination and         
aggressiveness that had made him a      
far-famed conqueror had been mellowed by
 the years and rarely1 if ever1 showed  
themselves4  ,the note he received from 
,amaziah regarding ,amos1 however1 awoke
 the old spirit in him4 ,the dispatch of
 the section of the royal guard with    
orders for the ,prophet's immediate     
arrest was in line with the way         
,jeroboam did things during the days    
when he personally led his armies4  ,but
 instead of having ,amos put in chains  
and thrown into a dungeon1 ,jeroboam had
 him brought into his presence4 ,the    
king wanted to see and speak to the man 
who1 according to ,amaziah1 had         
conspired against him and the ,god of   
,israel and was proclaiming the doom of 
his dynasty4  ,amos1 who had never seen 
the king face to face1 who had never    
even been inside any of the royal       
palaces1 was1 nevertheless1 calm and    

cool as usual4 ,the splendor of the     
throne room and the crowd of officers   
and counselors did not in the least     
affright him4 ,he made a low obeisance  
to his king and waited for the order to 
rise4  ,jeroboam was a much keener man  
than ,amaziah4 ,when he saw ,amos1      
studied his bearing1 the seriousness of 
his face1 the simplicity of his garb1 he
 recognized at once that before him     
stood an uncommon man4  ,amos neither   
smiled the smirky smile of him who is   
anxious to get into the king's good     
graces1 nor did he tremble like a       
coward1 who1 being caught1 feared the   
king4 ,he waited for ,jeroboam to speak4
  ,from the messenger who brought       
,amaziah's note the king had learned    
something about ,amos and about the     
things he was telling the people4       
,having supposed the ,prophet to be     
either a traitor or a madman1 but       
judging him now to be neither one nor   
the other1 ,jeroboam now was puzzled as 
to the manner in which to speak to him4 

,jeroboam looked quizzically at ,amos   
for a few moments and began3  ,thou1    
then1 art the ,prophet8  ,i am a        
herdsman and a dresser of sycamore      
trees1 ,amos replied4  ,but thou        
speakest evil against the king and      
against the house of ,israel1 exclaimed 
,jeroboam4  ,the ,lord ,god hath        
commanded me1 answered ,amos1 with deep 
humility4  ,thou art a traitor and thou 
shalt die1 threatened the king4  ,i can 
but speak1 calmly replied ,amos1 even if
 thou slay me4  ,jeroboam made the      
threat to take the ,prophet's life in   
order to test him4 ,he figured that it  
would send ,amos groveling to his knees1
 begging for mercy4 ,the quiet manner in
 which he accepted the threat however1  
puzzled the king4 ,he concluded that    
,amos must be either exceedingly brave  
or hopelessly crazy4  ,now1 a man who is
 not afraid to die1 be he brave or      
crazy1 is a very dangerous man to have  
around4 ,it would have been easy enough 
to behead ,amos and be done with him1   

but ,jeroboam was not a king who took   
his subjects' lives                     
ruthlessly--especially when it was so   
simple to get rid of an undesirable one 
in another way4  ,then go to thy flocks 
and sycamores1 commanded ,jeroboam1 and 
speak to them4  ,the king's humorous    
sally called forth a great shout of     
laughter from those who were present4   
,jeroboam1 smiling1 waved his hand1     
indicating that the interview was over4 
,the guard closed around ,amos and he   
was led into an outer hall4 ,after a    
short wait he was informed that1 by     
command of the king1 he must leave      
,bethel on that very day and never set  
foot in the ,kingdom of ,israel again4  
,had ,jeroboam himself been a wicked man
 like ,king ,ahab1 ,amos1 no doubt1     
would have disregarded the threat       
against his life and would have         
confronted the king in his palace1 as   
,elijah confronted ,ahab in ,naboth's   
vineyard4 ,jeroboam1 as ruler1 however1 
did not oppress or mistreat the people4 

,being an old man1 resting on the       
laurels of his great victories and      
knowing from his friends and counselors 
and the size of the royal treasury that 
his empire was rich and the people      
peaceful1 ,jeroboam probably had no idea
 of the corruption and injustice that   
was rampant in the land4 ,he would have 
laughed at the thought of it4  ,besides1
 and this was the important thing with  
,amos1 it would have been folly for him 
to sacrifice his life at this time4 ,to 
die a martyr for a cause is a noble and 
beautiful thing--if martyrdom will in   
any way advance this cause4 ,to have    
confronted ,jeroboam or to have remained
 in ,bethel would have meant certain    
death--and1 to die then would have meant
 an end to the crusade that he was just 
beginning against the oppression of the 
poor1 the denial of justice1 the        
unrighteousness in business dealings and
 the misunderstanding of ,god and ,his  
worship3 it would have meant an end to  
his set purpose to warn ,israel against 

,assyria1 the enemy approaching from the
 ,north1 and against the inability to   
meet this enemy1 because of the         
immorality that was weakening the       
nation4  ,he had plenty of time to think
 this over as he wended his way         
mournfully out of the busy and joyful   
thoroughfares of ,bethel to his quiet1  
though beloved ,tekoah4  ,amos found to 
his great joy that he did not now stand 
alone4 ,many who had heard him1 had     
understood him4 ,when the news that he  
had been driven out of ,israel spread1  
many followed him to ,judah and         
accompanied him to his home in ,tekoah4 
,as was always the case with ,amos in a 
crisis1 he thought quickly and arrived  
at a new plan of action speedily4 ,on   
his way to ,tekoah he selected from     
among his followers men who could       
write--scribes--and confided to them    
that from now on he must confine all his
 wealth to the spreading of his ideas   
throughout the empire by means of the   
written word4  ,after all1 ,god had     

willed it that he should be driven back 
to ,tekoah4 ,amos1 as a speaker1 could  
address a crowd only in one place at one
 time4 ,in listening to a speech1 too1  
much of what the speaker says is lost to
 his hearers4 ,therefore1 ,amos         
concluded1 ,god had willed it that he   
should return to ,tekoah1 write out his 
speeches and his warnings1 send them to 
the farthest ends of the land that all  
the people may read and study and       
understand in order that they may return
 speedily to ,god2 seek good and not    
evil1 that the nation may live4  ,by    
day1 he and his followers tended the    
flocks and gathered the fruit of        
sycamore trees4 ,all the products that  
were sent to market were sold by honest 
weight and measure and at honest prices4
  ,by night1 he and his scribes wrote   
out the speeches that he had delivered  
in ,israel1 and especially in ,bethel1  
added new ones and sent them with       
trusted messengers to all parts of      
,judah and ,israel4  ,amos was thus     

probably the first prophet who wrote    
down his speeches4 ,what we have of     
them1 however1 are only fragments4      
,there is not one speech complete as it 
was originally written or delivered4    
,the fragments are collected in the     
,biblical book1 called ,amos4 ,through  
this book the name of the humble        
herdsmen of ,tekoah is written large in 
the history of religion4  ,it was ,amos 
who first conceived of ,god as the ,god1
 not of ,israel alone1 but of all       
peoples3     ,are you not as the        
,ethiopians to me1     ,o ,israel8 saith
 ,god4     ,did ,i not bring ,israel up 
out of the land of ,egypt1     ,and the 
,philistines from ,caphtor1     ,and the
 ,syrians from ,kir8  ,it was ,amos who 
first appeared as the public champion of
 the poor and downtrodden1 who publicly 
denounced the greed of the rich and the 
corruption of the men in power3     ,for
 ,i know how manifold are your          
transgressions1     ,and how mighty are 
your sins--     ,ye1 that trample upon  

the poor1     ,that afflict the just1   
that take a bribe1     ,and that turn   
away the needy in the gate4  ,it was    
,amos who first cried out against the   
mistaken idea that animal sacrifices    
were what ,god asked of ,his people3    
,did ye bring unto me sacrifices and    
meal-offerings     ,in the wilderness1  
forty years1 ,o house of ,israel8  ,it  
was ,amos who first brought forward the 
great and universal truth that ,god     
judges every human being1 no matter what
 the race or color1 according to his or 
her acts3     ,seek good and not evil1  
,that ye may live2     ,seek ,god and ye
 shall live4  ,it was ,amos who first   
made clear1 that ,god demands of men1   
above all things1 justice and           
righteousness3     ,let justice roll    
down as a flood of water1     ,and      
righteousness like a never-failing      
stream4  ,we do not know definitely what
 became of ,amos4  ,one tradition has it
 that he came to ,jerusalem and1 while  
he was denouncing ,uzziah1 king of      

,judah1 ,uzziah struck him on the       
forehead with a piece of glowing iron4  
,as a result of the blow1 ,amos died    
while preaching in the hope of saving   
his people in ,jerusalem1 as his father 
died while fighting in defense of       
,jerusalem1 in the hope of saving his   
country4  ,the probabilities are1       
however1 that ,amos lived peacefully    
with his disciples among his sycamore   
trees near ,tekoah1 until he had        
completed the writing of his speeches   
and saw to their distribution all over  
,israel1 believing that there was yet   
time for the people of ,israel to return
 to ,god and to save the nation from the
 calamity that was threatening it4      
,,the ,,man ,,who ,,learned ,,his       
,,lesson                                
,,chapter ,i4                        ,an
 ,eventful ,night4   ,whenever ,jezreel 
was sent early to bed1 although he had  
been a good boy during the day1 and1 in 
addition1 when his little sister and    
brother were ordered to go with him1 he 

knew the evening would be another one of
 those that made his little heart ache4 
,jezreel was only ten years old1 but he 
was sharp and keen for his age4 ,he     
understood that his parents wanted him  
out of reach and sound4 ,twice before1  
on similar occasions1 after he had      
recited his night prayer and the        
maid-servant had tucked him in his bed1 
he lay with his eyes closed tight but   
wide awake1 listening4  ,he knew that   
what he was doing was wrong1 but he     
could not sleep4 ,he heard his father   
and mother talking to each other loudly1
 but could not make out just what they  
were saying4 ,their voices1 however1 he 
felt1 were not soft and sweet1 as they  
usually were1 when they addressed the   
children4  ,on this particular evening1 
as he went out of the dining-room with  
,lo-ruhamah1 his seven-year-old sister1 
and ,lo-ammi1 his four-year-old brother1
 ,jezreel made up his mind to do a very 
unusual thing4 ,he determined not to    
sleep at all4  ,that afternoon1 his     

father1 ,hosea1 had returned from       
,bethel all out of sorts4 ,the children 
had been expecting him1 as they always  
did1 when he came home from the         
sanctuary1 to bring the usual little    
gifts2 but the father seemed to have    
forgotten them4 ,in fact1 ,hosea was    
quite irritated when1 not understanding 
his father's mood1 ,lo-ammi cried for   
the expected sweets or trinkets4  ,in a 
little while1 however1 ,hosea1 calmed   
his youngest son and promised all three 
of the children that1 in the morning1 he
 would take them to the bazaars in the  
market place1 to buy what they pleased4 
,just then their mother1 ,gomer1 came   
in4 ,she was a beautiful woman1 dressed 
in the latest fashions of the wealthy   
,samarians4 ,her robes were long and    
flowing4 ,a veil1 woven of golden       
threads and imported from ,assyria1 set 
off her jet-black hair4 ,her arms and   
fingers were adorned with jewel-studded 
bracelets and rings4 ,she was           
accompanied by an ,ethiopian slave4     

,strange to say1 the children did not   
rush to their mother1 except little     
,lo-ammi1 who was fond of the jeweled   
things she wore4  ,gomer1 on the other  
hand1 did not seem to feel hurt that the
 children clung to their father and     
quite ignored her4 ,after a formal      
greeting to her husband1 and a pat of   
,lo-ammi's head1 ,gomer retired to her  
own room4  ,a little later the evening  
meal was announced1 and1 immediately    
after they had eaten1 ,jezreel1         
,lo-ruhamah and the baby were told to go
 to bed4  ,their attendant1 satisfied   
that the three children were fast       
asleep1 left the room and went about her
 business4 ,thereupon ,jezreel got out  
of bed1 moved a chair near to the door1 
sat down and listened4  ,below he heard 
his father's and mother's voices4 ,words
 were spoken in a high1 shrill tone1    
loud and harsh1 but indistinct4 ,there  
were short periods of silence1 followed 
by explosive sentences that sounded like
 threats4 ,if he could only understand  

what it was all about6 ,but he couldn't1
 until1 finally all was silent in the   
room below4  ,then ,jezreel heard the   
street door close with a bang4  ,going  
to the window that looked out into the  
street1 ,jezreel saw his mother standing
 alone in front of the house4 ,it was an
 unusually moonlit night4 ,samaria1 a   
beautiful city in the daytime1 was a    
very dark and gloomy place at night1    
except when the moon and stars reigned  
in their glory in clear skies4 ,this    
happened to be just such a night4  ,the 
yellow moon was reflected from the      
red-tiled housetops4 ,in the distance   
were the famous ,samarian houses of     
stone and marble1 dark and foreboding   
against the moonlight4 ,above all the   
houses towered the royal palace--in     
which ,zechariah1 ,jeroboam ,,ii's son1 
had been king since his father died1 six
 months before--with its bright1 gilded 
domes1 like a sentinel wearing a brass  
helmet4  ,but the little boy1 in his    
night clothes1 looking out of the window

 of his room into the moonlit and       
shadowed street1 saw only his mother    
standing there below4  ,his attention   
was called suddenly away from the window
 by loud sobbing4 ,he hurried to the    
door1 but did not dare open it4 ,he     
listened until the sobbing ceased4 ,then
 he returned to the window1 to find the 
street empty and deserted4 ,his mother  
had evidently gone away4  ,he shivered4 
,he folded his arms tightly1 as if      
hugging himself to keep warm4 ,then he  
brought his chair from the door to the  
table1 sat down and listened4 ,in the   
room below he heard his father walking  
up and down with regular step4 ,the     
house was completely silent but for     
,hosea's footfalls4  ,jezreel drew his  
legs up under him on the chair4 ,he was 
tired and rested his head upon his arms 
on the table4 ,the silence and the      
monotony of the regular heavy walking in
 the room under him1 made him drowsy4   
,his little heart ached1 though he could
 not explain why4 ,he tried hard to keep

 awake1 but finally fell asleep1 there  
at the table4 ,at one time he shivered1 
when the street door of the house shut  
again with a bang2 but he did not wake  
up4  ,below1 a great big1 powerful man  
had been keeping up a continuous march  
up and down the room4 ,he was brooding  
over the events that had just preceded  
and thinking over the years of his      
married life4  ,when ,hosea first met   
,gomer1 she lived in her father's home  
in one of the poorest sections of       
,samaria4 ,diblaim1 ,gomer's father1 was
 a poor man and could not give his      
daughter the advantages other girls in  
,samaria enjoyed4 ,but ,hosea loved     
,gomer most devotedly and he married    
her4  ,son of the priest ,beeri1 ,hosea 
inherited great wealth and a position   
among the priests at the ,bethel        
sanctuary4 ,he was thus able to give    
,gomer not only a beautiful home in one 
of the city's most beautiful suburbs1   
but also to introduce her to the royal  
and social leaders of ,samaria4  ,after 

a few years1 however1 everything seemed 
to go wrong in the ,hosea household4    
,gomer developed a weakness for luxury  
and jewels and fine clothes2 she used to
 be away from the house and the children
 most of the time2 she did not          
understand her husband1 his desire for  
quiet evenings at home with the children
 and his dislike of the pomp and display
 at the court and in society4 ,and that 
night1 ,hosea and ,gomer parted1 ,gomer 
going home to her father4  ,hosea felt  
very much oppressed4 ,walking up and    
down the room brought him no relief4 ,so
 he rushed out of the house into the    
night1 into the open1 where he could    
breathe more freely--and think4 ,it was 
the bang of the door behind him that    
disturbed ,jezreel1 asleep at the table4
  ,but ,hosea's brain was all clogged   
up4 ,it could not dwell upon a single   
line of thought for five consecutive    
minutes4 ,and yet he was so thoroughly  
absorbed in his thoughts1 that he did   
not notice any number of people         

excitedly hurrying past him4  ,he walked
 on toward the center of the city in a  
daze4 ,the first time he realized that  
he was not alone on the streets of      
,samaria was when he found himself being
 jostled in a wide thoroughfare leading 
to the market place4  ,then he was      
awakened out of the stupor in which he  
had left his home by cries1 coming from 
several directions3  ,shallum6  ,long   
live the king6  ,long life to ,shallum6 
,shallum8 ,who was ,shallum8 ,why was   
the name being shouted in the streets of
 ,samaria8  ,hosea1 trying to find his  
bearings1 was asking himself these      
questions when he arrived in the market 
place4  ,there an unusual and most      
unexpected sight met him4 ,the place was
 filled with people4 ,troops were       
fighting in front of the royal palace4  
,from the palace1 which was brightly    
illuminated1 soldiers and plain citizens
 were pouring forth in a stream4 ,above 
the shrieking of men and women and the  
clang of contending arms1 he heard      

enthusiastic shouts3  ,king ,zechariah  
is dead6 ,long live ,king ,shallum6     
,what8 ,zechariah dead6  ,in a flash the
 whole situation was made clear to      
,hosea4 ,now he recalled that down at   
,bethel1 the king's sanctuary1 someone  
had spoken to him of a movement that was
 on foot to depose the king4  ,hosea    
knew that ,zechariah was unlike his     
great father1 ,jeroboam ,,ii1 whom he   
succeeded in the year #gdb ,b4 ,c4 ,e4  
,the new king was a weakling4 ,upon his 
accession to the throne1 ,syria refused 
to pay the annual tribute1 revolted1 and
 ,zechariah could not help himself4 ,the
 wealth of the people1 the luxury they  
lived in1 the disorganization of the    
army by corruption1 the oppression of   
the poor1 the injustices practiced in   
business and in the courts of law1 had  
unfitted ,israel to wage war against    
,syria1 or any other nation1 for that   
matter4  ,zechariah1 in the six months  
that he ruled ,samaria1 therefore1 lost 
all that had been gained by his         

illustrious father4 ,hosea1 however1 did
 not look for an insurrection in        
,samaria4  ,but here it was3 ,zechariah 
was dead and ,shallum--yes1 ,shallum1   
the son of ,jabesh1 the one mentioned to
 ,hosea as the probable successor--had  
been proclaimed king4 ,when ,shallum was
 spoken of1 down at ,bethel1 ,hosea had 
paid no particular attention4 ,he was   
occupied with his own family troubles   
then1 as he was in the presence of this 
history-making event4 ,the threatened   
revolution was the farthest thought from
 his mind1 at that time as it was at    
this moment4  ,therefore1 before ,hosea 
had grasped the full significance of    
either of the two events that had       
occurred that night1 he was jostled into
 a side street by the mob that now      
filled the market place4  ,sick at      
heart1 ,hosea did not stop to see the   
bloodshed and the horror1 nor to listen 
to the story of the revolt1 but walked  
on to the outskirts of the city4  ,his  
head swam from the excitement4 ,his     

temples pounded like sledge hammers4 ,as
 he walked on1 his feet grew heavy and  
dragged4 ,just how he got there ,hosea  
did not know1 but suddenly he found     
himself in front of his own home4  ,the 
day was now dawning4 ,the first rays of 
the sun were shooting their way through 
the early morning mist and playing on   
the bedewed stones of the house4 ,hosea 
entered quietly1 and walked up to the   
children's bed room4 ,to his amazement  
he found ,jezreel asleep on his arms at 
the table4  ,as he gazed for a moment   
upon the children1 ,hosea's heart was   
wrung with sorrow4 ,he picked ,jezreel  
up from the chair4 ,the boy1 asleep1    
clung tightly about his father's neck4  
,hosea laid him in his bed1 covered him1
 kissed him and1 with bowed head1 went  
to his own room4  ,and while little     
,jezreel was dreaming that a great giant
 came to his home1 picked up the house  
and shook it1 carried it away to a      
beautiful valley and brought back his   
mother1 ,hosea sat at the window and    

watched and watched1 until the morning's
 duties called him4                     
,,chapter ,,ii4                   ,the  
,tragedy ,with a ,purpose4   ,king      
,shallum soon discovered that a stolen  
throne is no sweeter than any other     
stolen thing4 ,a palace is no more      
protection against conscience than a    
hovel2 and ,shallum passed miserable    
days of fear and nights of              
sleeplessness1 because of his murder of 
,zechariah4  ,smitten by his conscience 
and tortured in mind1 ,shallum was not  
able to collect a large force of        
followers to protect him or his         
ill-gotten throne4 ,when1 therefore1 a  
plot was set on foot to dethrone him1   
,shallum was helpless4  ,menahem1 the   
son of ,gadi1 one of ,jeroboam ,,ii's   
generals1 organized an expedition       
against the usurper in ,tirzah1 the city
 that was the capital of ,israel for    
fifty years after the ,kingdom of       
,solomon was divided4 ,within a month   
after ,shallum had proclaimed himself   

,king of ,israel1 ,menahem marched from 
,tirzah to ,samaria1 attacked ,shallum1 
defeated him1 and1 in turn1 mounted the 
throne of ,jeroboam4  ,instead of ruling
 peaceably in ,samaria1 however1        
,menahem started a reign of terror1     
until nobody in the country seemed safe 
in his home or in his possessions4      
,trouble came for the new king thick and
 fast4  ,tiglath-,pileser ,,iii1 who had
 been ruling in ,assyria since #gde1 and
 against whom ,amos had warned the      
weakened ,kingdom of ,israel1 had       
accomplished many conquests north of    
,israel1 in ,phoenicia and in the       
frontier lands of ,damascus4  ,in the   
year #gch1 ,tiglath-,pileser was        
knocking at the gates of ,damascus and  
threatening ,samaria4 ,in order to keep 
the ,assyrian conqueror off1 and save   
their countries the spoliation and ruin 
that followed in the wake of the        
,assyrian armies1 ,menahem1 together    
with ,rezin1 ,king of ,damascus1 the    
,kings of ,tyre1 ,hamath1 and other     

small states1 agreed to pay him tribute4
  ,menahem's share was the enormous sum 
of one thousand talents of silver4 ,to  
raise this amount1 he levied a tax of   
fifty silver shekels each on all the    
mighty men of wealth1 both priests and  
merchants1 in the kingdom4  ,now1 the   
lawlessness started by ,shallum and the 
anarchy continued by ,menahem had had   
their effect4 ,the great sum of money   
needed for ,tiglath-,pileser was raised 
by all the mighty men of wealth2 but it 
was ground out of the poor by cheating1 
robbery and even murder4  ,the          
conditions against which the ,prophet   
,amos cried out were now apparent to all
 observers4 ,the final overthrow of the 
kingdom1 which ,amos declared to be but 
a matter of time1 was now evident to all
 patriotic lovers of their country4     
,these conditions were clear as the     
light of day1 especially to ,hosea4     
,being a priest himself1 he knew how the
 very priests at the sanctuaries had    
entered upon secret understandings with 

rebel associates of ,menahem and the    
wealthy merchants to raise the ,assyrian
 tribute at the expense of the people4  
,being a lover of his fatherland1 he    
knew that these sins and crimes against 
,god and men must react upon the nation 
as a whole and rush it on to            
destruction4  ,hosea1 like ,amos1       
therefore1 felt himself called upon by  
,god to warn his people1 and1 if        
possible1 to save his country4 ,he could
 no longer stand aside and see rulers1  
priests and all the mighty men of wealth
 despoiling his well-beloved fatherland4
 ,he must speak words of reproach and   
warning4 ,he must open the eyes of his  
people to the calamity that was ahead of
 them4  ,one night ,hosea was at home   
brooding over his own family troubles   
and thinking of the future of his       
country4 ,he had just seen the children 
to bed and his mind was dwelling on     
,gomer1 their mother1 from whom he had  
not heard a single word since she went  
away4 ,as he came downstairs he heard   

shouting and screaming and hurrying     
footsteps4 ,going into the street1 he   
learned that another of those attacks on
 peaceful people had been made by a     
company of ,menahem's followers for the 
purpose of robbery4  ,this did not      
surprise ,hosea in the least4 ,what did 
chagrin and pain him was the discovery  
that the attacking party was under the  
direction of several priests whom1 he   
knew personally4  ,all that night this  
phrase kept running through his         
mind--,like people1 like priest4 ,and1  
strange to say1 the thought of ,gomer1  
his wife1 whom he loved devotedly1 whom 
he never ceased loving1 kept on         
intruding itself into his thoughts about
 his country4  ,by morning1 however1 the
 whole situation had cleared up for him4
 ,israel1 its rulers and priests were   
like ,gomer4 ,god loved the whole people
 of ,israel devotedly as ,hosea loved   
,gomer1 but ,israel does not always     
understand what ,god desires of ,his    
people any more than ,gomer understood  

what ,hosea desired of her4 ,if ,gomer  
had continued loving her husband1 as    
from the beginning1 she would never have
 left him2 if ,israel had continued     
loving ,god1 as from the beginning1     
,israel would never have strayed away   
from ,his law and commandments4 ,what is
 to be done8 ,israel lacks knowledge of 
,god and ,his will6 ,israel is being    
taught falsehoods by priests and        
prophets6 ,israel does not understand   
,god's loving-kindness toward ,his      
people6 ,israel must be warned6 ,israel 
must be taught6  ,hosea had determined  
what to do4 ,his unhappiness at the     
departure of his wife was somewhat      
lightened now1 because he read ,god's   
mission to him in the tragedy of his    
home4 ,he felt himself ordained to be a 
preacher to ,israel--and he went to     
work4  ,from that day on he traveled the
 wide land over1 preaching to the people
 against the corrupt priesthood and     
against the usurpers of the throne of   
,samaria4     ,hear the word of ,god1 ye

 children of ,israel1     ,for ,god hath
 a controversy with the inhabitants of  
the land1     ,for there is no truth1   
nor loving-kindness1     ,nor knowledge 
of ,god in the land2     ,there is      
naught but perjury and lying1           
,murder and stealing1     ,violence and 
bloodshed4     ,therefore doth the land 
mourn1     ,and all its inhabitants     
languish4     ,yet1 let none bring      
charges1     ,and let none reprove1     
,since my people are but as their       
priestlings4     ,my people are being   
destroyed for lack of knowledge4        
,because thou has rejected knowledge    
,i will also reject thee1     ,that thou
 shalt be no priest to me4     ,since   
thou hast forgotten the instruction of  
thy ,god1     ,i will also forget thy   
children4     ,i will change their glory
 into shame1     ,and it shall be1 like 
people1 like priest4     ,the people    
that doth not understand shall be       
overthrown6  ,hosea naturally1 met      
opposition everywhere on the part of the

 priesthood and the hirelings of the    
king4 ,undaunted1 he rebuked ,menahem   
and the usurping rulers in ,samaria1 as 
well as the priests and the unrighteous 
people4     ,hear this1 ,o ye priests6  
,and hearken1 ,o house of ,israel1      
,and give heed1 ,o house of the king1   
,since for you is the judgment4         
,they themselves have made kings1       
without my consent2     ,they have made 
princes1 but without my knowledge4      
,for they commit falsehood2     ,the    
thief entereth in and the troop of      
robbers ravageth without4     ,and they 
consider not in their hearts     ,that  
,i remember all their wickedness4       
,then1 his heart aching with pain1 and  
remembering the sorrow of his life1     
which led him to prophesy1 he concludes3
     ,what shall ,i do unto you1 ,o     
,ephraim6     ,what shall ,i do unto    
you1 ,o ,israel--     ,since your love  
is like a morning cloud1     ,yea1 like 
the dew which goes early away4  ,but the
 people as a whole1 having been taught  

by the unworthy prients1 still believed 
that1 in offering sacrifices1 all their 
sins and crimes were forgiven them by   
,god4 ,amos had objected strenuously to 
this common belief4 ,hosea went a step  
further and decried the act of          
sacrificing as an act of idolatry4      
,referring bitterly to ,bethel as       
,bethaven 7the ,house of ,violence7     
,hosea replied3     ,come not ye into   
,gilgal1     ,neither go ye up to       
,beth-aven1     ,nor swear1 ',as ,god   
liveth4'     ,in ,bethel ,i have seen a 
horrible thing2     ,all their          
wickedness is in ,gilgal2     ,for there
 ,i hated them4     ,because of the     
wickedness of their doings1     ,i will 
drive them out of my house2     ,i will 
love them no more4     ,they shall go   
with their flocks     ,and with their   
herds to seek ,god2     ,but they shall 
not find ,him2     ,he hath withdrawn   
,himself from them4  ,every place where 
,hosea denounced the sacrifices1 the    
people who heard him1 but could not or  

would not understand1 called him a fool 
and said that he was mad4 ,yes1 replied 
,hosea3     ,the prophet is a fool1     
,the man that hath the spirit is mad    
,because of the abundance of thine      
iniquity4     ,they shall cry unto me1  
',my ,god1 we ,israel know ,thee4'      
7,but7 ,israel hath cast off that which 
is good2     ,israel hath forgotten his 
,maker4     ,and now they go on sinning1
     ,they make for themselves molten   
gods1     ,from their silver1 idols     
according to their own model1           
,smith's work1 all of it6     ,to such  
they speak6     ,men who sacrifice1 kiss
 calves6     ,they sow the wind and     
shall reap the whirlwind6  ,after that  
,hosea followed up his rebuke and       
denunciation with most pathetic         
entreaties3     ,sow to yourselves      
righteousness1     ,so shall ye reap    
loving-kindness4     ,break up your     
fallow ground1     ,for it is time to   
seek the ,lord1     ,that the fruit of  
righteousness may come upon you4        

,but ye have plowed wickedness1     ,ye 
have reaped disaster1     ,ye have eaten
 the fruit of lies4     ,it is love ,i  
delight in1 and not sacrifice1          
,knowledge of ,god and not              
burnt-offering4  ,when the time came for
 ,menahem to send the tribute to        
,tiglath-,pileser1 ,hosea discovered    
that even here the king and his advisers
 were double-dealing with ,assyria4 ,the
 sending of the money to the great      
emperor was only a blind on the part of 
,menahem4  ,secretly he was in          
communication with the ,king of ,egypt1 
sending precious gifts to him4 ,menahem 
wanted to create an alliance between    
,israel and ,egypt against              
,tiglath-,pileser4  ,hosea saw the folly
 of it all4 ,he knew that neither the   
tribute to ,assyria nor the proposed    
alliance with ,egypt could help the     
corrupt1 degraded people4 ,he compares  
,menahem's double-dealing to the action 
of a silly dove1 and concludes3         
,samaria shall bear her guilt1     ,for 

she has rebelled against her ,god4      
,shall ,i deliver them from the power of
 ,sheol8     ,shall ,i redeem them from 
death8     ,come1 on with thy plagues1  
,o ,death6     ,on with thy pestilence1 
,o ,sheol6     ,repentance is forever   
hid from mine eyes4  ,this terrible     
pronouncement1 almost a curse1 brought  
,hosea back to his home all wrought up4 
,never had he spoken so harshly4 ,never 
had he felt so deeply the doom of       
,israel4  ,he found his children in the 
playroom1 playing an old game called    
,mother4 ,after watching them for a     
moment in silence and in thought1 his   
heart was almost crushed by a question  
his little girl put to him3  ,when is   
our real mother coming home8  ,for      
answer he drew ,lo-ruhamah close to his 
heart--and wept4 ,hosea did not know2   
only ,god knew4  ,all the love he bore  
for ,gomer came back in an overwhelming 
flood4 ,she had strayed from him1 but   
his love had never lessened4 ,would that
 he could find her6 ,with all her faults

 he would forgive her1 if she would     
repent and return4 ,and yet1 that       
morning1 he had been so harsh4 ,he      
preached that ,israel must bear its     
guilt and that ,god had forever hid     
repentance from before ,him4  ,if he1 a 
man1 could love so deeply and could be  
willing to forgive1 how much the more so
 does ,god love ,his people2 how much   
the more so will ,god have compassion   
and forgive1 if ,israel will repent and 
return to ,him8  ,and that very night it
 seemed that ,god had ordained an ordeal
 for ,hosea to test him and inspire him 
in his further work as a prophet4  ,a   
message was brought to ,hosea that his  
wife1 ,gomer1 was to be sold as a slave 
at public auction1 in the slave market  
of ,samaria1 on the morrow6             
,,chapter ,,iii4                        
,the ,repentant ,returns4   ,with a     
bowed head1 though with a stout heart1  
,hosea went to the market place on the  
following morning4 ,he mingled with the 
people in the vicinity of the slave     

auction district1 watching particularly 
a certain block1 on which1 he was told1 
,gomer was to be offered for sale4  ,he 
studied carefully every woman that was  
put upon the block4 ,at last he         
recognized her4 ,but how changed she    
seemed4 ,her beauty1 for which she had  
been famous1 was gone4 ,her straight    
erect form was stooped4 ,her eyes1 once 
proud1 were cast down4 ,she had a       
forlorn1 hopeless look1 as if she didn't
 care what happened to her4 ,evidently  
she had suffered greatly4  ,where had   
she been during the past four years8    
,what hardships had she been through    
that she was so changed8 ,why did she   
fall so low that she had to be sold into
 slavery8  ,the answers to these        
questions would have made no difference 
in the plan ,hosea had determined to    
follow with ,gomer4 ,standing on the    
outskirts of the crowd1 he raised bid   
after bid1 until he bought her for      
fifteen pieces of silver and a homer of 
barley and a half-homer of barley4      

,gomer was not at all concerned about   
the one who had purchased her4 ,she did 
not take a single glance in the         
direction of those who were bidding for 
her4 ,when sold1 she stepped wearily    
down from the block and waited          
listlessly to be claimed by the owner   
and taken away4  ,hosea approached her1 
stepped to her side and spoke her name  
in a low voice3 ,gomer6  ,she raised her
 eyes and looked at him as through a    
haze4 ,hosea1 too1 had changed much     
during the past four years4 ,his love   
for ,gomer1 the uncertainty of her      
whereabouts1 his grief1 his constant    
preaching to ,israel that fell on deaf  
ears1 had made deep furrows in his face 
and brought wrinkles to his forehead4   
,come with me1 he said softly to her4   
,for a moment ,gomer stared at him2 then
 she fell in a dead faint at his feet4  
,it was a long time before she revived4 
,sorrow and repentance for her          
foolishness in leaving a home where her 
husband loved her and where her children

 would have worshiped her1 had she      
permitted them to do so1 had sapped all 
her strength4 ,the sudden shock of      
seeing ,hosea and the knowledge that he 
had bought her as a slave nearly killed 
her4  ,but ,hosea had no thought of     
revenge4 ,in his great heart there was  
naught but love for ,gomer4  ,on their  
way home ,gomer began3  ,i regret1 she  
said1 ,i am sorry--  ,but ,hosea stopped
 her4 ,he would not even listen to words
 of explanation from her whom he loved4 
,he knew that she must have suffered    
much1 that she was unhappy4 ,it was     
sufficient now that she was sorry1 that 
she had repented4 ,hosea did not want to
 cause her the pain of a recital of her 
sorrows4  ,that is the way people who   
love truly do4 ,they forgive and forget1
 quickly and without causing pain4      
,hosea had the children removed to the  
home of a friend for several months4    
,during that time ,gomer quickly        
recovered from her trials and returned  
to health and beauty4 ,then he brought  

the children back and restored them to  
their real mother4  ,once1 after the    
reunited family had spent a very happy  
evening1 a tremendous truth came home to
 ,hosea4 ,here they were all happy1 as  
if trouble had never entered to disturb 
the sweetness and beauty of their lives6
 ,why had sorrow and suffering come upon
 them at all8  ,then and there ,hosea   
realized that there was a purpose in his
 home tragedy4 ,he understood better    
than ever before that ,god had selected 
him to be a prophet to his people2 that 
,god had taught him through sorrow and  
suffering1 the lesson he was to teach to
 ,israel4  ,israel had become faithless 
to ,god and had left ,his law2 even as  
,gomer had left her husband4 ,god       
grieved for the sins of ,israel2 even as
 he had grieved for ,gomer who had      
strayed from him4 ,god loved ,his       
people1 nevertheless2 even as he loved  
,gomer1 continually4 ,god was prepared  
to take ,israel back under ,his guiding 
and loving care1 when ,israel would     

repent of its backsliding and sinning2  
even as he did with ,gomer4  ,from that 
day on ,hosea's preaching took on a     
different form4 ,he no longer scolded   
and condemned1 but entreated and pleaded
 with his people3     ,return1 ,o       
,israel1 to the ,lord thy ,god1     ,for
 thou hast stumbled through thine       
iniquity4     ,take words with thee     
,and return to ,god4     ,say to ,him1  
',pardon ,thou wholly iniquity     ,and 
receive 7us7 with favor4     ,assyria   
will not save us1     ,we will not ride 
upon horses 7to ,egypt72     ,we will no
 more say to the work of our hands1     
,ye are our god4'  ,and1 in the fervor  
of his poetic soul1 the prophet hears   
,god's answer to repenting and returning
 ,israel3     ,i will heal their        
backsliding1     ,i will love them      
freely1     ,for my anger is turned away
 from them4     ,i will be as dew to    
,israel2     ,he shall blossom as the   
lily     ,and strike his roots deep as  
,lebanon4     ,his saplings shall spread

 out1     ,and his beauty shall be as   
the olive tree4     ,they shall return  
and dwell in my shadow1     ,they shall 
live well-watered like a garden1        
,they shall flourish like a vine1       
,their renown shall be like that of the 
wine of ,lebanon4  ,but such hopefulness
 and promise of divine love had no more 
effect upon the doomed people than did  
the attacks upon their sinfulness and   
wrongdoing4  ,the ,judean prophet1      
,amos1 it will be remembered1 drew a    
picture of ,god as a stern judge and    
,israel as the criminal4 ,israel is     
proved guilty of all the prophet's      
accusations1 and the ,judge pronounces  
sentence4  ,the experiences that led the
 ,samarian1 ,hosea1 to prophesy were    
different than those of the ,tekoan4    
,understanding the lasting love that    
dwelt within him for ,gomer1 and how he 
yearned for her return to him1 he cried 
out to his people1 from the depths of a 
wounded heart1 speaking through the     
inspiration of a loving and merciful    

,god3     ,o my people6     ,how can ,i 
give thee up1 ,o ,ephraim6     ,how can 
,i surrender thee1 ,o ,israel6     ,how 
can ,i give thee up as ,admah6     ,or  
make thee as ,zeboim6     ,my heart     
asserts itself3     ,my sympathies are  
all aglow4     ,i will not carry into   
effect the fierceness of my anger2      
,i will not turn to destroy ,ephraim4   
,for ,god am ,i1 and not man1     ,holy 
in the midst of thee2     ,therefore ,i 
will not utterly consume4     ,turn thou
 to thy ,god1     ,keep kindness and    
justice1     ,and wait for thy ,god     
continually4  ,although ,hosea saw that 
he was laboring to no good effect1 he   
did not for an instant give up4 ,time   
and again  he recalled the early days of
 love and devotion between ,god and     
,israel4 ,he recounted the times when   
,israel deserted ,god1 from the ,exodus 
on1 but ,god always received ,israel    
back1 when the people repented of their 
sins and returned to acts of justice1   
righteousness and love4     ,i am the   

,lord1 thy ,god1 from the land of       
,egypt2     ,thou knowest no ,god but   
,me1     ,and besides ,me there is no   
,savior4  ,hosea could not conceive the 
idea that ,god would desert ,israel     
forever4 ,he recognized1 however1 that  
the doom of the sinful nation was       
sealed4 ,and so he read the drama of    
,israel in his own life4 ,assyria would 
destroy ,samaria4 ,israel would leave   
the fatherland as ,gomer left her home4 
,in exile ,israel would learn through   
suffering and hardships as ,gomer had   
done4 ,israel would redeem itself and1  
eventually1 would return to ,god4 ,god1 
loving ,israel always1 would wait to    
receive ,his repentant people1 as he    
himself had received ,gomer4  ,and so   
,hosea drew a beautiful picture of that 
future day in these words3     ,and ,i  
will betroth thee unto me forever4      
,yea1 ,i will betroth thee unto me with 
righteousness1     ,and with justice and
 with loving-kindness and in mercy2     
,yea1 ,i will betroth thee unto me with 

faithfulness1     ,and thou shalt know  
,god4                    99       99    
99       99       99  ,the compiler of  
the fragments of ,hosea's speeches in   
the book bearing the prophet's name--the
 most fragmentary book in the ,bible1   
and from which this story has been built
 up--concludes his labors with this     
admonition3     ,whoso is wise1 let him 
understand these things2     ,whoso is  
prudent1 let him realize them2     ,for 
straight are the ways of the ,lord4     
,the righteous walk in them1     ,but   
transgressors stumble upon them4        
,,the ,,statesman ,,prophet             
,,chapter ,i4                     ,the  
,vision in the ,temple4   ,even his     
closest friends could not explain what  
had come over young ,isaiah1 since the  
physicians announced that ,king ,uzziah 
was nearing his end4  ,amoz1 ,isaiah's  
father1 was of a noble family1 very near
 the throne in ,jerusalem1 and a dear   
personal friend of the king4 ,isaiah1   
too1 was a prime favorite of ,uzziah's1 

not by virtue of his father's friendship
 for the king1 but because of his own   
fine qualities and excellent            
disposition4  ,often ,isaiah had been   
invited1 with the ,crown ,prince1       
,jotham1 to be present at the ,great    
,councils of ,state--a very             
distinguished honor for so young a man4 
,but no one thought1 for an instant1    
that this change in manner and behavior1
 so noticeable to everyone1 had come    
upon ,isaiah because of his grief over  
the aged king's fatal illness4  ,isaiah 
was being trained to enter upon a       
political career4 ,his politics was the 
only serious thing in life for him4 ,the
 country was so peaceful and prosperous1
 however1 that even politics was a      
matter of little consequence to most of 
the royalty in ,jerusalem4 ,they lived  
the joyous life1 paid little attention  
to the ,temple and its priests1 and     
often laughed at the whole religious    
ritual4 ,but when great ,state functions
 occurred at the ,palace or foreign     

ambassadors appeared at ,court1 all     
royalty celebrated with feasting--and   
,isaiah was among those present and in  
high favor4  ,he always came to these   
occasions in rare good humor and with   
cheerful enthusiasm4 ,he was a young man
 of many accomplishments4 ,his knowledge
 of affairs was wide and extensive4 ,his
 cleverness and wit had made him famed  
far and wide4 ,his occasional poems1    
written for sport and festivals1 showed 
a genuine talent1 almost a genius1 for  
the poetic art4 ,he was considered by   
all the very life and spirit of the     
younger ,court set4 ,a great future as a
 statesman and man of letters was       
predicted for him by everybody4  ,now1  
however1 since ,king ,uzziah became so  
critically ill that his life was        
despaired of1 this unexplainable change 
took place in ,isaiah4 ,he seemed to    
have quarreled with ,prince ,jotham1 who
 had been reigning as king since ,uzziah
 was smitten beyond hope of recovery1   
though both laughed at the rumor and    

denied it4  ,what proved the greatest   
surprise to all1 was the fact that      
,isaiah often went to the ,temple and   
talked earnestly with the priests4 ,at  
times he would linger about the place   
long after the evening sacrifices had   
been offered and the priests had gone   
home4 ,his jolly friends would make     
sport of him2 but his more sober-minded 
companions became quite alarmed when1   
instead of displaying his usual good    
humor1 he spoke with bitter sarcasm4    
,his contagious laugh began to ring     
forced and hollow4 ,he was morose and   
always ill at ease1 as if he were       
laboring under a great strain that      
burdened his heart and mind4  ,king     
,uzziah's death was a lingering one4    
,for many weeks reports from the sick   
chamber were to the effect that he was  
passing away1 but he clung to life4     
,jerusalem had doffed its gala attire   
and the whole of ,judah was prepared to 
go into mourning for its king4 ,for a   
month or more the nobility and the      

,court had not indulged in any social   
functions1 state or private4 ,the       
,capital and the country were awaiting  
the royal funeral4  ,uzziah had been a  
great king and a good ruler4 ,he had    
done much for the whole country1 and    
especially for the ,capital4 ,the       
mourning in ,jerusalem and all through  
,judah was1 therefore1 genuine and      
sincere1 when the king died4 ,the pomp  
and ceremony that characterized the     
funeral procession were not mere royal  
show1 but expressions of honor and deep 
regret of a loyal people for its beloved
 sovereign4  ,the young ,isaiah was     
accorded an honored place in the long   
list of notables who followed the body  
of the king to its last resting place4  
,he walked beside ,jotham1 his bosom    
friend2 but did not accompany the new   
king on the return to the palace4 ,in   
the slight confusion that followed after
 ,uzziah had been buried with his       
fathers1 ,isaiah slipped quietly away   
and took the road to the ,temple ,mount4

  ,taking his way through the ,water    
,gate1 on the west side of the ,temple1 
he entered the ,inner ,court4 ,then he  
mounted the twelve steps leading to the 
vestibule of the ,temple proper4 ,two   
priests1 who had just come out of the   
chamber where the implements for        
sacrificing were kept1 bowed low to him 
and passed out into the ,inner ,court4  
,isaiah was evidently so absorbed in his
 thoughts that he did not notice them1  
for he did not return their salute1 but 
walked forward to the entrance of the   
,hekal1 or ,temple proper4  ,there he   
stood for a moment in silence2 then he  
leaned wearily against one of the       
entrance pillars4 ,behind him the       
,priests' ,hall and the ,inner ,court   
were deserted4 ,before him1 in the      
,hekal1 was the ,altar of ,incense1 on  
which coals from the recent sacrifices  
were still alive4 ,to the right of the  
,altar was the ,menorah1 the seven-light
 candlestick1 and to the left the table 
of showbread4 ,behind these hung the    

golden curtains that separated the ,holy
 of ,holies from the rest of the        
,temple4  ,a thin line of blue and      
purple smoke rose from the live coals on
 the ,incense ,altar and wound its way  
upward to the ceiling of the ,hekal4 ,as
 ,isaiah watched the rising smoke1 it   
became thicker and thicker1 and filled  
the whole ,temple4 ,his eyes gazed from 
the ,altar to the glittering gold       
curtains behind it4 ,the reflection from
 the coals1 and the playing of the blue 
and purple smoke on the golden sheets1  
caused them to sheen and shimmer until  
they faded entirely away into the blue  
and purple maze that filled the ,hekal4 
,isaiah was gazing right into the ,holy 
of ,holies1 where no human eyes1 except 
those of the ,high ,priest1 once a year1
 ever looked1 and behold6 he saw a most 
remarkable vision4  ,there1 instead of  
the wooden ,ark of the ,covenant1 he    
beheld a great and lofty throne on which
 was ,god1 ,himself4 ,instead of the two
 ,cherubim of wood and gold1 that       

surmounted the ,ark1 he beheld          
,seraphim1 the fiery ,angels1 standing  
attendant before ,him4 ,each of the     
,seraphim had six wings1 with two he    
covered his face1 with two he covered   
his feet and with two he flew4 ,and one 
cried unto another and said3     ,holy1 
holy1 holy1 is the ,lord of hosts1      
,the whole earth is full of ,his glory4 
,isaiah felt the very foundations of the
 threshold shake under him1 at the sound
 of the calling4 ,covering his face with
 both hands1 he cried out3     ,woe is  
me6     ,i am undone4     ,for ,i am a  
man of unclean lips4     ,and ,i am     
dwelling among a people of unclean lips2
     ,yet mine eyes have seen the ,king1
 the ,god of hosts4  ,uncovering his    
face1 he stretched out his hands towards
 the throne in mute appeal4 ,thereupon  
one of the ,seraphim flew to the ,altar 
and1 with a pair of tongs1 took from it 
a live coal4 ,from the ,altar the       
,seraph flew directly to ,isaiah and1   
touching his mouth with the live coal1  

said3     ,see1 this has touched thy    
lips1     ,therefore thine iniquity is  
gone     ,and thy sin forgiven4  ,then  
,isaiah heard the voice of ,god         
,himself1 saying3     ,whom shall ,i    
send1     ,and who will go for us8      
,falling to his knees1 and again        
stretching out his hands towards the    
throne1 ,isaiah answered3     ,here am  
,i6     ,send me6  ,kneeling there1     
motionless1 hardly breathing1 his lips  
apart1 his face expressing the fear and 
anguish that were in his heart1 ,isaiah 
heard the reply3     ,go and say to this
 people3     ,hear and hear again1 but  
understand not2     ,see and see again1 
but perceive not4     ,make fat the     
heart of this people1     ,and their    
ears dull1 and besmear their eyes1      
,lest they see with their eyes and hear 
with their ears     ,and their heart    
should understand and they be healed4   
,the force of this message struck       
,isaiah to the heart4 ,he understood its
 meaning very well4 ,it was terrible6   

,it carried with it the sound of doom   
and the end of his nation4 ,the very    
thought of it terrified him4 ,holding   
his head with both hands his back bent  
forward as under a heavy weight1 until  
his face touched his knees upon the     
floor1 he cried in heartbreaking tones3 
,lord6 ,how long8  ,and ,god answered   
him3     ,until the cities are in ruin  
without an inhabitant1     ,and the     
houses without a human occupant1        
,and the land become utterly desolate1  
,and ,god hath sent the men far away1   
,and in the midst of the land the       
deserted territory be great4     ,and   
should there be a tenth in it1     ,it  
must in turn be fuel for flame1         
,like the terebinth and the oak1     ,of
 which1 after falling1 but a stump      
remains4  ,for a long time after the    
voice had ceased speaking1 ,isaiah      
remained in the position in which he had
 listened to the last reply4  ,when1    
finally1 in fear and trembling1 he      
slowly raised his head1 the vision had  

gone6 ,behind him the ,priests' ,hall   
and the ,inner ,court were deserted4    
,before him a thin line of blue and     
purple smoke rose from the live coals on
 the ,incense ,altar and wound its way  
upward to the ceiling of the ,hekal4    
,isaiah passed his hands over his eyes4 
,for a moment he let his cool palm rest 
against his burning forehead4 ,then he  
slowly found his way out of the ,temple 
and passed out into the silent night4   
,,chapter ,,ii4                   ,the  
,parable of the ,vineyard4   ,the fact  
was that ,isaiah did not grieve         
particularly over ,king ,uzziah's       
illness and approaching death4 ,what    
troubled him was the attitude taken by  
his dear friend1 the ,crown ,prince1    
,jotham1 toward the political future of 
the ,kingdom of ,judah1 since his sick  
father had placed the reins of          
government in his hands4  ,the          
differences of opinion between ,isaiah  
and ,jotham1 as to what was best for the
 nation were so great as to be almost   

hopeless4 ,so that1 even before ,uzziah 
died the two stopped discussing problems
 of ,state1 although they continued     
their warm friendship4  ,as long as     
,king ,uzziah lived1 it was plain       
nothing serious could happen to the     
country4 ,to the south1 ,uzziah was     
feared by the ,philistines and          
,arabians1 whom he had subdued1 and his 
name was honored even at the ,court of  
,egypt4 ,to the north ,jeroboam ,,ii was
 prosperous and at peace2 ,syria was    
weak and ,assyria had not yet made its  
power felt4 ,within the extended borders
 of his own country1 ,uzziah had        
established peace and had built up      
commercial enterprise and prosperity4   
,to the average citizen of ,judah1      
therefore1 the country was all right1   
the king was all right1 and the future  
had not the slightest cloud before it4  
,to ,isaiah1 the keen-sighted and       
well-posted young statesman1 however1   
neither the country nor the king was fit
 to deal with a great national          

crisis--and the future had one in store4
  ,when ,uzziah became sick and         
abdicated1 quietly1 in favor of ,jotham1
 then a young man of twenty-five1       
,isaiah began to call ,jotham's         
attention to the internal social        
conditions of the country2 but ,jotham  
had such a high respect for his father's
 ruling power that he would not alter a 
single law nor make a single reform4    
,when ,isaiah attempted to drum into    
,jotham's head the causes of the reign  
of anarchy in ,samaria and the lessons  
to be drawn therefrom for ,judah1       
,jotham1 desiring to show his power as a
 ruler while his father was yet alive1  
busied himself fighting with the        
,ammonites and extending the boundaries 
of his kingdom4  ,when1 finally1 in the 
year #ghh ,b4 ,c4 ,e41 the news came to 
,jerusalem that ,king ,menahem1 of      
,israel1 had sent a heavy tribute to the
 ,assyrian ,tiglath-,pileser1 ,isaiah's 
worries over the future of his own      
country became very acute4  ,it was in  

this year ,uzziah died2 and it was on   
the day of the king's funeral that      
,isaiah saw the remarkable vision in the
 ,temple4  ,up to that hour ,isaiah was 
conscious only of the fact that         
something must be done in ,judah to save
 it from the evils of injustice and     
unrighteousness that were being         
practiced by the rich and powerful upon 
the poor and weak4 ,from that hour on he
 knew that ,god had called him to be    
,his prophet1 that ,god had selected him
 to bring the truth home to the ,judeans
 and1 if possible1 to save the nation   
from the doom that awaited the          
sister-nation1 ,israel4  ,what ,isaiah  
saw and heard in the ,temple at the     
close of that memorable day1 gave him   
the germ of an idea as to what ,god     
demanded of him to do4 ,time1 thought   
and experience ripened that idea into a 
plan4 ,the course of events offered him 
the opportunity to put the plan into    
action4  ,isaiah could not count on     
,jotham to institute and carry out      

reforms in the religious beliefs and    
practices of the people1 in their       
commercial wrongdoings1 in the corrupt  
law courts and in the general oppression
 of the lower classes4 ,he had to begin 
work on his own initiative2 and he began
 it with the people themselves1 in the  
,city of ,jerusalem4  ,he came to the   
,temple ,mount one day1 when many       
pilgrims were gathered there4 ,he       
listened attentively1 with the rest1 to 
travelers from ,arabia1 who were        
relating wonderful tales of adventure4  
,from stories of adventure in foreign   
lands the pilgrims drifted into stories 
of happenings in their own country4     
,some related rumors of what was going  
on in ,samaria2 others spoke of the     
possibility of ,judah's being forced to 
fight ,assyria some day4 ,some laughed  
at such a suggestion2 others were in    
grave doubt whether such an emergency   
would find the nation prepared4 ,some   
spoke of the evils that were sapping the
 strength of the people2 others         

complained that the king1 instead of    
attending to his business of ,state1 was
 busying himself with his wealth of     
herds and vineyards4  ,here ,isaiah1 who
 had been silently listening to the     
discussions1 offered to recite a poem1  
an original composition4 ,the suggestion
 was received with loud applause and    
,isaiah began3     ,let me sing a song  
of my friend1     ,my friend's song     
about his vineyard4  ,at this           
introduction everybody settled down     
comfortably to listen1 and ,isaiah      
continued3     ,my friend hath a        
vineyard     ,on a fertile hill2     ,he
 digged it and gathered out the atones1 
,and planted it with choicest vine2     
,a tower he built in the midst of it    
,and hewed out a wine press4     ,he    
looked to find grapes that were good1   
,and it yielded only wild grapes4       
,isaiah's listeners were disappointed4  
,the story not only lacked excitement1  
it even lacked interest4 ,they shifted  
in their places uneasily1 but ,isaiah   

caught their attention again by         
continuing3     ,and now1 ,o inhabitants
 of ,jerusalem1     ,and ye people of   
,judah4     ,judge1 ,i pray you1 betwixt
 me     ,and betwixt my vineyard4       
,what more could be done to my vineyard 
,than that which ,i have done8     ,when
 ,i looked to find grapes that were good
     ,why yielded it wild grapes8       
,and now1 pray1 ,i will tell you        
,what ,i will do to my vineyard3     ,i 
will take away the hedge thereof1       
,that it shall be devoured2     ,i will 
break down the wall thereof1     ,that  
it shall be trodden down2     ,yea1 ,i  
will make a waste thereof1     ,that it 
shall not be pruned or weeded4     ,then
 it shall put forth thorns and thickets 
of brambles2     ,the clouds ,i will    
command that they rain not thereon4     
,everybody understood now that ,isaiah  
was speaking a parable and that its     
application was to them and to their    
country4 ,but who was the friend who    
possessed this vineyard8 ,isaiah did not

 hold the questioners in long suspense3 
,for the vineyard of the ,lord of hosts 
is the ,house of ,israel1     ,and the  
men of ,judah are ,his cherished plant2 
,and he looked for justice1 but1 behold6
 bloodshed2     ,for righteousness1 but1
 behold6 a cry of distress4  ,then      
,isaiah launched forth into a powerful  
denunciation of the social evils of     
which ,judah and the leading ,judeans   
were guilty--a sixfold woe that was     
rushing the ,nation on to destruction4  
,woe unto them that join house to house1
     ,who add field to field1     ,until
 there is no space left1     ,and they  
dwell alone in the midst of the land4   
,woe unto them that rise at dawn     ,to
 pursue strong drink1     ,who tarry    
late into the night     ,until wine     
inflames them2     ,but they regard not 
the work of the lord     ,and see not   
what ,his hands have made     ,woe unto 
them that draw guilt upon themselves    
,with cords of folly1     ,and sin as   
with a cart rope6     ,woe unto them    

that call evil good1 and good evil2     
,that put darkness for light1 and light 
for darkness2     ,that put bitter for  
sweet1 and sweet for bitter6     ,woe   
unto them that are wise in their own    
eyes1     ,and prudent in their own     
conceit6     ,woe unto them that are    
heroic in drinking wine1     ,and       
valiant in mixing strong drink6         
,who1 for a bribe1 justify the wicked   
,and strip the innocent man of his      
innocence6     ,therefore1 as the fire  
devours stubble1     ,and as hay        
shrivels in a flame1     ,so their root 
shall be as rottenness     ,and their   
blossom go up as dust2     ,because they
 have rejected the teaching of the ,lord
 of hosts1     ,and despised the word of
 ,israel's ,holy ,one4  ,so intensely   
absorbed in his speech was ,isaiah1 and 
so deeply interested was the vast       
assembly whom he was addressing1 that no
 one took note of a splendidly arrayed  
group of men who had come up and stood  
with the rest1 listening4  ,when ,isaiah

 had finished speaking1 and the people  
had caught their breath again1 some one 
shouted3  ,behold6 ,the king6  ,isaiah  
looked over the heads of the crowd      
toward the newcomers1 and there he      
beheld ,jotham and a retinue of nobles1 
laughing heartily1 no doubt1 at his     
masterful effort4  ,fearlessly1 and     
without a moment's hesitation1 the      
prophet did what he had threatened      
,jotham he would do--he denounced his   
friend1 the king1 before his people3    
,the ,lord standeth forth to present his
 case1     ,and ,he standeth up to judge
 ,his people4     ,the ,lord entereth   
into judgment     ,with the elders of   
,his people and their princes4     ',ye1
 yourselves1 have devoured the vineyard4
     ,the spoils of the needy are in    
your houses4     ,what do you mean by   
crushing my people     ,and by grinding 
the face of the needy8'     ,saith the  
,lord1 ,god of hosts4  ,laughing still  
more heartily at this madness of his old
 friend1 ,jotham easily made his way to 

where the prophet stood4 ,he placed his 
arm around ,isaiah's shoulder and       
invited him to go with him and his      
companions to the palace4  ,isaiah did  
as he was bidden4 ,all the way ,jotham  
and his friends made fun of the feverish
 enthusiasm with which the denunciations
 were delivered1 but ,isaiah did not    
feel hurt4 ,his heart was quite at      
peace4 ,at last he had launched forth   
upon the work to which ,god had so      
unexpectedly and so marvelously called  
him6  ,when ,jotham and his friends     
arrived at the palace1 a joint embassy  
from ,rezin1 the king of ,syria1 and    
from ,pekah1 the king of ,israel1 was   
awaiting them4 ,to the amazement of them
 all1 the ambassadors placed before     
,jotham a demand that ,judah join forces
 with ,syria and ,israel1 forthwith1 and
 fight ,tiglath-,pileser1 the king of   
,assyria1 who was then threatening to   
invade ,damascus and ,samaria6          
,,chapter ,,iii4                      ,a
 ,coward on the ,throne4   ,king ,jotham

 was wise enough to follow the advice of
 the ,prophet ,isaiah in his reply to   
the embassy from ,rezin and ,pekah4 ,at 
the ,council of ,state1 called to       
consider the message from the kings of  
,syria and ,israel1 ,isaiah counselled  
an unhesitating and decisive refusal of 
their demand4 ,while1 therefore1 the    
ambassadors were received and           
entertained royally in ,jerusalem1 they 
returned to their respective sovereigns1
 their mission unaccomplished4  ,the    
answer that ,jotham sent back to        
,damascus and ,samaria was plain1 simple
 and to the point4 ,judah1 he said1 had 
no interest in the political policies   
and intrigues of ,syria and ,israel and 
would not join a coalition against      
,assyria4  ,both ,rezin and ,pekah      
stormed against ,jotham and his         
advisors1 but to no avail4 ,judah was   
strong1 independent and at peace1 and   
,jotham would not involve his country in
 a quarrel with which he had nothing to 
do4  ,conditions in ,israel were        

different1 however4 ,the majority of the
 people chafed under the indignity of   
being tributary to ,assyria4 ,they hated
 ,king ,menahem who1 in his fear1 sent  
the tribute to ,tiglath-,pileser and    
became his voluntary subject4 ,menahem  
was hated by the rich merchants and     
large landowners as well as by the      
people generally1 because on them the   
burden of the tribute fell the heaviest4
 ,the powerful ,samarians1 therefore1   
formed themselves into a party to oppose
 the king4  ,king ,rezin1 of ,syria1 who
 was watching his opportunity to rebel  
against ,assyria1 kept alive this       
hostile spirit against ,menahem in      
,samaria and ,israel4 ,rezin was working
 toward a coalition of all the countries
 along the ,mediterranean sea that were 
tributary to ,tiglath-,pileser1 so that 
in their combined strength they might   
rise and throw off the ,assyrian yoke4  
,the leaders of the opposition to the   
king1--the national patriots--in        
,samaria1 hoped that ,pekaiah1          

,menahem's son and successor1 would     
prove himself a truer son of his country
 than his father4 ,they looked to him to
 refuse the payment of the ,assyrian    
tribute and to re-establish the         
independence of the ,kingdom of ,israel2
 but they were disappointed4 ,pekaiah   
followed in the political footsteps of  
his father and the hopes of the         
,samarian patriots waned when he        
succeeded his father on the throne4     
,rezin1 however1 was not to be denied in
 the plan he had laid out for himself   
and for the other ,assyrian tributaries4
 ,pekaiah reigned in ,samaria less than 
two years1 when1 in #gce1 through the   
assistance of ,rezin and the connivance 
of the patriotic party in ,samaria1 he  
was assassinated by one of his generals1
 ,pekah1 the son of ,remaliah4  ,pekah  
was thus raised to the throne of ,israel
 with the avowed purpose of uniting with
 ,rezin in the proposed rebellion       
against ,tiglath-,pileser4 ,israel      
wanted1 and needed1 the help of ,judah  

in the desperate conflict that awaited  
them4 ,the smaller countries north of   
,israel and ,syria1 crushed under the   
burden of their ,assyrian tribute1      
gladly joined the ,syro-,israelitish    
coalition2 but the embassy to ,jerusalem
 returned empty-handed4 ,rezin and      
,pekah1 however1 were not dismayed by   
the refusal of ,judah to join them4     
,they bided their time for a better     
opportunity4  ,this opportunity came the
 very next year when ,jotham died1      
suddenly1 and his son1 ,ahaz1 a young   
man of twenty1 came to the throne of    
,judah4  ,without any notice whatever1  
,rezin and ,pekah united their armed    
forces and marched upon ,jerusalem4     
,this sudden invasion of ,judah had been
 carefully planned beforehand4 ,it was  
so arranged that1 when the              
,syro-,israelitish forces attacked      
,jerusalem1 a certain man1 the son of   
,tabeal1 who was willing to play the    
traitor1 was to assassinate ,ahaz1      
proclaim himself king1 admit the enemy  

into the city and throw all the power   
and wealth of ,judah into the scale with
 ,syria and ,israel in the war against  
,tiglath-,pileser4  ,ahaz was entirely  
unprepared for such a move on the part  
of ,pekah and ,rezin4 ,the news that the
 two armies were on the march caused    
consternation1 not alone in the palace  
of the king1 but in ,jerusalem and in   
the entire country4  ,the northern part 
of ,judah1 as far as ,jerusalem1 was    
unprotected and at the mercy of the     
enemy4 ,neither ,uzziah nor ,jotham     
looked for a foe from that direction4   
,in fact1 the ,syro-,israelitish forces 
met no opposition whatever until they   
came within sight of ,jerusalem4  ,the  
very first thing that ,ahaz and his     
generals did1 when they had recovered   
from their consternation1 was to prepare
 the capital for a siege4 ,the          
fortifications were examined and        
strengthened4 ,the water supply to the  
south of the city1 without which        
,jerusalem could not have withstood a   

siege for three months1 was especially  
looked after4  ,now1 ,ahaz was like that
 ancient ,pharaoh who did not know      
,joseph1 or like his own predecessor1   
,rehoboam1 who took council with the    
young men that were grown up with him4  
,ahaz did not call ,isaiah1 the old     
friend and counsellor of the royal      
house1 to advise him in his great       
extremity4  ,isaiah1 however1 called to 
,god to save his nation--if the nation  
would be saved--and did not wait for an 
invitation from the young king4 ,while  
,ahaz1 his advisors and the commanders  
of his army1 were examining the water   
supply of ,jerusalem1 preparatory to the
 inevitable siege1 ,isaiah went out to  
meet him4 ,the prophet came upon the    
royal party at the end of the conduit of
 the upper reservoir1 in the highway of 
the ,fuller's field4  ,isaiah1 who had  
been quietly and carefully studying the 
entire situation since the embassy came 
to ,jotham1 understood well enough that 
an intrigue must be brewing in          

,jerusalem against the young ,king4     
,when the report reached the city that  
the enemy was on the march1 ,isaiah's   
searching inquiries and careful         
observation of the leaders of the       
capital resulted in the discovery that  
the son of ,tabeal was in league with   
,rezin and ,pekah4 ,it was ,isaiah at   
this meeting1 who informed ,ahaz that   
his immediate danger was as much within 
his own city as from the enemy that was 
approaching4 ,no wonder1 then1 that his 
heart trembled1 and the heart of his    
people1 as the trees of the forest      
tremble with the wind4  ,but ,isaiah    
immediately reassured the trembling     
,ahaz in the following words3     ,take 
heed and keep thyself calm2 fear not1   
neither be     fainthearted because of  
these two fag ends of smoking           
firebrands1 because of the fierce anger 
of ,rezin and ,syria     and of the son 
of ,remaliah4 ,syria1 with ,israel1 hath
 purposed     evil against thee1 saying1
 ',let us go up against ,judah and      

distress it and overpower it and appoint
 the son of ,tabeal     king in its     
midst4' ,but thus saith the ,lord ,god3 
,it shall not     stand1 neither shall  
it come to pass1 for1 the head of ,syria
     is ,damascus and the head of       
,damascus is ,rezin1 and the head     of
 ,israel is ,samaria and the head of    
,samaria is ,remaliah's son4            
,verily1 if you will not hold fast1 ye  
shall not stand fast4  ,ahaz laughed at 
the idea of keeping quiet and having no 
fear1 under the conditions4 ,he turned  
away impatiently from the prophet and   
proceeded with his business of examining
 the reservoir4 ,isaiah1 however1 would 
not be put off with mere impatience4    
,ask thee a sign of the ,lord1 thy ,god1
 he cried to ,ahaz4 ,ask it either in   
the depths of ,sheol or in the heights  
above4  ,but ,ahaz replied1 ,i will not 
ask1 neither will ,i put the ,lord to   
the test4  ,then ,isaiah said3     ,hear
 now1 ,o ,house of ,david6 ,is it too   
small a thing for     you to weary men1 

that ye must also weary my ,god8        
,therefore     the ,lord1 ,himself1 will
 give you a sign4 ,behold1 a young      
woman will bear a son and call his name 
,immanuel 7,god is     with us74 ,before
 this child shall know to refuse the    
evil     and choose the good those two  
kings before whom thou     tremblest    
shall be deserted4  ,ahaz was tired of  
mere words4 ,advice he had enough2 he   
wanted now to act4 ,in fact1 when the   
knowledge of the political intrigue in  
,jerusalem became known to him1 he      
immediately made up his mind what to do4
 ,he1 therefore1 again turned from      
,isaiah and ordered his retinue to      
continue the examination of the water   
supply4  ,isaiah then tried another form
 of argument with this cowardly young   
king1 in order to bring him to his      
senses4 ,he1 himself1 was positive that 
,tiglath-,pileser1 who was at that time 
in ,asia ,minor1 had1 no doubt1 been    
informed by his spies of the action     
taken by ,rezin and ,pekah4 ,isaiah felt

 sure1 also1 that ,tiglath-,pileser     
would immediately invade ,syria4 ,he    
knew1 in addition1 that neither ,rezin  
nor ,pekah was strong and powerful      
enough1 at this time1 to wage a         
protracted war with ,assyria2 that is   
why he described them as two fag ends of
 smoking firebrands4 ,he1 therefore1    
concluded that1 at the first information
 of ,tiglath-,pileser's march into the  
northern country1 ,rezin and ,pekah     
would have to return to defend their own
 lands4  ,on the other hand1 ,isaiah    
knew that1 if ,ahaz did anything that   
would in any way displease the mighty   
,king of ,assyria1 the latter would1    
after finishing his campaign in ,syria  
and ,israel1 attack ,judah4 ,therefore1 
he warned ,ahaz in these words3     ,god
 will bring upon thee and upon thy      
people and upon thy     father's house  
days such as have not been1 since the   
day     ,ephraim departed from ,judah1  
through the ,king of ,assyria4          
,curds and honey will be that child's   

food 7in the wilderness7     when he    
knows to refuse evil and choose the     
good4  ,isaiah ceased4 ,he had delivered
 his message1 had counseled and warned  
the king4 ,he made it clear to ,ahaz    
that1 if he did anything except trust in
 the power and care of ,god for his     
people1 ,judah1 like ,syria and ,israel1
 was destined to become a wilderness in 
the short time that it takes a child to 
reach that age when it can begin to     
think for itself4  ,ahaz1 however1 acted
 upon his own and his young men's       
counsel4 ,hardly had he returned to the 
palace that day1 when he sent messengers
 carrying the following letter to       
,tiglath-,pileser1 ,king of ,assyria3   
,i am your servant and your son4 ,come  
up and save me from     the power of the
 ,king of ,assyria and from the power of
 the     ,king of ,israel1 who have     
attacked me4  ,ahaz followed up this    
message by ransacking the ,temple in    
,jerusalem and the treasures of the     
royal palace1 sending both as a gift and

 bribe to ,tiglath-,pileser4  ,then     
exactly what ,isaiah foresaw happened4  
,tiglath-,pileser immediately invaded   
,syria and attacked ,damascus4 ,rezin   
and ,pekah were forced to hurry back to 
defend their own countries1 and ,judah  
was saved from ,syro-,israelitish       
attack2 but ,ahaz had already thrown    
himself at the feet of the great        
,assyrian conqueror1 with terrible      
results to his own country4             
,,chapter ,,iv4                         
,on ,deaf ,ears4   ,though the spineless
 ,ahaz sent his cowardly note1 and the  
presents that followed1 to              
,tiglath-,pileser secretly1 the truth   
leaked out4 ,great indignation was      
aroused among certain opponents of the  
king in ,jerusalem at the discovery of  
his act of treachery to the nation1 and 
a new party was formed to fight against 
submission to ,assyria4  ,the aim of the
 new movement was1 principally1 to      
preserve the independence of ,judah4    
,the only avenue open seemed to be the  

alliance with ,israel and ,syria that   
the lamented king1 ,jotham1 would not   
enter into4  ,with ,ahaz looked upon as 
a traitor1 the only one whom these      
patriots could turn1 was the ,prophet   
,isaiah1 who loved his land and knew its
 traditions4 ,so1 the leaders of the    
patriotic party came to him with their  
plans4 ,but ,isaiah stood firm in the   
position he had taken with ,jotham      
against entangling alliances4  ,he      
shocked these gentlemen with a          
well-spoken rebuke4 ,he told them that  
the patriotism ,judah needed was not of 
alliances and war1 but of faith in ,god1
 of trust in ,him who always guards and 
protects a righteous nation against its 
enemies4  ,isaiah knew well enough the  
weakened and helpless condition of both 
,israel and ,syria4 ,to join with them  
in a war against ,tiglath-,pileser would
 mean even greater ruin for ,judah than 
the peaceful submission of ,ahaz4 ,he   
pictured the results of such an alliance
 in the following words3     ,because   

this people have rejected the waters of 
,shiloah that         flow softly1      
,and rejoice in ,rezin and ,remaliah's  
son1     ,therefore the ,lord is about  
to bring upon them     ,the waters of   
the ,river ,euphrates1 mighty and great1
     7,even the ,king of ,assyria1 in   
all his glory74     ,and it shall rise  
above all its channels1     ,and        
overflow all its banks2     ,and it     
shall sweep onward into ,judah1     ,and
 it shall overflow and pass over it1    
,reaching even to its neck1     ,and its
 outstretched wings shall cover the     
breadth of thy land1         ,o         
,immanuel4  ,to the king1 the prophet   
sent a concise message that would have  
been heeded and understood by any one   
but a weakling like ,ahaz4 ,isaiah      
referred to the utter helplessness into 
which ,ahaz had cast ,judah by his      
cowardly self-subjugation to            
,tiglath-,pileser4 ,he pictured what    
might happen when that mighty monarch   
would receive the king's pitiful cry for

 help3     ,in that same day the ,lord  
will shave with the razor hired         
beyond the ,euphrates the head and the  
hidden hair2 and it     shall even sweep
 away the beard4  ,despite ,isaiah's    
efforts1 the peace party that stood by  
,ahaz1 and  the war party that desired  
an alliance with ,pekah and ,rezin1     
continued their separate agitations4    
,the capture of the town of ,elath1 at  
the head of the ,arabian ,gulf1 by a    
detachment of the ,syrian army1         
strengthened ,ahaz in his belief that   
help could come only from               
,tiglath-,pileser4 ,on the other hand1  
it convinced the war party that only the
 union with ,samaria and ,damascus could
 restore to the country this center of  
,judah's lucrative trade1 that commanded
 the commerce to the south4  ,isaiah    
recognized the uselessness of appealing 
to either of these opposing parties4 ,he
 determined to appeal to the country at 
large1 to the whole people1 who were    
interested not in party quarrels1 but in

 the welfare of the nation4 ,he wanted  
to create a public opinion in favor of  
peace and in opposition to entangling   
alliances1 either with ,assyria or with 
the ,palestinian coalition4  ,on his own
 property1 in the heart of ,jerusalem1  
where all the passers-by could see and  
read it1 ,isaiah erected a great sign   
which read3                             
,,swift ,,booty--,,speedy ,,prey4  ,he  
meant this to indicate to the people    
that the triumphs of either the         
champions of peace or the champions of  
war would mean ruin to the nation at the
 hands of ,assyria4  ,about this time a 
son was born to ,isaiah4 ,he gave a     
magnificent feast to the leading people 
of ,jerusalem and1 to bring his         
conviction home more forcibly1 named the
 boy ,swift ,booty--,speedy ,prey4  ,at 
the close of the feast he addressed his 
guests and said1 in part3     ,before   
the boy knows how to cry1 ',my mother'  
and ',my father1'     they shall carry  
off the riches of ,damascus and the     

spoil of     ,samaria before the ,king  
of ,assyria4  ,at a great meeting in    
,jerusalem1 soon thereafter1 ,isaiah    
again took up the burden of his argument
 against ,israel and ,syria4 ,he        
predicted the inevitable destruction of 
these two kingdoms1 because they were in
 rebellion against ,assyria1 and he     
pointed out the consequent foolhardiness
 of involving ,judah in the oncoming    
disaster4 ,regarding ,israel he said3   
,in that day the glory of ,jacob shall  
grow dim1     ,and the fatness of his   
flesh wax lean4     ,and it shall be as 
when a harvester gathers standing grain1
     ,and his arms reap the ears2       
,yea1 it shall be as when he gleans in  
the valley of ,rephaim1     ,and the    
gleanings thereof shall be as the       
beating of an olive tree--     ,two or  
three berries on the topmost branch1    
,four or five on the boughs of a fruit  
tree1     ,saith the ,lord1 the ,god of 
,israel4  ,then1 addressing himself as  
if he were speaking to the people of    

,israel1 but hoping to drive the lesson 
home to the people of ,judah1 who were  
listening to him1 he spoke most         
regretfully3     ,for thou hast         
forgotten the ,god of thy salvation     
,and hast not been mindful of the rock  
of thy strength4  ,turning to a         
consideration of the second of the      
allies1 ,syria1 ,isaiah continued3      
,soon shall ,damascus cease to be a city
     ,and shall be a ruinous heap4      
,its cities shall be given up to flocks 
,which shall lie down1 with none to make
 them afraid4     ,ephraim shall lose   
her bulwark1     ,and ,damascus her     
sovereignty1     ,and the rest of ,syria
 shall perish2     ,like the ,israelites
 shall they be1     ,saith the ,lord of 
,hosts4  ,these descriptions of what    
would happen to ,syria and ,israel1     
however1 did not go unchallenged4 ,the  
prophet was told that he had evidently  
forgotten that all the nations in       
,palestine and along the ,mediterranean1
 except ,judah1 were parties to this    

coalition against ,tiglath-,pileser4    
,isaiah laughed4 ,with fine scorn he    
cried3     ,ah6 ,the multitude of many  
peoples     ,that roar like the roaring 
of the seas6     ,and the rushing of    
nations1     ,that rush like the rushing
 of many waters6     ,but he shall      
rebuke them and they shall flee far off1
     ,and shall be chased as the chaff  
of the mountains before the wind1       
,and like the whirling dust before the  
storm4     ,at eventide1 behold1 terror2
     ,before the morning1 they are no   
more4  ,then1 as if addressing himself  
to all the petty northern countries that
 were trying to drag his own beloved    
fatherland into the whirlpool of        
disaster1 ,isaiah spoke as follows3     
,make an uproar1     ,and be broken in  
pieces2     ,and give ear1 all ye of far
 countries2     ,gird yourselves and be 
broken in pieces1     ,take counsel     
together1 and it shall be brought to    
naught2     ,speak the word and it shall
 not stand2     ,for ,god is with us4   

,and in answer to the appeal of the     
people as to what ought to be done in   
this national crisis1 ,isaiah replied3  
,call ye not conspiracy all that this   
people calleth conspiracy4     ,what    
they fear do not fear1 nor be filled    
with dread4     ,the ,lord of ,hosts1   
,him regard as the conspirator6     ,let
 ,him be your fear and your dread6      
,,chapter ,v4                   ,the    
,survival of the ,fittest4   ,while     
,isaiah was thus attempting to influence
 the two parties in ,jerusalem1 exactly 
what he had warned ,ahaz of happened4   
,the ,assyrian forces made a speedy     
march into ,syria1 with ,damascus as the
 point of attack4 ,the combined         
,syro-,israelitish army1 upon hearing of
 ,tilgath-,pileser's new move1 abandoned
 the siege of ,jerusalem and hurried    
back to defend their own countries4     
,the great ,assyrian conqueror easily   
subdued all the land about ,damascus and
 finally besieged the city itself4      
,rezin offered him desperate resistance1

 but it was useless4 ,tiglath-,pileser  
destroyed all the forests1 fruit groves 
and fertile fields in the vicinity of   
the city1 until both food and water     
failed the defenders4  ,in a last sally 
from the doomed city1 the ,syrian troops
 were literally cut to pieces4 ,rezin   
escaped with his life1 and1 disguised   
and alone1 re-entered ,damascus4 ,but he
 was caught1 brought before             
,tiglath-,pileser and put to death4  ,in
 the meantime1 all ,israel and ,samaria 
quaked at the fate that awaited them4   
,pekah1 who had been lending ,rezin what
 help he could1 without entirely        
weakening himself1 was ready and willing
 to give the ,assyrian battle4          
,tiglath-,pileser1 however1 had his     
hands full with ,damascus4 ,he          
therefore1 welcomed the suggestion of a 
certain ,hoshea1 son of ,elah of        
,samaria1 who offered to follow the     
example of the traitor ,menahem4        
,tiglath-,pileser assented gladly4 ,he  
promised help and protection to ,hoshea1

 as he did to ,ahaz1 for voluntary      
submission to ,assyrian rule4 ,so       
,hoshea conspired against ,pekah in     
,samaria1 slew him1 proclaimed himself  
king under the protection of ,assyria4  
and sent tribute to ,tiglath-,pileser at
 ,damascus4 ,cowardice and treachery    
thus once more sealed the fate of the   
kingdom of ,israel4  ,after the fall of 
,damascus1 the victorious ,assyrian     
ordered a great ,durbar to celebrate his
 victory in that city4 ,all the         
tributary kings in ,palestine were      
commanded to meet him and pay homage to 
him there4  ,the splendor and display of
 the gathering was rivaled only by the  
magnificence of the welcome the terrible
 monarch received on his return to      
,asshur1 his own capital4  ,among the   
princes who hob-nobbed with their master
 at ,damascus were the cowardly ,ahaz   
and the traitorous ,hoshea4 ,but both   
were happy in that their countries      
escaped the awful havoc they witnessed  
in ,damascus and throughout ,syria4     

,tiglath-,pileser always carried with   
him a wonderfully wrought altar on which
 he offered sacrifices to ,asshur1 the  
,assyrian god4 ,during the religious    
exercises at the ,damascus festival1 in 
which all the ,assyrian vassals         
participated1 ,ahaz was particularly    
struck with the beauty of this altar4   
,thereupon he sent to ,urijah1 the high 
priest in ,jerusalem1 the fashion of the
 altar1 and the pattern of it1 according
 to all the workmanship thereof1 with   
instructions to have it duplicated for  
the ,temple in ,jerusalem4  ,isaiah1    
when he heard of this1 was thunderstruck
 by the audacity of the king who had no 
respect for his people or for his ,god4 
,not only was this heathen altar built1 
but it replaced the ancient one1 which  
was set aside4 ,ahaz even went further4 
,when he returned from ,damascus1 he    
himself1 instead of the regularly       
appointed priest1 offered the sacrifices
 upon the new altar1 as he had seen     
,tiglath-,pileser do4 ,to cap the       

climax1 ,ahaz introduced certain pagan  
religious ideas1 copied from the        
,assyrian worship1 into the cult of the 
,temple1 simply to please and gratify   
his ,assyrian master4  ,with so base a  
king1 ,isaiah could hope nothing for the
 nation4 ,truly could he cry out in the 
anguish of his spirit3     ,my people--a
 boy is their leader6    ,my people--thy
 guides lead thee astray4  ,of one      
thing1 however1 ,isaiah was positive4   
,when messengers came to him from       
various parts of the country to inquire 
what to do in this national crisis he   
answered them all alike3 ,god hath      
founded ,zion1 and in her shall the     
afflicted of ,his people take refuge4   
,he was certain that neither a weakling 
like ,ahaz nor a terror like            
,tiglath-,pileser could bring           
destruction upon the city that ,god had 
selected as the center of ,his worship1 
or upon the people whom ,god had chosen1
 to reveal ,himself to them and to      
entrust them with ,his law4  ,the       

patriotic and religious backsliding of  
,ahaz and his counselors1 however1      
seemed to point to the destruction of   
both4 ,but ,isaiah was not dismayed4    
,trusting faithfully in ,god's          
protecting hand over ,his people1 he    
could not conceive that ,god would      
desert them for long4 ,god would not    
permit a backboneless king to reign over
 ,his people4 ,the successor to ,ahaz   
would be a different type of man--an    
ideal prince in the sight of ,god and   
men3     ,and there shall come forth a  
shoot out of the stock of ,jesse1       
,and a branch of his roots shall bear   
fruit4     ,and the spirit of the ,lord 
shall rest upon him1     ,the spirit of 
wisdom and understanding1     ,the      
spirit of counsel and might1     ,the   
spirit of knowledge and of the fear of  
the ,lord4     ,and he shall not judge  
after the sight of his eyes1            
,neither arbitrate after the hearing of 
his ears2     ,but with righteousness   
shall he judge the poor1     ,and       

arbitrate with equity for the afflicted 
of the land3     ,and he shall smite the
 tyrannous with the rod of his mouth1   
,and with the breath of his lips shall  
he slay the wicked1     ,and            
righteousness shall be the girdle of his
 loins1     ,and faithfulness the girdle
 of his reins1     ,and the wolf shall  
dwell with the lamb1     ,and the       
leopard shall lie down with the kid2    
,the calf and the young lion shall feed 
together2     ,and a little child shall 
lead them4     ,and the cow and the bear
 shall make friends2     ,their young   
ones shall lie down together2     ,and  
the lion shall eat straw like the ox4   
,and the sucking child shall play on the
 hole of the asp1     ,and the weaned   
child shall stretch out his hand to the 
serpent's eye4     ,none shall do evil  
or act corruptly in all my holy         
mountain1     ,for the earth shall be   
full of the knowledge of the ,lord as   
the         waters cover the sea4  ,in  
all literature there is no more         

beautiful and meaningful description of 
what an ideal ruler should be and of the
 peaceful and happy state to which such 
a ruler could bring his country4  ,but  
,isaiah did not lose sight of the fact  
that just as little as an ,ahaz could   
accomplish the destruction of the       
nation1 so little could an ideal king1  
even if his fond dream would come true1 
accomplish the reconstruction of the    
nation1 single-handed and alone4  ,what 
was necessary1 therefore1 was the       
raising and educating of a new          
generation of citizens in ,judah2 a     
just1 patriotic1 ,god-fearing company of
 men who1 when the hoped-for king shall 
have come to the throne1 would support  
him1 with their valor and their lives1  
in building up the entire nation to walk
 in ,god's way4  ,so ,isaiah began      
quietly with his own family first1 and  
later with a few friends and disciples  
who believed as he did4 ,binding up the 
admonition and sealing the instruction  
among my disciples1 said ,isaiah1 ,i    

will wait for the ,lord who is hiding   
,his face from the ,house of ,jacob1 and
 in ,him will ,i trust4 ,behold1 ,i and 
the children whom the ,lord hath given  
me are signs and symbols in ,israel from
 the ,lord of ,hosts who dwells in      
,mount ,zion4  ,isaiah's idea was       
similar to that of ,moses in the olden  
days in the wilderness4 ,the present    
generation1 ruler and people1 that did  
not place its trust wholly in ,god1     
would slowly die out2 a new generation1 
better and more fit1 would survive to   
save the nation4  ,just at this time1   
when ,isaiah began his slow work of     
upbuilding the nation1 a son and heir   
was born to the king4 ,isaiah accepted  
this incident as a message of approval  
of his course from ,god4 ,he and his    
disciples looked to this prince to be   
the ideal king2 and in celebration of   
the event ,isaiah greeted the heir      
apparent in the following fine outburst 
of hope for the future3     ,unto us a  
child is born1 unto us a son is given2  

,and the government shall be upon his   
shoulder2     ,and his name shall be    
called wonder-counselor1     ,divine    
hero1 father of glory1 prince of peace4 
,for the increase of dominion and for   
peace without end1     ,upon the throne 
of ,david and upon his kingdom1     ,to 
establish and support it by justice and 
by righteousness     ,from henceforth1  
even forever2 the favor of the ,lord of 
,hosts         will perform this4       
,,chapter ,,vi4                         
,working ,with the ,remnant4   ,isaiah  
called his little band of disciples and 
followers ,the ,remnant4 ,he referred to
 them as ,the ,remnant because he knew  
that1 if only these remained true and   
faithful to ,god1 for their sakes ,god  
would not forsake the ,fatherland4  ,it 
was upon ,the ,remnant that he placed   
the future welfare of his country4      
,through these few he hoped to          
regenerate the rest of his people1      
despite the corruption and wrongdoing of
 their leaders4 ,he aimed1 especially1  

to prepare the young generation for     
patriotic1 ,god-fearing1 ,god-trusting  
lives4  ,the prophet had set for himself
 no easy task4 ,he met opposition from  
many directions4 ,the king himself      
opposed him for political reasons4 ,the 
priests1 who sided with the king in his 
introduction of ,assyrian rites and     
practices in the ,temple service1       
opposed him on religious grounds2 so    
that1 for many years1 ,isaiah simply    
devoted himself to teaching and         
preaching moral living1 just and        
righteous dealing and absolute trust in 
,god4     ,hear1 ,o heavens1 and give   
heed1 ,o earth1 for the ,lord speaketh3 
,sons have ,i brought up and placed on  
high1 but they have proved         false
 to me4     ,the ox knows its owner and 
the ass its master's crib1     ,but     
,israel has no knowledge2 my people have
 no insight2     ,ah6 ,sinful nation1   
people deep laden with guilt1     ,race 
of evil-doers1 perverse children6       
,they have forsaken the ,lord2     ,they

 have spurned the ,holy ,one of ,israel2
     ,they have become rebellious4      
,on what place can you yet be smitten   
since you continue rebelling8     ,the  
whole head is sick and the whole heart  
faint1     ,from the sole of the foot to
 the head there is no soundness1        
,only wounds and bruises and fresh      
sores1     ,which have not been dressed 
nor bound up nor softened with oil4     
,with words of this kind1 and in similar
 speeches1 ,isaiah tried to describe the
 condition of ,judah to its people4 ,the
 cowardice of ,ahaz in throwing himself 
at the feet of the ,assyrian had1       
indeed1 smitten the land and the people 
very sore4 ,the large tribute to        
,tiglath-,pileser had to be collected   
and paid4 ,the burden was terrible to   
bear4 ,in the meantime1 ,judah's enemies
 from the south and along the           
,mediterranean coast took advantage of  
the weakened condition of ,judah and    
attacked the country from many points4  
,isaiah tried1 with all his might1 to   

bring the people1 as a whole1 to an     
understanding of ,judah's condition4 ,he
 wanted them to join ,the ,remnant and  
to live their lives in accordance with  
his teaching1 which were really not his1
 but ,god's4 ,only in this way1 ,isaiah 
said1 could a country that had fallen   
deeply into sin and unrighteousness1 and
 was at the mercy of its enemies1 be    
saved3     ,your land is a desolation1  
your cities are burned with fire1       
,your tilled land--before your eyes     
strangers devour it2     ,and the       
daughter of ,zion is left like a booth  
in a vineyard1     ,like a lodge in a   
field of cucumbers1 like a watchtower4  
,unless the ,lord of hosts had left us a
 remnant1     ,we should almost be as   
,sodom1     ,we would have been like    
,gomorrah4  ,this simile1 comparing     
,jerusalem to these ancient cities of   
evil repute1 was answered by ,isaiah's  
opponents with the statement that the   
people of ,sodom and ,gomorrah were idol
 worshipers1 but that the people of     

,judah brought their sacrifices to the  
,temple and observed the holydays in    
accordance with the ancient laws4 ,this 
was the same kind of an argument as the 
citizens in ,samaria gave to ,amos and  
,hosea4  ,isaiah1 however1 who knew1 and
 had taught ,the ,remnant that          
sacrificing animals was not the true    
manner of worshipping ,god1 replied as  
follows3     ,hear the word of the      
,lord1 ye ,rulers of ,sodom2     ,give  
heed to the instruction of our ,god1 ye 
people of ,gomorrah6     ,what care ,i  
for the great number of your sacrifices8
 saith the ,lord4     ,i am sated with  
the burnt offerings of rams and the fat 
of         fed beasts1     ,and in the  
blood of bullocks and lambs and he-goats
 ,i take         no pleasure4     ,when 
ye appear before me--who has required   
this of you8     ,trample no more my    
courts1 bring no more offerings1        
,vain is the odor of incense--it is an  
abomination to me2     ,i am not able to
 endure a fast and a solemn assembly4   

,your new moons and your appointed days 
my soul hateth4     ,i am tired of      
bearing it4     ,when ye spread forth   
your hands1 ,i will hide mine eyes from 
you4     ,also1 if ye make many prayers1
 ,i will not hear4  ,then ,isaiah       
launched forth into one of the most     
beautiful speeches that he delivered in 
his whole career4 ,in it he brought home
 to the people the true idea of the     
religion which ,god had commanded to    
,israel1 and through which ,judah could 
be regenerated1 strengthened and saved3 
,your hands are stained with blood2     
,wash1 that ye may be clean2     ,remove
 the evil of your deeds from before mine
 eyes4     ,cease to do evil2 learn to  
do good2     ,seek justice2 relieve the 
oppressed2     ,vindicate the orphan2   
plead for the widow4  ,in one of the    
sublimest passages that any prophet ever
 uttered1 ,isaiah promised the people   
,god's forgiveness in the following     
wonderful appeal3     ,come now1 let us 
argue together1 saith the ,lord4        

,though your sins be as scarlet1        
,they may become white as snow2         
,though they be red as crimson1         
,they may become as wool2     ,if ye    
willingly yield and are obedient1       
,ye shall eat the good of the land1     
,but if you refuse and rebel1     ,ye   
shall be devoured by the sword4     ,the
 mouth of the ,lord hath spoken it6     
,while ,isaiah thus pleaded and         
threatened1 he gained many additions to 
,the ,remnant1 but he failed to create a
 deep impression either with the        
reigning house or with the powerful     
priesthood or with the majority of the  
rich in ,jerusalem and ,judah4  ,in the 
meantime1 a vassal of ,assyria1 in      
far-off ,babylonia1 rebelled            
successfully4 ,immediately1 various     
,palestinian states1 including ,judah1  
began to prepare a similar attempt to   
free themselves from the ,assyrian yoke4
  ,ahaz had died in #gba1 the year in   
which ,sargon the ,great captured       
,samaria1 after a two year's siege1 and 

effectually reduced the kingdom of      
,israel4 ,hezekiah1 his young son1 to   
whom ,isaiah looked for the ideal prince
 he had pictured1 succeeded him4  ,the  
calamity of the northern kingdom did not
 seem to bring ,isaiah or ,ahaz any     
warning4 ,the king had been paying his  
,assyrian tribute regularly and         
faithfully2 the prophet had centered his
 hope in ,the ,remnant and in the crown 
prince1 and bided his time4  ,when1     
however1 six years later1 in the year   
#gae1 ,hezekiah joined the coalition of 
,palestinian states against ,assyria1   
,isaiah was not only disappointed1 but  
became greatly alarmed4  ,to permit     
,hezekiah to follow the advice of his   
father's counselors1 ,isaiah knew would 
be national suicide4 ,for three years1  
therefore1 while the agitation for      
coalition and rebellion was going on1   
,isaiah cast off his prophet's mantle   
and sandals1 and walked barefooted and  
in the garb of a captive through the    
treets of ,jerusalem1 as an object      

lesson to the people of ,judah1 to show 
them what might await them if they      
rebelled against ,assyria4  ,but even   
this1 for the time being1 was of no     
avail4 ,rebellion was in the blood of   
the king and the court clique4 ,somehow 
the very thought of it in ,jerusalem    
seemed to reach the ,assyrian capital4  
,hardly had ,hezekiah begun to carry his
 contemplated revolt into action when   
,sennacherib1 the new ,assyrian king1   
was on the march4  ,once more ,judah was
 invaded by the ,assyrian hosts1 and    
once more ,judah's rulers bent their    
knee in submission and undertook to pay 
a tribute that was heavier than ever    
before4  ,yet ,isaiah1 though           
heartbroken1 was in no way dismayed4    
,his unbounded faith in the final       
triumph of ,god's purposes led him to go
 on1 fearlessly1 to oppose the king and 
his associates to the very end4         
,,chapter ,,vii4                        
,like ,father1 ,like ,son4   ,a chain1  
we are told1 is as strong as its weakest

 link4 ,the weak link in the long chain 
of ,assyrian provinces was the fact that
 whenever a new king came to the throne1
 if he happened to be away1 fighting in 
the field1 he had to hurry back to the  
capital1 backed by the complete military
 force under his command1 in order to   
establish himself firmly in his         
dominions4  ,immediately upon the       
withdrawal of the king's armies from the
 field1 all the provinces that hated    
,assyria bitterly1 rebelled4 ,naturally1
 all the work of conquest had to be done
 over again4 ,then1 when another change 
took place in the rulership of ,assyria1
 the new king met the same conditions   
and the same difficulties4  ,when       
,tiglath-,pileser died1 ,shalmaneser    
,,iv41 who laid siege to ,samaria1 was  
forced to reconquer all the ,syrian and 
,palestinian tributaries4 ,the great    
,sargon1 who reduced ,samaria and       
carried its inhabitants captive into the
 northern part of the ,assyrian ,empire1
 left his successor1 ,sennacherib1 no   

better legacy4  ,with ,sennacherib's    
ascension to the throne in the year     
#gjd1 therefore1 the usual thing        
happened--rebellion broke out all along 
the line of his possessions4  ,in       
,palestine1 ,king ,hezekiah of ,judah   
became the leader of a movement for a   
strong organization of all ,palestinian 
and ,syrian states and cities with the  
purpose of concerted rebellion against  
the new king4  ,so strong was the       
patriotism aroused among the various    
peoples that ,padi1 king of the city of 
,ekron1 who would not join the proposed 
coalition1 was captured by the citizens1
 bound in chains and handed over a      
prisoner to ,hezekiah in ,jerusalem4    
,it did not take ,sennacherib long to   
make up his mind what to do4 ,his       
predecessors had shown him the way4 ,he 
organized a strong force1 composed      
mostly of mercenaries1 and marched at   
once into ,phoenicia4  ,city after city 
fell before his prowess and he worked   
his way rapidly into ,palestine4        

,unfortunately for ,hezekiah and his    
allies1 no concerted action could be    
agreed upon by them4 ,each one feared   
for himself2 each one tried to be on the
 safe side4  ,sennacherib took advantage
 of the situation in this rebellious    
district of his empire4 ,he marched his 
armies1 victorious throughout           
,phoenicia1 into ,palestine1 meeting    
with success after success4 ,the city of
 ,tyre resisted most nobly on its own   
account1 but it was no match for the    
,assyrians4 ,immediately after that     
,ekron1 too1 fell1 and ,judah itself was
 overrun by ,sennacherib's troops4  ,the
 great disappointment of the            
,palestinian allies in this struggle for
 independence during the years #gjc-gja1
 was that the help they looked for from 
the ,arabian tribes to the south was    
very meagre1 and that the horses and    
chariots they counted upon from ,egypt  
did not materialize at all4  ,in        
,jerusalem1 the prophet ,isaiah         
counseled against the proposed rebellion

 from its very beginning4 ,he warned    
,hezekiah1 the leaders in ,jerusalem1   
and even the nations who were entering  
into the coalition with ,hezekiah1 of   
the folly of this step4 ,knowing1 as he 
did1 the situation1 the weakness of the 
leaders1 the corruption within ,judah   
and the demoralization of the army and  
the people generally1 because of greed  
and oppression1 he understood that      
,sennacherib's forces would rout the    
,palestinian forces unmercifully4  ,he  
wanted no coalition4 ,he wanted         
,hezekiah and the ,judeans to trust     
wholly in ,god4 ,quietness and trust was
 his motto and ,abiding faith in ,god   
his standard4     ,by repenting and     
remaining quiet you shall be delivered2 
,in resting and in trusting shall your  
strength consist4  ,hezekiah1 like his  
father1 ,ahaz1 however1 placed his trust
 in himself and in the power of his     
armies4 ,there was no doubt in          
,hezekiah's mind but that the assistance
 that would come from ,egypt would      

strengthen him sufficiently to defeat   
,sennacherib and gain complete          
independence for ,judah4  ,isaiah1 who  
knew differently1 preached openly       
against ,hezekiah2 but he had no more   
influence with the king than he had had 
with his father3     ,woe to the        
rebellious sons1 is the oracle of       
,jehovah1     ,carrying out a plan which
 is not mine1     ,establishing a treaty
 contrary to my spirit1     ,so that    
they heap sin upon sin2     ,who would  
set out for ,egypt without asking my    
decision1     ,to flee to the shelter of
 ,pharaoh1     ,and the refuge in the   
shadow of ,egypt4     ,the shelter of   
,pharaoh will be your shame1     ,and   
the refuge in the shadow of ,egypt your 
confusion4  ,while ,isaiah's position   
among the people1 and his standing in   
the community in ,jerusalem1 made       
,hezekiah fear to do him bodily harm1 or
 even to arrest him1 the king and his   
counselors1 who were1 naturally1 eager  
to gain all the assistance possible from

 the people at home1 sent out men who   
were in favor of fighting ,assyria to   
refute the opinions and arguments of    
,isaiah4  ,these men also called        
themselves prophets of ,god2 but ,isaiah
 saw in them only false prophets3       
,for it is a rebellious people1 lying   
sons1     ,sons who will not heed       
,jehovah's instruction1     ,who say to 
the seers1 ',see not6'     ,and to those
 who have visions1 ',give us no vision  
of what is right6     ,speak to us what 
is agreeable1 give us false visions6    
,turn from the way1 go aside from the   
path1     ,trouble is no more with      
,israel's ,holy ,one4'  ,when           
,sennacherib's armies finally came into 
,judah1 ,isaiah still saw the           
possibility of saving the country from  
the horrors of devastation1 and he      
warned the king and people in these     
words3     ,therefore1 thus saith the   
,holy ,one of ,israel1     ,because ye  
reject this word1     ,and trust in     
perverseness and crookedness and rely   

thereon1     ,therefore this guilty act 
shall be to you     ,like a bulging     
breach in a high wall about to fall1    
,suddenly1 in an instant1 will come its 
destruction2     ,yea1 its destruction  
shall be as when one dashes an earthen  
vessel         in pieces1 shattering it 
ruthlessly1     ,so that not a potsherd 
is found among the pieces     ,with     
which to take up fire from the hearth or
 to draw water from         a cistern4  
,notwithstanding the utter failure that 
faced ,hezekiah in his course1 neither  
he nor his counselors gave heed until   
,sennacherib had captured and destroyed 
forty-six fortified ,judean cities and  
towns and had actually begun            
preparations for a siege of ,jerusalem4 
,it was then that ,hezekiah came to his 
senses4 ,when ,sennacherib was at       
,lachish1 ,hezekiah sent him a message  
which was almost a duplicate of the one 
sent by ,ahaz to ,tiglath-,pileser3     
,i have offended2 withdraw from me2     
whatever you lay on me ,i     will bear4

  ,the tribute that ,sennacherib laid on
 ,hezekiah was three hundred talents of 
silver and thirty talents of gold4 ,to  
meet this1 ,hezekiah was forced to      
ransack the ,temple in ,jerusalem and   
the treasure-chamber of the royal       
palace4 ,he was even forced to strip the
 doors and pillars of the ,temple of    
their gold decorations in order to make 
up the enormous tribute to send to      
,sennacherib4  ,judah once more lay a   
helpless tributary at the feet of       
,assyria4 ,sennacherib withdrew his     
armies and returned to ,nineveh4        
,hezekiah had proved himself both a     
coward and a traitor2 a traitor because 
he did not do all in his power to assist
 such allies as ,tyre and ,ekron2 a     
coward because1 unlike ,tyre and ,ekron1
 he did not fight ,sennacherib to the   
bitter end4  ,it was only after his own 
country had been terribly devastated by 
the ,assyrian mercenaries that he       
followed the advice which ,isaiah gave  
him in the first place4 ,had he followed

 it before1 he would have saved not     
alone his country and his people from   
the ravages of war1 but he would have   
been spared the payment of so large a   
tribute and the desecration of the      
,temple4  ,the real reason why          
,sennacherib withdrew from before       
,jerusalem was the fact that1 while he  
was engaged in ,palestine1 all the      
,babylonian provinces rebelled4 ,he1    
therefore1 received ,hezekiah's message 
with a great deal of pleasure4 ,in      
truth1 he was eager to act upon it1 for 
he had to hurry to ,babylonia to subdue 
the rebels there4  ,immediately after   
the ,assyrian troops were out of        
,palestine1 however1 ,hezekiah returned 
to his old policy and began a war to    
regain the forty-six cities which       
,sennacherib had conquered and in which 
he had left ,assyrian governors4        
,,chapter ,,viii4                       
,the ,prophet ,triumphs4   ,the fearful 
crisis through which ,judah and         
,jerusalem had passed1 before           

,sennacherib withdrew from ,judah to    
fight his subjects in ,babylonia1 set   
both the king and the people to         
thinking4  ,hezekiah had evidently      
become convinced that ,isaiah's counsel 
for peace with ,assyria was the best2   
for1 after he had reconquered several of
 the fortified cities and towns captured
 by ,sennacherib1 he made an arrangement
 with the ,assyrian king to pay an      
annual tribute peacefully1 in order that
 his country should be at rest4  ,during
 the ten years that followed1 ,hezekiah1
 instead of seeking alliances with      
foreign nations1 for the purpose of     
rebellion1 devoted himself to building  
up his own country1 and to reforming his
 own people1 in line with the preaching 
of ,isaiah4  ,once1 when ,hezekiah was  
sick1 ,isaiah called on him at the      
palace4 ,the prophet cheered him in his 
illness and expressed his hope for the  
king's speedy recovery4 ,this call      
established a friendlier relationship   
between the king and the prophet4  ,at  

another time1 ,hezekiah invited ,isaiah 
to the palace2 and ,isaiah was glad to  
go1 because ,hezekiah1 in his new       
policy1 was following the commandments  
of ,god which1 as taught by ,isaiah1    
were destined to save the nation from   
its enemies4  ,the ,remnant1 which      
,isaiah educated1 now grew in great     
proportions1 until it included the      
majority of ,jews who were leading      
upright lives4 ,isaiah1 himself1 was    
established as a true prophet of ,god   
among his people4  ,upon his recovery   
from his illness1 ,hezekiah began to    
reform the religious life of the        
country4 ,he destroyed the high places  
on which many people offered sacrifices 
to strange gods4 ,he broke up the brazen
 serpent to which the people sacrificed 
and which they worshiped from the days  
of the ,wilderness4 ,he destroyed many  
idols and practically banished idolatry 
from the land4 ,men turned from their   
evil ways2 they left off their          
wrongdoing and dealt justly and         

honorably1 one with another4 ,not only  
did they worship their ,god1 but they   
had full faith in ,him4  ,it so         
happened1 therefore1 in the year #fij1  
when ,sennacherib marshaled his great   
,assyrian army1 in order to conquer     
,egypt1 that another crisis came upon   
,hezekiah and ,judah2 but neither king  
nor people feared the ,assyrians1       
because they now trusted in the ,god of 
their fathers to save them from the     
hands of their enemy4  ,sennacherib had 
determined to conquer ,egypt for two    
reasons3 first1 because none of his     
great predecessors on the ,assyrian     
throne had ever gone so far south in    
their conquest2 second1 because ,egypt  
was always stirring up rebellion in the 
,assyrian provinces of ,asia ,minor1 by 
promising them help4 ,sennacherib       
figured1 therefore1 that1 with ,egypt   
thoroughly subdued1 the great ,assyrian 
,empire would be permanently established
 and strongly founded on absolute union4
  ,sennacherib made one of his whirlwind

 marches toward ,egypt4 ,a little poem  
describing his march1 is preserved in an
 ancient record3     ,he has gone up    
from ,rimmon4     ,he has arrived at    
,aiath4     ,he has passed through      
,migron4     ,at ,michmash he lays up   
his baggage4     ,they have gone over   
the pass4     ,at ,geha they halt for   
the night1     ,ramah trembles4         
,gibeah of ,saul flees4     ,shriek     
aloud1 ,o people of ,gallim4            
,hearken1 ,o ,laishah4     ,answer her1 
,anathoth4     ,madmenah flees4     ,the
 inhabitants of ,gebin are fled4        
,this very day he halts at ,moab4       
,he shakes his fist against ,mount      
,zion1     ,against the ,hill of        
,jerusalem4  ,finally1 ,sennacherib had 
a problem to solve3 ,he wanted to be    
sure of the friendship of ,hezekiah1    
through whose land he would have to pass
 on his way to ,egypt4 ,he was afraid on
 the one hand1 that1 having passed      
through ,judah1 ,hezekiah might rebel   
and attack him from the rear2 on the    

other hand1 he wanted the city of       
,jerusalem to be a safe-guard to        
himself1 so that1 if he should be       
defeated by the ,egyptians1 he could    
escape to its shelter4  ,therefore1 when
 he came within hailing distance of     
,jerusalem1 he sent word to ,hezekiah to
 deliver the city into his hands        
peacefully1 and also to join with him in
 the proposed conquest of ,egypt4       
,sennacherib was willing to furnish two 
thousand horses if ,hezekiah would      
furnish him two thousand men to mount   
them1 and to join the ,assyrian cavalry4
 ,he did not want to attack ,jerusalem1 
because he could not afford to waste his
 strength on a long siege1 and thus     
weaken his forces before he met ,egypt  
on the battlefield4  ,but this time1    
,hezekiah1 being older and wiser1 and   
knowing that his people were certain    
that ,god was on their side1 sent word  
back to ,sennacherib that there was no  
reason whatever for such action on the  
part of ,judah at this time since the   

country was at peace with ,assyria1     
paying the tribute annually4  ,encamped 
at ,lachish1 on the western border of   
,palestine1 and eager to press on toward
 ,egypt1 ,sennacherib thought to force  
,hezekiah into helping him by an unusual
 display of his power2 so he sent his   
,commander-in-,chief1 with a great      
retinue1 to the king in ,jerusalem4  ,a 
meeting was arranged between them and   
,hezekiah's representatives just outside
 of ,jerusalem1 at the conduit of the   
upper reservoir1 the place where ,isaiah
 first confronted ,king ,ahaz4  ,king   
,hezekiah1 himself1 did not go out to   
receive the emissaries from the         
,assyrian army4 ,instead1 he sent       
,eliakim1 who was ,governor of the      
,royal ,palace1 ,shebnah1 the ,secretary
 of ,state1 and ,joah1 the ,chancellor  
of the ,treasury4  ,a great assembly of 
the leading citizens of ,jerusalem      
gathered upon the walls to see and hear 
the interview between the agents of     
,sennacherib and ,hezekiah4  ,the       

spokesman for the ,assyrians began3     
,thus saith the great king1 the ,king of
 ,assyria1 ',what     confidence is this
 which you cherish8 ,you1 indeed1 think1
 a     simple word of the lips is       
counsel and strength for the war6'      
,now1 on whom do you trust1 that you    
have rebelled against me8     ,indeed1  
you trust in the staff of this bruised  
reed1 even     upon ,egypt1 which1 if a 
man lean on it1 will go into his        
hand and pierce it4 ,so is ,pharaoh     
,king of ,egypt to all who     trust in 
him4  ,eliakim1 speaking of his king1   
attempted to make clear to the          
,assyrians that they were misjudging    
,hezekiah4 ,he did not lean upon ,egypt2
 no alliance had been entered into      
between the two nations2 ,judah did not 
desire to enter into this quarrel at all
 and relied upon neither ,egypt nor     
,assyria4 ,we trust in the ,lord our    
,god1 concluded ,eliakim4  ,quick as a  
flash came back the reply from ,assyria3
     ,if you say to me1 ',we trust in   

the ,lord our ,god1' is not     he the  
one whose high places and altars        
,hezekiah has taken     away1 and has   
said to ,judah and ,jerusalem1 ',you    
shall worship     on this altar in      
,jerusalem8'     ,now1 therefore1 give  
pledges to my master and ,king of       
,assyria1 and ,i will give you two      
thousand horses1 if you     are able on 
your part to set riders upon them4      
,how can you repulse one of the least of
 my master's servants8     ,and yet you 
trust in ,egypt for chariots and        
horsemen6 ,have ,i     now come up      
against this place to destroy it without
 ,god's     approval8 ,god it was who   
said to me1 ',go up against this land   
and destroy it'  ,shaken a little bit in
 their argument1 and a great deal in    
their faith1 ,eliakim1 ,shebnah and     
,joah held a short consultation4 ,then  
,eliakim said to the spokesman1 in a    
whisper3     ,speak1 ,i pray you1 to    
your servants in the ,aramaic language1 
for we understand it2 but do not speak  

with us in the ,jewish     language in  
the hearing of the people who are on the
 wall4  ,the ,assyrian caught the drift 
of this request at once4 ,he understood 
that the people had evidently not given 
up their idolatrous practices very      
graciously and that their trust in the  
,lord their ,god was not as great as    
that of ,hezekiah4 ,he1 therefore1      
answered ,eliakim1 so that all could    
hear3     ,has my master sent me to your
 master and to you to speak     these   
words8 ,is it not rather to the men who 
sit on the wall1     that they shall eat
 their own refuse and drink their own   
water together with you8  ,then1 walking
 away from the official group and facing
 the assembly on the walls1 he cried    
with a loud voice in the ,jewish        
language1 saying3     ,hear the message 
of the great king1 the ,king of         
,assyria4     ,thus saith the king1     
',let not ,hezekiah deceive you2 for he 
will not be able to deliver you out of  
my hand4'     ,neither let ,hezekiah    

make you trust in ,god by saying1 ',god 
will surely deliver us1 and this city   
shall not be given     into the power of
 the ,king of ,assyria4'     ,hearken   
not to ,hezekiah1 for thus saith the    
,king of ,assyria1     ',make your peace
 with me and come over to me2 thus shall
     each one of you eat from his own   
vine and his own fig tree     and drink 
the waters of his own cistern1 until ,i 
come and     take you away to a land    
like your own land1 a land full of      
grain and of new wine1 a land full of   
bread and vineyards1     a land full of 
olive trees and honey1 that you may live
 and     not die4'     ,but hearken not 
to ,hezekiah1 when he misleads you1     
saying1     ',god will deliver us6' ,has
 any of the gods of the nations     ever
 delivered his land out of the power of 
the ,king of     ,assyria8 ,where are   
the gods of ,hamath and ,arpad8 ,where  
are     the gods of ,sepharvaim1 ,hena  
and ,ivvah8 ,where are the gods     of  
the land of ,samaria that they have     

delivered ,samaria out     of my power8 
,who are they among all the gods of the 
countries1     that have delivered their
 country out of my power1 that ,god     
should deliver ,jerusalem out of my     
power6'  ,this speech cast a deep gloom 
upon the people gathered upon the wall4 
,all were silent4 ,not a single man1 not
 even the representatives of the king1  
could answer the ,assyrians' arguments4 
,then ,eliakim1 ,shebnah and ,joah      
hastened back to ,hezekiah and repeated 
to him the message of ,sennacherib      
through his ,commander-in-,chief4 ,as   
soon as ,king ,hezekiah heard it1 he    
tore his clothes and covered himself    
with sackcloth and went into the        
,temple4 ,he sent ,eliakim1 ,shebnah and
 the eldest of the priests1 covered with
 sackcloth1 to ,isaiah1 and they said to
 him3  ,thus saith ,hezekiah3     ,this 
is a day of trouble and of discipline   
and of contumely4     ,it may be ,god1  
thy ,god1 will hear all the words of the
 high     official1 whom his master1 the

 ,king of ,assyria1 has sent to     defy
 the living ,god1 and will rebuke the   
words which the ,lord     your ,god has 
heard2 therefore lift up your prayer for
 the     remnant that is left4  ,when   
,isaiah heard the message of the king1  
he sent back this reply of hope and     
courage to the palace3     ,thus saith  
the ,lord3 ',be not afraid of the words 
that thou     hast heard1 with which the
 servants of the ,king of ,assyria      
have blasphemed me4 ,behold ,i will put 
forth a spirit in him     so that he    
shall hear tidings and shall return to  
his own     land1 and ,i will cause him 
to fall by the sword in his     own     
land4'  ,hezekiah1 acting upon the      
advice of ,isaiah1 then sent            
,sennacherib's emissaries back to       
,lachish with a flat refusal to do what 
the ,king had asked him4  ,when the     
,commander-in-,chief returned to        
,lachish1 to his great amazement1       
,sennacherib and his army were not      
there4 ,an officer who was left behind1 

however1 told him that ,sennacherib had 
broken camp and had marched against     
,libnah4  ,the next that was heard of   
the ,assyrian armies in ,jerusalem was  
that a plague had fallen upon the camp  
of ,sennacherib and that1 in great      
disgust and disappointment1 the king and
 what remained of his forces1 had       
returned to ,nineveh4  ,it was at that  
time that ,isaiah gave expression to a  
conception of ,god's relationship to the
 nations of the earth that was entirely 
different from that held by the people  
up to this time4  ,according to ,isaiah1
 ,god had used ,assyria as a rod with   
which to whip the people of ,judah1     
,god's chosen people1 into an           
understanding of ,his law and           
commandments1 by which they should live4
  ,now that ,hezekiah and his people had
 thoroughly reformed and were following 
in the ways of ,god and ,his            
commandments1 ,assyria's work was done4 
,because ,assyria1 however1 had prided  
herself that she had become a great     

power in the world on account of her own
 strength1 ,god would now destroy       
,assyria4  ,this is the dirge that      
,isaiah sang regarding ,assyria and     
,god's hand in the life and death of    
nations1 while ,sennacherib was         
retreating toward ,nineveh1 his capital3
     ,woe1 ,assyria1 rod of mine anger1 
,the staff in whose hand is mine        
indignation4     ,against an impious    
nation am ,i wont to send him4     ,and 
against the people of my wrath ,i give  
him charge1     ,to take spoil and      
gather booty1     ,and to tread them    
down like the mire in the streets4      
,but he--not so doth he plan2     ,and  
his heart--not so doth it purpose4      
,for destruction is in his heart1       
,and to cut off nations not a few4      
,for he saith1 ,by the strength of my   
hand have ,i done it1     ,and by my    
wisdom1 for ,i have discerned it2       
,and ,i have removed the bounds of thy  
peoples1     ,and ,i have robbed their  
treasuries1     ,and like a mighty man  

,i have brought down those who sit      
enthroned4     ,and my hand hath seized1
 as on a nest1     ,the riches of the   
peoples4     ,and as one gathers eggs   
that are unguarded1     ,i1 indeed1 have
 carried off all the earth4  ,to this   
boasting of ,assyria1 ,god answers1     
speaking through ,isaiah3     ,before me
 is thy rising up and thy lying down1   
,thy going out and thy coming in4     ,i
 know thy raging against me     ,and    
thine arrogance hath come to my ears4   
,therefore ,i will put my ring through  
thy nose1     ,and my bridle between thy
 lips1     ,and will make thee return1  
,by the way in which thou hast come4    
,not long after this1 while ,sennacherib
 was worshiping in the temple of        
,nisroch1 in ,nineveh1 he was attacked  
by his own sons and killed1 and         
,esarhaddon1 one of his sons1 succeeded 
him on the throne of ,assyria4          
,,chapter ,,ix4                         
,the ,fruit of ,his ,labor4   ,blessed  
is the man whose toil and striving of a 

lifetime bring results1 even though he1 
himself1 does not live to see them6     
,thrice blessed is the man1 the fruit of
 whose labor is garnered while he is    
among the living1 to see and enjoy it6  
,the prophet ,isaiah was a              
thrice-blessed man4 ,although no one    
knows where or how he died1 every one   
knows where and how he lived1 and how   
his life was fruitful in blessings for  
his people4  ,he saw kings come and go  
on the throne of ,judah4 ,he passed     
through many crises in the history of   
his country4 ,he experienced many woes  
because of his patriotic devotion to the
 welfare of his land and people4  ,but  
through it all he remained1             
uncomplainingly1 staunch in his faith   
and true to his ,god4 ,he believed1     
implicitly1 in the justness of ,god and1
 therefore1 in ,his demand of           
righteousness as the standard of living 
for the people4 ,isaiah's own strength1 
in time of trial and tribulation1 came  
from his trust in ,god2 and that same   

trust he urged upon ,jerusalem and      
,judah in his day and1 through his      
discourses1 upon all men1 for all time4 
,thus it was given ,isaiah to see the   
fruit of his labor in the peace and     
prosperity of ,judah during the         
remainder of his life which he1         
undoubtedly1 spent in peace with his    
family in his home in ,jerusalem4  ,it  
is no wonder that he conceived the ideal
 of a time of universal peace1 in which 
,god shall be the ,god of all the       
nations1 an era in which all peoples    
shall come to ,him1 and believe in ,him1
 and follow in ,his law1 and live such  
just and righteous lives that there     
would be an end to war in all the earth3
     ,it shall come to pass1 in the end 
of days1     ,that the mountain of the  
,lord's house shall be established at   
the         top of the mountains1       
,and it shall be exalted above the      
hills2     ,and peoples shall flow unto 
it4     ,and many nations shall go and  
say1     ',come ye1 and let us go up to 

the mountains of the ,lord1     ,and to 
the house of the ,god of ,jacob2        
,and he will teach us of ,his ways1     
,and we will walk in ,his paths4'       
,for out of ,zion shall go forth        
instruction1     ,and the word of the   
,lord from ,jerusalem1     ,and ,he     
shall judge between the nations1        
,and arbitrate for many peoples2        
,and they shall beat their swords into  
plowshares1     ,and their spears into  
pruning hooks2     ,nation shall not    
lift up sword against nation1           
,neither shall they learn war any more4 
,,the ,,commoner                        
,,chapter ,i4                           
,his ,awakening4   ,sloping down from   
the ,judean hills toward the plain of   
,philistia and the ,mediterranean ,sea  
is the ,shefelah1 or ,lowlands1 a       
section of ,palestine1 far-famed for its
 stretches of rich farm lands1 vineyards
 and olive groves4  ,these foothills    
were once the constant battlefield on   
which the ,israelites from the hill     

country and the ,philistines from the   
plain struggled for mastery2 but1 since 
the days of ,king ,amaziah1 who         
conquered ,philistia soon after he came 
to the throne of ,judah1 in the year    
#gih1 the ,shefelah1 far away from the  
political turmoils in ,samaria and      
,jerusalem1 was one of the most peaceful
 and richest farm sections in ,israel or
 ,judah4  ,up in ,samaria1 in the year  
#gcd1 ,hoshea1 son of ,elah1 had played 
the traitor and had bent his head to    
,tiglath-,pileser1 the ,assyrian        
conqueror4 ,up in ,jerusalem1 ,ahaz1 son
 of ,jotham1 had acted the coward and   
had slipped his neck under the ,assyrian
 yoke4 ,but down in the ,shefelah1 on   
the lower highlands1 politics and       
political intrigues played little part  
in the lives of the humble peasant folk4
  ,numerous towns and villages dotted   
the ,shefelah1 especially on the highway
 running northeast from ,gaza1 in       
,philistia1 to ,jerusalem1 in ,judah4   
,these towns and villages were the      

centers where the neighboring farmers   
gathered at set times and where the many
 daily wage earners lived all the time4 
,rich and fertile sections like the     
,shefelah were the backbone1 the        
strength and the power of ,israel and   
,judah4 ,while the high and mighty      
princes and merchants lived in the      
capitals and squandered their wealth1   
the simple and hard-working farm folk   
and wage earners made up the bone and   
muscle of the population1 raised the    
necessities of life and1 in times of    
need1 furnished the sinews of war4      
,yet1 notwithstanding the fertility of  
the ,shefelah1 its rich fields and olive
 groves1 its plentiful and well-watered 
pasture lands1 the farmers in the entire
 section1 had to live from hand to      
mouth4 ,though they labored hard at     
their toil1 they were1 in fact1 poor and
 unable to lay aside anything for a     
rainy day4  ,it was very difficult to   
become reconciled to such a condition of
 affairs4 ,no one seemed interested     

enough to fathom the reason for it1     
except a certain young peasant1 named   
,micah1 who had a home in the town of   
,moresheth1 and was the proud possessor 
of several well-paying olive groves and 
vineyards in the vicinity4  ,micah's    
interest in the population was aroused1 
one day1 when the widow of one of his   
neighbors came to him for advice4 ,her  
husband had owned a farm1 adjoining one 
of ,micah's pastures1 on which there was
 a heavy mortgage4 ,now that the head of
 the family was gone1 the merchant in   
,jerusalem1 who held the mortgage1      
threatened to eject the widow and the   
children1 because they could neither pay
 the amount borrowed nor the interest   
due thereon4  ,the sturdy young peasant1
 brought up in a home of severe         
simplicity1 where gentleness and        
kindness were taught and practiced1     
pitied the woman and her children in    
their sad plight and loaned her the     
needed interest payment to stave off    
ejection from her home4 ,thereafter1 he 

looked after her family until the oldest
 son was able to manage his own affairs4
  ,talking to some of his day-laborers  
he discovered a very amazing situation4 
,he found that most of them had1 at one 
time or another1 owned their farms1 but 
had lost possession of them through     
lawsuits1 in which mortgage holders from
 ,jerusalem had involved them1 or       
through unjust treatment on the part of 
tax collectors and corrupt judges4      
,more amazing still was the knowledge   
that1 all through the ,shefelah1 the    
majority of vineyards and olive groves  
were not owned by those who cultivated  
them1 at all1 but that they formed the  
vast estates of the princes and wealthy 
men of ,jerusalem4  ,the beautiful and  
fertile ,shefelah1 then1 was not the    
habitation of happy and contented       
tillers of the soil1 who sang at their  
tasks and prided themselves upon their  
independence6 ,it was in the heavy grip 
of a land trust1 controlled by the great
 interests in the capital6  ,this       

knowledge caused ,micah to enter upon   
his investigations with greater interest
 and deeper feeling4 ,he discovered that
 the nobility and the rich were         
fattening upon the sweat and toil of the
 rural and working population4 ,a farmer
 thrown into debt was sure to lose his  
acres1 and a wage earner1 having no     
possessions that could be taken from    
him1 was sure to lose his liberty4      
,widows and orphans were quickly robbed 
of their inheritances by the greedy     
land-grabbers of the metropolis1 aided  
by a corrupt judiciary4  ,all this was a
 severe shock to the young peasant4 ,he1
 himself1 born and raised on a farm1 had
 inherited his father's estates free    
from debt4 ,he lived simply1 worked     
hard1 saved a neat sum every year--and  
imagined that every one else was doing  
the same4  ,awakened to the real        
condition of affairs1 ,micah now        
determined to leave his estates in the  
care of his trusted overseers and to go 
to the great and famed cities of his    

land1 to study at first hand the causes 
that had made possible the terrible     
economic and social wrongs in his       
section of the country4                 
,,chapter ,,ii4                  ,the   
,cause of the ,common ,people4   ,micah1
 the ,moreshtite1 came to ,jerusalem    
when the capital was at comparative     
peace4 ,the struggle between ,king ,ahaz
 and the ,prophet ,isaiah had narrowed  
down to an armed neutrality1 as it      
were--the king was paying his tributes  
to ,tiglath-,pileser and the prophet was
 preparing his ,remnant for the day when
 the crown prince1 ,hezekiah1 would come
 to the throne4  ,the young peasant took
 no sides and embraced no causes in     
,jerusalem4 ,he stood aside1 the better 
to study conditions as an onlooker4 ,to 
his great dismay and sorrow1 he found   
the situation even worse than he had    
imagined it4 ,it was true of the rich   
and mighty of the capital that     ,they
 covet fields and seize them1     ,and  
houses1 and take them away4     ,they   

oppress a man and his house1     ,even a
 man and his heritage4  ,this much was  
clear on the surface of things4         
,rapacity on the part of the rich meant 
oppression of the poor2 increase of     
power for the mighty meant decrease of  
opportunity for the humble tiller of the
 soil and for the wage earner4  ,seeing 
all this and understanding it1 ,micah   
felt himself impelled to fight the cause
 of the common people4  ,conditions and 
a sympathetic soul thus made ,micah a   
,prophet4  ,one of the people1 he spoke 
in their behalf with the feeling and    
passion of a man who has been through   
the mill of bitter experience3      ,woe
 is me6 for ,i am as when they have     
gathered the summer fruits1     ,as when
 they glean the grapes of the vintage3  
,there is no cluster to eat1     ,nor   
first-ripe fig which my soul desireth4  
,the godly man has perished out of the  
earth1     ,and the upright among men is
 no more3     ,they all lie in wait for 
blood2     ,they hunt every man his     

brother with a net4     ,both hands are 
put forth for evil1     ,to do it       
diligently4     ,the prince asketh and  
the judge is ready for reward1     ,and 
the great man1 he uttereth the evil of  
his soul2     ,thus they weave it       
together4     ,the best of them is as a 
brier2     ,the most upright is worse   
than a thorn hedge4     ,a man's enemies
 are the men of his own house4  ,where  
shall he look for help and guidance--he1
 a commoner1 without power1 without     
influence8 ,to whom shall he go for     
instruction1 for inspiration1 to        
struggle against conditions in the face 
of which he was helpless8  ,micah       
returned to ,moresheth to think matters 
over at his leisure4 ,it was not an easy
 or simple task that he had voluntarily 
assumed4  ,one source of strength he    
always had to rely upon4 ,close to the  
soil1 seeing the ,creator's handiwork in
 the fields at his feet by day and in   
the wonders of the starry firmament by  
night1 he was full of the spirit of     

,god4  ,at the very outset of his       
self-imposed mission he could exclaim1  
fervently3     ,but as for me1 ,i will  
look unto the ,lord3     ,i will wait   
for the ,god of my salvation3     ,my   
,god will hear me4  ,god's guiding hand 
often leads us to our destinations by   
winding and unexpected paths4 ,it is    
strange to record that ,micah's first   
opportunity1 in the task he had set     
before himself1 came to him by way of   
,egypt and an ,ethiopian usurper4 ,the  
ambitions of that wily ,pharaoh led     
directly to the fall of ,samaria and to 
the ,commoner's first great prophetic   
utterance4                              
,,chapter ,,iii4                        
,when ,samaria ,fell4   ,a man who is a 
traitor to his country will1 in all     
likelihood1 prove traitorous to his     
avowed friends4  ,hoshea1 son of ,elah1 
of ,samaria1 was such a man4            
,tilgath-,pileser1 the ,assyrian        
conqueror of ,damascus assisted ,hoshea 
to assassinate ,king ,pekah1 and        

appointed the assassin to rule in       
,pekah's stead1 in the year #gcd ,b4 ,c4
 ,e41 merely as a matter of expediency4 
,it was an easier method of re-annexing 
the rebellious ,kingdom of ,israel to   
the ,assyrian ,empire without cost of   
life or treasure1 and he stooped to it4 
,but when ,tiglath-,pileser died and    
,shalmaneser ,,iv succeeded him on the  
throne in ,nineveh1 ,hoshea gave ear to 
the siren voice of ,egypt1 and rebelled4
  ,it is related that ,hoshea sent an   
embassy to ,king ,so1 more correctly1   
,pharaoh ,sabako1 of ,egypt1 when that  
energetic ,ethiopian prince became      
master over the whole of the ancient    
,nile country4  ,the new ,pharaoh had   
ambitions northward4 ,it was he who     
organized a coalition of ,assyrian      
provinces in the ,mediterranean country1
 with an eye to ,nineveh4 ,the traitor1 
,hoshea1 proved the miserable stuff he  
was made of by joining actively in      
,sabako's ambitious schemes4  ,in answer
 to ,sabako1 ,shalmaneser rushed his    

veteran troops toward ,egypt4 ,the      
,kingdom of ,israel was the first       
rebellious province he had to deal with4
 ,hoshea was prepared when1 in #gbh1    
,samaria was besieged4 ,samaria held out
 bravely enough for two years1 waiting  
all the time for help from ,egypt4 ,but 
,sabako's promised armies and funds     
never came4  ,shalmaneser died during   
this siege2 but his successor1 the great
 ,sargon1 came on with re-enforcements  
and finally1 in #gba1 captured and      
reduced ,samaria1 before ,hoshea's      
,egyptian ally had been heard from4     
,that was the end of the ,kingdom of    
,israel1 founded by ,jeroboam ben       
,nebat1 in the year #icg1 ,b4 ,c4 ,e41  
when he rebelled from ,rehoboam1 ,king  
,solomon's son4 ,the ,kingdom of ,israel
 had lasted just #bah years4  ,sargon   
sent away #bg1bij captives1 the youth   
and pride of ,israel and ,samaria1 and  
had them scattered widely apart1 in all 
his provinces4 ,the conqueror1 himself1 
proceeded southward to meet and defeat  

,sabako1 at ,raphia1 on the great       
,nile-delta-highway along the           
,mediterranean coast4  ,while the       
records do not show that these events   
made any impression upon the leaders of 
thought1 such as ,isaiah1 in ,jerusalem1
 they brought ,micah his first          
opportunity to prohesy4  ,living in     
,moresheth1 on the highroad from ,gaza  
to ,jerusalem1 ,micah1 who up to this   
time knew only of the corruption of the 
classes and the oppression of the masses
 of ,judah1 now had first-hand          
information of the political situation1 
as well4  ,sargon's armies captured and 
passed through ,gaza on their march to  
,raphia4 ,by way of ,gaza1 ,micah       
learned that ,samaria had not been razed
 to the ground4 ,there was1 therefore1  
hope for the city and for ,israel4      
,micah's hope1 however1 was not         
political4 ,he1 unlike ,isaiah in       
,jerusalem1 was not concerned with      
politics4 ,his concern was with the     
social wrongs and economic outrages of  

which1 as he had now learned1 both      
,israel and ,judah were victims4  ,there
 was this distinction1 however1 ,israel 
had already collected the wages of its  
sins1 had paid the price and had been   
chastised by the rod of ,assyria4 ,judah
 might be recalled to its better self   
and escape a similar calamity4  ,so1    
before the dust of ,sargon's victorious 
armies1 passing through ,gaza1 had      
settled in the roads1 ,micah went again 
to ,jerusalem and launched forth        
earnestly and with vigor upon his       
prophetic mission4  ,in his very first  
public utterance he drew a deadly       
parallel between ,israel and ,judah3    
,hear1 ye peoples1 all of you2          
,hearken1 ,o earth1 and all that therein
 is3     ,and let the ,lord ,god be     
witness against you1     ,the ,lord from
 ,his holy temple4      ,for1 behold1   
the ,lord cometh forth out of ,his      
place4     ,and will come down1 and     
tread upon the high places the earth4   
,and the mountains shall be molten under

 ,him1     ,and the valleys shall be    
cleft1     ,as wax before the fire1     
,as waters that are poured down a steep 
place4      ,for the transgression of   
,jacob is all this1     ,and for the    
sins of the house of ,israel4     ,what 
is the transgression of ,jacob8 ,is it  
not ,samaria8     ,and what are the high
 places of ,judah8     ,are they not    
,jerusalem8  ,fearlessly1 with bold     
strokes1 and in vivid pictures1 he      
described the terrible conditions as he 
knew them3     ,hear1 ,i pray you1 ye   
chiefs of ,jacob1     ,and ye judges of 
the house of ,israel6     ,you surely   
ought to know what is just6     ,yet1   
you hate good and love evil2     ,you   
who devour the flesh of my people1      
,flay their skin from off of them1      
,and break their bones6  ,it was        
possible for ,judah to be saved1 if the 
governing classes1 the judiciary1 the   
great landowners and the wealthy        
merchants dealt justly and righteously  
with the common people1 the poor1 the   

peasant and the wage earner3     ,for   
this will ,i lament and wail2     ,i    
will go stripped and naked2     ,i will 
make a wailing like the jackals1        
,and a lamentation like the ostriches4  
,micah did more than merely preach and  
wail4 ,down in the ,shefelah he set     
himself to help his fellow-peasants and 
to correct the injustices practiced upon
 them1 wherever he could4  ,but the     
western foothills were not the whole of 
,judah2 and the origin and source of the
 demoralizing wickedness lay not in the 
farm sections1 but in the capital2 and  
as to the capital1 her wounds are       
incurable4 ,the cause of the downfall of
 ,samaria and ,israel     ,is come even 
to ,judah2     ,it reacheth unto the    
gate of my people1     ,even unto       
,jerusalem4  ,therefore ,micah1 less    
hopeful than ,isaiah1 who was biding his
 time for a change of heart in the      
rulers and chiefs of the country1 said  
of the coming of the day of reckoning3  
,then shall they cry unto the ,lord1 but

 ,he will not answer them3     ,yea1 ,he
 will hide ,his face from them at that  
time1     ,according as they have       
wrought evil in their doings4           
,,chapter ,,iv4                         
,judah ,learns its ,lesson4   ,king     
,hezekiah's preparation for rebellion   
against ,sennacherib1 in #gae1 shattered
 any optimistic hopes that ,micah held  
for a continuation of improvement in the
 condition of the common people1 in     
which he had been instrumental up to    
this time4 ,the costs of war always fell
 heaviest on the poor1 and the          
devastating results of war upon the     
farming population4  ,younger and       
readier to act than his older           
contemporary1 ,isaiah1 he was not       
satisfied with a negative warning1 such 
as the older prophet gave the leaders in
 ,jerusalem when he walked about the    
city barefoot and in the garb of a      
slave4  ,micah came up to the capital to
 stir it up2 and he did set the people  
to talking and to thinking when1 in a   

memorable speech1 he differed           
fundamentally from ,isaiah in his       
declaration that the ,temple1 the very  
,house of ,god1 as well as the city in  
which it was situated1 could and would  
be destroyed3     ,hear this1 ,i pray   
you1 ye heads of the house of ,jacob1   
,and rulers of the house of ,israel1    
,that abhor justice and pervert all     
equity2     ,that build up ,zion with   
blood1     ,and ,jerusalem with         
iniquity4     ,the heads thereof judge  
for reward1     ,and the priests thereof
 teach for hire1     ,and the prophets  
thereof divine for money2     ,yet will 
they lean upon the ,lord1 and say1      
',is not the ,lord in the midst of us8  
,no evil shall come to us4'             
,therefore shall ,zion1 for your sake1  
be plowed as a field1     ,and          
,jerusalem shall become heaps1     ,and 
the mountain of the house as the high   
places of a forest4  ,micah1 naturally1 
received opposition from the same clique
 of false prophets that opposed ,isaiah1

 and made his labors so difficult and1  
at first1 unsuccessful2 that misled king
 and people1 that bite with their teeth 
and cry1 ',peace1' to make my people to 
err4 ,to these ,micah gave as well as he
 received3     ,the seers shall be put  
to shame1     ,and the diviners         
confounded4     ,yea1 they shall all    
cover their lips1     ,for there is no  
answer of ,god4     ,but as for me1     
,i am full of power by the spirit of the
 ,lord1     ,and of judgment and of     
might1     ,to declare unto ,jacob his  
transgression     ,and unto ,israel his 
sin4  ,for years ,micah kept at his     
task4 ,he was indeed a tribune of the   
people1 the champion of their rights    
against the vested interests1 the great 
commoner of his day and time1 fearlessly
 and courageously standing out against  
all opposition1 trusting absolutely in  
,god4  ,at last came the crisis of      
#gjd-a and ,hezekiah's memorable change 
of mind and heart4 ,micah played no mean
 part with ,isaiah1 in ,hezekiah's      

reforms that followed4  ,reforms were   
needed1 however1 not alone by the heads 
of the house of ,jacob and the rulers of
 the house of ,israel1 not alone in the 
courts of law and among the priests and 
prophets2 they were needed as well in   
the religious beliefs and practices of  
the common people1 whose cause was      
,micah's cause4  ,with the passing of   
all political danger to the fatherland1 
,micah retired permanently to his farms 
in ,moresheth4 ,there he devoted the    
remainder of his peaceful1 happy years  
to teaching the common people1 my       
people1 as he fondly refers to them1 the
 religious1 moral and ethical life that 
,god demanded of them4  ,micah employed 
the same vivid1 picturesque language in 
his speeches of peace as he did in his  
addresses of war4 ,there is extant a    
remarkable oration in which he pictures 
a religious controversy between ,god and
 his people1 and in which he makes a    
declaration of what true religion is    
that has not been better phrased in all 

the thousands of books that have been   
written on religious subjects since that
 day4  ,the address is in the form of a 
dialogue between ,god and ,israel1 and  
reads as follows3     ,hear ye now what 
the ,lord is saying3     ',arise1       
contend thou before the mountains1      
,and let the hills hear thy voice4      
,hear1 ,o ye mountains1 the ,lord's     
controversty1     ,and ye enduring      
rocks1 the foundations of the earth3    
,for the ,lord hath a controversy with  
,his people1     ,and ,he will plead    
with ,israel4  ,then ,god is pictured   
pleading with the people3     ,o my     
people1 what harm have ,i done unto     
thee8     ,and wherein have ,i wearied  
thee8     ,testify against me4     ,is  
it because ,i brought thee out of the   
land of ,egypt1     ,and redeemed thee  
out of the house of bondage1     ,and   
sent before thee ,moses1 ,aaron and     
,miriam8     ,o my people1 remember now 
what ,balak1 king of ,moab1 devised1    
,and what ,balaam1 the son of ,beor1    

answered him2     7,remember what took  
place7 from ,shittim unto ,gilgal1      
,that ye may know the righteous acts of 
the ,lord4  ,as with the purely         
religious teachings of the older        
prophets1 the people could not quite    
understand ,micah4 ,they believed that  
religion consisted in offering the      
prescribed sacrifices regularly1 and    
that1 in having fulfilled this          
obligation they had performed their     
religious duties4  ,the average         
,judean's idea of religion1 of the      
relationship between man and ,god1 was  
that of a bargain between man and ,god2 
so many sacrifices brought to ,god1 so  
many favors from ,god1 in return2 the   
more precious and numerous the          
sacrificial oils and burnt offerings1   
even to one's children1 offered to ,god1
 the more precious and numerous would be
 the blessings from ,god4  ,to this     
false idea ,micah replies1 with irony   
that stings1 in these words3            
,wherewith shall ,i come before the     

,lord1     ,and bow myself before ,god  
on high8     ,shall ,i come before ,him 
with burnt offerings1     ,with calves  
of a year old8     ,will the ,lord be   
pleased with thousands of rams1     ,or 
with ten thousands of rivers of oil8    
,shall ,i give my first-born for my     
transgression1     ,the fruit of my body
 for the sin of my soul8  ,to which ,god
 answers1 through ,micah1 in the        
world-famed and unparalleled definition 
of religion3     ,it hath been declared 
unto thee1 ,o man1 what is good3        
,yea1 what doth the ,lord require of    
thee1     ,but to do justice1 and to    
love mercy1     ,and to walk humbly with
 thy ,god8                              
,,the ,,prophet ,,of ,,woe ,,and ,,hope 
,,chapter ,i4                           
,the ,escape4   ,the entirely unexpected
 assassination of ,king ,amon1 of       
,judah1 in the year #fci1 surprised and 
appalled the entire country1 as well as 
,jerusalem1 the capital4  ,king ,amon   
had succeeded his father1 ,manasseh1 to 

the throne of ,judah but two years      
before4 ,he had had no chance to show   
the character of man he was and the type
 of a ruler he would be1 and yet1       
without apparent knowledge on anybody's 
part that a conspiracy was brewing among
 the princes of the royal palace itself1
 ,amon's life was snatched away in a    
most cruel manner4  ,the evening of the 
tragedy in the king's household was no  
different than the many others that had 
preceded it during the time of ,amon's  
reign4 ,the king and queen had just said
 good-night to their eight-year-old son 
,josiah and his little friend ,jeremiah1
 who had spent the day with the young   
prince1 and had sent them to bed1 in the
 wing of the palace occupied by the     
princes1 in care of ,ebed-melech1 a     
young ,ethiopian slave1 of whom both    
boys were very fond4  ,jeremiah1 who was
 the son of the high priest ,hilkiah1   
lived in ,anathoth1 the exclusive suburb
 to the north of ,jerusalem1 where the  
wealthy1 priestly families had their    

homes4  ,it was after much begging on   
the part of ,josiah with his royal      
father1 and on the part of ,jeremiah    
with his mother1 that permission was    
given ,jeremiah to accompany his father 
into ,jerusalem and to spend the day and
 night with ,josiah in the palace4  ,the
 high priest and the king were great    
friends1 though they differed from each 
other on matters of politics and        
religion4 ,hilkiah was a follower of the
 religious practices and ideals of the  
prophet ,isaiah1 while ,amon was        
inclined to follow the religious        
practices and ideals of his father1     
,king ,manasseh4  ,a very strange thing 
happened in ,jerusalem and ,judah when  
both the good ,king ,hezekiah and the   
great prophet ,isaiah died and young    
,manasseh came to the throne4 ,the many 
religious and social reforms that were  
instituted by ,hezekiah under the       
guidance and inspiration of ,isaiah1 and
 which saved the country from the       
ravages of the ,assyrian conqueror1 were

 brought to a sudden halt by ,king      
,manasseh4  ,it seems that the young    
king was entirely under the influence of
 the party at court4 ,this party        
composed mostly of ,manasseh's young    
friends differed with the opinions of   
the old men who stood by ,hezekiah and  
,isaiah4 ,it was the story of ,rehoboam 
and of ,ahaz all over again4 ,the king  
listened to the advice of his boon      
companions instead of to the counsel of 
the sages4  ,manasseh had another reason
 which1 in his own mind and in the minds
 of his advisers1 justified the reaction
 he led against the teachings of the    
remnant founded by ,isaiah1 and later   
taken up by ,hezekiah4  ,assyria1 after 
the death of ,sennacherib1 had become   
the great world power at which all the  
,assyrian kings1 from ,tiglath-,pileser 
,,iii down1 had aimed4 ,sennacherib's   
successors actually conquered ,egypt    
twice1 thus extending the sway of       
,assyria1 with its capital at ,nineveh1 
over the whole of the then known world4 

,during both wars in which ,egypt was   
defeated1 the little kingdom of ,judah  
was1 by its geographical location1 the  
stamping ground for the ,assyrian       
armies4 ,judah was called upon during   
these wars to do more than pay its      
regular tribute4 ,it was forced to      
furnish food1 supplies1 horses1 shelter 
and camps to the ,assyrians4  ,the      
suffering of the ,jewish people at the  
hands of the ,assyrians was greater than
 ever before1 and the court party asked 
the king whether the nation was better  
off when following in the footsteps of  
,isaiah and ,hezekiah and worshiping the
 ,god of ,isaiah and ,hezekiah1 than it 
would be if it worshiped the gods of the
 ,assyrians1 the worshipers of which    
were always victorious over their       
enemies4  ,while the ,assyrian armies   
were coming and going through ,judah1   
,manasseh was anxious not alone to show 
his loyalty to the ,assyrian throne by  
the punctual payment of the tribute     
levied on ,judah1 but to show also his  

personal faithfulness to the kings of   
,assyria by paying homage to their gods4
  ,so ,manasseh began a bloody campaign 
against the remnant1 who were now called
 the ,prophetic ,party in opposition to 
the ,court ,party4 ,jerusalem flowed    
with the blood of the martyrs1 who were 
nowhere safe from the power of ,manasseh
 and the princes4  ,so great and good a 
man as the high priest ,hilkiah1        
,jeremiah's father1 had to hide his most
 inward religious beliefs and           
convictions in order to escape the sword
 of ,king ,manasseh4  ,when1 after a    
reign of forty-five years1 ,manasseh    
died1 the ,prophetic ,party looked      
eagerly to ,amon1 the new king1 in the  
hope that he would change conditions in 
the land from those established by his  
father2 but ,amon permitted all the     
heathen shrines that were erected       
everywhere in ,judah1 and even in the   
,temple in ,jerusalem1 to remain4  ,just
 why1 therefore1 the ,court ,party      
assassinated ,king ,amon will never be  

known4 ,the fact remains that on this   
particular evening in the year #fci1    
armed men sprang up in the palace as if 
by magic4 ,the royal family was         
completely exterminated1 with the       
exception of the boy ,josiah1 who had   
retired with ,jeremiah1 his young guest1
 to the nursery4  ,hilkiah1 ,jeremiah's 
father1 who1 after taking leave of his  
boy and seeing the two youngsters in the
 care of ,ebed-melech1 was preparing for
 the hour's trip to his home in         
,anathoth1 was as completely dazed by   
the uprising and as unprepared for it as
 was the king himself4  ,the            
conspirators1 however1 had no design on 
,hilkiah's life2 and so1 in the         
pandemonium that reigned in the palace1 
,hilkiah stole quietly up to the        
nursery4  ,at the door he met           
,ebed-melech on guard4 ,the young       
,ethiopian always waited just outside   
the little princes' apartment until he  
was sure that the boys' every wish was  
satisfied and that they were asleep1    

before retiring to the servants'        
quarters4  ,hilkiah did not speak to    
,ebed-melech4 ,in his excitement he     
probably did not see him4 ,he opened the
 door1 which was not locked1 hurriedly1 
and entered1 followed closely by the    
,ethiopian1 who surmised1 from          
,hilkiah's appearance1 that something   
unusual had happened4  ,instead of      
finding the boys tucked away in bed1    
asleep1 he found them wide awake1 at    
play4 ,josiah had leaned a tiny chair up
 against the posts at the foot of the   
bed1 propped it up with pillows1 and1   
with a wand in his hand1 was playing at 
king4 ,jeremiah1 in another part of the 
room1 had bound and laid several toy    
animals upon a little table and was     
playing at high priest4  ,when ,hilkiah 
broke into the nursery the boys stopped 
suddenly at their play and looked       
shamefacedly at the priest4 ,they did   
not notice the flushed face nor the     
anxious1 eager look in his eyes that    
changed immediately to hope as he       

snatched both lads in his arms1 bade    
them be silent and started out of the   
nursery4  ,ebed-melech was at his heels1
 asking what was wrong4 ,hilkiah told   
him of the uprising1 in a few whispered 
words4 ,the ,ethiopian thereupon took   
the amazed ,josiah in his brawny arms   
and led the way through the servants'   
hall to the court yard4  ,in the tumult 
that reigned within the palace ,hilkiah1
 ,ebed-melech and their burdens were not
 noticed by the conspirators4           
,unmolested1 they made their way into   
the royal gardens4 ,there they hid in   
the shrubbery with the boys1 whose cries
 had been stopped by commands and       
pleading4  ,when the noise quieted down 
in the palace and the conspirators had  
evidently been satisfied with their     
work1 ,hilkiah1 carrying ,jeremiah1 and 
,ebed-melech1 carrying ,josiah1 quietly 
stole out of the garden and made their  
way through a narrow by-way crossing the
 ,mount of ,olives to ,anathoth4  ,they 
arrived at ,hilkiah's home at daybreak1 

both boys asleep4 ,jeremiah's mother1   
almost distracted by anxiety1 met the   
four eagerly at the door1 and1 after a  
few words of whispered explanation by   
her husband1 she understood what had    
happened4  ,silently and with the help  
of servants the two boys were brought   
into ,jeremiah's room1 where they slept 
peacefully1 being none the wiser for the
 tragedy in the palace in ,jerusalem4   
,,chapter ,,ii4                         
,the ,boy ,king4   ,it was interesting  
to see1 the next morning1 the effect    
upon the two boys when they discovered  
that instead of being in ,josiah's bed  
in the palace in ,jerusalem they were in
 ,jeremiah's1 at his home in ,anathoth4 
,josiah thought it was a great joke and 
laughed at the miracle1 as he called it1
 that was performed during the night4   
,jeremiah1 however1 being two years     
older than his friend and of a more     
active mind and imagination1 tried      
quietly to study out what had taken     
place4  ,just as ,josiah was figuring   

the miracle all out1 ,jeremiah's mother 
entered the room4 ,the dear woman was   
choked up with tears and could not say a
 word4 ,in reply to the volley of       
questions with which she was greeted1   
she merely pressed the two boys to her  
bosom and kissed them4  ,her trembling  
arms made the lads feel that something  
had gone wrong4 ,they clung to her most 
affectionately4 ,she told them to dress 
quickly2 that it was already late in the
 day2 that breakfast was waiting for    
them and1 she added smilingly1 that if  
somebody did not reach the breakfast    
room in a hurry somebody would be       
scolded4  ,at breakfast she unfolded the
 story of the tragedy at the palace very
 guardedly and with great care1 so that 
the blow should not fall too heavily    
upon ,josiah4 ,when she finally told    
them that the ,king and ,queen were     
dead1 the boys broke out in loud        
weeping4 ,it was all she could do to    
comfort and quiet them4  ,just at this  
time1 ,hilkiah1 ,jeremiah's father1 who 

had gone back to the city for news1     
returned4 ,he related that ,jerusalem   
was in a great uproar4 ,the conspirators
 in the palace1 who had proclaimed one  
of their number as king1 were having a  
hard time of it with the army and the   
people4  ,it seemed that the assassins  
were not at all well organized and that 
the assassination was most unpopular4   
,the army proved faithful to the royal  
house and the people sided with the     
army4  ,when ,hilkiah had announced to  
the leaders of the army and the people  
that the whole of ,amon's family was not
 destroyed1 but that young ,josiah was  
safe at ,anathoth1 there was great      
public rejoicing amid the mourning for  
the king4 ,within a few hours the army  
laid siege to the palace which was in   
the possession of the conspirators4     
,during the three days that followed the
 palace was besieged by a detachment    
from the army4 ,many of the leading men 
of ,jerusalem and many of the army      
officers came to ,hilkiah's home1 in the

 meantime1 to see the young prince and  
to pay homage to him as his father's    
successor on the throne2 but ,hilkiah   
would not permit them to see or speak to
 ,josiah until the siege was successful 
and the usurpers put out of the way4    
,when the palace finally fell and the   
conspirators were put to death1 a great 
concourse of people1 headed by the      
king's guard1 marched to ,anathoth1     
gathered before ,hilkiah's home and     
called for the ,prince4  ,hilkiah       
brought ,josiah to a window in the      
second story of the house4 ,upon seeing 
him a great shout went up from the crowd
 below3     ,the king6    ,the king6    
,the captains of the host then entered  
the house and consulted with ,hilkiah   
while the crowd outside carried on      
happily over the survivor of the ancient
 dynasty4  ,after a little while the    
captains1 surrounding ,josiah who was   
sitting on ,hilkiah's shoulders1        
reappeared4 ,a shout of acclaim greeted 
them4 ,then began a triumphant march    

back to ,jerusalem4  ,at the gates the  
whole city of loyal people greeted them4
 ,the royal chariot was waiting4        
,instead of horses1 picked young men    
drew it to the palace where ,josiah was 
proclaimed king in his father's stead4  
,so it happened1 in the year #fci1 that 
a boy eight years old reigned as king in
 ,jerusalem4                            
,,chapter ,,iii4                        
,jeremiah's ,call4   ,josiah and        
,jeremiah passed through the first great
 and vital experience of their lives    
together and the friendship between     
these two lads was thereby knit as      
closely as was that of ,david and       
,jonathan4  ,from the very beginning of 
,josiah's mounting the throne of ,judah1
 this friendship promised even to       
outrival that of the king's great       
ancestor and ,saul's son4 ,every day    
,hilkiah had to bring ,jeremiah to the  
palace1 because the young king was not  
permitted to leave ,jerusalem and go to 
,anathoth4  ,one of the very first      

official acts of the king was to make   
,ebed-melech a freedman2 but the young  
,ethiopian chose to remain at the palace
 in ,jerusalem1 to be at the right hand 
of his master1 even to put the young    
king to bed1 for many years after he was
 crowned1 as he had done the baby       
prince4  ,this friendship of ,josiah and
 ,jeremiah had an unlooked-for effect   
upon the former2 for1 though teachers in
 all the subjects that pertained to the 
education of the young king were        
appointed1 ,hilkiah1 the high priest1   
practically became the young monarch's  
guardian and father4  ,in fact1 the     
older ,josiah grew the more he          
understood the love of ,hilkiah for him 
and the heroic act he had performed in  
saving him on that terrible night of the
 conspiracy4  ,so it happened that while
 the boy king was instructed by special 
tutors in the laws and intricacies of   
government1 his religious and moral     
training came under the influence of    
,hilkiah4 ,this meant that the moral    

qualities that make for manhood and     
character1 and the principles of        
religious belief that were developed in 
,josiah1 were identical with those that 
,hilkiah taught his own son4  ,at the   
suggestion of ,hilkiah1 a cousin of the 
young king1 named ,zephaniah1 a member  
of the ,prophetic ,party and follower of
 the teachings of ,isaiah1 was appointed
 ,josiah's religious instructor4 ,the   
king1 therefore1 grew up in total       
ignorance of the idolatrous religious   
beliefs and practices introduced by his 
grandfather1 ,manasseh1 and practiced by
 his father1 ,amon4  ,josiah was so busy
 with the many things relating to the   
government of his kingdom that he had no
 time to study his religion very deeply1
 but the moral influence of ,zephaniah  
and ,hilkiah was very apparent in his   
development and showed their effect in  
his later years4  ,jeremiah1 on the     
other hand1 received an education on    
much broader and more general lines4    
,not burdened with cares of state1 he   

studied first of all the history of his 
own people and his own religion1 and the
 history and religion of the other      
peoples with whom his country came in   
contact4 ,in his religious training he  
was grounded deeply in the religious    
history of now almost forgotten ,israel 
as well as of ,judah4 ,he paid special  
attention to the moral and religious    
condition of his country and of its     
people and made himself master of his   
father's ideals1 which meant the ideals 
and hopes of the older prophets4  ,as   
,jeremiah advanced in years and ,josiah 
took the reins of government more and   
more into his own hands1 the former's   
visits to the palace became less and    
less frequent4  ,jeremiah delighted to  
stay in ,anathoth4 ,he spent many hours 
studying in his own room4 ,he roamed    
among the barren hills near his village 
from which1 looking down the ravine1 a  
view could be had of the blue waters at 
the north end of the ,dead ,sea4  ,he   
often came across the many altars that  

had been erected on the high hills and  
in thick groves in imitation of the     
heathen4 ,even in the city of           
,jerusalem1 the religious legacy left by
 ,king ,manasseh had not been destroyed4
 ,the ,temple ,courts were desecrated by
 images and the ,temple itself defiled  
by idolatrous practices4  ,the teachings
 of his father and the religious        
influence of his home were great factors
 in turning ,jeremiah's mind to view    
these abominations with alarm for his   
people4 ,idolatry and heathen worship   
led the people to practice vice and     
commit crimes that were abhorrent to the
 religious ideas and ideals taught by   
such men as ,amos1 ,hosea and ,isaiah in
 the days gone by1 and by ,zephaniah and
 ,hilkiah in ,jeremiah's time4  ,now    
,jeremiah knew very well that when      
,josiah reached the age of manhood the  
influence of ,zephaniah and ,hilkiah    
upon him would tell4 ,he felt quite sure
 that1 in due time1 religious and moral 
reforms would be introduced into the    

country by the king4 ,he was convinced1 
nevertheless1 that a movement for reform
 of some kind must come from the people 
at large as well as from the king4      
,sometimes he thought that the people   
ought to be prepared for the reforms    
that ,josiah would surely introduce4    
,often1 therefore1 he felt the voice of 
,god speaking within him1 urging him on 
to go down into the city and there speak
 to the people of the living ,god1 of   
,his love for them and of ,his religious
 and moral demands upon them4  ,one day1
 in the early spring1 while roaming     
among the hills1 meditating upon the    
thoughts that consumed all his waking   
hours1 he stopped before an almond tree4
 ,it was just beginning to shoot its    
earliest leaves4 ,he contemplated this  
wonderful miracle of nature4 ,he saw the
 hand of ,god working through that tree2
 he saw that ,god must be very watchful 
over the things ,he created2 he saw in  
that tree a symbol--,god's message to   
him that the immoral and ungodly people 

of ,jerusalem and ,judah could be       
awakened to a new life1 even as the     
almond tree was blooming into new life4 
,at another time he was watching        
carelessly a boiling caldron4 ,a wind   
unexpectedly came up from the north1 so 
strong that ,jeremiah thought the       
caldron would turn over and empty its   
contents upon the ground4 ,in this1 too1
 ,jeremiah saw a symbol--a call from    
,god to warn the people of ,judah       
against the oncoming of the ,scythian   
hordes that were roaming at large over  
the once great ,assyrian empire1 even   
reaching the little states along the    
,mediterranean4  ,one night1 in his     
room1 ,jeremiah was thinking over these 
and similar incidents that had been     
happening to him quite frequently of    
late4 ,though ready to retire1 he knew  
that he could not sleep1 because a      
terrible restlessness was consuming his 
mind and heart4  ,noiselessly1 he stole 
out of the house into the open4 ,it was 
one of those wonderful full-moon1 spring

 nights1 when the sky is clear blue1    
unclouded and studded with myriads of   
stars1 stars1 stars4  ,jeremiah breathed
 in deeply and tramped out into the     
hills4 ,he walked lightly1 as on air1   
without fatigue4 ,a strange feeling1 as 
if he wished to get away from himself1  
drove him on4 ,finally1 he reached a    
point from which he could discern the   
most northerly corner of the ,dead ,sea4
 ,for awhile he stood in his favorite   
spot and meditated1 though he could not1
 for the world of him1 say what was     
passing through his mind4  ,he pressed  
his temples with his open palms1 hoping 
in that way to clear up the jumble of   
thoughts tumbling about in his head4 ,he
 clenched his fists4 ,he beat the palm  
of his left hand with the fist of his   
right4 ,he raised his arms to heaven1 as
 if pleading for advice and guidance4   
,he was1 evidently1 passing through a   
great1 inward struggle4  ,then he heard 
a voice1 clearly and distinctly1 saying 
over and over again3      ,before ,i    

formed thee1 ,i knew thee2     ,before  
thou camest forth1 ,i sanctified thee4  
,i have appointed thee a prophet unto   
the nations4  and he knew that ,god was 
speaking to him4  ,a stifled groan      
escaped his lips4 ,the muscles of his   
face and body1 tense up to this moment1 
relaxed4 ,he dropped to his knees and   
gave up the fight4 ,he buried his face  
in his arms and cried1 in a muffled     
voice3      ,alas1 ,o ,lord ,god6       
,behold1 ,i do not know how to speak2   
,i am only a youth4  ,this plea showed  
clearly what inward agonies ,jeremiah   
had been through4 ,timid by nature1 he  
shrank from ,god's call to him to go out
 and prophesy to the people of ,judah   
and ,jerusalem1 and he struggled against
 it4 ,although he was now a young man of
 twenty-four or five1 he feared to      
undertake this great task and to answer 
the call4 ,he felt that he was yet too  
young and unprepared to deliver the     
message of ,god to his people4  ,but    
,god answered him1 saying3      ,do not 

say1 ,i am only a youth2     ,for to all
 to whom ,i shall send thee1 thou shalt 
go1     ,and whatever ,i command thee1  
thou shalt speak4     ,be not afraid of 
them1     ,for ,i am with thee to       
deliver thee4  ,and ,jeremiah tells us  
that ,god1 having stretched out ,his    
hand toward him and touched his lips to 
purify them1 spoke to him further3--    
,behold1 ,i have put my words in thy    
mouth2     ,see1 ,i have set thee this  
day over the nations and kingdoms1      
,to tear up1 to break down and to       
destroy1 to build up and to plant4  ,now
 that ,god had selected him for a       
distinct and set purpose in life1 no    
matter how incapable and unworthy he    
deemed himself1 and being assured of    
,his help and protection1 ,jeremiah     
walked slowly homeward4 ,for the first  
time he noticed that the sun had risen  
big and bright and warm4 ,his mind was  
calm and at rest1 but his heart was     
filled with woe because of what the     
future held out for him and his people4 

,,chapter ,,iv4                         
,the ,seething ,caldron4   ,an old      
,hebrew proverb says1 ,train up a child 
in the way he should go1 and even when  
he is old he shall not depart from it4  
,if one should say that the man who     
wrote this proverb must have thought of 
,king ,josiah1 the statement could not  
be entirely denied4 ,for the religious  
training he received at the hands of    
,zephaniah and ,hilkiah soon showed     
itself in the way he began to           
revolutionize the religious life of     
,judah4  ,when he was only eighteen     
years old he began to uproot the heathen
 worship that had been reintroduced by  
his grandfather1 after the death of     
,hezekiah and ,isaiah4 ,his aim was to  
cleanse the land entirely of the foreign
 altars and sanctuaries that ,manasseh  
had erected to the gods of ,babylonia   
and ,assyria4  ,in the twelfth year of  
his reign1 that is1 in the year #fbg1   
the old chronicler tells us1 ,josiah    
brake down the altars of the ,baalim in 

his presence2 and the     sun-images    
that were on high above them he hewed   
down2 and     the ,asherim1 and the     
graven images1 and the molten images1 he
     brake in pieces1 and made dust of  
them1 and strewed it upon     the graves
 of them that had sacrificed unto them1 
and purged     ,judah1 and ,jerusalem4  
,it was at this time that the decline in
 the fortunes of ,assyria set in4       
,esarhaddon and his successor1          
,ashurbanipal1 preserved a semblance of 
holding the empire together2 but it was 
not for long4 ,built up by mercenaries1 
whose fighting was for pay and not for  
their country1 the weak rulers who      
followed ,ashurbanipal on the throne in 
,nineveh hurled the empire quickly to   
its fall4  ,even in the last days of the
 cultured and illustrious ,ashurbanipal 
the outlying provinces of ,assyria      
became independent4 ,the ,assyrian      
governors were slowly withdrawn from the
 tributaries along the ,mediterranean   
,sea1 and ,judah1 always ready to resist

 a foreign yoke1 began to feel its      
independence4  ,josiah added to his     
territory most of what had been the     
kingdom of ,israel and reigned over a   
country that nearly equalled in size    
that of ,david and ,solomon4 ,this good 
fortune of ,judah1 perhaps more than    
anything else1 convinced the king that  
,god was again favoring his nation1 and 
that1 therefore1 it was time to remove  
from his dominions all those things that
 were abominations in the sight of ,god4
  ,now1 it is one thing to cleanse a    
land of its outward show of idolatrous  
worship and abominable practices and    
another to purge the hearts and minds of
 a people that have been sotted with    
these for more than two generations4 ,to
 do the latter never entered into       
,josiah's calculations4 ,he didn't even 
give it a thought4 ,but the uselessness 
of outward reforms1 without inward      
chastening1 did not escape the          
deep-thinking ,jeremiah4  ,it was       
evident to him that ,josiah was only    

scratching the surface and he wanted to 
come to the well-meaning king's help4   
,notwithstanding his call and his       
conviction that his life work as a      
prophet had been determined upon even   
before his birth1 ,jeremiah was yet too 
timid to take up his burden among the   
people until the word of ,god came to   
him a second time1 saying3     ,gird up 
thy loins and arise1     ,speak to them 
all that ,i command thee1     ,do not be
 terrified before them1 lest ,i terrify 
thee in         their presence2     ,for
 behold1 ,i myself make thee this day a 
fortified city1     ,and a brazen wall  
against the kings of ,judah1 its        
princes1 and the         common people4 
,and they shall fight against thee1 but 
they will not overcome thee1     ,for ,i
 am with thee to deliver thee4  ,so     
,jeremiah's course was not to be smooth 
and easy6 ,he would encounter opposition
 from the common people1 the princes1   
the king himself6 ,but there was no     
turning back for him now6 ,though his   

heart was heavy1 it was determined4     
,jeremiah went down to ,jerusalem to    
preach4  ,his first pleadings were in   
line with ,josiah's reforms3     ,a     
voice is heard upon the bare heights1   
the weeping and the     supplications of
 the children of ,israel2 because they  
have     perverted their way1 they have 
forgotten the ,lord their ,god4         
,return ye backsliding children2     ,i 
will heal your backsliding4  ,jeremiah  
began his eventful career with the old  
cry of ,amos and ,hosea1 against the    
widespread evil1 the seething caldron of
 idolatry and wrongdoing that threatened
 the destruction of the nation4 ,it was 
far more serious1 however1 than in the  
days of the earlier prophets4 ,then the 
people worshiped idols and seemed to    
know no better2 now the people employed 
all the ancient idolatrous practices for
 worshiping the idols and the heavenly  
bodies and ,god at the same time4       
,therefore1 ,jeremiah heard from the    
people at the idols' shrines1 in reply  

to his pleadings1 practically the same  
answer that greeted ,amos at ,bethel3   
,behold1 we have come unto thee1        
,for thou art the ,lord our ,god4  ,to  
this false idea that ,god-worship and   
idol-worship are the same thing1        
,jeremiah gave answer patiently and     
kindly1 as if reasoning with children1  
recalling what ,god had accomplished for
 ,israel in the past and the duty of    
obedience to ,his voice by ,israel's    
descendants in the present3     ,truly  
in vain is the help that is looked for  
from the hills1     the tumult of the   
mountains2 truly the ,lord our ,god is  
the     salvation of ,israel4 ,but the  
shameful thing 7idolatry7 hath          
devoured the labor of our fathers from  
our youth1 their     flocks and their   
herds1 their sons and their daughters4  
,let     us lie down in our shame1 and  
let our confusion cover us2     for we  
have sinned against the ,lord our ,god1 
we and our     fathers1 from our youth  
even unto this day2 and we have not     

obeyed the voice of the ,lord our ,god4 
,then ,jeremiah delivered a message of  
hope1 of ,god's promise to the people1  
in case they should return from their   
backsliding3     ,if thou wilt return1  
,o ,israel1 saith the ,lord1 if thou    
wilt return to me and if thou wilt put  
away thine     abominations out of my   
sight2 then shalt thou not be           
removed2 and thou shalt swear1 ',as the 
,lord liveth1' in     truth1 in justice1
 and in righteousness2 and the nations  
shall bless themselves in him1 and in   
him shall they glory4  ,jeremiah aimed  
at first merely to arouse the people to 
a knowledge of their false point of view
 toward ,god2 but he soon discovered    
that he was on the wrong track4         
,pleading1 persuasion1 promises and     
prophecies of hope had no more effect   
upon the daily life of the people than  
did ,josiah's destruction of the shrines
 and sanctuaries upon their religious   
practices4  ,it was at this time that   
evil days came upon the ,empire of      

,assyria4 ,it was crumbling to pieces4  
,from north of the ,black ,sea and from 
east of the ,carpathian ,mountains      
savage hordes of ,scythians were        
swarming over ,assyria4 ,nomads1 without
 any settled country whatever1 they were
 sweeping eastward and southward1 down  
across the shores of the ,mediterranean1
 creating devastation everywhere4 ,they 
were not only eager for the far-famed   
riches of ,assyria1 but looked toward   
the south1 even as far as ,egypt4  ,and 
the little kingdom of ,judah lay        
directly in their path1 as it did during
 former attempted conquests of ,egypt4  
,jeremiah once more recalled the vision 
of the seething caldron1 with the strong
 wind from the north1 threatening to    
pour out the hot contents over the land4
  ,poor ,judah6 ,the country was        
seething with destructive idolatry      
within1 and the seething hordes of      
,scythians were endangering its life    
from without4  ,poor ,jeremiah6 ,what   
was there for him to do now8 ,a double  

calamity was hanging over his people and
 his beloved country4 ,even if he stood 
alone he must try to save them both4    
,so he began a campaign1 the burden of  
which was two-fold4 ,he undertook to    
warn the people against the danger which
 even ,king ,josiah had recognized and  
of the new danger that was threatening  
from the north4  ,he felt sure1 as had  
the other prophets before him1 that     
unless the people turned from their     
backsliding they would lack the moral   
courage to withstand the foreign foe and
 could never gain ,god's help and       
protection in fighting their enemies4   
,once more he returned to his early     
methods of pleading with the people4 ,he
 appealed to them to restore the        
relationship of children and father that
 had existed between them and ,god from 
the earliest days4 ,he recounted their  
history from the slavery of ,egypt to   
his own day4 ,he pointed to the         
wonderful things that ,god had performed
 for them1 but it all seemed of no      

avail4  ,then he turned to the people   
with the threats of the danger from the 
north4 ,he tried to impress them with   
the idea that ,god was sending the      
,scythians as an instrument with which  
to punish the idolatrous and immoral    
,judeans4     ,behold a people is coming
 from the northland1     ,and a great   
nation is arousing itself from the      
uttermost parts         of the earth4   
,they lay hold on bow and spear2 they   
are cruel and merciless4     ,their din 
is like the roaring of the sea1 and they
 ride upon horses4     ,everyone is     
arrayed as a man for battle against     
thee1 ,o daughter         of ,zion4     
,we have heard the report of it1 our    
hands become feeble2     ,anguish taketh
 hold upon us2     ,go not forth into   
the field1 nor walk by the highway1     
,for there is the sword of the enemy1   
terror on every side4     ,o1 my people1
 gird thee with sackcloth1 and sprinkle 
thyself         with ashes2     ,take up
 mourning as for an only son1 bitter    

lamentation2     ,for the destroyer     
shall suddenly come upon us4  ,from ,dan
 and ,mount ,ephraim in the north the   
evil tidings announcing the approach of 
the ,scythians had already been brought 
to ,jerusalem4 ,these savages were      
approaching ,judea like a destructive   
hot wind and a whirlwind from the       
wilderness1 like a lion gone up from his
 lair to lay waste the earth4           
,announce in ,jerusalem1 ',there they   
are6'     ,robber bands are coming from 
a far distant land2     ,yea1 they are  
raising their cry against the cities of 
,judah1     ,lying in wait in the field 
over against her on every side1         
,because she hath rebelled against me1  
saith the ,lord4  ,the farmers were     
deserting their lands and the villagers 
in the outlying parts of the country    
their homes1 rushing south to the       
protecting walls of ,jerusalem4 ,the    
roads were filled with frightened men1  
women and children4 ,they were not the  
happy pilgrims who went down to         

,jerusalem for the great holidays4 ,in  
their fear they jostled each other and  
even fought to get ahead of each other4 
,they cared nothing for their fellows4  
,everyone aimed to reach the capital    
first4  ,jeremiah saw all this1 and knew
 exactly what the result would be when  
the robber bands came to besiege the    
city4 ,already the farthest outlying    
sections had been ravaged1 towns        
destroyed1 fields laid waste1 and the   
inhabitants driven in all directions4   
,no wonder that ,jeremiah was filled    
with woe4 ,he tried very hard to        
restrain himself1 not to pronounce the  
doom of his people4 ,but a great force  
within him urged him to speak3     ,my  
anguish1 my anguish6 ,i am pained to the
 depths of my heart4     ,my heart is in
 a tumult within me1 ,i cannot keep     
silent1     ,for ,i have heard the sound
 of the trumpet1 the alarm of war6      
,destruction succeeds destruction1 for  
the whole land is laid waste4     ,how  
long must ,i see the signal1 hear the   

sound of the trumpet6     ,for my people
 are senseless1 they know me not1       
,they are foolish children1 and they    
have no understanding2     ,they are    
skilled6 in doing evil1 but they know   
not how to do right6  ,in ,jerusalem    
there were many who believed that they  
were innocent of any wrong-doing because
 they were worshiping ,god the only way 
they knew2 but what they knew was the   
same old heathen way4 ,there were many1 
indeed1 who continued their wicked      
practices secretly even in places where1
 by ,king ,josiah's orders1 the         
idolatrous shrines and sanctuaries had  
been destroyed4  ,what brought pain and 
sorrow to ,jeremiah more than anything  
else was the fact that the people       
insisted that they were not sinning1    
that they were living in accordance with
 the laws of ,god4  ,to them ,jeremiah  
answered3     ,run to and fro through   
the streets of ,jerusalem and see and   
know1     ,and seek in its open spaces1 
if ye can find a man1     ,if there is  

any who does right and seeks after the  
truth6     ,and though they say1 ',as   
the ,lord liveth1' surely they swear to 
a falsehood4     ,o ,lord1 do not thine 
eyes look upon truth8  ,always wanting  
to be fair and honest in his            
condemnation of the people1 ,jeremiah   
bethought himself that perhaps only the 
common people who know not the way of   
the ,lord and the law of their ,god were
 at fault4 ,therefore he turned himself 
to the nobles1 to the princes of the    
realm1 to the wealthy and exalted1      
saying to himself1 they know the way of 
the ,lord and the law of their ,god4    
,but to his great dismay he found that  
these1 too1 have all broken the yoke and
 burst the bonds that made them the     
beloved of ,god in the ways of their    
righteousness4     ,therefore ,i am full
 of the wrath of the ,lord2 ,i am weary 
of         restraining myself4     ,i   
must pour it out upon the children in   
the street and upon the         assembly
 of young men1     ,for both the husband

 and the wife shall be taken1 the aged  
and him         that is advanced in     
years4     ,and their houses shall be   
turned over to others1 their fields     
to robbers4     ,for from the least even
 to the greatest of them1 each greedily 
robs1     ,and from the prophet even to 
the priest1 each deals deceitfully4     
,they heal the hurt of my people as     
though it were slight1     ,saying1     
',peace1 peace1' when there is no peace4
  ,this condition was reason enough for 
,jeremiah to point out1 regretfully1    
,thy conduct and thy acts have procured 
these things for thee6     ,this is the 
cause of thy calamity2 verily it is     
bitter1 for it         toucheth thy     
heart4  ,yet hopefully he pleaded1      
,cleanse thy heart1 ,o ,jerusalem1 from 
wickedness1 that thou mayest         be 
delivered4     ,how long shall thy evil 
thoughts stay within thee8  ,this       
preaching1 pleading1 threatening1 in    
which ,jeremiah was assisted greatly by 
,zephaniah1 ,king ,josiah's teacher1 and

 the little crowd of men1 the remnant of
 ,isaiah's days1 whom ,hilkiah had      
gathered about him1 now known as the    
,prophetic ,party was not a matter of   
days or months1 but of years4  ,josiah1 
standing practically single-handed among
 the nobles and the ,court ,party1 the  
legacy fron his grandfather ,manasseh1  
continued his reforms to the best of his
 ability4  ,at last the work was having 
its effect4 ,the constant hammering away
 began to tell4 ,great progress was     
actually being made in the religious and
 moral awakening of the people4  ,and   
now came the joyous news that           
,psammetich ,i41 ,pharaoh of ,egypt1 had
 sent an embassy to meet the invading   
,scythians in the north1 before they    
approached ,egyptian territory2 that he 
bought the savages off by means of gifts
 and large sums of money2 that the      
danger of an invasion of ,egypt1 and    
therefore of ,judah1 was past4  ,the    
,prophetic ,party pointed to the sparing
 of ,judah from the ravages of the      

,scythian scourge as ,god's way of      
showing his approval1 not alone of the  
king's outward reforms1 but of the      
people's inner awakening to lives of    
righteousness4  ,and soon after1 the    
most important event in the whole       
history of ,israel up to that time1 an  
event that had a lasting influence1 not 
alone upon the ,jews but upon the whole 
world1 occurred in the temple in        
,jerusalem4                             
,,chapter ,v4                           
,the ,great ,discovery4   ,the great    
deliverance from the ,scythian invasion 
strengthened ,josiah and the ,prophetic 
,party in their work of reform4 ,they   
felt that their ,god had spared them    
because much of the idolatrous worship  
had already been stopped in ,jerusalem  
and many of the pagan shrines destroyed4
  ,the king also determined to repair   
and rebuild certain parts of the        
,temple4 ,the great building that       
,solomon erected now looked like a      
hodge-podge of architecture4 ,no repairs

 whatever had been made on it since the 
days of ,king ,joash1 about two hundred 
years before1 while many additions in   
the interior and in the courts had been 
made by ,ahaz and ,manasseh4  ,josiah   
determined to clear out everything      
foreign connected with the ,temple2     
inside and out he was going to restore  
it as it was in the days of ,solomon1   
and to beautify it4 ,walls were cracked 
and foundations had settled at different
 points4 ,the alterations and repairs   
planned1 accordingly1 were very         
extensive and were to be done           
immediately4  ,but the ,temple treasury 
and the coffers of the royal house were 
empty4 ,the enormous tributes that the  
predecessors of ,josiah were forced to  
pay to ,assyria had greatly reduced the 
financial resources of both king and    
,temple4  ,josiah1 therefore1 introduced
 a new method of collecting funds for   
the proposed work4  ,he placed great    
collection boxes at the ,temple gates4  
,all who visited ,jerusalem and the     

,temple were expected to make some      
contribution4 ,money came in fast1      
especially when1 under the supervision  
of ,hilkiah1 the masons and the artisans
 and the workmen of all kinds had       
actually started operation4  ,in        
addition1 ,josiah caused collections to 
be made for this purpose all through his
 kingdom1 including the old kingdom of  
,israel1 where a remnant of the people  
still remained4 ,with theis money1 the  
hewn stone and the timber necessary for 
the repairs were bought and the workmen 
paid4  ,it is recorded that everyone did
 his work faithfully and efficiently and
 that the building1 for that reason1 was
 being restored in exceptionally quick  
time4  ,on a certain day1 in the year   
#fba1 ,josiah sent ,shaphan1 his        
minister of foreign affairs1 to the     
,temple to empty the collection boxes   
and to report back to him on the        
progress of the repairs4  ,when ,shaphan
 came to the ,temple1 ,hilkiah          
approached him carrying a parchment     

statement1 ,i have found the ,book of   
the ,law in the ,house of ,god2 and     
,hilkiah handed the book to ,shaphan4   
,being questioned1 ,hilkiah explained   
that the book was discovered in one of  
the corner-stones of the ,temple4 ,it   
had probably been placed there by ,king 
,solomon himself1 he explained1 at the  
time when the ,temple was built4 ,but   
after ,solomon's death1 during the      
constant war between ,israel and ,judah 
and the inroads that idolatry had made  
in both countries1 the real1 genuine    
,book of the ,law that was to have been 
the basis for government1 the           
constitution of both ,israel and ,judah1
 had evidently been lost sight of and   
forgotten4 ,now1 by the merest accident1
 it was found again4  ,when ,shaphan    
glanced through it he immediately saw   
what a wonderful discovery had been     
made4 ,so he took the book to the king4 
,he reported to ,josiah first1 that the 
money was collected1 material paid for  
and workmen satisfied2 then1 that the   

,king's orders regarding the repairs of 
the ,temple had been faithfully carried 
out2 finally1 that ,hilkiah had         
discovered a book and that he had       
delivered it to him4 ,the king1 having  
heard the whole story of the discovery1 
ordered ,shaphan to read the book to    
him1 aloud4  ,what ,shaphan read amazed 
,josiah and the few advisers whom he had
 called in to listen to the reading4    
,everything in it seemed to be the exact
 opposite of conditions as they existed 
in ,judah4 ,the laws for sacrifices and 
ceremonies in the ,temple2 the statutes 
regarding the priesthood in the ,temple2
 the observances of the holidays2 the   
commandments regarding duties of        
officers of the law and the             
administration of justice2 the humane   
laws between man and man1 all were      
different from1 actually opposed to1 the
 practice of priest1 judge and people in
 ,josiah's entire kingdom4  ,during the 
reading of the book ,josiah recognized  
how little real headway his reforms thus

 far had made4 ,when he heard ,shaphan  
read3     ,the judges shall judge the   
people with righteous judgment4         
,thou shalt not pervert justice2 thou   
shalt not respect     persons2 neither  
shalt thou take a bribe1 for a bribe    
blindeth the eyes of the wise and       
perverteth the words of     the         
righteous4 ,justice and only justice    
shalt thou follow1     that thou mayest 
live and inherit the land which the     
,lord     thy ,god giveth thee1  he     
understood how far from this ideal his  
people had strayed4  ,when he heard the 
great declaration of ,god's unity1      
,hear1 ,o ,israel6 ,the ,lord is our    
,god1 the ,lord is one2 and     thou    
shalt love the ,lord thy ,god with all  
thy heart1 with     all thy soul1 with  
all thy might1  he understood how little
 he had accomplished throughout his     
reign1 in attempted suppression of the  
worship of many gods4  ,when he heard   
the scribe read aloud that it is ,god's 
will to be worshiped only in that place 

which the ,lord your ,god shall choose  
out of all your tribes to put ,his name 
there1 he determined1 more than ever    
before1 to pull down every shrine and   
pagan sanctuary and to center the       
worship of the ,lord in the ,temple in  
,jerusalem alone4  ,at the end of the   
book1 ,shaphan read a series of         
wonderful blessings that were promised  
king and people1 if they would live in  
accordance with the commandments        
contained in the ,book of the ,law--and 
,josiah saw visions of peace and        
prosperity for his kingdom4 ,but the    
reading of the last lines cast a heavy  
gloom upon the little party1 for the    
book concluded with the enumeration of a
 series of evils upon evils that would  
surely befall king and people should    
they not live in accordance with these  
commandments3     ,all these curses     
shall come upon thee and follow thee and
     overtake thee until thou art       
destroyed1 because thou hast     not    
hearkened unto the ,lord thy ,god1 to   

keep ,his commandments     and ,his     
statutes which ,he commanded thee4      
,upon hearing this very dramatic        
conclusion1 ,josiah came down from his  
throne and bowed himself to the ground4 
,he rent his clothes and wept aloud1 as 
if he were mourning for one who had died
 and whom he had loved best of all in   
the world4  ,then1 restraining himself  
and collecting all his strength1 he     
turned to ,shaphan and ,hilkiah and the 
others1 who had been listening to the   
reading1 and said3     ,go ye1 inquire  
of the ,lord for me1 and for them that  
are     left in ,israel and ,judah1     
concerning the words of the book        
that is found2 for great is the wrath of
 the ,lord that is     poured out upon  
us1 because our fathers have not kept   
the     word of the ,lord1 to do        
according unto all that is written      
in this book4  ,leaving the ,king's     
presence1 ,hilkiah and his companions   
held a short council to determine what  
to do next4 ,the ,book of the ,law was  

so extraordinary that they needed the   
wisdom of some sage to explain to them  
how to proceed4  ,those of the          
,prophetic ,party understood well enough
 what this book was4 ,they considered   
that it was a copy of the law which     
,moses was ordered to put by the side of
 the ,ark and which ,solomon probably   
placed in the corner-stone of the       
,temple when he built it4 ,they who had 
been trained by the descendants of the  
little party of faithful ,judeans whom  
,isaiah had gathered about him1 knew    
that this law had been continually      
violated since the days of ,hezekiah and
 practically forgotten4 ,therefore they 
wanted someone who was an authority1 one
 who would be trusted by all the people1
 to interpret this book and to declare  
it to be the genuine ,law of ,moses4    
,first1 someone suggested that ,jeremiah
 be called in to interpret the book1 but
 ,hilkiah objected on the ground that   
,jeremiah was still a young man and that
 his opinion probably would not be      

heeded by all the people4 ,shaphan then 
suggested that the book be taken to     
,huldah1 the ,prophetess1 a wise and    
aged mother in ,israel1 then living in  
,jerusalem4  ,this suggestion was       
agreeable to all4 ,with ,hilkiah as     
leader of the delegation1 they came to  
,huldah1 bringing the request from the  
,king4 ,her face lighted up benignly    
when she had read the book1 but when she
 thought of the reply she had to send   
back1 her brows knitted and wrinkles of 
care and pain showed in her face4       
,returning the scroll to ,shaphan1      
,huldah said3     ,thus saith the ,lord1
 the ,god of ,israel2 ,tell ye the man  
that sent you unto me3 ,thus saith the  
,lord1 ',behold1 ,i will     bring evil 
upon this place1 and upon the           
inhabitants thereof1     even all the   
curses that are written in the book     
which they     have read before the king
 of ,judah4 ,because they have forsaken 
me1 and have burned incense unto other  
gods1 that they might     provoke me to 

anger with all the works of their bands2
     therefore is my wrath poured out   
upon this place and it shall     not be 
quenched4'     ,but unto the ,king of   
,judah1 who sent you to inquire of the  
,lord1 thus shall ye say to him3 ',thus 
saith the ,lord1 the     ,god of        
,israel3 ,as touching the words which   
thou hast heard1     because thy heart  
was tender1 and thou didst humble       
thyself     before ,god1 when thou      
heardest his words against this place   
and against the inhabitants thereof1 and
 hast humbled thyself     before me and 
hast rent thy clothes and wept before   
me2 ,i also     have heard thee1 saith  
the ,lord4 ,behold1 ,i will gather thee 
to thy fathers and thou shalt be        
gathered to thy grave in     peace1     
neither shall thine eyes see all the    
evil that ,i will     bring upon this   
place and upon the inhabitants thereof4'
  ,the good prophetess knew that what   
happens to individuals must happen to   
whole nations4 ,here was a people that  

had been adding evil to evil and        
transgression to transgression for many 
generations4 ,just as a person who keeps
 on sinning and sinning1 without        
reforming in his heart and in his deeds1
 arrives at a time when1 no matter how  
anxious he is to turn from his evil     
ways1 it is too late and he must finally
 pay the penalty for his misspent life1 
so this nation of ,judah1 into the very 
heart of which the cancer of wrongdoing 
had long been eating1 could not1 at this
 late date1 escape its final            
destruction4  ,but it is different1 as  
the ,prophetess ,huldah expressed it1   
with individuals who turn from their    
evil paths while they are young1 or who1
 like ,josiah1 attempt to do the right  
thing in the very midst of evil4        
,therefore1 she could send back the     
message to the king1 that he1 because of
 the tenderness of his heart1 because of
 his humility before ,god1 because of   
his unquestioned effort to act in       
accordance with ,god's commandments1    

would return unto the ,god who sent him 
here before the evil days were to come  
upon the land1 before the doom that     
awaited his people would encompass them4
  ,the king had been anxiously awaiting 
the return of his messengers1 when they 
arrived at the palace from the house of 
the ,prophetess4 ,they were quickly     
ushered into the throne room4  ,it was  
with great hesitation that ,hilkiah     
finally made up his mind to report the  
words of the prophetess1 exactly as she 
had spoken them4 ,when the priest had   
finished1 a deep1 deathlike silence hung
 over the room1 as if some catastrophe  
were impending4  ,josiah turned away    
from the little group1 rested his arm   
heavily upon the throne and leaned his  
head upon it4 ,hilkiah1 ,shaphan and the
 others saw and felt the emotion that   
surged through the young king and caused
 his whole frame to tremble4 ,a soft1   
gentle sound escaped him1 as if he were 
weeping4  ,suddenly1 however1 ,josiah's 
attitude changed4 ,he ran the back of   

his hand over his eyes1 straightened up 
and faced his friends4 ,he was calm1    
composed1 determined4 ,he had concluded 
that he1 himself1 was the least to be   
considered in this matter4 ,he needed   
advice from more older and more         
experienced men4 ,consequently1 before  
the counselors present left him1 ,josiah
 ordered ,shaphan to call an assembly of
 the elders of the entire people to meet
 in ,jerusalem before the coming        
,passover4                              
,,chapter ,,vi4                         
,a ,new ,covenant4   ,josiah was        
determined not to give up so easily4 ,he
 would not admit to himself that his    
country and his people were beyond hope4
 ,he figured that perhaps the prophetess
 had exaggerated purposely in order to  
recall the people to their duty to their
 ,god and to the country1 more quickly  
and more conscientiously4  ,he was not  
at all happy over the fact that he      
himself would escape the threatened     
destruction of his people4 ,what he     

wanted was to discover some possible    
way1 and to make every attempt1 to save 
all his people4  ,at the council of the 
,elders1 as a first step1 he suggested  
that the coming ,passover be celebrated 
faithfully in accordance with the       
commandments in the rediscovered law    
book4  ,messengers were therefore sent  
throughout ,judah1 and even up into     
,israel1 to announce a pilgrimage to    
,jerusalem for the celebration of the   
,passover1 by order of the king and the 
,elders4  ,great and happy throngs came 
to the ,capital for the festival4 ,it   
was a multitude of people far different 
in mien and behavior from that same     
multitude that had rushed to the        
protection of the fortified city when   
the ,scythian invaders had threatened   
the country a few years before4  ,now1  
when the ,passover eve1 that is the     
fourteenth day of the first month1 was  
at hand1 it was found that the great    
majority of the people did not bring    
with them the prescribed sacrifices1    

either because they did not know of the 
custom or because they were too poor4   
,such a condition1 however1 did not     
dismay ,josiah and his officers4 ,he1   
himself1 out of his own treasury1       
distributed the means for making the    
sacrifices to over thirty-three thousand
 people4 ,hilkiah and the heads of the  
,temple service1 out of their own means1
 did the same for the ,priests and the  
,levites4 ,so that everyone present in  
,jerusalem that day observed the        
,passover properly and happily4  ,on the
 following morning1 that is1 on the     
first day of the festival1 an assembly  
of all the people present1 both great   
and small1 was called in the ,temple    
courts4  ,the ,king and his advisers sat
 on a platform especially erected for   
the purpose4 ,when order was secured1   
the ,king arose and stood in his place  
and read of the words of the ,book of   
the ,covenant that was found in the     
,house of ,god1 before all the people4  
,the impression made upon the assembly  

was wonderful4 ,as ,josiah proceeded    
with his reading the murmurs and low    
exclamations of surprise changed into a 
deep and impressive silence that was not
 broken even when the ,king had finished
 and had laid aside the ,book of the    
,law4  ,reverently and with bowed head1 
,josiah raised a prayer unto ,god3      
,look down from ,thy holy habitation1   
from heaven1 ,o ,lord1     and bless    
,thy people ,israel4  ,and with one     
voice the whole assembly answered1      
softly3     ,amen1 ,oh ,lord1 ,amen4    
,then ,josiah addressed the people4 ,he 
pleaded with all the fervor and         
sincerity of his soul for them to       
re-establish1 on that day1 the ancient  
covenant between them and their ,god4   
,this they did with a great shout of    
acclamation4 ,josiah continued3         
,this day the ,lord thy ,god commandeth 
thee to do these     statutes and       
ordinances2 thou shalt therefore keep   
and do     them with all thy heart1 and 
with all thy soul4 ,thou hast           

avouched the ,lord this day to be thy   
,god1 and that thou     wouldest walk in
 his ways1 and keep his statutes1 and   
his     commandments1 and his           
ordinances1 and hearken unto his voice2 
and the ,lord hath avouched thee this   
day to be a people for     his own      
possession1 as he hath promised thee1   
and that thou     shouldest keep all his
 commandments2 and to make thee high    
above all nations that he hath made in  
praise1 and in name1     and in honor2  
and that thou mayest be a holy people   
unto     the ,lord thy ,god1 as he hath 
spoken4  ,when the ,king had finished   
and sat down1 a great murmur welled up  
from the assembled people1 until it grew
 into one great shout from the          
multitude3     ,we have heard and shall 
do accordingly4  ,thus the people of    
,judah and ,israel once more took upon  
themselves the duty and burden to be a  
holy people unto the ,lord their ,god1  
as they had done at ,sinai in the days  
of ,moses4  ,there was one man in the   

assembly1 however1 who not entirely     
carried away by the enthusiasm of the   
moment4 ,it was ,jeremiah4 ,he knew well
 enough how a people1 excited by a new  
and novel situation1 would make promises
 which perhaps later they would be      
disinclined to keep4 ,the mere          
acceptance of the covenant did not      
already mean the carrying out of its    
statutes in their daily life4           
,therefore1 ,jeremiah arose in the midst
 of the assembly1 and1 before the people
 were dispersed1 struck one note of     
warning3     ,cursed be the man that    
heareth not the words of this           
covenant1 which ,i commanded your       
fathers in the day that ,i     brought  
them forth out of the land of ,egypt1   
out of the iron     furnace1 saying1    
',obey my voice1 and do them according  
to     all which ,i command you2 so     
shall ye be my people1 and ,i     will  
be your ,god2 that ,i may establish the 
oath which ,i sware     unto your       
fathers1 to give them a land flowing    

with milk and     honey1 as at this     
day4'  ,in conclusion1 ,jeremiah bowed  
his head and expressed the hope of the  
realization of the new covenant with the
 words3     ,amen1 ,oh ,lord4  ,and all 
the assembly once more responded3       
,amen1 ,oh ,lord4  ,great feasting and  
rejoicing throughout the entire city by 
all the people followed during the whole
 festival4 ,it was the greatest         
,passover in the history of ,judah and  
,jerusalem1 and of it is recorded3      
,and the children of ,israel that were  
present kept the     ,passover at that  
time1 and the feast of unleavened bread 
seven days4 ,and there was no ,passover 
like to that kept in     ,israel from   
the days of ,samuel the prophet2 neither
 did any     of the kings of ,israel    
keep such a ,passover as ,josiah kept1  
and the priests and the ,levites1 and   
all ,judah and ,israel     that were    
present1 and the inhabitants of         
,jerusalem4 ,in the     eighteenth year 
of the reign of ,josiah was this        

,passover kept4  ,when the festival and 
the celebration were over1 the spirit   
thereof did not die with the departure  
of the people from ,jerusalem to their  
homes in all parts of the country4      
,josiah went to work in earnest to      
accomplish his share of the keeping of  
the new covenant4 ,he dismissed every   
idolatrous priest in the land and       
destroyed every vestige of their worship
 in ,jerusalem1 in every town and       
village and on every high place4  ,up in
 ,israel he carried on this work under  
his personal direction1 and at ,bethel1 
with his own hands1 he destroyed the    
altar erected by ,jereboam ,i4 at the   
time of the division of the kingdom4    
,it was while in northern ,israel1 where
 he ordered the dead bones of the       
idolatrous priests to be burned upon the
 very altars at which they worshiped1   
that ,josiah espied two sepulchers1 of a
 type that he had not met before4 ,they 
were so unlike the sepulchers of the    
idolators that he marked them especially

 and talked about them4 ,one of the     
monuments1 he was told1 is the sepulcher
 of the ,man of ,god who came from      
,judah and proclaimed these things that 
thou hast done against the altar at     
,bethel2 and when he found that the     
other ancient monument was the last bed 
on earth of the ,prophet that came out  
of ,samaria1 he ordered that neither one
 should be touched4 ,the memory of those
 early prophets was sacred and hallowed 
to the king4  ,within a few years1 all  
this work undertaken by ,josiah was     
accomplished4 ,genuine love of ,god and 
genuine living in accordance with ,his  
commandments seemed to have been        
restored everywhere among the people4   
,in addition1 the political changes that
 were taking place in ,assyria1         
,babylonia and ,egypt1 left ,josiah     
entirely at peace to work out the       
destiny of his own people and kingdom4  
,in the year #fjh1 however1 in the      
thirty-ninth year of ,josiah's reign1 he
 entered upon a political campaign that 

proved to be the first and greatest     
mistake of his life and resulted not    
alone in his death1 but in a great      
religious and moral decline that        
eventually led to the destruction of    
,jerusalem and ,judah4                  
,,chapter ,,vii4                        
,to the ,fore ,again4   ,the mystery of 
the ,scythian invasion of ,asia has not 
yet been clearly solved4 ,the results of
 that invasion1 however1 shook thrones  
and shattered kingdoms and changed the  
face of the then known civilized world4 
,assyria was the greatest sufferer1 for 
the ,scythian ravages had so weakened   
the great empire that it never          
recovered4 ,incidentally1 this same     
cause reawakened the spirit of conquest 
in the ,medes1 led to the               
re-establishment of the independent     
,babylonian kingdom and brought about1  
indirectly and unnecessarily1 the death 
of the good ,king ,josiah4  ,during the 
last years of ,ashurbanipal's long and  
brilliant reign over ,assyria1 the      

,medes1 under their king1 ,phraortes1   
turned the tables on ,assyria and       
invaded the empire4 ,ashurbanipal's army
 defeated the ambitious ,mede and drove 
him back into his own territory4 ,but   
his son and successor1 ,cyaxerxes1      
having made certain changes in the      
organization of the ,median army1 again 
invaded ,assyria and actually besieged  
,nineveh4  ,at the same time the        
,scythians began to swarm over ,media1  
and ,cyaxerxes was forced to return to  
his own country and defend it4          
,cyaxerxes1 being a wise as well as a   
great king1 managed to buy off the      
barbarian ,scythians and later actually 
trained them for service in his army1   
both as teachers of archery and as      
mercenaries4  ,in the meantime1 the     
,assyrian successor of ,ashurbanipal    
made the mistake that cost him his life 
and his empire4 ,he appointed           
,nabopolassar1 a ,chaldean of ancient   
lineage and of enthusiastic patriotism  
for his age-old country4 ,nabopolassar  

immediately entered into an alliance    
with ,cyaxerxes that had for its purpose
 the overthrow of ,nineveh and the      
establishment of ,babylonia as an       
independent state4  ,nabopolassar       
declared himself king of ,babylonia1 to 
the great dismay of the ,assyrian court4
 ,to seal his alliance with the ,medes1 
a marriage was arranged between ,amytis1
 ,cyaxerxes' daughter1 and              
,nebuchadrezzar1 his son and ,crown     
,prince4  ,nineveh was attacked at the  
same time by the ,babylonians and       
,medians in the year #fjh4 ,the great   
capital was besieged for two years4 ,so 
fierce was the vengeance wrought upon   
the city and its inhabitants by the     
united armies that when the capture was 
finally made both were completely       
blotted out4 ,for many centuries not    
even the location of ,nineveh could be  
found4  ,this occurred in the year #fjf4
 ,the end of ,nineveh brought to a close
 the history of the great ,assyrian     
power that had ruled so masterfully over

 the then known entire world4 ,it also  
brought about a situation that had its  
direct effect upon the beginning of the 
end of the ,kingdom of ,judah4  ,in     
,egypt history was in the making4       
,psammetich ,i1 a ,libyan soldier1      
recognizing in the crumbling of         
,assyrian power his own opportunity1    
made himself master of the country and  
established a new dynasty in ,egypt4    
,his son and successor1 ,pharaoh ,necho1
 grasped the chance given him by        
,nabopolassar's attack on ,nineveh to   
win back the provinces along the        
,mediterranean1 that had been ,egyptian 
before they were conquered by ,assyria4 
,without further ado1 therefore1 ,necho1
 with a great army1 started north1 to   
conquer all of ,assyria that he could   
and add it to his own ,empire4 ,this    
meant an invasion of ,judah4  ,king     
,josiah was by no means ready to sit    
still and fall helplessly from the      
frying pan into the fire1 as it were4   
,once entirely free from ,assyria1 he   

intended to maintain his independence4  
,at least1 he was not going to allow    
,pharaoh ,necho to slip the noose around
 his neck without a struggle4 ,josiah1  
therefore1 organized his armies and went
 out to meet ,necho4 ,this was when the 
campaign against ,nineveh began4  ,to   
the ,pharaoh's great surprise1 when he  
reached the plain of ,megiddo1 he was   
confronted by ,josiah4 ,necho sent him  
word that he had no quarrel with ,judah 
whatever2 but ,josiah could see nothing 
in the future but the sovereignty of    
,egypt over his dominions and was       
determined to retain his independence at
 all costs4 ,so1 the war was on4  ,it   
did not last long1 however4 ,it seems   
that not even a single pitched battle   
was fought4 ,josiah was picked off by a 
,libyan archer in the very first        
skirmish and wounded mortally1 to the   
dismay of his entire army4  ,his old and
 devoted servant1 ,ebed-melech1 was with
 the king in his chariot4 ,the faithful 
,ethiopian carried the wounded ,josiah  

from the royal chariot to another one4  
,protected by a detachment of the body  
guard1 as if in mockery1 ,josiah was    
taken back to ,jerusalem1 dying4 ,before
 he reached the capital he was dead1 and
 ,necho declared himself master over    
,judah without the least resistance4 ,he
 made it1 at once1 an ,egyptian         
province4  ,the mourning for the dead   
,king in ,jerusalem and ,judah was      
sincere and widespread4 ,it is recorded 
that many odes by the poets and         
musicians of that day were written in   
his memory and that ,jeremiah lamented  
for his friend in accents more woeful   
than did ,david for ,jonathan4          
,ebed-melech hung around the sepulcher  
of his beloved master for many days4 ,it
 was months before he returned to the   
palace to resume his duties4     ,like  
unto him was there no king before him1  
that turned to     the ,lord with all   
his heart1 and with all his soul1 and   
with     all his might1 according to the
 law of ,moses2 neither after     him   

arose there any like him4  ,to indicate 
the force and power of ,josiah's life   
with the people of ,judah1 and the      
genuine value in their own lives of the 
late king's reforms1 the people at large
 passed over ,eliakim1 ,josiah's eldest 
son1 and raised his second son1         
,jehoahaz1 to the throne of ,judah4     
,eliakim was a weakling1 who loved ease 
and luxury above everything else4 ,the  
people feared that he would not continue
 the life and work of his father4       
,jehoahaz1 on the other hand1 was a true
 son of his father1 and would have made 
a splendid successor to the throne of   
,josiah1 had not ,pharaoh ,necho        
interfered with the will of the people  
of ,judah4  ,in the third month of the  
young king's reign 7he was only         
twenty-three years old7 ,necho ordered  
him to appear before him at ,riblah1 on 
the ,orontes4 ,arrived there1 ,jehoahaz 
was immediately thrown into chains and  
sent a prisoner to ,egypt4  ,necho then 
proclaimed ,eliakim ,king of ,judah and 

to show his complete mastery over king1 
land and people1 he changed ,eliakim's  
name to ,jehoiakim4  ,the mourning in   
,jerusalem and ,judah was now twofold4  
,the people wept for their beloved king 
who was dead and for his beloved son who
 was a prisoner beyond hope4  ,a few men
 like ,hilkiah and ,jeremiah1 and the   
others of the ,prophetic ,party1 saw in 
,jehoahaz's successor the coming of more
 evil days for ,judah4 ,to those who    
hoped that there might again be a       
political change and that ,jehoahaz     
would return from ,egypt1 to reign in   
his father's stead1 ,jeremiah held out  
no hope3     ,weep not for him who is   
dead1 nor wail for him2 weep rather     
for him who is gone1 for he shall not   
return1 and never again     shall he see
 the land of his birth4 ,for thus saith 
the ,lord1     concerning ,shallum      
7,jehoahaz71 the son of ,josiah1 who was
     king instead of ,josiah his father1
 who went forth from this     place3    
',he shall not return thither again1 but

 in the place     whither they have led 
him away captive he shall die1 and this 
land shall not see him again4'  ,soon   
after ,jehoiakim came to the throne1    
word came from ,egypt that ,jehoahaz had
 died4 ,it was then that ,jeremiah1 who 
with ,shaphan and ,hilkiah had quietly  
aided the king in his policy of reform1 
but had retired to his home in ,anathoth
 when these reforms began to bear fruit1
 heard again the call to go out and     
prophesy to the people of ,judah4       
,danger was threatening from the throne 
and this danger brought ,jeremiah out of
 his seclusion1 to the fore again4      
,,chapter ,,viii4                       
,the ,shadow of a ,king4   ,pharaoh     
,necho's ambitions were short-lived4    
,the child's-play conquest of ,judah was
 not to be repeated in dealing with the 
conquerors of ,nineveh4  ,nebuchadrezzar
 really had no thought of extending the 
sway of his reborn ,babylonia to ,egypt2
 but he would not countenance for a     
moment ,necho's encroachment upon       

,assyrian territory4  ,in dividing up   
the ,assyrian ,empire1 ,cyaxerxes was   
perfectly satisfied with the absolute   
independence of ,media and such         
,assyrian possessions as adjoined his   
country4 ,the rest1 to the west and     
south1 including ancient ,syria and     
,judah1 was apportioned to his          
son-in-law4 ,there was no quarrel about 
the division4  ,syria and ,judah being  
his1 ,nebuchadrezzar swore by all his   
gods that ,necho should be made to      
suffer for his audacity4  ,necho        
encamped at ,riblah1 after the victory  
over ,josiah4 ,riblah1 situated in the  
broad valley between the ,lebanon and   
,hermon ranges1 was destined to be the  
scene of several tragedies in ,judean   
history4 ,it was here that ,necho       
awaited the outcome of the struggle at  
,nineveh4  ,he did not have long to     
wait4 ,nineveh gasped her last in the   
year #fjf4 ,nebuchadrezzar left his     
father-in-law to complete the           
destruction of the glory of ,assyria1   

and1 flushed with victory1 marched at   
once against the ,egyptian invader4     
,necho was prepared for this4 ,he broke 
camp at ,riblah and proceeded to meet   
,nebuchadrezzar4 ,the ,babylonian and   
,egyptian armies faced each other at    
,carchemish by the ,euphrates1 in #fje2 
and the result once more cast ,judah    
into the political balance4  ,in the    
meantime1 ,jeremiah was forced back to  
his labors by the conditions at         
,jerusalem4 ,necho knew what he wanted  
when he substituted ,jehoiakim for      
,jehoahaz on the throne of ,judah4      
,jehoiakim was weak1 pliable1 incapable 
of big things4 ,jeremiah knew that1 too4
 ,therefore1 he had to go to work again4
  ,jeremiah raised no false hopes1 based
 on anything ,jehoiakim would do for    
himself or for ,judah4 ,even while      
,josiah lived1 the crown prince showed  
the type of man he was4 ,instead of     
applying himself to the work of         
succeeding to the throne1 he spent his  
time in riotous pleasure1 and his       

father's money in lavish extravagance4  
,as crown prince1 he built himself a    
sumptuous new palace4 ,unlike ,josiah1  
when the ,temple was repaired1          
,jehoiakim did not pay fair wages1 and  
oppressed his artisans and mechanics4   
,when he sat in judgment1 he did not    
judge righteously4  ,therefore1 at      
,josiah's unexpected death1 ,jeremiah   
approved the action of the people in    
raising the unfortunate ,jehoahaz to the
 throne4 ,necho's substitution of       
,jehoiakim filled the prophet with      
alarm4 ,the happy years of ,josiah's    
reign vanished like a mist2 and1 with a 
heart that was heavy-laden1 ,jeremiah   
left ,anathoth1 where he had been living
 quietly with his relatives and friends1
 and went down to the turmoil in        
,jerusalem4  ,satisfying himself that he
 had not exaggerated the situation in   
the capital1 and1 seeing now that the   
calamity of ,josiah's death was more    
far-reaching than he had at first       
supposed1 ,jeremiah addressed himself to

 ,jehoiakim with the following warning3 
,woe to him who buildeth his house by   
unrighteousness1 and his                
chambers by injustice2     ,who causeth 
his neighbor to labor without wages1 and
 giveth him         not his pay2        
,who saith1 ',i will build me a vast    
palace with spacious chambers2          
,provided with deep-cut windows1 ceiled 
with cedar and painted         with     
vermillion4'     ,dost thou call thyself
 king because thou excellest in cedar8  
,thy father--did he not eat and drink   
and execute law and justice8     ,he    
judged the cause of the poor and needy2 
then it was well4     ',was not this to 
know me8' saith the ,lord4     ,but     
thine eyes and heart are bent only on   
thy dishonest gain1     ,and on the     
shedding of innocent blood and on       
oppression         and violence6  ,nor  
did ,jeremiah hesitate to point out that
 such a state of affairs could not exist
 long and that such a king could not    
reign long over ,israel4  ,he even      

foretold the fate of ,jehoiakim4 ,he    
knew that the political situation1 as it
 would develop when ,nineveh was        
conquered1 would once more embroil      
,judah4 ,jehoiakim1 he was sure1 could  
not stand the test4  ,therefore1 he     
could see nothing but the fall and      
untimely death of ,jehoiakim1 and he    
added1 ,they shall not lament over him1 
saying one to another1 ',oh1 my         
brother6' or ',oh1 my sister6' ,they    
shall not wail for him1 saying1 ',oh1   
,lord6' or ',oh1 his glory6' but shall  
be glad when he is 'buried as an ass is 
buried1 drawn out and cast forth4'  ,on 
that very day came the news of the      
,battle of ,carchemish4 ,it was one of  
the epoch-making struggles of ancient   
history4 ,victory perched proudly on the
 banner of ,nebuchadrezzar and ,necho   
was utterly routed1 fleeing toward      
,egypt1 the ,babylonians in hot pursuit4
  ,within that very year all signs of   
,egyptian rule in ,syria and ,palestine 
were wiped out4 ,the king of ,babylon   

had taken from the brook of ,egypt unto 
the river ,euphrates all that pertained 
to the king of ,egypt4 ,judah became a  
,babylonian province and ,jehoiakim but 
the shadow of a king4                   
,,chapter ,,ix4                         
,the ,temple of the ,lord4              
,nebuchadrezzar had taken up his        
headquarters where ,pharaoh-,necho had  
encamped at ,riblah1 and there received 
the homage of the little ,syrian and    
,palestinian states that he had wrested 
from ,egypt4  ,to ,jeremiah's great     
surprise1 ,jehoiakim sent a secret      
embassy to ,nebuchadrezzar vowing       
allegiance to ,babylon4  ,jehoiakim's   
submission pleased ,jeremiah4 ,he saw in
 it a splendid opportunity for ,judah4  
,all that was needed now was to keep the
 people in the path of right4 ,their    
future1 he felt1 could be worked out    
well enough as long as the country was  
at peace1 free from the ravages of war4 
,but here ,jeremiah was met by a new    
difficulty4 ,josiah's reformation1      

followed by his death and the quick     
changes in the country's political      
fortunes1 had not worked out very       
satisfactorily4 ,people began to doubt  
the wisdom of the whole proceeding4  ,in
 the first place1 some said that ,god   
was displeased at ,josiah's overriding  
the traditional forms of worship4 ,the  
opportunity for ,god to show that       
displeasure was at ,megiddo1 and1       
therefore1 ,josiah lost his life there4 
,all the people1 it was plain1 had not  
yet arrived at the conception of ,god   
held by a ,jeremiah or ,josiah4  ,again1
 there were others who fell back into   
the old reasoning that the gods of the  
other nations were mightier than        
,judah's ,god1 and1 therefore1 they fell
 back into the old idolatrous ways4     
,they were merely awaiting the          
opportunity to worship the other gods   
publicly as some of them were already   
doing privately4  ,then1 again1 there   
were many who believed that the new     
,book of the ,law and the new order of  

things prohibiting sacrifices in any    
place except the ,temple in ,jerusalem1 
did not permit of enough sacrificing to 
,god1 and1 therefore1 was ,he again     
visiting the land with the rod of ,egypt
 and ,babylonia4  ,and1 opposing all    
these1 ,jeremiah and his followers were 
positive in their hearts and souls that 
sacrifices were by no means the         
all-important feature of the worship of 
,god1 but1 as ,jeremiah had reminded the
 people on the day of the ,great        
,passover1 ,god asked them only to obey 
,his voice and to live in accordance    
with the moral law that ,he had         
commanded them4     ,so shall ye be my  
people1 and ,i will be your ,god2 that  
,i     may establish the oath which ,i  
sware unto your fathers1 to     give    
them a land flowing with milk and honey4
  ,king ,jehoiakim had no interest      
whatever in these differing religious   
opinions among the people4  ,as long as 
he could pay his tribute to             
,nebuchadrezzar and live luxuriously and

 voluptuously in his newly built palace1
 he cared not further4 ,religiously and 
morally he permitted things to take     
their own course1 as if morals and      
religion had no part to play in the     
strength and safety of his people and in
 their national welfare4  ,jeremiah was 
now convinced that it was his duty once 
more to take up the brave fight for ,god
 and ,his law4 ,the opportunity came    
during the ,feast of the ,ingathering1  
in the year #fjd4  ,many thousands had  
come from all parts of the country to   
,jerusalem to celebrate the festival4   
,all brought with them many heads of    
cattle and bags of grain and flour for  
the prescribed sacrifices4  ,they were a
 happy company4 ,when the ,temple came  
into view1 rising majestically in the   
distance1 they shouted to each other1   
,the ,temple of the ,lord6 ,the ,temple 
of the ,lord6 out of sheer joy in       
beholding the sacred structure that     
meant so much to them4  ,the ,temple of 
the ,lord6 ,the ,temple of the ,lord6   

they cried1 and pointed to the          
magnificent edifice which some of them  
had never seen before4  ,jeremiah       
listened to these joyous shouts and     
observed sorrowfully the                
self-satisfaction of those who had come 
to offer their sacrifices4 ,he was much 
alone these days4 ,his parents had been 
dead some years and a new ,priest was in
 charge of the ,temple4 ,shaphan and all
 ,josiah's old counsellors were either  
gone to their reward or had been        
dismissed from service by ,jehoiakim4   
,shaphan's two sons1 ,ahikam and        
,gemariah1 were indeed high in the      
counsels of the king1 but they bothered 
little about ,jeremiah and his          
teachings4  ,so ,jeremiah stood alone1  
on the first day of the festival1 at the
 ,temple gates4 ,a multitude of people  
passed him1 taking their turn at        
bringing their offerings4 ,from within  
the ,temple he heard the sounds of      
cattle being slaughtered and smelt the  
odor of burning flesh4 ,the noise       

deafened him2 the odors choked him4     
,here were king1 priest and people      
leading unrighteous lives and believing 
that this wholesale slaughtering and    
burning was what ,god demanded of them6 
,here were elaborate form and ritual1   
but no justice and love6  ,jeremiah     
fairly gasped for breath when the full  
meaning of this came to him4 ,turning   
upon a great crowd that was jammed at   
the gates1 waiting their turn to enter  
the ,temple1 he cried3     ,thus saith  
the ,lord of ,hosts1 the ,god of        
,israel3     ',add your burnt-offerings 
unto your sacrifices1 and eat ye        
flesh4 ,for ,i spake not unto your      
fathers1 nor commanded them     in the  
day that ,i brought them out of the land
 of ,egypt1     concerning              
burnt-offerings or sacrifices4     ',but
 this thing ,i commanded them1 saying3  
,hearken unto my     voice1 and ,i will 
be your ,god1 and ye shall be my people2
     and walk ye in all the way that ,i 
command you that it may     be well with

 you4     ',yet they hearkened not1 nor 
inclined their ear1 but walked     in   
their own counsels and in the           
stubbornness of their evil     heart4   
,this is the nation that hath not       
hearkened to the     voice of the ,lord 
their ,god1 nor received instruction4   
,truth     is perished and is cut off   
from their mouth4'  ,what an amazing    
outburst6 ,god did not command them     
concerning burnt-offerings and          
sacrifices6 ,the man is ridiculous6     
,religious discussions and controversies
 had often taken place in the ,temple   
courts4 ,here was the ,forum of the     
,people1 in fact1 and several men who   
had often proclaimed themselves as      
prophets1 speaking the word of ,god1    
joined issue with ,jeremiah1 whom they  
now recognized4  ,here is the           
,temple--the ,temple of the ,lord1 they 
exclaimed4 ,what was it built for1 if   
not for sacrifices8 they wanted to know4
 ,what other way is there for men to    
worship ,god than to bring their        

offerings to him8  ,jeremiah replied    
that sacrifices were instituted by men1 
by the priesthood1 not by ,god1 and     
continued1 making plain once for all his
 understanding of the way ,god wanted   
men to show their religion3     ,thus   
saith the ,lord of ,hosts1 the ,god of  
,israel3 ,amend your     ways and your  
doings1 and ,i will cause you to dwell  
in this     place4 ,trust ye not in     
lying words1 saying1 ',the ,temple of   
the ,lord6 ,the ,temple of the ,lord6   
,the ,temple of the ,lord6     ',for1 if
 you really amend your ways and your    
deeds1 if ye     faithfully execute     
justice between a man and his neighbor1 
if ye oppress not the resident alien1   
the fatherless and     the widow1 and   
shed not innocent blood in this place1  
and     do not go after other gods to   
your hurt2 then ,i will cause     you to
 dwell in this place1 in the land that  
,i gave to your     fathers1 forever and
 ever4'  ,here was a very amazing       
accusation6 ,what does he mean by saying

 that the people are trusting in lying  
words8 ,jeremiah insisted3     ,but now 
ye are trusting in lying words that     
cannot profit4  ,then he hastened to    
explain fully and without reserve3      
,will ye steal1 murder and commit       
adultery2 swear falsely     and offer   
sacrifices to ,baal1 and go after other 
gods whom     ye have not known1 and    
then come and stand before ,me in this  
,house which is called after ,my name   
and say ',we are free to     do all     
these abominations8'     ,is this1 ,my  
house1 which is called by my name1 a den
 of     robbers in your eyes8           
,behold3 ,i1 indeed1 have seen it1 saith
 the ,lord4  ,the crowds stood there1   
mouths agape4 ,they had never heard     
anything so outspoken and fearless      
before4 ,several so-called prophets were
 prepared to go on with the argument1   
but a number of assistant priests1 who  
were marshalling the people with their  
sacrificial offerings into the ,temple  
in proper order and to their appointed  

places1 put a halt to the debate4  ,word
 had come from the interior of the      
,temple that the chief priests were     
waiting for the sacrifices4 ,the        
assistants wanted the people to move on4
 ,so it was arranged that1 on the day   
following1 ,jeremiah should meet a      
chosen few of the ,jerusalem prophets to
 discuss their differences of opinion   
publicly1 in the ,temple courts4        
,jeremiah's acceptance of this challenge
 nearly cost him his life4              
,,chapter ,x4                           
,a ,narrow ,escape4   ,the issue was    
squarely drawn4  ,either the ,temple    
,prophets were the true spokesmen of the
 ,god of ,judah and ,jeremiah was an    
impostor1 or ,jeremiah spoke the truth  
that had been cut off from their mouth  
and the ,temple ,prophets were feeding  
the people on lying words4  ,a great    
concourse of citizens of ,jerusalem and 
pilgrims to the city gathered for the   
debate4 ,jeremiah1 much older looking   
than his years1 was the center of       

attraction4 ,he was tall and erect4 ,his
 face was somewhat drawn and showed     
wrinkles of worriment4 ,he was dressed  
in an unadorned brown mantle that       
singled him out among the               
holiday-attired priests and prophets    
with whom he was conversing4  ,evidently
 this was to be a friendly argument1    
without ill-feeling on either side4     
,jeremiah was the first to speak4 ,as   
soon as he began it was plain to be seen
 that his worry was not fear of the     
arguments with which his opponents were 
about to attack him1 but that it was    
deeper-seated4 ,he started by informing 
his hearers that he was well acquainted 
with the things that were being preached
 in ,jerusalem as the word of ,god4     
,i hearkened and heard1 but they spake  
not aright4 ,no man     repenteth him of
 his wickedness1 saying1 ',what have ,i 
done8'     ,everyone turneth to his     
course as a horse that rusheth          
headlong into battle4     ,yea1 the     
stork in the heavens knoweth her        

appointed time2     the turtle dove and 
the swallow and the crane observe the   
time of their coming2 but my people know
 not the law of     the ,lord4  ,is that
 so8 queried one of the ,jerusalem      
prophets1 with a sneer4 ,in his reply1  
he pointed out that both the laws of the
 religion and the laws of the ,state    
were known to the priests and prophets1 
in whose charge were the ,temple and the
 government1 and were obeyed by them and
 the people4 ,with sweeping gestures he 
emphasized the prosperity of the people 
and the peace of the country4 ,thou art 
the disturber of the peace1 he concluded
 hotly4 ,leave the ,temple and the      
,state to the wise men1 the scribes1 the
 priests and prophets in ,jerusalem1 and
 all will be well4  ,the same kind of   
argument1 thought ,jeremiah1 as he      
listened attentively to the speaker4    
,they always fail to grasp the vital    
things that ,god demands of them4 ,in   
his rejoinder1 therefore1 ,jeremiah came
 back forcibly3     ,how do ye say1 ',we

 are wise and the law of the ,lord is   
with     us6' ,but1 behold1 the false   
pen of the scribes hath made            
falsehood of it4 ,the wise men are put  
to shame4 ,lo1 they     have rejected   
the word of the ,lord4     ,and what    
manner of wisdom is in them8 ,every one1
 from the     least even unto the       
greatest1 is given to covetousness2 from
     the prophet even unto the priest   
every one dealeth falsely4     ,and they
 have healed the hurt of the daughter of
 my people     slightly1 saying1        
',peace1 peace1' when there is no peace4
  ,instantly there came to ,jeremiah's  
mind the story of the ,kingdom of       
,israel with its deceitful priests and  
false prophets1 who1 at ,bethel and     
,shiloh1 taught and preached untruths   
about ,god--and the sad end of them all4
 ,they1 too1 had thought everything was 
well with them and their sanctuary and  
the peace of the land4 ,so ,jeremiah    
continued3     ,then go now to my       
sanctuary which is in ,shiloh1 where ,i 

caused my name to dwell at first and see
 what ,i did to it     because of the   
wickedness of my people ,israel4        
,and now because ye have done all these 
deeds1 and although     ,i spoke to you 
insistently1 ye have not heeded1 and    
although     ,i called you1 ye have not 
answered1 therefore ,i will do to       
the house1 which ye call by ,my name1 in
 which ye trust1 and     to the place   
which ,i gave to you and to your        
fathers1 as ,i     did to ,shiloh4      
,this speech started several commotions 
in different parts of the crowd4 ,from  
the extreme edge1 to the right of the   
speakers1 one man began to come forward1
 shouting3  ,blasphemy6  ,the cry was   
taken up all around him4 ,from various  
directions men1 throwing their arms in  
the air and yelling at the top of their 
voices1 made their way with difficulty  
toward the speakers1 crying3            
,blasphemy6 ,blasphemy66  ,jeremiah1 at 
first1 could not understand the         
commotion4 ,what had he said1 what had  

he done1 that was blasphemous8 ,then1 as
 the cry became general and the surging 
mob became threatening1 the thought came
 to him that the people had been taught 
by the priests and prophets in          
,jerusalem that the ,temple was         
inviolable1 that no matter what the     
political fortunes of ,judah might be1  
,god would never permit the ,house which
 is called by ,his name to be destroyed4
  ,now ,jeremiah understood and he was  
helpless4 ,his simile of the sanctuary  
at ,shiloh suggested the destruction and
 ruin of the ,temple in ,jerusalem--and 
that was blasphemy4  ,he did not know1  
however1 that his opponents had         
purposely planted men in various        
sections of the assembly to wait and    
watch for any blasphemous hint in his   
argument and to raise the cry against   
him4  ,blasphemy6 ,blasphemy6 ,the cry  
was now general4 ,and the leader who    
started it1 when he came within reach of
 ,jeremiah1 grasped his mantle and      
shouted3  ,you must die6  ,the ,temple  

guard rushed to the prophet's           
assistance4 ,blasphemy was punishable by
 death1 but the punishment must come in 
the regular1 legal way and not by the   
hands of the mob4  ,under protection of 
the guard1 therefore1 ,jeremiah was led 
to the new gate1 built by ,king ,josiah1
 where the princes sat as judges4 ,at   
his heels was the threatening1          
gesticulating crowd1 goaded on by       
,jeremiah's enemies1 demanding his life4
  ,the trial was opened without delay4  
,here were thousands of witnesses who   
had heard the man and there seemed      
little hope for him to escape being     
stoned to death4 ,one of the prophets   
opened the case for the prosecution1    
addressing himself to the judges3       
,this man is worthy of death2 for he    
hath prophesied against     this city in
 the name of ,god1 saying1 ',this house 
shall be     like ,shiloh4 ,this city   
shall be deserted1 without an           
inhabitant4'  ,turning dramatically to  
the crowd1 he swept his arm over their  

heads1 adding for the purpose of        
affirmation3     ,as ye have heard with 
your ears4  ,aye1 aye1 many responded4  
,blasphemy6 ,blasphemy6 shouted others4 
,and still others demanded1 ,he must    
die6 ,he must die6  ,when a semblance of
 quiet was restored1 ,jeremiah stepped  
forward from between the two guards who 
had him in charge1 faced the accusing   
people1 and said1 very calmly and       
humbly3     ,it was the ,lord who sent  
me to prophesy against this ,temple     
and against this city all the words that
 you have heard4  ,bah6 jeered the      
leaders of the opposition1 and many took
 up the signal and joined in the        
jeering4 ,jeremiah did not permit the   
jeers to interrupt him3     ,now        
therefore reform your ways and your acts
 and obey the     voice of the ,lord    
your ,god2 and the ,lord will repent of 
the     evil that he has pronounced upon
 you4  ,hear him6 ,hear him6 arose from 
all directions4 ,he blasphemes6 ,he     
blasphemes6 ,jeremiah paid no attention 

to these outcries1 but turned to the    
judges and concluded his defense3       
,but as for me1 see1 ,i am in your hand2
 do with me as     appears to you to be 
good and right4     ,only be assured    
that1 if you put me to death1 you will  
bring innocent blood upon yourselves and
 upon this city and     upon its        
inhabitants1 for verily the ,lord hath  
sent me to     you to speak all these   
things in your ears4  ,jeremiah ceased4 
,he walked back to his place between the
 two guards to await his sentence4 ,the 
mob was rather taken by surprise at the 
prisoner's defense4 ,he made no         
arguments for release1 no pleas for his 
life1 but stated his belief in his work 
and his faith in ,god1 trusting for the 
rest in the justness of his cause4      
,from out among the princes arose       
,ahikam1 the eldest son of ,shaphan1 who
 was the ,royal ,scribe for ,jehoiakim1 
as his father had been for ,josiah4     
,ahikam and ,jeremiah had been close    
friends as young men1 even as their     

fathers had been all their lives4       
,recently1 however1 they had not seen   
much of each other4 ,jeremiah was busy  
about his business and ,ahikam was      
permanently stationed in ,jerusalem1 at 
the palace4  ,jeremiah hardly recognized
 ,ahikam when he began to address the   
judges4 ,his interest in the speaker was
 greatly stirred1 however1 when he heard
 ,ahikam say that he had no apology to  
offer for the position he was taking1   
nor for his friendship and love for the 
man who was accused of the crime of     
blasphemy4 ,he said that he believed    
that his and ,jeremiah's fathers were of
 the greatest service to ,king ,josiah  
in the prosperity that attended his     
reign1 and that1 though the priests and 
prophets of ,jerusalem might not        
understand it1 ,jeremiah wanted the     
peace and prosperity of the nation and  
of the capital1 not their doom4  ,then1 
rising to a pitch of oratorical flight1 
he cried3     ,this man is not worthy of
 death1 for he hath spoken to us     in 

the name of the ,lord our ,god4  ,up    
jumped ,pashhur1 the chief officer of   
the ,temple1 and told the story of      
,uriah1 the son of ,shemaiah1 who also  
had prophesied in the ,temple in the    
name of ,god4 ,pashhur continued3       
,and he prophesied against the city and 
against this land     according to all  
the words of ,jeremiah2 and when        
,jehoiakim1     the king1 with all his  
mighty men and all the princes1 heard   
his words1 the king sought to put him to
 death2 but when     ,uriah heard it1 he
 was afraid1 and fled and went into     
,egypt4     ,and ,jehoiakim1 the king1  
sent men into ,egypt1 and they          
fetched forth ,uriah out of ,egypt1 and 
brought him unto     ,jehoiakim1 the    
king1 who slew him with the sword1 and  
cast     his dead body into the graves  
of the common people4  ,but ,ahikam1    
who1 like his father1 was acquainted    
with the history of his people1 arose   
and answered ,pashhur3     ,micah the   
,moreshtite1 prophesied in the days of  

,hezekiah1     king of ,judah1 and he   
spake to all the people of ,judah1      
saying1 ',thus saith the ,lord of       
,hosts3 ,zion shall be plowed     as a  
field1 and ,jerusalem shall become heaps
 and the mountain     of the house as   
the high places of a forest4'     ,did  
,hezekiah1 king of ,judah1 and all      
,judah put him to death8     ,did he not
 fear the ,lord and entreat the favor of
 the ,lord     so that the ,lord        
repented him of the evil which he had   
pronounced against them8 ,but we are on 
the point of doing     great injustice  
to ourselves4  ,to the surprise of the  
priests and the prophets ,ahikam's      
argument prevailed with the princes who 
sat in judgment1 and with the people    
themselves4 ,they dispersed without     
further ado1 but they continued         
discussing the situation among          
themselves4  ,no punishment was visited 
upon ,jeremiah1 but he had a narrow     
escape4  ,jeremiah and ,ahikam left the 
gate arm in arm4 ,they were happy at the

 renewal of their friendship1 even if it
 took place in the shadow of death4     
,ahikam warned his friend to be more    
careful1 when they parted4 ,jeremiah    
left him with much to think about4 ,it  
was the first time that he had been     
attacked and his life threatened4 ,in   
addition1 though ,jeremiah did not hear 
of it that day1 ,pashhur had sworn to   
corner ,jeremiah yet1 so that he could  
not escape4                             
,,chapter ,,xi4                       ,a
 ,taste of ,martyrdom4   ,jeremiah      
returned home a very sad man1 but not a 
wiser one from the point of view of his 
safety4 ,he kept much to himself in the 
city of ,anathoth and devoted his time  
to teaching a group of young men with   
whom he had surrounded himself4  ,among 
them was ,baruch1 son of ,neriah1 of a  
distinguished ,jerusalem family1 whose  
members had always stood high in the    
counsels of the kings4 ,baruch was not  
only a disciple of ,jeremiah1 but also  
acted as his secretary when writing was 

to be done4  ,baruch was intimate with  
,jeremiah's family in ,anathoth1 and he 
informed ,jeremiah that his cousins did 
not approve of his actions in the       
,temple4 ,they did not like the         
notoriety it brought them and hoped he  
would hold his peace4  ,these cousins   
did not have the courage to speak their 
mind to ,jeremiah face to face1 and so  
he did not trouble about them1 their    
likes or dislikes1 their approval or    
disapproval4 ,he had on his mind a very 
troublesome problem when it began to be 
rumored that ,jehoiakim was about to    
re-introduce human sacrifices in        
,ge-,hinnom4  ,ge-,hinnom was the valley
 of the son of ,hinnom1 which is by the 
entry of the gate of potsherds1 called  
,tophet4 ,the southwestern gate of the  
,city of ,jerusalem overlooked this     
valley where an altar had been erected  
for the atrocious ,moloch-worship1 but  
which was destroyed by ,josiah during   
the ,reformation4  ,jeremiah had but to 
hear of the king's proposal to          

re-establish the ,moloch-rites1 to act4 
,he went to ,jerusalem1 despite the     
pleading of ,baruch not to go1 gathered 
a number of the ,elders who had been his
 father's and ,josiah's friends and     
co-workers1 and asked them to accompany 
him to ,tophet4  ,they proceeded through
 the southwestern gate1 the gate of the 
valley1 followed by a number of idlers1 
the curious who keep at a distance to   
see what will happen4  ,arrived at the  
ruins of the altar of ,moloch1 ,jeremiah
 drew from under his mantle a potter's  
earthen bottle1 and1 without giving a   
hint of what he was about to do1 broke  
it on one of the altar stones4 ,turning 
to the ,elders1 he said3     ,thus said 
the ,lord of ,hosts3 ',even so will ,i  
break this     people and this city1 as 
one breaketh a potter's vessel1     that
 cannot be made whole again4'  ,that was
 all6 ,he had portrayed more vividly    
than he could ever have done in a long  
speech what would be the consequences if
 the king persisted in bringing back the

 horrible worship of ,moloch4           
,returning to the city1 ,jeremiah       
stopped at the ,temple4 ,he had not been
 in ,jerusalem since he narrowly escaped
 stoning at the hands of the mob4 ,as   
soon as he was recognized--and the word 
of his coming had been spread by the    
onlookers1 who had returned from ,tophet
 ahead of him--the crowd gathered about 
him1 anxious to hear what he would have 
to say4  ,he told them a story first4   
,he had been down at a potter's house   
that morning1 watching the potter at    
work4 ,the vessel the potter made didn't
 suit him1 so he destroyed it while the 
clay was yet soft and pliable4 ,then he 
made another vessel out of that same    
clay1 as seemed good to the potter to   
make it4 ,this story he followed up with
 a passionate plea to the people3       
',o house of ,israel cannot ,i do with  
you as this potter8'     saith the      
,lord4 ',behold1 as the clay in the     
potter's hand1     so are ye in my hand1
 ,o house of ,israel4'     ',at what    

instant ,i shall speak concerning a     
nation1 and     concerning a kingdom1 to
 pluck up and to break down and to      
destroy it2 if that nation1 concerning  
which ,i have spoken1     turn from     
their evil1 ,i will repent of the evil  
that ,i     thought to do unto them4    
,and at what instant ,i shall speak     
concerning a nation1 and concerning a   
kingdom1 to build and     to plant it2  
if they do that which is evil in my     
sight1 that     they obey not my voice1 
then ,i will repent of the good1        
wherewith ,i said ,i would benefit      
them4'     ',now1 therefore1' thus saith
 the ,lord3 ',behold1 ,i frame     evil 
against you1 and devise a device against
 you4 ,return     ye now every one from 
his evil way1 and amend your ways and   
your deeds4'  ,several of the ,jerusalem
 prophets1 upon ,jeremiah's coming to   
the ,temple1 gathered quickly in        
,pashhur's chambers to talk the matter  
over4 ,they had thought that the charge 
of blasphemy had frightened ,jeremiah so

 that he would not return2 but here he  
was again1 as persistent in his course  
as ever4 ,not one was willing to admit  
that there was some truth in ,jeremiah's
 pleadings and threats1 but all of them 
came to this conclusion3     ,come and  
let us devise devices against ,jeremiah2
 for the law     shall not perish from  
the priest1 nor counsel from the wise1  
nor the word from the prophet4 ,come1   
and let us smite him     with the       
tongue1 and let us not give heed to any 
of his words4  ,pashhur listened to all 
their talk with amusemsnt4 ,jeremiah had
 been a nuisance around the ,temple1 of 
which he was chief officer1 long enough4
 ,here was his chance to fix him1 he    
thought4  ,come1 and let us smite him   
with the tongue8 he asked1 with a       
jeering laugh4 ,he told them that they  
were fools to argue with the pest4 ,he  
would show them how to deal with him4   
,pashhur buckled up his mantle1 gritting
 his teeth4 ,he fairly ran to the open  
place where ,jeremiah was speaking4 ,he 

burst through the crowd with curses upon
 them all4 ,facing ,jeremiah1 he        
shouted3  ,thou-- but his anger and hate
 overcame him4 ,he almost foamed at the 
mouth with rage and could not speak a   
word4  ,before ,jeremiah understood what
 the matter was1 ,pashhur slapped him on
 both cheeks with his hands4 ,then he   
struck him square on the jaw with his   
right fist--and ,jeremiah dropped to the
 slabbed marble of the courtyard1 where 
he had been standing4  ,the crowd was   
startled and amazed at what had         
happened4 ,but ,pashhur gave no         
opportunity for remonstrance4 ,a number 
of the ,temple guards1 who had come up  
with their chief1 dispersed the people  
with curses and blows4  ,pashhur stood  
over the prostrate body of ,jeremiah1   
like the victor over his defeated       
adversary--waiting for him to show signs
 of rising that he might strike him     
again4 ,when ,jeremiah regained         
consciousness1 however1 the brutal      
,pashhur had thought better of it4      

,another such blow and he would have    
killed the prophet--and ,pashhur knew   
the law on shedding innocent blood4     
,therefore1 when ,jeremiah had fully    
recovered and had once more risen to his
 feet1 ,pashhur arrested him and had him
 led to the upper ,temple gate1 which is
 the gate of ,benjamin4 ,there he put   
him into the stocks with his own hands4 
,that whole day and that whole night    
,jeremiah remained pilloried4 ,hundreds 
of people passed him4 ,some1 urged on by
 the priests and the false prophets1    
mocked at him2 some1 pitying him from   
the depths of their hearts1 sympathized 
with him2 some spat upon him4  ,near the
 pillory1 all that day and night1 there 
hovered a gray-haired ,ethiopian who    
longed to speak a word of cheer and     
comfort to the unfortunate prophet and  
to give him water to drink and food to  
eat1 but he dared not because of the    
guard that ,pashhur had placed over him4
  ,during all the terrible agony and    
shame1 ,jeremiah did not utter a loud   

word of complaint or condemnation4  ,on 
the following morning ,pashhur ordered  
,jeremiah to be brought to his chamber4 
,there twenty-one stripes were          
administered to him2 and after warning  
him never to enter ,jerusalem again1    
,pashhur ordered him to leave the city  
and be thankful he wasn't carried out of
 it a corpse4  ,before going1 however1  
,jeremiah turned on ,pashhur and said to
 him3     ,the ,lord hath not called thy
 name ,pashhur1 but ,magor              
7,terror71 for thus saith the ,lord3    
',behold ,i am about to     make thee a 
terror to thyself and to all thy        
friends2 and     they shall fall by the 
sword of your enemy before your very    
eyes4 ,but thee and all ,judah will ,i  
give into the hands of     the ,king of 
,babylon1 and he will carry them into   
captivity     and slay them with the    
sword4     ',moreover1 ,i will give all 
the riches of this city and all     its 
possessions and all the treasures of the
 king of ,judah     into the hands of   

their enemies1 and they shall carry them
     away to ,babylon2 and thou and all 
that dwell in thy house     shall go    
into captivity1 and thou shalt die at   
,babylon and     be buried there1       
together with all thy friends to whom   
thou     hast prophesied falsely4'      
,here1 for the first time1 ,jeremiah    
spoke of ,babylon as the source from    
which all the evil impending over ,judah
 was to come4 ,for1 one of the ,elders  
who had accompanied him to ,tophet1 the 
day before1 had whispered to him that   
,jehoiakim was preparing for a revolt   
from ,nebuchadrezzar4  ,the reason why  
such a dangerous idea had entered the   
mind of ,jehoiakim was that             
,nebuchadrezzar had received word1 while
 yet at ,riblah1 that his father1       
,nabopolassar1 had died4 ,without delay1
 and before having subdued the          
,palestinian states to his entire       
satisfaction1 he marched to ,babylon to 
be crowned and to establish himself     
firmly upon his throne4  ,jehoiakim     

thought he saw an opportunity here to   
regain his independence4 ,jeremiah knew 
how foolhardy and impossible this       
undertaking would be4 ,he so informed   
,pashhur1 therefore1 and received a kick
 and a cuff for his pains1 as a farewell
 from that worthy officer upon leaving  
,jerusalem4                             
,,chapter ,,xii4                        
,the ,woe of the ,prophet4   ,what now8 
,jeremiah asked himself4  ,without an   
idea as to what his next move should be 
or where he should now turn1 he took the
 road leading to ,anathoth4  ,a day and 
a night in the stocks and the smarting  
lashes at ,pashhur's hands1 had given   
him a taste of martyrdom1 and left him  
sick of heart and soul4 ,he wanted to go
 home6 ,yes1 he would go home where he  
would find1 among his relatives and     
those dear to him1 the shelter and      
comfort and rest that he longed for so  
much4 ,his heart yearned for love and   
his soul for peace4  ,he turned         
northward4 ,head bent1 spirit crushed1  

wounded in mind and in body1 he         
approached the town of his birth1 where 
he had spent the happy days of his      
youth1 where he had received his call to
 prophesy1 that ended now in humiliation
 and disgrace4  ,the painful1 bitter    
thoughts that passed through his mind   
were suddenly disturbed by the noise of 
someone running toward him and calling  
his name4 ,jeremiah looked up to see    
young ,baruch1 all out of breath1 coming
 toward him1 both his arms waving in the
 air as if giving a warning4  ,flee1    
master1 flee6 ,baruch cried1 looking    
back in fear lest some one was pursuing 
him or would overhear him4  ,baruch6    
exclaimed ,jeremiah1 stretching out his 
arms in welcome4 ,the sight of the young
 man was the first moment of joy he had 
had since his encounter with ,pashhur4  
,baruch did not hear the joyous note in 
his master's greeting4 ,his face was    
pale and he was trembling from head to  
foot4 ,mechanically he ran into         
,jeremiah's embrace1 but did not return 

it4 ,facing ,anathoth and pointing      
toward it1 he whispered1 rapidly1 ,they 
have devised devices against thee1      
saying1 ',let us destroy the tree with  
the fruit thereof2 let us cut him off   
from the land of the living1 that his   
name may be no more remembered4'        
,jeremiah finally succeeded in calming  
,baruch and drew out of him the fact    
that his cousins had conspired to kill  
him1 and that1 to save himself1 he must 
not enter ,anathoth4  ,jeremiah's family
 had been poor but respectable citizens 
of ,anathoth for many generations4 ,they
 traced their ancestry back to ,eli and 
to the high priest1 ,abiathar1 who      
served in the ,temple during the time of
 ,david1 but whom ,solomon banished to  
the suburb4  ,his relatives had always  
looked upon ,jeremiah as the black sheep
 of the family4 ,now1 in addition to    
their poverty1 he had cast ridicule upon
 them by his actions1 and contempt by   
his punishment in the stocks4 ,so they  
decided to put him out of the way and be

 rid of him1 once for all4  ,by this    
time the two men had reached the gray1  
barren hillside from which the ,jordan  
valley and the ,dead ,sea can be seen in
 the distance4 ,it was here where       
,jeremiah received his call and         
commission to be a prophet to his       
people4 ,with deep emotion did he now   
bewail his lot3     ,ah6 ,i was like a  
gentle lamb led to the slaughter and ,i 
knew it not4  ,the injustice and the    
unrighteousness of it all came to him   
more forcibly at this place of sacred   
memories1 and he cried3     ,oh1 ,lord  
,god of ,hosts1 who judgest righteously1
 who triest     the heart and the mind1 
,i shall see thy vengeance on them2     
for unto thee have ,i revealed my cause4
  ,in the bitterness of his spirit he   
could no longer restrain his woe4       
,outcast and disgraced1 persecuted in   
,jerusalem and his life sought for by   
his own family1 ,jeremiah cursed the    
very day of his birth3     ,cursed be   
the day in which ,i was born4     ,let  

not the day wherein my mother bore me be
 blessed4     ,cursed be the man who    
brought joyful tidings to my father1    
saying1     ',a man child is born to    
thee1' making him very glad4     ,let   
that man be as the cities which the     
,lord pitilessly overthrew1     ,because
 he did not let me die4     ,why was ,i 
born to see labor and sorrow1     ,that 
my days should be consumed with shame8  
,baruch did not break in upon the grief 
and anguish of ,jeremiah4 ,he turned    
away1 sat down quietly at the foot of a 
tree and listened1 with a fast-beating  
beating heart1 to the sobs that were    
racking the very frame of his beloved   
teacher4  ,for a long time the two sat  
there1 each engrossed in his own        
thoughts4 ,the tree-clad hills of       
,gilead1 to the northeast of them1 were 
now bathed in the deep shadows cast by  
the rapidly setting sun4 ,baruch walked 
over to ,jeremiah and laid a light hand 
upon his shoulder4 ,jeremiah felt his   
presence but did not raise his head4    

,master6 ,baruch called softly4         
,jeremiah looked up into a tear-stained 
face in which he read sympathy1 love and
 sincere devotion4 ,he arose slowly4    
,the lines of a faint smile of          
appreciation played about his mouth4 ,he
 grasped the young man in his embrace   
and clung to him as if he were his only 
remaining hope4  ,baruch6 ,baruch6 he   
cried1 in a tear-choked voice1 and held 
him tight and stroked his head and      
kissed his forehead4 ,the boy melted    
into tears in the man's almost crushing 
embrace1 and his very soul went out to  
him in sympathy and love4  ,there in the
 twilight1 the bond of friendship had   
been established between ,jeremiah and  
,baruch1 to be broken only in death6    
,baruch attempted to comfort his friend1
 but he at once saw the hopelessness of 
the task4  ,then he suggested to        
,jeremiah that they run away1 that they 
go to ,babylonia1 to ,egypt1 anywhere1  
to escape the horror of it all at home4 
,but ,jeremiah showed him the           

uselessness of trying to run away from  
duty's call3     ,and if ,i say1 ,i will
 not think of it nor speak any more in  
,his name1     ,then there is in mine   
heart1 as it were1 a burning fire shut  
up         in my bones4  ,there was a   
fire burning within the heart of        
,jeremiah1 impelling him to prophesy4   
,he could not help himself6 ,he would   
not escape it6  ,and1 what is more1 that
 day of woe and trial1 and the night    
that followed1 bound up ,baruch's       
destiny with that of ,jeremiah4         
,,chapter ,,xiii4                       
,teacher and ,pupil4   ,wonderful is the
 love of teacher and pupil6 ,there is no
 blood relationship to fuse that love4  
,no selfishness enters into it4 ,there  
is only the common interest of the      
spirit upon which it feeds and grows4   
,it is1 therefore1 a love of the purest 
type4  ,such a love was that of         
,jeremiah and his pupil1 ,baruch4 ,just 
as the friendship between ,josiah and   
,jeremiah was lasting1 because as boys  

they passed through the same danger at  
the time of the death of ,josiah's      
father1 and just as the friendship      
between ,david and ,jonathan before them
 was knit closely together at the time  
when ,david was in flight before the    
anger of ,king ,saul1 so ,jeremiah and  
,baruch were closely bound together in  
friendship and love from the very first 
night that they spent outside of        
,anathoth together1 when the pupil saved
 his teacher's life from the conspiracy 
of his relatives4  ,who knows what would
 have happened to the despondent1       
disgraced1 heart-broken old man that day
 had not ,baruch warned him of the fate 
that awaited him in his home town6      
,yes6 ,at fifty ,jeremiah was an old    
man4 ,his beard was gray1 his hair      
white1 his shoulders prematurely bent4  
,deep wrinkles1 lines of care and woe1  
were furrowed in his face4 ,only at     
times1 when he delivered his fiery      
addresses to the people or when he      
courageously faced an enemy like        

,pashhur1 would he straighten up to his 
full height and show a semblance of his 
gaunt form and strong physique4         
,teacher and pupil passed many days and 
nights together in the foothills1       
undecided on the next step for ,jeremiah
 to take4 ,just then he dared go neither
 to ,anathoth nor to ,jerusalem--and    
,baruch would not leave him4            
,fortunately1 for both of them1 old     
,ebed-melech1 who had followed ,jeremiah
 from the pillory to ,pashhur's chamber 
and from there1 at a distance1 when he  
started for ,anathoth1 brought them food
 and drink late that first night of     
their hiding1 and continued to do so    
every night4  ,for the present ,jeremiah
 had little hope of returning to his    
task in ,jerusalem4 ,he1 therefore1     
often prayed to ,god in behalf of his   
people2 but always the answer came back 
to him3     ,seest thou not what they do
 in the cities of ,judah and in         
the streets of ,jerusalem8              
,therefore pray not thou for these      

people1     ,neither lift up cry nor    
prayer for them1     ,neither make      
intercession to me1     ,for ,i will not
 hear thee4  ,but the effect of prayer  
is mightier upon the persons who pray   
than upon those prayed for4 ,while      
,jeremiah's prayers could not bring back
 the people of ,judah to just and       
righteous lives without effort on their 
own part1 and while ,jeremiah knew well 
enough that ,god could not save these   
people simply because he prayed for     
them1 yet the very act of praying       
brought comfort and consolation to the  
distracted and despondent prophet and to
 his loving pupil who clung to him4     
,after some days spent in discussing    
various plans for returning to          
,jerusalem1 an inspiration came to      
,jeremiah4 ,he would write out the      
addresses he had previously delivered in
 ,judah and ,jerusalem and add such new 
thoughts as occurred to him1 exactly as 
the ,prophet ,amos had done when he was 
driven out of ,bethel to ,tekoah6  ,many

 weeks were then spent by ,jeremiah in  
dictating1 and by ,baruch in writing    
down the prophecies4 ,at last1 when the 
scroll was completed and ,baruch looked 
up into ,jeremiah's face1 as if to ask  
,what now8 ,jeremiah took the young man 
by the shoulders and looking straight   
into his eyes1 said to him3     ,i      
cannot go into the house of the ,lord2  
therefore1 go thou1     and read in the 
roll1 which thou hast written from my   
mouth1     the words of the ,lord in the
 ears of the people1 in the ,lord's     
house upon the fast-day2 and thou also  
shalt read them in the     ears of all  
,judah that come out of their cities4   
,it may be they will present their      
supplication1 before the     ,lord1 and 
will return every one from his evil way2
 for great     is the anger and the     
wrath that the ,lord hath pronounced    
against this people4     ,it may be that
 the house of ,judah will hear all the  
evil     which purpose to do unto them2 
that they may return every     man from 

his evil way2 that ,i may forgive their 
iniquity and     their sin4  ,this      
suggestion1 or rather command1 for the  
moment stunned ,baruch4 ,he was not     
prepared to devote his life to the work 
of ,god in behalf of his people1 as his 
master had done4 ,the son and heir of   
,neriah1 ,baruch had a splendid future  
before him4 ,he was a young man1 full of
 hope that his country's trouble would  
end1 and full of ambition to become a   
great man in ,judah's history2 but he   
knew that if he accepted the mission    
that the prophet was entrusting to him1 
he might as well give up all thought of 
such a future4 ,the same fate that had  
overtaken ,jeremiah would probably      
overtake him1 too4  ,all this ,baruch   
had told ,jeremiah with hesitation and a
 trembling voice4 ,jeremiah1 both his   
hands resting on the young man's        
shoulders1 listened very                
sympathetically4 ,he knew that the great
 ambitions of his pupil could never be  
realized4 ,the country was doomed to    

destruction1 unless a great religious   
and moral revolution should change the  
character and the lives of the people4  
,for a moment ,jeremiah looked straight 
into ,baruch's eyes with the tenderness 
of a mother4 ,then1 embracing him       
tightly in his arms1 he pressed him to  
his heart and said3     ,o ,baruch6     
,thou didst say1 ,woe is me now6 for the
 ,lord hath     added sorrow to my pain2
 ,i am weary with my groaning--and ,i   
find no rest4 ,thus shalt thou say unto 
him1 ,thus saith the     ,lord3         
',behold1 that which ,i have built will 
,i break down     and that which ,i have
 planted ,i will pluck up2 and this in  
the whole land4'     ',and seekest thou 
great things for thyself8 ,seek them    
not2     for1 behold1 ,i will bring evil
 upon all flesh1' saith the     ,lord2  
'but thy life will ,i give unto thee for
 a prey in all     places whither thou  
goest4'  ,for a long time ,baruch's head
 was buried in ,jeremiah's arms4        
,neither spoke a word4 ,finally1 when   

,jeremiah released ,baruch from his     
embrace1 the young man's knees were     
shaking and he would have dropped to the
 ground but for the support of          
,jeremiah's hands4  ,tears streamed down
 his face4 ,baruch kissed his master's  
hands again and again and cried out that
 he would go1 that he would do          
,jeremiah's bidding1 which was ,god's   
bidding4 ,and ,baruch1 the son of       
,neriah1 did according to all that      
,jeremiah1 the prophet1 commanded him1  
and he went down to ,jerusalem and read 
in the book1 the words of the ,lord1 in 
the ,lord's house4                      
,,chapter ,,xiv4                        
,baruch's ,first ,venture4   ,it was the
 year after1 that is #fjc1 the fifth    
year of the reign of ,jehoiakim1 and the
 ninth month1 that ,baruch took the     
completed scroll and went down to       
,jerusalem4  ,he had timed his coming so
 as to arrive at the ,temple on a great 
fast-day1 when many people were in the  
,temple courts attending to their       

sacrifices4  ,the young man met very few
 whom he knew and was practically lost  
in the crowd4 ,standing at the new gate 
in the upper court of the ,temple1 the  
one built by ,josiah1 ,baruch was       
wondering what to do4 ,the day was      
rather cold and everyone was hurrying   
about his duties1 personal or religious1
 or else seeking a place of warmth and  
shelter4  ,baruch could see no chance of
 gathering a crowd1 to whom to read from
 his scroll4 ,like every young man who  
is about to attempt a big and unusual   
thing1 ,baruch hesitated4 ,then he      
decided to give up for the present and  
try again some other time4 ,he tucked   
the scroll under his arm and prepared to
 go down from the ,temple ,mount into   
the city4  ,just as he turned to pass   
through the gate1 however1 he ran into  
no less a prominent personage than      
,gemariah1 son of ,shaphan and brother  
of ,ahikam1 who had defended ,jeremiah  
during his trial at this very gate4     
,gemariah knew ,baruch and greeted him  

most kindly4 ,baruch1 too1 was delighted
 to find someone he knew4 ,after        
,gemariah had inquired about ,anathoth  
and ,baruch's family1 he asked ,what is 
that scroll8 ,baruch replied that it was
 something he desired to read to the    
people assembled in the ,temple4        
,gemariah laughed affectionately1       
slapped the young man heartily on the   
shoulder and asked whether it was some  
new poem or tale of adventure that he   
had written4 ,baruch replied simply that
 it was something he desired to read in 
the hearing of the assembled people4    
,gemariah laughed again and very        
generously offered him one of the       
chambers above the new gate for his     
purpose4 ,then he actually sent out a   
crier to assemble a crowd for the young 
author4 ,with expressions of good wishes
 ,gemariah left ,baruch and proceeded to
 the place of the king1 where1 in the   
chambers of the chief scribe1 a meeting 
of the king's counselors had been called
 to discuss ,jehoiakim's proposed revolt

 from ,nebuchadrezzar4  ,before long1   
,gemariah's chamber was overflowing and 
,baruch was reading from the scroll4    
,his voice was clear and strong4 ,he was
 evidently very well acquainted with his
 text1 for he emphasized and enthused   
over particular passages with all the   
power of an orator3      ,thus saith the
 ,lord3     ,cursed is the man that     
trusteth in man1 and maketh flesh       
his arm1 and whose heart departeth from 
the ,lord4 ,for he     shall be like the
 heath in the desert1 and shall not see 
when good cometh1 but shall inhabit the 
parched places in     the wilderness1 a 
salt land and not inhabited4            
,blessed is the man that trusteth in the
 ,lord and whose     trust the ,lord is4
 ,for he shall be as a tree planted by  
the     waters1 that spreadeth out its  
roots by the river1 and shall     not   
fear when heat cometh1 but its leaf     
shall be green2 and     shall not be    
anxious in the year of drought1 neither 
shall     cease from yielding fruit4    

,then ,baruch turned to a passage of a  
different character4 ,he was following a
 pre-arranged program4 ,he aimed at     
interesting his audience first with     
selections of poetic charm and beauty4  
,so he read3     ,the heart is deceitful
 above all things1 and it is exceedingly
     corrupt2 who can know it8 ,i1 the  
,lord1 search the mind1 ,i try     the  
heart1 even to give every man according 
to his ways1     according to the fruit 
of his doing4 ,as the partridge that    
sitteth on eggs that she hath not laid1 
so is he that getteth     riches1 and   
not by right2 in the midst of his days  
they     shall leave him1 and at his end
 he shall be a fool4  ,these beautiful  
figures of speech brought ,baruch a     
round of applause4 ,he now had his      
audience2 so he proceeded1 and1 with the
 fire and fervor of a ,jeremiah1        
delivered the following3     ,the sin of
 ,judah is written with a pen of iron1  
and with     the point of a diamond3 ,it
 is graven upon the tablet of     your  

heart1 and upon the horns of your altar4
     ,thus saith the ,lord of hosts3    
',because ye have not heard my words1   
behold ,i will send and     take all the
 families of the north1' saith the      
,lord1 'and ,i     will send unto you   
,nebuchadrezzar1 the king of ,babylon1  
my     servant1 and will bring them     
against this land1 and against     the  
inhabitants thereof1 and against all    
these nations round     about2 and ,i   
will utterly destroy them1 and make them
 an     astonishment1 and a hissing1 and
 perpetual desolations4     ',moreover1 
,i will take from them the voice of     
mirth and the     voice of gladness1 the
 voice of the bridegroom and the voice  
of the bride1 the sound of the          
millstones1 and the light of     the    
lamp4 ,and this whole land shall be a   
desolation and an     astonishment2 and 
these nations shall serve the king of   
,babylon4'  ,ah6 ,the young man1 then1  
was a prophet6 ,this was evident to     
everyone4 ,he was speaking as did the   

,prophet ,uriah1 whom the king had put  
to death1 and as spoke the ,prophet     
,jeremiah who1 last year1 had been      
pilloried and driven out of ,jerusalem6 
,murmurs of astonishment and of pity    
arose from the audience4 ,men whispered 
to each other about the brilliant young 
man's probable arrest1 punishment and1  
perhaps1 death4 ,baruch felt            
instinctively the drift of the          
conversations1 and smiled4 ,with a      
well-selected passage he brought the    
talkers back to attention by the power  
and forcefulness of his oratory4 ,he was
 a transformed man1 cool1 collected1    
eyes ablaze and peering at the very     
souls of his hearers4 ,he held them and 
swayed them and finally moved many to   
tears and to ask1 ,wherefore hath the   
,lord pronounced all this great evil    
against us8 ,what is our iniquity8 ,what
 is our sin that we have committed      
against the ,lord our ,god8  ,now       
,baruch told them who he was and whose  
the addresses were4 ,and in answer to   

the questions put to him he quoted from 
,jeremiah3     ,because your fathers    
have forsaken me1 saith the ,lord1 and  
have walked after other gods1 and have  
served them1 and     have worshiped     
them1 and have forsaken me1 and have not
 kept     my law2 and ye have done evil 
more than your fathers2 for1     behold1
 ye walk every one after the            
stubbornness of his evil     heart1 so  
that ye hearken not unto me2 therefore  
will ,i cast     you forth out of this  
land1 into the land that ye have not    
known1 neither ye nor your fathers4  ,it
 was1 indeed1 fortunate for ,baruch that
 none of the ,temple prophets happened  
to be in the audience4 ,there was       
present1 however1 a young man who was at
 first amused at ,baruch's poetic       
fancies1 then interested1 then outraged 
when he discovered that he was listening
 to ,jeremiah's prophesies4 ,this young 
man was ,micaiah1 son of ,gemariah1 in  
whose chamber ,baruch was speaking4     
,now1 ,micaiah1 grandson of the         

illustrious ,shaphan1 was growing up to 
be a different type from his noble      
ancestor4 ,he was proud of his father's 
position at court and in the temple4 ,he
 moved in the choicest royal circles and
 was a devoted court follower4  ,when   
,baruch had finished his answer to the  
questioners1 ,macaiah had had enough4   
,without a word he made his way through 
the crowd and ran all the way to the    
palace where1 he knew1 his father was at
 the counsel of the princes4            
,post-haste and out of breath1 he       
entered the scribe's chamber and        
repeated1 as best he could1 the words he
 had heard ,baruch read out of the book 
to the people4  ,here was a very awkward
 situation4 ,the princes admitted       
,jeremiah's cleverness and ,baruch's    
courage2 but just at this time1 when the
 king was contemplating rebellion from  
,babylonia1 such preaching was          
treasonable and would prove injurious to
 the cause4  ,they held a hurried       
conference4 ,some were for the immediate

 arrest of ,baruch2 some were for his   
immediate death2 some1 who were opposed 
to rebellion1 were for hearing the book 
read to them4 ,among the latter was     
,gemariah4 ,one of their number1        
therefore1 ,jehudi by name1 was         
despatched to the ,temple with orders to
 bring ,baruch and his scroll to the    
palace4                                 
,,chapter ,,xv4                     ,the
 ,king ,hears and ,acts4   ,jehudi      
arrived in ,gemariah's chamber to hear  
,baruch finish this3     ,thus saith the
 ,lord3     ',let not the wise man glory
 in his wisdom2 neither let the         
mighty man glory in his might4 ,let not 
the rich man glory     in his riches2   
but let him that glorieth1 glory in     
this1     that he hath understanding1   
and knoweth me1 that ,i am the     ,lord
 who exerciseth loving-kindness1 justice
 and righteousness     in the earth2 for
 in these things ,i delight1 saith the  
,lord4'  ,jehudi pushed his way roughly 
through the crowd to ,baruch4 ,he laid  

his hand upon the speaker's shoulder and
 ordered him1 in the name of the        
princes1 to accompany him4  ,baruch did 
not hesitate4 ,his mind had been made up
 to face any consequences that might    
result from his mission4 ,his heart1    
therefore1 was strong and he accompanied
 ,jehudi without protest4  ,some of the 
princes marveled at the youth of        
,baruch1 when they beheld him4 ,he felt 
much reassured when ,gemariah stepped   
forward1 smiled at him and took the     
scroll from his hands4 ,the son of      
,shaphan glanced at several columns of  
the scroll1 returned it to ,baruch and  
said3     ,sit down1 now1 and read it in
 our ears4  ,while selecting his        
passages1 ,baruch thought very quickly4 
,why not select prophecies that these   
princes would repeat to the king8       
,nothing could please his master more   
than that ,jehoiakim should hear2       
perhaps1 at last1 he would understand4  
,therefore ,baruch chose the following1 
addressed to the ,king of ,judah that   

sittest upon the throne of ,david1 thou 
and thy servants and thy people4        
,execute ye justice and righteousness   
and deliver him that     is robbed out  
of the hand of the oppressor2 and do no 
wrong1     do no violence1 to the       
sojourner1 the fatherless1 nor the      
widow2 neither shed innocent blood in   
this place4     ,for if ye do this      
thing1 indeed1 then shall there enter in
     by the gates of this house kings   
sitting upon the throne of     ,david1  
riding in chariots and on horses1 he1   
and his servants     and his people4    
,but if ye will not hear these words1 ,i
 swear     by myself1 saith the ,lord1  
that this house shall become     a      
desolation4  ,as ,baruch proceeded1 he  
noted the restlessness of the princes   
under the thunderbolt denunciations     
contained in his master's words4 ,so1 he
 selected for his concluding passage    
this warning3     ,for thus saith the   
,lord concerning the house of the king  
of ,judah3     ',thou art ,gilead unto  

me1 and the head of ,lebanon2 yet       
surely ,i will make thee a wilderness1  
and cities which are     not inhabited4 
',and ,i will prepare destroyers against
 thee1 every one with     his weapons2  
and they shall cut down thy choice      
cedars1 and     cast them into the fire4
     ',and many nations shall pass by   
this city1 and they shall     say every 
man to his neighbor1 ,wherefore hath the
 ,lord     done thus unto this great    
city8 ,then they shall answer1          
,because they forsook the covenant of   
the ,lord their ,god1     and worshiped 
other gods1 and served them4'  ,upon    
hearing this1 the princes turned in fear
 one toward another1 and the spokesman  
said1 ,we will surely tell the king of  
all these words4  ,baruch was happy4    
,his first venture upon his mission had 
proved more successful than even        
,jeremiah could have hoped4 ,he handed  
the scroll to ,jehudi1 expressed his    
thanks for the courtesy shown him1 made 
his adieus and prepared to leave4       

,gemariah stopped him at the entrance1  
however1 and said to him1 warningly and 
with emphasis3     ,go1 hide thee1 thou 
and ,jeremiah1 and let no man know where
     ye are4  ,baruch left the palace   
completely satisfied4 ,not only had he  
read the prophecies to the people1 but  
also to the princes2 and now the princes
 themselves were to read them to the    
king4 ,on his way to ,jeremiah's hiding 
place1 however1 some of the joy in his  
heart left him1 because1 thinking of    
,gemariah's suggestion1 he feared lest  
the anger of the king should be aroused 
and a search be sent out for ,jeremiah  
with the purpose of arresting him4  ,the
 winter palace was one of the           
achievements upon which ,jehoiakim      
always congratulated himself because of 
its structure and beauty4 ,gemariah and 
the princes found the king in the sun   
parlor4 ,though the day was bright and  
clear1 it was unusually cold4 ,a        
charcoal fire in an ,assyrian-wrought   
brass brazier1 provided warmth for      

,jehoiakim who1 at this time1 was by no 
means a well man4  ,the king was greatly
 amused by ,gemariah's story of the     
incidents at the ,temple gate and in the
 scribe's chamber4 ,he laughed heartily 
at the fact that ,neriah's son was      
turning prophet4  ,jehoiakim asked to   
see the scroll4 ,gemariah1 not knowing  
what the king's attitude would be1 had  
left it behind4 ,jehudi was sent for it4
 ,jehoiakim seated himself comfortably  
in front of the brazier1 while the      
princes were standing1 and ordered      
,jehudi to read to him4  ,jehudi had    
read but three or four columns when the 
king1 to the amazement of the princes1  
rose and in anger snatched it out of his
 hands4  ,he glanced through parts of   
the papyrus1 and1 with an amused smile1 
took a penknife out of his robe and     
began to slice the scroll into pieces4  
,several of the princes appealed to the 
king not to destroy it4 ,in reply1      
,jehoiakim walked up and down the       
chamber1 cursing and swearing that such 

things should be in his kingdom4 ,he    
punctuated his remarks by throwing piece
 after piece of the scroll into the     
brazier until it was all consumed4 ,then
 he dismissed the princes1 called them  
back and ordered that the army prepare  
for rebellion1 dismissed them again1    
once more called them back and gave     
command that ,jeremiah and ,baruch be   
found and brought before him1 dead or   
alive4                                  
,,chapter ,,xvi4                        
,beginning of the ,end4   ,jeremiah     
waited eagerly for the return of ,baruch
 and listened most attentively to the   
story of his adventure at the ,temple   
and in the palace of the king4 ,his     
pupil's bravery and courage in trying   
moments pleased the master greatly1 and 
he complimented ,baruch on his          
achievements thus far4 ,the question of 
the restoration of the scroll never     
entered ,jeremiah's mind at all1 on     
account of his gladness in having had   
his discourses brought home to the king4

  ,three days later1 however1           
,ebed-melech brought with the provisions
 the news that ,jehoiakim had burned the
 scroll4 ,upon hearing this1 all the    
spirit of hopefulness left ,jeremiah4   
,he lost his temper and1 at once1       
dictated the following prophecy against 
,jehoiakim3     ,concerning ,jehoiakim1 
king of ,judah1 thou shalt say1         
,thus saith the ,lord3     ',thou has   
burned this roll1 saying ,why hast thou 
written     therein saying1 ,the king of
 ,babylon shall certainly come     and  
destroy this land1 and shall cause to   
cease from thence     man and beast8'   
,therefore1 thus saith the ,lord        
concerning ,jehoiakim1 king     of      
,judah3     ',he shall have none to sit 
upon the throne of ,david2 and     his  
dead body shall be cast out in the day  
to the heat1 and     in the night to the
 frost4 ,and ,i will punish him and his 
seed     and his servants for their     
iniquity2 and ,i will bring upon        
them1 and upon the inhabitants of       

,jerusalem1 and upon the men     of     
,judah1 all the evil that ,i have       
pronounced against them4'  ,then        
,jeremiah took another papyrus and began
 once more the laborious task of        
dictating his discourses to ,baruch4    
,those were indeed days of pain and     
sorrow for ,jeremiah and ,baruch4 ,they 
were not troubled so much by            
,jehoiakim's designs upon their         
lives--for ,ebed-melech kept them well  
informed on the progress of the         
search--as they were by the preparations
 for rebellion4 ,they knew that this was
 the beginning of the end4  ,at one time
 the faithful1 old ,ethiopian warned    
them that the search party was near at  
hand4 ,they were forced to hide in a    
cave for two days4 ,it was then that    
,jeremiah cried3     ,woe is me1 my     
mother1 that thou hast borne me a man of
     strife and a man of contention to  
the whole earth4  ,this danger past1    
,jeremiah and ,baruch continued their   
laborious task of finishing the new     

scroll of prophecies4 ,then came        
,spring1 and with it ,jehoiakim's       
rebellion4  ,nebuchadrezzar had not yet 
fully established himself on his throne 
in ,babylon4 ,he was too busy to deal   
with the rebellious ,judean1 himself4   
,so he ordered a guerrilla warfare to be
 carried on by detached troops in all   
parts of ,judah4 ,it was only a question
 of time1 however1 when ,nebuchadrezzar 
would invade ,judah with his entire army
 and crush ,jehoiakim like a snail under
 foot4 ,no wonder that ,jeremiah asked3 
,who will have pity on thee1 ,o         
,jerusalem8     ,or who will bemoan     
thee8     ,or who will turn aside to ask
 for thy welfare6  ,his grief was not   
alone for the great and glorious city   
and for its people1 but for himself as  
well1 that he should have to witness    
what he knew was inevitable3     ,oh1   
that ,i could comfort myself against    
sorrow6     ,my heart is faint within   
me4     ,the harvest is past1 the summer
 is ended and we are not saved4     ,for

 the hurt of the daughter of my people  
am ,i hurt4     ,i mourn2 dismay hath   
taken hold of me4     ,is there no balm 
in ,gilead8     ,is there no physician  
there8     ,why1 then1 is not the health
 of the daughter of my         people   
recovered8     ,oh1 that my head were   
waters and mine eyes a fountain of      
tears1     ,that ,i might weep day and  
night for the slain of the daughter     
of my people4     ,oh1 that ,i had in   
the wilderness a lodging place of       
wayfaring men2     ,that ,i might leave 
my people and go from them4  ,this      
despondency and hopelessness did not    
last long1 however4 ,as                 
,nebuchadrezzar's guerrillas continued  
their cruel and merciless warfare1      
destroying crops and whole villages1    
,jeremiah determined that he must once  
more return to ,jerusalem4 ,he was ready
 and willing to pay for his efforts in  
behalf of his country with his life1 if 
need be4  ,a comforting and encouraging 
message came to him from ,god1 at this  

time3     ,i will make thee unto this   
people a fortified1 brazen     wall2 and
 they shall fight against thee1 but they
 shall     not prevail against thee1 for
 ,i am with thee to save thee     and to
 deliver thee4     ,and ,i will deliver 
thee out of the hand of the wicked1     
and ,i will redeem thee out of the hand 
of the terrible4  ,but ,baruch and      
,ebed-melech counseled against undue    
risks4 ,they had heard that the         
,rechabites1 that tribe of wandering    
nomads1 which1 because of the vow their 
ancestor1 ,jonadab1 son of ,rechab1 had 
taken never to settle permanently in any
 definite place and never to follow     
agricultural pursuits1 had been driven  
south by the marauding guerrillas and   
were making their way toward ,jerusalem4
 ,jeremiah and ,baruch fell in with them
 and came1 unobserved1 into the city4   
,many strange stories had been told     
about these nomads and the whole        
population turned out to gape and wonder
 at them4 ,jeremiah directed them to the

 ,temple1 and hundreds of people        
followed them4  ,at the ,temple1        
,jeremiah ordered bowls of wine and cups
 and invited the ,rechabites to refresh 
themselves with drink4  ,jazaniah1 their
 leader1 arose in his place and1 with a 
courteous bow to ,jeremiah1 replied3    
,we drink no wine4 ,for1 ,jonadab1 our  
father1 commanded us3     ',ye shall    
never drink wine1 neither ye nor your   
sons4 ,and     we have obediently done  
just as ,jonadab1 our forefather1       
commanded us4'  ,this incident gave     
,jeremiah the opportunity once more to  
pen his artillery against the people of 
,judah and ,jerusalem4     ,thus saith  
the ,lord3     ',will he not learn      
instruction as to how one should heed   
my words8 ,for1 while the sons of       
,jonadab1 the son of ,rechab1     have  
performed the command of their          
forefather1 this people     hath not    
hearkened unto me4'     ,therefore1 thus
 saith the ,lord3 ',behold ,i am about  
to     bring upon ,judah and the        

inhabitants of ,jerusalem all the       
evil that ,i have pronounced against    
them4'  ,jeremiah thus revealed         
dramatically the meaning of all his     
preaching4 ,just as the ,rechabites had 
remained faithful to the ancient vow of 
their ancestors1 so must ,judah remain  
faithful to the covenant between them   
and their ,god1 if the country was to be
 saved from the hands of the            
,babylonians4  ,yet1 this proved to be  
but one more act in the hopeless part   
that ,jeremiah was playing in the drama 
of ,judah4 ,hopeless1 indeed1 it was    
now4 ,as ,jeremiah himself expressed it3
     ,can the ,ethiopian change his     
skin1     ,or the leopard his spots8    
,then may ye also do good     ,that are 
taught to do evil4  ,the very next year1
 the year #eig1 ,nebuchadrezzar gathered
 his full army at ,riblah and prepared  
to march on ,jerusalem4                 
,,chapter ,,xvii4                       
,the ,first ,deportation4   ,poor1      
miserable ,jehoiakim6 ,he was not even  

given an opportunity to meet            
,nebuchadrezzar on the battlefield in a 
single engagement4 ,the ,babylonian had 
hardly entered ,judean territory when   
,jehoiakim died and was buried with his 
ancestors4  ,of course1 ,jeremiah's     
prophecy1 at the moment of his anger1   
that ,jehoiakim's body would be thrown  
to the dogs1 did not come true2 but the 
king's death did not in any way put off 
the calamity that was to befall         
,jerusalem and its people4 ,upon hearing
 of ,jehoiakim's death1 ,nebuchadrezzar1
 at ,riblah1 hastened his preparations  
to besiege ,jerusalem4  ,an             
eighteen-year-old boy1 ,coniah1 also    
known as ,jehoiachin1 succeeded his     
incapable father to the throne4         
,jeremiah's advice to the young king was
 to submit to ,nebuchadrezzar and remain
 in peace4 ,the policy of               
,nebuchadrezzar1 with regard to his     
dependencies1 was that of peace4 ,as    
long as they did not rebel and paid     
their tribute1 he left them entirely    

undisturbed to work out their own       
futures4  ,so ,jeremiah hoped that if   
,jehoiachin would at once show his      
willingness to be honest with           
,nebuchadrezzar1 there would still be a 
chance for the country4 ,therefore he   
sent this message to the king3     ,say 
to the king and to the queen mother1    
',sit ye down low1     ,for from the    
head hath fallen your fair crown4'      
,urged on by the queen mother and his   
father's counselors1 however1           
,jehoiachin proposed to hold out against
 the ,babylonian siege4 ,jeremiah1      
therefore1 delivered the following      
oration in ,jerusalem3     ,as ,i live1 
saith the ,lord1 though ,coniah         
7,jehoiachin71 the     son of           
,jehioakim1 wore the signet ring upon my
 right hand1     ,i would pluck him     
thence4 ,and ,i will give thee into the 
hand     of them that seek thy life1    
whom thou dreadest1 into the     hands  
of the ,chaldeans1 and ,i will hurl thee
 forth1 and thy     mother who bore     

thee1 into a land where ye were not     
born1     and there ye shall die4 ,but  
to the land for which they long     they
 shall not return4     ,is ,coniah      
despised as a broken vessel and thrown  
forth into     a land which he knoweth  
not8 ,o land1 land1 hear the word of    
the ,lord6 ,write down this man as      
childless6 ,for no man of     his seed  
shall prosper1 sitting upon the throne  
of ,david and     ruling any more in    
,judah4  ,but ,jehoiachin continued his 
stubborn defense until1 driven by the   
horrors of famine1 he     together with 
his mother and his servants1 his princes
 and     his chamberlains went to meet  
,nebuchadrezzar4  ,on this unconditional
 surrender1 ,nebuchadrezzar determined  
never again to be troubled by           
stiff-necked1 rebellious ,judah4 ,to    
that end he thoroughly ransacked the    
treasuries of the ,temple and of the    
royal palace4 ,he took away all the gold
 vessels that belonged to the worship of
 the ,temple and1 in addition1 carried  

away     as captives1 all ,jerusalem and
 all the princes and all the     mighty 
warriors1 even ten thousand1 and all the
 craftsmen     and the smiths2 none     
remained1 except the poorest people of  
the land4     ,and he carried away      
,jehoiachin to ,babylon2 and the king's 
mother and the king's wives1 and his    
chamberlains1 and the     chief men of  
the land he carried into captivity from 
,jerusalem to ,babylon4     ,and all the
 men of ability1 even seven thousand1   
and the     craftsmen and the smiths1 a 
thousand1 all of them strong     and    
ready for war2 these the king of        
,babylon took captive     to ,babylon4  
,this was the first great deportation1  
in the year #eig4 ,the pride and        
strength of the country were taken away 
and led captive to a strange land4      
,poor ,jeremiah6  ,now he did not glory 
in the fact that all that he had spoken 
had finally come true4  ,he wept        
bitterly4 ,he mourned as if every one of
 the exiles had been his brothers and   

sisters4 ,he could not be consoled4     
,but when his first grief had worn off  
and the ,prophet had a chance to study  
the conditions and to consider the      
future1 ,god vouchsafed to him a new    
message for his people--a message of    
hope and of promise4                    
,,chapter ,,xviii4                   ,in
 ,exile and in the ,homeland4           
,stripped of all its best people the    
country was in a sorry plight when1 in  
the year #eif1 ,nebuchadrezzar1 on      
departing for ,babylon1 raised ,zedekiah
 to the throne of ,judah4  ,zedekiah was
 an uncle of the ill-fated ,jehoiachin4 
,he was the third son of ,josiah1 and1  
like his brothers1 ,jehoahaz and        
,jehoiakim1 he was to see the fortunes  
of ,judah ebb to their lowest point1 and
 finally to witness the destruction of  
the capital and the end of ,judah4  ,the
 king had to surround himself with a    
vulgar1 arrogant and uncouth set of     
people4 ,all of the princes and leading 
,judeans who were taken to ,babylon had 

been forced to sell their estates and   
properties at whatever price they would 
bring4 ,these were bought up by anyone  
that came along and created a class of  
newly-rich that the country had never   
had before4  ,the court was now1        
therefore1 composed of these newly-rich1
 who knew nothing about affairs of      
state1 but who prided themselves on the 
fact that because they were spared in   
,judah1 they were the choice remnant of 
,god4  ,zedekiah himself was feeble1    
slow to make up his mind and to come to 
a decision4 ,he went to everybody for   
suggestions and help1 including         
,jeremiah and the horde of false        
prophets that swarmed in ,jerusalem4    
,unfortunately1 he always took the wrong
 advice4  ,notwithstanding these        
unpromising conditions1 ,jeremiah was   
filled with new hope for his land and   
people4 ,he believed that now they would
 understand his position regarding them 
and the meaning of his constant         
preaching and teaching4  ,one day he was

 walking through a fig orchard near     
,anathoth4 ,it was harvest time and     
everywhere there were baskets laden with
 figs4 ,under a particularly fine tree  
he noticed two baskets4 ,one was filled 
with very good figs2 the other with very
 bad ones4 ,immediately he saw in them a
 symbol for his people4  ,he compared   
,zedekiah1 his upstart courtiers and the
 remnant in ,jerusalem to the basket of 
bad figs4 ,the princes1 elders1         
mechanics and artisans1 whom            
,nebuchadrezzar had carried away1 he    
compared to the basket of good figs4    
,there was no message of hope in the bad
 figs now ruling the country2 there was 
hope1 however1 in the exiles4 ,therefore
 ,jeremiah sent the following letter to 
the ,jews in ,babylonia3     ,build ye  
houses1 and dwell in them2 and plant    
gardens and     eat the fruit of them4  
,take ye wives and beget sons and       
daughters2 and take wives for your sons 
and give your     daughters to husbands1
 that they may bear sons and daughters2 

and multiply ye there1 and be not       
diminished4     ,and seek the peace of  
the city whither ,i have caused you     
to be carried away captive1 and pray    
unto the ,lord for it2     for in the   
peace thereof shall ye have peace4      
,for1 thus saith the ,lord3 ',after     
seventy years are     accomplished for  
,babylon1 ,i will visit you and perform 
my     good word toward you1 in causing 
you to return to this     place4 ,for ,i
 know the thoughts that ,i think toward 
you1'     saith the ,lord1 'thoughts of 
peace and not of evil1 to give     you  
hope in your latter end4     ',and ye   
shall call upon me1 and ye shall go and 
pray unto     me1 and ,i will hearken   
unto you4 ,and ye shall seek me and     
find me1 when ye shall search for me    
with all your heart4     ',and ,i will  
be found of you1' saith the ,lord1 'and 
,i will     turn again your captivity1  
and ,i will gather you from all     the 
nations1 and from all the places whither
 ,i have driven     you1' saith the     

,lord2 'and ,i will bring you again unto
 the     place whence ,i caused you to  
be carried away captive4'  ,jerusalem1  
however1 swarmed with false prophets who
 took themselves seriously4 ,they       
prophesied the immediate fall of        
,babylonia2 they promised the people    
that within two years the very ,temple  
vessels that ,nebuchadrezzar had carried
 away would be restored and ,judah      
rejuvenated in its ancient glory4       
,politicians1 too1 became active4       
,zedekiah1 urged on by them1 was making 
alliances with the little countries     
about ,judah1 with ,edom1 ,moab1 ,ammon1
 ,tyre1 and ,sidon1 for the purpose of  
rebellion against ,babylon2 and behind  
them all was ,pharaoh ,hophrah1 who came
 to the throne of ,egypt in #ehi1 and   
who immediately turned his eyes to      
,babylon1 hoping to accomplish what     
,pharaoh ,necho had failed to do4       
,jeremiah denounced both prophets and   
politicians most bitterly4 ,when        
ambassadors from the neighboring states 

came to ,jerusalem1 to consult with     
,zedekiah and to receive a message from 
the ,egyptian king that he was ready to 
send an army to assist them against     
,babylon1 ,jeremiah appeared in the     
,market ,place with thongs and yokes    
around his neck and on his arms4 ,he    
sent a yoke to each of the foreign      
ambassadors1 with a message to all of   
them advising that they permit the yoke 
of ,babylon to remain around their      
necks1 resting assured that the         
rebellion was doomed to failure4  ,in   
the ,market ,place ,jeremiah was met by 
,hananiah1 one of the false prophets4   
,hananiah tore the yoke from ,jeremiah's
 neck1 broke it over his knee and       
exclaimed3     ,thus saith the ,lord3   
',so will ,i break the yoke of the king 
of ,babylon from the     neck of all the
 nations4'  ,jeremiah answered3         
,thus saith the ,lord3     ',thou hast  
broken the yoke of wood1 but ,i will    
make a yoke     of iron4 ,i will put a  
yoke of iron on the necks of all these  

peoples that they may serve the king of 
,babylon4'  ,and to ,zedekiah he sent   
the following message3     ,bring your  
neck into his yoke and serve the king of
 ,babylon2     for these prophets       
prophesy a lie to you4 ',i have not sent
     them1' saith the ,lord1 'and they  
prophesy in ,my name falsely1     that  
they might drive you out1 and that ye   
might perish1     together with the     
prophets who have prophesied falsely to 
you4'  ,but ,jeremiah's efforts were all
 in vain4 ,that same year1 #ehi1 the    
rebellion broke out4 ,nebuchadrezzar did
 not delay long4 ,he poured his trained 
veterans into ,palestine4 ,they marched 
through the country with the ease and   
assurance of a brook running along in   
its smooth course4 ,within a few months 
they were before ,jerusalem and1 in     
#ehh1 besieged it4                      
,,chapter ,,xix4                        
,a ,friend in ,need4   ,zedekiah sent   
messenger after messenger into ,egypt1  
urging1 pleading1 begging ,hophrah to   

come to his assistance4  ,jeremiah cried
 that it was too late2 that ,hophrah    
would not come4     ,pharaoh1 king of   
,egypt1 is but a noise2 he hath let the 
appointed time pass by4  ,hophrah1      
however1 did finally bestir himself4    
,word came to ,jerusalem1 and it reached
 the besieging forces1 that a vast army 
of ,egyptians was on the march          
northward4 ,to the surprise of all1     
,nebuchadrezzar withdrew from           
,jerusalem4  ,the ,jerusalem prophets   
were jubilant4 ,they saw their hopeful  
forecasts all fulfilled and ,judah once 
more independent4 ,but ,jeremiah knew   
better4 ,he held out no such false      
hopes3     ,behold1 ,pharaoh's army1    
which has come out to help you1         
shall return to ,egypt4 ,then the       
,chaldeans shall come back     and fight
 against the city and shall take it and 
burn it     with fire4     ,do not      
deceive yourselves with the idea that   
the ,chaldeans     will depart from you2
 for they shall not depart4 ,for though 

ye had smitten the whole army of the    
,chaldeans that fight     against you1  
and there remained but wounded men1 yet 
would     these arise up each in his    
tent1 and burn this city with fire4     
,although this sounds like a trumpet    
call of doom1 ,jeremiah was not without 
hope4 ,the course of events1 as he saw  
it1 included the fall of ,judah at the  
hands of ,nebuchadrezzar2 but he hoped  
also for a later rehabilitation of the  
land and rebuilding of the capital4     
,jeremiah pinned his faith on the exiles
 in ,babylonia and the certainty of     
their return to ,judah4 ,to picture his 
hope vividly1 he determined to purchase 
his family estate in ,anathoth4 ,while  
,jerusalem was celebrating the          
withdrawal of the ,babylonian troops and
 awaiting the coming of ,hophrah's army1
 ,jeremiah1 with this in mind1 started  
for ,anathoth4  ,at the gates of the    
town1 however1 he was arrested and      
brought back to ,jerusalem in chains4   
,he was accused of high treason1 of     

having spied out ,jerusalem1 and of     
attempting to escape to the ,babylonians
 with the secrets4 ,without trial he was
 sentenced to prison and jailed in the  
guard house of the ,temple garrison4    
,but this was not sufficient for the    
princes who had trumped up this charge  
against ,jeremiah4 ,they came to        
,zedekiah and charged that1 by his      
speeches and actions1 he was undermining
 discipline in the army and weakening   
the spirit of the people4 ,they demanded
 that he be put to death4  ,zedekiah1   
always weak and uncertain1 replied1     
,behold1 he is in your hands4 ,but they 
dared not kill ,jeremiah outright4      
,then took they ,jeremiah and cast him  
into the cistern that     was in the    
,court of the ,guard2 and they let down 
,jeremiah     with cords4 ,and in the   
cistern there was no water1 but mire2   
and ,jeremiah sank in the mire4  ,there 
was one person in the ,court of the     
,guard who might have drawn ,jeremiah   
right up out of the cistern where he had

 been left to die1 had he not feared the
 wrath of the princes4 ,it was          
,ebed-melech1 the old1 faithful friend4 
,the ,ethiopian was not afraid to die2  
but he felt that it would be useless to 
attempt to spirit ,jeremiah away1 for   
both would surely be caught4 ,he cast   
about for some other means to save him  
whom he loved only as he had loved      
,josiah1 the friend of his youth4  ,had 
,ebed-melech known1 however1 that       
,jeremiah was sunk thigh-deep in mud1   
and that he had given himself up to die1
 he would have acted more quickly4 ,it  
was on the second evening that he stole 
quietly out of the palace and up to the 
,court of the ,guards4 ,with great care1
 so as not to be discovered1 he crawled 
to the cistern prison and leaned his    
gray head on the rim to listen4         
,jeremiah was praying3     ,o ,lord1    
,thou knowest4     ,remember me and     
visit me4     ,know that for ,thy sake  
,i have suffered reproach4     ,thy     
words were found1 and ,i did eat them1  

,and ,thy words were unto me a joy and  
the rejoicing of my heart2     ,for ,i  
am called by ,thy name4     ,o ,lord1   
,god of hosts1 why is my pain perpetual8
  ,yes6 ,there was no mistake about     
it--,jeremiah wanted to die6 ,hot tears 
coursed down ,ebed-melech's cheeks as he
 listened4 ,then he whispered a hurried 
word of hope to the prisoner and was off
 for the palace as fast as his old legs 
could carry him4  ,twice he was stopped 
by the guards1 but each time quickly    
released4 ,everyone knew ,ebed-melech1  
his story of ,josiah's escape1 his      
privileges in the palace4 ,he was a     
fixture at the court1 and people said   
that he would never die4  ,arrived at   
the palace1 he demanded to see the king4
 ,brought into the presence of ,zedekiah
 he asked to speak to him alone4 ,when  
both were left alone1 he fell at        
,zedekiah's feet4 ,pointing to the door 
through which several princes had just  
gone out1 he said3     ,my ,lord1 the   
,king6     ,these men have done evil in 

all that they have done to              
,jeremiah1 the prophet1 whom they have  
cast into the pit4 ,he     is like to   
die in the place where he is4  ,raising 
his head and looking straight into the  
king's eyes1 he pleaded for the life of 
,jeremiah4 ,he spoke very fast1 his grey
 head shaking and his lips trembling4   
,at last he finished his impassioned    
speech1 prostrated himself before       
,zedekiah and kissed the hem of his     
robe4  ,zedekiah graciously yielded to  
,ebed-melech's pleading and sent three  
men with him to raise ,jeremiah out of  
the cistern4 ,more dead than alive1     
,jeremiah was again taken to the guard  
house4 ,ebed-melech was given free      
access to his cell at all times4  ,a few
 days later ,zedekiah requested         
,ebed-melech to bring ,jeremiah to him1 
secretly4 ,rumor had it that ,pharaoh   
,hophrah had halted in his march        
northward1 because the ,babylonians had 
lifted the siege1 and was returning to  
,egypt4 ,zedekiah1 therefore1 wanted to 

know from ,jeremiah3     ,is there any  
word from the ,lord8 ,conceal nothing   
from me4  ,jeremiah answered him3       
,if ,i declare it to you1 will you      
promise not to put me to     death8 ,and
 if ,i give you counsel1 you will not   
hearken to me4  ,but ,zedekiah wanted to
 hear4 ,vacillating as he was1 he hoped 
that perhaps this time ,jeremiah would  
bring him a message of assurance4 ,so1  
he swore to him1 saying3     ,as the    
,lord liveth1 who hath given us this    
life1 ,i will not     put you to death2 
neither will ,i give you into the hands 
of     these men4  ,thereupon ,jeremiah 
fearlessly delivered his final message  
to the king3     ,they have betrayed    
thee2 they have overcome thee1 thy      
familiar friends6     ,they have caused 
thy feet to sink in the mire2 they turn 
back6     ,they shall also bring out all
 your sons to the ,chaldeans4     ,you  
yourself shall not escape out of their  
hands1     ,but shall be taken by the   
hand of the king of ,babylon2     ,and  

this city shall be burned4  ,zedekiah   
did not tear and rage as his brother1   
,jehoiakim1 would have done at such a   
message4 ,he did not possess enough     
energy or determination for that4 ,in a 
hopeless sort of voice he simply sent   
,jeremiah back to the guard house1 where
 ,ebed-melech continued looking after   
him4  ,once more ,jeremiah proceeded to 
give practical evidence of his faith in 
the future of ,judah1 if the country    
would only submit to ,babylonian rule2  
or1 if king and princes and false       
prophets persisted in pushing the       
country to its fall1 of his faith in the
 ,babylonian exiles1 who1 he truly      
believed1 would return and build up     
,judah again4  ,therefore1 with the     
assistance of ,ebed-melech and ,baruch1 
who was a frequent visitor to his       
master1 ,jeremiah arranged for and      
purchased the family property near      
,anathoth from his uncle1 ,hananel1 and 
turning the deed over to ,baruch1 said  
to him3     ,take this purchase deed and

 put it in an earthen vessel1     that  
it may remain for years to come4 ,for1  
thus saith the     lord1 ',houses and   
fields and vineyards shall yet again be 
bought in this land4'  ,events that     
followed1 however1 seemed to mock his   
enthusiasm and his hope4 ,the rumor of  
,hophrah's return to ,egypt was         
verified--and ,nebuchadrezzar was still 
encamped at ,riblah4                    
,,chapter ,,xx4                      ,in
 the ,midst of ,despair4   ,the year    
#ehf6  ,what a terrible year it was for 
,jerusalem and ,judah--and ,jeremiah6   
,oh1 the famine1 the misery1 the horrors
 within ,jerusalem when the ,babylonians
 besieged the city for the second time4 
,oh1 the carnage1 the massacre1 the     
hopeless destruction when the           
,babylonians finally captured ,jerusalem
 and burned the ,temple6  ,on the ninth 
day of the fourth month the first breach
 was made in the outer walls of         
,jerusalem by ,nebuzaradan1 the         
commander of ,nebuchadrezzar's body     

guard1 who led the besieging forces4    
,true to his character of weakling1     
,zedekiah1 with his nobles1 at this     
first sign of danger to the city1 fled  
from ,jerusalem through the king's      
gardens and the south gate1 by night4   
,when the news of the king's departure  
reached the ,babylonians1 ,nebuzaradan1 
with a chosen troop1 followed           
immediately in hot pursuit4 ,the whole  
renegade lot were captured in the plains
 of ,jericho4 ,thrown into chains1 they 
were sent to ,riblah1 to                
,nebuchadrezzar1 while ,nebuzaradan     
returned to his command1 to push the    
final capture of ,jerusalem with an     
energy equal to that with which his     
master had destroyed ,nineveh4  ,two    
terrible tragedies were being enacted at
 about the same time1 in ,jerusalem and 
at ,riblah4 ,nebuchadrezzar timed his   
performances at ,riblah with the news   
that was brought to him from the doomed 
,jerusalem4  ,on the day when the report
 of the capture of the second defenses  

reached ,riblah1 ,nebuchadrezzar        
gathered all his court in the market    
place1 which had been transformed into a
 festive arena4 ,zedekiah1 his sons and 
the ,judean princes of the blood1 in    
full regalia1 were enthroned on         
platforms1 on one side of the arena4    
,nebuchadrezzar and his courtiers were  
enthroned in full state on the other4   
,zedekiah and his people1 who had heard 
no news from the besieged capital1 were 
greatly astonished at this whole        
procedure4 ,they were soon to           
understand1 however4 ,at a given signal 
heralds entered and announced the report
 from the front4 ,following this came   
,nebuchadrezzar's body guard leading the
 lesser ,judean nobles in chains2 and1  
at a command given by a ,babylonian     
officer from ,nebuchadrezzar's platform1
 these were slaughtered before the eyes 
of ,zedekiah1 and of his sons and       
princes1 in cold blood4  ,when the news 
was brought that ,jerusalem had finally 
fallen1 a second festival was held in   

,riblah in the same way4 ,to all        
appearances1 ,zedekiah and his sons were
 the royal guests of the royal          
,nebuchadrezzar at a great royal        
celebration4 ,it was noticeable1        
however1 that the ,judean princes of the
 blood were missing from the side of    
their king and his sons4  ,at the proper
 time the heralds announced the tidings 
from before ,jerusalem1 the ,judean     
princes were marched into the center of 
the festive throng--and beheaded4       
,finally1 on the eighth day of the fifth
 month1 the month of ,ab1 news came to  
,riblah that on the day before1 the     
seventh of ,ab1 the destruction of the  
city had begun4 ,the report stated that 
the little garrison in the ,temple was  
holding out1 but that ,nebuzaradan hoped
 to finish up his work and burn the     
,temple on the day after2 that is1 on   
the ninth day of ,ab4  ,nebuchadrezzar  
took it for granted that ,nebuzaradan's 
estimate of events was correct4 ,just at
 about the time1 therefore1 that        

,nebuchadrezzar calculated the ,temple  
ought to be burning1 on the ninth day of
 ,ab1 the final horror in ,riblah began4
  ,this time ,zedekiah sat alone on his 
platform1 a hopeless1 shrunken figure1  
the mockery of a king4 ,his heart told  
him the tragedy that he was about to    
behold2 but he did not know what        
terrible thing the ,babylonian had      
prepared for the climax4  ,zedekiah's   
sons1 mere boys1 were brought into the  
open space before ,nebuchadrezzar4      
,rings had been pierced through their   
noses and they were led by chains1 like 
animals4 ,a loud fanfare announced their
 coming4 ,the trumpet notes were like so
 many sword points in ,zedekiah's heart4
  ,the young princes1 too1 knew what    
awaited them4 ,innocent of any crime1   
they marched bravely to their fate4 ,one
 after another they laid their heads on 
the block1 brave descendants of ,king   
,david4  ,zedekiah saw the executioner's
 axe rise--and fall2 and again2 and     
again6  ,his heart stopped beating4 ,his

 brain was numb4 ,his body was without  
feeling4 ,he never knew just when he was
 led from his mock throne1 nor by whom1 
nor where he was led to4 ,he did not    
hear the jeers and howling of the       
blood-infuriated ,chaldeans1 nor the    
commands given him by his captors1 nor  
the words addressed to him by           
,nebuchadrezzar himself4  ,all at once  
he felt a severe pain in his head1 a    
shock through his entire nervous system1
 a red-fire-like blur before his        
eyes--and he was blind forever4 ,the    
eyes that1 for the last time1 had looked
 upon the writhing bodies of his        
headless children had been pierced out  
by the royal spear in ,nebuchadrezzar's 
hand6  ,in ,jerusalem the tragedy was   
less studied and1 therefore1 the carnage
 was much greater4 ,imprisoned in the   
guard house1 ,jeremiah did not know the 
worst2 but he surmised it4  ,he had not 
seen ,ebed-melech or ,baruch for several
 days4 ,he did not know what progress   
the siege was making4 ,no one had time  

to stop and speak with him4 ,even food  
was no longer brought to him4 ,in his   
loneliness and helplessness1 he turned  
to ,god3     ,there is none like unto   
,thee1 ,o ,lord6     ,thou art great and
 ,thy name is great in might4     ,who  
should not fear ,thee1 ,o ,king of the  
nations8     ,the ,lord is the true     
,god4     ,he is the living ,god and an 
everlasting ,king4     ,he hath made the
 earth by ,his power2     ,he hath      
established the world by ,his wisdom2   
,by ,his understanding hath ,he         
stretched out the heavens4     ,o ,lord1
 ,i know that the way of man is not in  
himself2     ,it is not in man that     
walketh to direct his steps4     ,o     
,lord ,god1 correct me1 but in judgment1
     ,not in ,thine anger1 lest ,thou   
bring me to nothing4  ,finally came the 
seventh day1 and then the ninth day of  
,ab6 ,he heard the shouts and the clang 
of hand-to-hand fighting4 ,the thick    
prison walls could not shut out the     
curses of hating1 contending men1 the   

shrieks of the wounded1 the prayers and 
moans of the dying4  ,on the night of   
the seventh day of ,ab he knew that the 
,babylonian had entered ,jerusalem4 ,the
 red sky told him that the city was     
burning4 ,on the next day1 he judged    
from the noises and commands within the 
garrison that preparations were being   
made for the last stand4  ,all that day 
and all that night long he heard the    
fighting on the ,temple ,mount4 ,he     
pictured to himself every step of the   
retreating1 beaten ,judeans and the     
oncoming1 victorious ,babylonians4  ,on 
the morning of the next day1 the fatal  
ninth of ,ab1 the oppressive heat told  
him that the ,temple was on fire4       
,through the day1 the shouting and the  
fighting died slowly away4 ,jeremiah    
knew that the end had come for his      
beloved fatherland--and for himself4    
,his presence in the guard house had    
been accidentally or purposely          
forgotten6  ,at sunrise the next day1 he
 was suddenly aroused from his aimless1 

mental wanderings by the noisy marching 
of troops4 ,they passed his prison      
without stopping4 ,he shouted1 but they 
did not hear him4 ,he could not see who 
they were1 but surmised that they must  
be ,babylonians4  ,several hours passed 
and once more he heard the heavy steps  
of troops4 ,this time he shouted at the 
top of his feeble voice and pounded the 
iron bars4 ,they halted4 ,several were  
dispatched to the guard house4 ,they    
broke open the door and brought forth a 
gray-headed1 gray-bearded1 unkempt      
little man1 whose face and bearing      
showed the horrors he had been through4 
,the soldiers made sport of him1 but the
 commander did not permit them to kill a
 helpless old man4 ,instead1 he sent    
,jeremiah1 through the ruins of the     
,temple and the city1 with hundreds of  
others1 to the prisoners' camp at       
,ramah1 five miles north of ,jerusalem4 
,,chapter ,,xxi4                        
,lamentations and a ,vain ,hope4   ,it  
is said that ties of true friendship are

 often stronger than ties of blood4 ,of 
such stuff were the ties made that bound
 together the families of ,hilkiah1 the 
priest1 and ,shaphan1 the scribe4       
,hilkiah and ,shaphan labored hand in   
hand with ,king ,josiah in his reforms4 
,shaphan's sons1 ,ahikam and ,gemariah1 
came to the assistance of ,hilkiah's    
son1 ,jeremiah1 when the latter was in  
sorest need4 ,now a grandson of         
,shaphan1 ,gedaliah1 son of ,ahikam1 was
 to give a temporary haven to the weary 
,jeremiah4  ,the whole of the ,shaphan  
family followed in the footsteps of     
their noble ancestor4 ,both ,ahikam and 
,gemariah belonged to the ,prophetic    
,party2 though1 unlike ,jeremiah1 they  
took the course of least resistance and 
continued in favor with the royal house4
  ,nebuchadrezzar1 who kept himself     
informed concerning the political       
leanings of the leading families in     
,jerusalem1 therefore believed that if  
he raised a scion of ,shaphan's family  
to the governorship of ,judah1 the      

country would remain loyal and leave him
 to his peace in upbuilding ,babylon4   
,accordingly1 ,ahikam's and ,gemariah's 
families were spared during the general 
slaughter in ,jerusalem1 and ,gedaliah1 
,ahikam's son1 was made governor of     
,judah when the victorious ,babylonians 
had finished their work in the land4    
,there was still another person whom    
,nebuchadrezzar had given orders to     
spare--,jeremiah4 ,nothing would have   
pleased ,nebuchadrezzar better than for 
,jehoiakim and ,zedekiah to have        
followed the counsel of ,jeremiah4      
,therefore1 the prophet was not only to 
be saved from the carnage1 but he was to
 be rewarded4  ,nebuzaradan had strict  
orders to find ,jeremiah4 ,in fact1 the 
troop which ,jeremiah had heard in the  
garrison and that accidentally saved him
 was in search of him at the time4      
,nebuzaradan knew that ,jeremiah was    
alive1 through ,baruch4 ,baruch had been
 captured and thrown into chains on the 
seventh day of ,ab4 ,when he heard that 

the ,babylonians were searching for     
,jeremiah to save him1 he informed them 
that he was imprisoned in the garrison4 
,the captain of the troop had no idea   
that the emaciated old man was a        
prophet2 but he thanked his stars that  
he had not permitted his soldiers to    
slay the poor fellow4 ,he complimented  
himself when1 at ,ramah1 he discovered  
that he had ,jeremiah in his keeping and
 was complimented by the                
commander-in-chief when he brought      
,jeremiah to ,nebuzaradan's tent4       
,while in the prisoners' camp1 ,jeremiah
 could not get out of his mind's eye the
 picture of devastation that he had     
beheld while passing through ,jerusalem4
 ,he kept entirely away from his fellow 
prisoners4 ,he wanted1 and needed1 to be
 alone4 ,it was during these days he    
composed his ,lamentations on           
,jerusalem3     ,how doth the city sit  
solitary1 that was full of people8      
,she is become as a widow1 that was     
great among the nations6     ,she that  

was a princess among the provinces is   
become a tributary6     ,she weepeth    
sore in the night and her tears are on  
her cheeks2     ,among all her lovers   
she hath none to comfort her3     ,all  
her friends have dealt treacherously    
with her2 they are         become her   
enemies4     ,all that pass by clap     
their hands at thee3     ,they hiss and 
wag their head at the daughter of       
,jerusalem1 saying1     ,is this the    
city that men called           ,the     
perfection of beauty1           ,the joy
 of the whole earth8     ,all thine     
enemies have opened their mouth wide    
against thee3     ,they hiss and gnash  
the teeth3 they say1     ',we have      
swallowed her up3     ,certainly this is
 the day that we looked for2 we have    
found1         we have seen it4'  ,but  
,jeremiah1 even in this great extremity1
 was not a man without hope for the     
future4 ,he knew his ,god and understood
 that ,his anger with the worst of men  
or nations does not last forever3       

,this ,i recall to my mind2 therefore   
have ,i hope4     ,it is of the ,lord's 
loving-kindnesses that we are not       
consumed1         because his           
compassions fail not4     ,they are new 
every morning2 great is ,thy            
faithfulness4     ,the ,lord is my      
portion1 saith my soul2 therefore will  
,i hope in ,him4     ,the ,lord is good 
unto them that wait for ,him1 to the    
soul that         seeketh ,him4     ,it 
is good that a man should hope and      
quietly wait for the         salvation  
of the ,lord4     ,it is good for a man 
that he bear the yoke in his youth2     
,let him sit alone and keep silence1    
because ,he hath laid it         upon   
him2     ,let him put his mouth in the  
dust1 if so be there may be hope4       
,let him give his cheek to him that     
smiteth him2 let him be         filled  
full with reproach4     ,for the ,lord  
will not cast off forever4  ,jeremiah   
was not particularly interested when he 
was ordered to appear before            

,nebuzaradan4 ,it did not really matter 
to him any longer what would happen to  
him4 ,he had fought a brave fight--and  
had lost4 ,life or death made no        
difference now4 ,in fact1 he would      
rather have died at the hands of the    
,babylonians than at the hands of his   
own people4 ,so1 he replied listlessly  
that he was ready4  ,even when given    
clean garments and ordered to bathe and 
told to brighten up and be cheerful1    
because all would be well with him1 he  
could not figure out what it all meant  
until he was in the tent of             
,nebuzaradan4 ,then1 hope was born anew 
in his heart1 as he listened to what the
 commander had to say to him3     ,the  
,lord your ,god pronounced evil upon    
this place2 you have     sinned against 
the ,lord and have not obeyed his voice1
     therefore this thing is come to    
you4     ,and now behold1 ,i loose you  
this day from the chains which     are  
upon your hand4 ,if it seem good to you 
to come with me     to ,babylon1 come   

and ,i will look out for you4 ,but if it
 seem     undesirable to you to come    
with me to ,babylon1 do not come2       
but go back to ,gedaliah1 the son of    
,ahikam1 the son of     ,shaphan1 whom  
the king of ,babylon has made governor  
over the     cities of ,judah1 and dwell
 with him among the people2 or go       
wherever it seems right to you to go4   
,jeremiah replied1 shortly1 that he     
preferred to remain in ,judah4 ,a clear 
look again came to his eyes2 his        
shoulders straightened up2 he carried   
his head erect once more2 he had new    
work1 on the old lines1 to do4  ,he also
 asked a favor--that ,baruch1 son of    
,neriah1 and ,ebed-melech1 an ,ethiopian
 freedman of the royal house1 if alive1 
should be permitted to remain with him4 
,both his preference and his request    
were granted4 ,baruch was found among   
the living in ,riblah and ,ebed-melech  
at the camp in ,ramah4 ,nebuzaradan gave
 ,jeremiah provisions and presents and  
sent him1 with his two companions1 to   

,gedaliah1 who had established his      
capital at the ancient city of ,mizpah1 
on the dividing line between the old    
kingdoms of ,israel and ,judah4  ,on his
 departure from ,judah1 ,nebuchadrezzar 
had deported with him practically the   
entire population that was of any       
consequence4 ,he left behind only the   
poorest of vine dressers and farmers4   
,gedaliah's position as governor1       
therefore1 seemed to be but an empty    
honor4 ,the country a wilderness1 the   
capital in hopeless ruins1 the ,temple a
 pile of smoking and smouldering        
ashes--it was not a picture to bring    
rejoicing to a governor's heart4  ,but  
,jeremiah laid a new plan for           
rehabilitating the land4 ,neither       
,jerusalem nor the ,temple were to be   
rebuilt1 for the present4 ,all efforts  
were to be bent toward building up a new
 conscience in the simple farmers and   
vine dressers2 to fit these for entering
 a new covenant with their ,god and to  
make them worthy1 indeed1 to be ,god's  

people4  ,in politics the land was to   
stand1 above all1 for faithfulness and  
loyalty to ,babylonia4 ,that was what   
,nebuchadrezzar expected from ,gedaliah 
and that was what ,gedaliah proposed to 
do4 ,with the religion ,nebuchadrezzar  
never did and never would interfere4    
,therefore1 first of all1 the new       
governor issued this proclamation to the
 remnant that remained in ,judah3       
,do not be afraid to serve the          
,chaldeans4 ,settle down and     be     
subject to the king of ,babylon1 and it 
shall be well with     you4 ,as for me1 
,i will dwell at ,mizpah1 as your       
representative     to receive the       
,chaldeans who shall come to us2 but you
 gather     for yourselves wine and     
fruits and oil1 and put them in     your
 vessels and dwell in your cities of    
which you have     taken possession4    
,the future again looked bright4 ,under 
,gedaliah there was promise of a        
peaceful restoration of ,judah4  ,jewish
 refugees in ,moab1 ,ammon and ,edom    

began to return1 because they looked for
 a just and benevolent rule from        
,shaphan's grandson2 and they would not 
have been disappointed had not scheming 
selfishness and hateful treachery       
stepped in to shatter the last possible 
,judean hope4                           
,,chapter ,,xxii4                       
,cowardice and ,treachery4   ,gedaliah  
had governed in ,mizpah seven months    
when he was pleased to welcome back to  
his fatherland1 ,ishmael1 son of        
,nethaniah1 a ,judean chieftain of the  
royal family1 who had been driven to    
,ammon during the guerrilla warfare with
 ,babylonia1 under ,jehoiakim4  ,a few  
days later1 ,johanan1 son of ,kareah1   
who was one of the governor's chief     
assistants1 came to ,gedaliah with the  
news that ,ishmael was not sincere in   
his protestations of loyalty1 that he   
was in the employ of ,baalis1 ,king of  
,ammon1 and that his mission to ,mizpah 
was to put ,gedaliah out of the way4    
,baalis1 ,johanan reported1 was         

contemplating rebellion some time in the
 future1 and did not want in ,judah a   
governor faithful to ,babylonia4 ,in    
addition1 ,johanan said1 ,ishmael was   
hoping1 through the assistance of       
,baalis1 to regain the throne of ,judah 
for his family4  ,gedaliah1 nobleman    
that he was1 refused to suspect ,ishmael
 of treachery4 ,on the contrary1 a few  
days later he prepared a great banquet  
in ,ishmael's honor and invited1 in     
addition1 all the ,chaldean nobles whom 
,nebuchadrezzar had left behind in      
,judah to assist ,gedaliah in restoring 
order and in establishing law and       
government4  ,ishmael came with ten     
followers who had accompanied him from  
,ammon4 ,at a given signal1 ,ishmael and
 his ten men fell upon the unsuspecting 
,gedaliah and his ,chaldean guests and  
turned the banquet hall into a house of 
death4  ,on the next day1 word came to  
,mizpah that eighty men from ,shechem1  
,shiloh and ,samaria1 were coming to    
,mizpah1 on their way to ,jerusalem to  

offer sacrifices in the ,temple ruins4  
,these men had been selected by the     
survivors in that section of the country
 to express their thanks to ,god1 in    
this manner1 for having been spared by  
the ,babylonians4  ,ishmael went out to 
meet them4 ,with tears in his eyes he   
told them that he was a messenger from  
,gedaliah to welcome them to ,mizpah4   
,once in ,mizpah1 however1 these eighty 
men were slaughtered by the ruthless and
 treacherous cowards from ,ammon4 ,under
 ,ishmael's direction1 all the dead were
 thrown into the great reservoir that   
was built by ,king ,asa of ,judah at the
 time when he was at war with ,baasha of
 ,israel4  ,his work completed1 ,ishmael
 gathered his men to return to ,baalis1 
in ,ammon4  ,johanan1 who had warned    
,gedaliah of ,ishmael's treachery1 did  
not propose to let the murderer escape4 
,he gathered up such faithful men as he 
could4 ,by a quick march of two miles to
 the north1 his little force confronted 
,ishmael just outside of ,gibeon1 on the

 well-traveled road leading to ,beth    
,horon4  ,before the little armies came 
to an engagement1 ,johanan sent word to 
,ishmael demanding surrender4 ,ishmael  
answered with a request for a parley on 
the next morning1 which was granted4    
,during the night1 however1 ,ishmael's  
men deserted him and went over to       
,johanan4 ,ishmael1 himself1 escaped to 
,ammon1 and ,johanan did not even pursue
 him4 ,on the next morning all returned 
to ,mizpah4  ,in ,mizpah1 ,johanan was  
confronted with a new problem4 ,what    
would happen when the news reached      
,babylon that all the ,chaldean officers
 in ,mizpah had been slain8 ,the entire 
population knew what ,nebuchadrezzar's  
vengeance meant4 ,they feared to remain 
in ,judah and1 at a council of elders   
called by ,johanan1 it was determined to
 leave the fatherland altogether and    
emigrate to ,egypt4  ,before making a   
definite move1 however1 ,johanan and the
 elders sought the advice of ,jeremiah4 
,they came to the prophet with this     

petition3     ,permit us to bring our   
petition before you that you may        
supplicate the ,lord your ,god for us1  
even for all this     remnant1 for we   
are left but a few out of many--you     
yourself     see us here--that the ,lord
 your ,god may show us the way          
wherein we should walk1 and the thing   
that we should do4  ,jeremiah answered  
them3     ,i have heard you2 behold ,i  
will pray to the ,lord your ,god        
according to your words1 and whatever   
the ,lord shall answer     you1 ,i will 
declare it to you2 ,i will keep nothing 
back     from you3  ,to which the       
leaders replied3     ,god be a true and 
faithful witness against us1 if we do   
not     according to all the word with  
which the ,lord your ,god shall     send
 you to us4 ,whether it be good or      
whether it be evil1 we     will obey the
 voice of the ,lord our ,god1 to whom we
 send you1     that it may be well with 
us1 when we obey the voice of the       
,lord our ,god4  ,jeremiah took ten days

 to consider the matter4 ,then the      
message came to him from the ,lord his  
,god and he delivered it to ,johanan and
 his chieftains3     ,if ye will still  
abide in this land1 then will ,i build  
you     and not pull you down1 and ,i   
will plant you and not pluck     you1   
up2 for ,i am sorry for the evil that ,i
 have done to you4     ,be not afraid of
 the king of ,babylon1 for ,i am with   
you to     save you and to deliver you  
from his hand4  ,johanan and the        
chieftains had hoped that ,jeremiah     
would advise them to go to ,egypt4 ,they
 were disappointed4 ,they took time1    
therefore1 to discuss the matter further
 among themselves4  ,jeremiah had had   
experience enough to know what the      
result would be4 ,so he backed up his   
advice concerning ,egypt with a public  
discourse1 every line of which breathed 
hope for the future in ,judah4  ,he     
tried to show that the old order of     
things had passed2 that the old covenant
 between ,god and his people had been   

broken1 never to be renewed again2 that 
,god would enter into a new covenant    
with them1 a spiritual covenant1 not so 
much with the whole nation1 as with each
 individual4 ,this is ,jeremiah's       
memorable address at ,mizpah3           
,behold the days are coming1     ,that  
,i will sow ,israel and ,judah with the 
seed of man and the         seed of     
beast1     ,and as once ,i watched over 
them to pluck up and to afflict1     ,so
 will ,i be watchful over them to build 
and to plant4     ',behold the days are 
coming1' saith the ,lord1     ',that ,i 
will make a new covenant with the house 
of ,israel and         the house of     
,judah1     ,not like the covenant which
 ,i made with their fathers1     ,in the
 day that ,i took them by the hand to   
bring them out of         the land of   
,egypt1     ,my covenant which they     
themselves broke and ,i was displeased  
with them2     ,but this is the covenant
 which ,i will make with the house      
of ,israel3     ',after those days1'    

saith the ,lord1     ',i will put my    
teaching in their breast and on their   
heart will         ,i write it2     ,and
 ,i will be to them a ,god and they     
shall be to me a people4     ,and they  
shall not teach any more every man his  
neighbor1     ,and every man his        
brother1 saying1 ,know the ,lord1       
,for they shall know me1 from the least 
of them to the greatest2     ,for ,i    
will forgive them their iniquities and  
remember their         sins no more4'   
,on the day of the meeting to settle    
finally the question of emigration to   
,egypt1 another shocking surprise       
awaited ,jeremiah4  ,he was accused of  
being a false prophet2 of not having    
received the message against going into 
,egypt from ,god1 at all4 ,he was       
accused of having conspired with        
,baruch1 who1 ,jeremiah was told1 being 
of noble family1 had ambitions to become
 ,king of ,judah4 ,finally he was warned
 that ,baruch intended to hand all the  
remnant over to ,nebuchadrezzar4 ,more  

than that6 ,it was determined to        
emigrate to ,egypt at once and that both
 ,jeremiah and ,baruch must accompany   
the self-exiled4                        
,,chapter ,,xxiii4                      
,jeremiah1 the ,martyred4   ,the forcing
 of ,jeremiah into ,egyptian exile with 
the others was the stroke that finally  
broke ,jeremiah's heart4 ,against such  
stiff-necked perversity he could hold   
out no longer4 ,he submitted1 like a    
lamb1 this time to be led1 literally1 to
 the slaughter4  ,judah was destroyed1  
the ,temple burnt1 the royal family     
exterminated1 the last of the friends of
 ,jeremiah's family dead1 the strength  
and nobility of the nation in           
,babylonian captivity1 and now1 the     
miserable remnant that was left in      
,judah1 self-exiled to ,egypt6  ,the    
destination of the emigrants was        
,tehaphenes1 just across the boundary   
from ,judah4 ,there was already a small 
colony of ,jews there4 ,being a frontier
 city on the main road to ,jerusalem1   

,judeans often found refuge there from  
the many destructive armies that swept  
,judah4  ,these gave all the emigrants a
 hearty welcome4 ,jeremiah might have   
settled down there to pass the remaining
 years of his life quietly and at peace2
 or1 he might have gone to ,babylon     
where ,nebuzaradan had promised to look 
after him4 ,the course of events        
however1 bade him remain where he now   
was4  ,pharaoh ,hophrah still had in    
mind the conquest of ,babylon4 ,but     
,jeremiah had preached all his life that
 ,nebuchadrezzar was ,god's chosen      
servant for smiting the nations1 ,egypt 
among them4 ,he had1 many times1 dared  
death rather than dare be untrue to ,god
 and to his mission as a prophet4       
,therefore1 in ,tehaphenes1 before      
,pharaoh's palace1 ,jeremiah delivered  
the following oration3     ,take great  
stones in thine hand and hide them in   
the clay     of the pavement which is at
 the entry of ,pharaoh's house in       
,tehaphenes1 in the sight of the men of 

,judah2 and say unto     them1 ,thus    
saith the ,lord of hosts1 the ,god of   
,israel3     ,behold1 ,i will send and  
take ,nebuchadrezzar1 the king of       
,babylon1 ,my servant1 and will set his 
throne upon these     stones that ,i    
have hid2 and he shall spread his royal 
pavilion over them4 ,and when he cometh1
 he shall smite the     land of ,egypt4 
,both the ,jews and the ,egyptians who  
heard him were thoroughly enraged4      
,their rage swelled into an outcry1 and 
the outcry into an attack upon          
,jeremiah4 ,the very stones of which he 
spoke were showered upon him by the     
infuriated mob4  ,death1 that he had    
often faced but escaped1 now came to    
,jeremiah in this way--and ,baruch1     
loving disciple and friend that he was1 
and ,ebed-melech1 faithful admirer and  
servant that he was1 stood by           
,jeremiah's side to the last1 sharing   
his fate with him4  ,through no fault of
 his own1 but as ,god's chosen servant1 
speaking naught but the word of ,god as 

it was revealed to him1 ,jeremiah had   
been despised1 degraded1 spat upon1 made
 to suffer for the sins of his people   
and1 finally1 he was martyred at their  
hands4  ,it is held by some that the    
martyrdom of ,jeremiah inspired a later 
prophet to write the following          
remarkable lines1 although most ,jewish 
scholars explain these lines as         
personifying the people of ,israel and  
referring to its sufferings3     ,who   
would have believed what now we hear8   
,and to whom was the ,lord's arm        
revealed8     ,why1 he grew up like a   
sapling before us1     ,like a shoot out
 of dry ground6     ,he was despised and
 forsaken of men1     ,a man of pain and
 familiar with sorrow3     ,yea1 like   
one from whom men hide their faces1     
,he was despised1 and we esteemed him   
not4     ,surely our sufferings he      
himself bore1     ,and our pains he     
carried2     ,yet we esteemed him       
stricken1     ,smitten of ,god and      
afflicted4     ,but he was wounded for  

our transgressions1     ,crushed because
 of our iniquities2     ,the            
chastisement for our well-being was upon
 him1     ,and through his stripes      
healing came to us4     ,all of us1 like
 sheep1 had gone astray1     ,we had    
turned each his own way2     ,and the   
,lord laid upon him1     ,the guilt of  
us all4     ,he was sore pressed1 yet he
 resigned himself1     ,and open not his
 mouth1     ,as a lamb is led to the    
slaughter1     ,and as a sheep that     
before her shearers is dumb4     ,shut  
out from justice he was hurried away2   
,and as for his fate1 who regarded it8--
     ,that he was cut off out of the    
land of the living1     ,stricken to    
death for our transgressions4     ,they 
made his grave with the wicked1     ,and
 his tomb with the ungodly1             
,although he had done no violence1      
,neither was any deceit in his mouth4   
,but the ,lord hath pleasure in ,his    
servant2     ,he will deliver his soul  
from anguish2     ,he will let him see  

and be satisfied1     ,and will         
vindicate him for his woes4     7,isaiah
 ,,liii47                               
,,end ,,of ,,volume ,,one4              
,,supplement                            
,,chronological ,,tables  ,transcriber's
 note3 the following table was presented
 across two pages  in original text1 and
 cannot be fit into an #hj-;column      
format4 ,i have  presented it across    
#afj columns4  ,as such1 it may not     
display properly  on some screens1      
especially if word wrap is turned on4   
,,kingdom ,,of        ,,united ,,hebrew 
,,kingdom ,,of           ,,damascus     
,,assyria              ,,egypt          
,,babylonia            ,,persia         
,,judah              ,,kingdom          
,,israel                      ,b4,c4,e4 
#abth and                       #aath   
,centuries1                             
,settlement of                          
,canaan by ,children                    
of ,israel                     #ajcg    
,united ,hebrew                         

,kingdom ,established                   
#ajcg ,saul                     #ajag   
,david                      #igg        
,solomon                                
,,division ,,of ,,the                   
,,kingdom       ,,kingdom ,,of          
------#icg------        ,,kingdom ,,of  
,,judah                                 
,,israel   #icg ,rehoboam               
#icg ,jeroboam  #iag ,asa               
#iac ,baasha                            
#hhg ,omri  #hgf ,jehoshaphat           
,elijah                                 
#hge ,ahab                              
,ben ,hadad ,,ii                        
#hfj-hci ,five  #hea ,jehoram           
#hea ,jehoram                           
,expeditions  #hdc ,ahaziah             
,elisha                                 
against ,damascus  #hdb ,athaliah       
#hdb ,jehu  #hcf ,joash                 
#haf ,hazael ,defeats                   
#had ,jehoahaz          ,joash  #gif    
,amaziah                                
#gig ,jehoash  #ghb ,uzziah   7,azariah7

 ,isaiah                                
#gha ,jereboam ,,ii                     
#gde ,tiglath-,pileser                  
,amos                                   
,,iii--,two                             
,hosea                                  
,expeditions  #gce ,ahaz                
against ,israel ,micah                  
#gcd ,hoshea                  #gcb      
and ,judah                              
,,destruction ,,of                      
,,damascus ,,by      #gbg ,shalmaneser  
,,iv  #gbg ,hezekiah                    
#gbb               ,,assyria        #gbb
 ,destroys                              
,,destruction ,,of                      
,kingdom of                             
,,kingdom ,,of                          
,israel                                 
,,israel ,,by  #fhf ,manasseh           
,,assyria                               
#gbb ,sargon ,zephaniah                 
#gaa ,expedition ,nahum                 
against ,judah ,jeremiah ,habakuk       
#gje ,sennacherib                       

#gja ,expedition                        
against ,judah  #fci ,josiah            
and ,egypt         #gjj ,shabataka      
#fje ,jehoiakim                         
#fha ,esarhaddon  #fjj ,conquered by    
#fge-ga ,two    ,babylon                
,expeditions  #eig ,zedekiah            
against ,judah     #fgb ,necho  #eig    
,first ,captivity                       
and ,egypt    by ,babylon ,ezekiel      
#ffh ,ashurbanipal ,obadiah             
,two ,expeditions           #ffc        
#ehf                                    
against ,judah         ,,egpyt ,,under  
,,destruction ,,of                      
and ,egypt            ,,assyrian ,,rule 
#fbf ,nabopolassar       ,,kingdom ,,of 
#fje ,nebuchadrezzar        ,,judah ,,by
                                        
#fjf        ,,babylon                   
,,destruction ,,of                      
#fjj ,defeats ,judah ,isaiah ,,ii       
,,assyria ,,by                          
in ,battle  #ech ,cyrus ,restores       
,,babylonia                             

#ehf ,destroys    ,captives to ,judah   
,kingdom of        #eei ,cyrus ,haggai  
,judah             #ech ,conquers       
,zachariah                              
,babylonia ,malachi                     
#ech         #ebi ,cambyses             
#ebe             ,,conquest ,,of  #dde  
,nehemiah                               
,,egypt ,,conquered       ,,bayblonia   
,,by    #dfd ,artaxerxes ,i    ,governor
 of                                     
,,by ,,persia            ,,persia       
,jerusalem ,joel