his name, and is still remaining, was composed on the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar.

The character given of Josiah by the author of the Book of Ecclesiasticus is as follows: "All (says he) except "David, and Hezekiah, and Josiah, were defective. They "forsook the law of the Most High; even the kings of "Judah failed. But the remembrance of Josiah is like the "composition of the perfume that is made by the art of "the apothecary: it is as sweet as honey in all mouths, "and as music at a banquet of wine. He behaved himself "uprightly in the conversion of the people, and took away "the abomination of iniquity. He directed his heart unto "the Lord, and, in the time of the ungodly, he established "the worship of God."

Saul and Jonathan, of Abner and Absalom: But this mournful poem, which the disconsolate prophet made on the immature death of good Josiah, is no where extant; which is a loss the more to be deplored, because, in all probability, it was a master-piece in its kind, as there never was an author more deeply affected with his subject, or more capable of carrying it through all the tender sentiments of sorrow and compassion, than the prophet Jeremiah.

VOL. ii.

I 1

CHAP. XI.

Jehoahaz succeeds to the government of Judah after the death of his father Josiah. He is deposed by Pharaoh Necho, king of Egypt, who puts him in prison, where he continues the remainder of his life. He is succeeded by his brother Eliakim, whose name, by order of Necho, is changed to that of Jehoiakim. He reigns wickedly, and puts to death the prophet Urijah. Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, invades Jerusalem, conquers it, and takes Jehoiakim prisoner, but afterwards releases him. Jeremiah upbraids the people with their disobedi ence, and prophecies their captivity, for which he is obliged to conceal himself to avoid their resentment. He employs one Baruch to write a copy of his prophecies, and read them to the people in the temple. Jehoiakim, being informed of this, sends for the book, and, after hearing a part of it read, destroys it, ordering the prophet and his amanuensis to be taken into custody. Jehoiakim refuses any longer to pay tribute to Nebuchadnezzar, who, in consequence thereof, sends an army against him. He is taken prisoner by the Babylonians, and put to death. He is succeeded by his son Jehoiachin, who, after a reign of only three months, is taken prisoner to Nebuchadnezzar, and sent to Babylon. Zedekiah is made king of Judah in his stead. He is advised by Jeremiah to live in obedience to the king of Babylon, for which the prophet is grossly abused. Jeremiah prophecies the destruction of Babylon, and Ezekiel that of Jerusalem.

ON the death of Josiah, his son Jehoahaz* was anointed king of Judah; but his reign was of short duration. He was naturally a very wicked prince, and shewed manifest signs of his wishes to overturn that wise and good regulation which had, with so much pains, been established

* Jehoahaz was not the eldest son of Josiah, as will appear from the following circumstances. He was but twenty-three years of age when he began to reign, and reigned only three months; after which his brother Jehoiakim, when he was made king, was five and twenty years old. On this account it is said, that the people anointed him, be cause, as he did not come to the crown by right of succession, his title might have otherwise been disputed; for in all controverted cases, and where the kingdom came to be contested, anointing was ever thought to give the preference. At this time, however, the Jews might have some reason to prefer the younger brother, because, very probably, he was of a more martial spirit, and better qualified to de

by his predecessor. But his wicked intentions were frustrated by means of Pharaoh Necho, king of Egypt, who, on his return from the expedition against the Babylonians (in which he had proved successful) hearing that Jehoahaz had assumed the sovereignty of Judah, sent for him to Riblah in Syria, whither he had no sooner arrived than he caused him to be put in chains, and sent to Egypt, where he spent the remainder of his days in misery and disgrace.

Jehoahaz had an elder brother named Eliakim, whom Necho, on his going to Jerusalem, placed on the throne of Judah, having first changed his name to Jehoiakim. He laid him under an annual tribute of an hundred talents of silver and one of gold, having done which, he left Jerusalem, and returned in triumph to his own country. The money for discharging this tribute Jehoiakim raised by a general tax throughout his kingdom, rating every man according to his circumstances.†

No sooner was Jehoiakim fully placed on the throne of Judah, than he began, in imitation of his brother, to destroy that good order and discipline which had been estab. lished by his father; and the people, who never with sincerity came into that good king's reformation, took this opportunity of following the bent of their depraved inclinations. For these impieties God was pleased to send the prophet Jeremiah to admonish and exhort them to repentance, and to assure them, that if they persisted in their wicked way of living, he would make the temple like the house of Shiloh, and the city of Jerusalem a curse to all nations. Having received this message, Jeremiah went first to the king's palace, where he denounced God's judg

fend their liberties against the king of Egypt. His proper name, it is thought, was Shallum; but the learned bishop Usher supposes that the people, looking upon this as ominous (because Shallum, king of Israel, reigned but one month) changed it to Jehoahaz.

* Riblah, according to St. Jerome, was the same place which was afterwards called Antioch. Its situation was one of the most agreeable in all Syria, for which reason the kings of Babylon frequently made it their place of residence.

It is very probable the prophet Jeremiah had regard to this taxation, when, in his mournful complaint of Jerusalem, he says, she that was great among the nations, and princess among the provinces, how is she become tributary? Lam, i. 1.

ments against him and his family; after which he repaired to the temple, and there spoke in like manner to the people. The priests, being offended at the freedom of Jeremiah, caused him to be seized, and brought before the king's council, in hopes of having him put to death; but Ahikam, one of the chief lords thereof, so interceded in his behalf, that he got him discharged by the general consent not only of the princes, but likewise of all the elders of the people then present.

There was at this time* another prophet named Urijah, who had likewise declared against the iniquity of the prince and the people; but he did not escape the resentment of the king. As soon as he understood that Jehoiakim had a design against his life, he fled into Egypt; but this, however, did not secure him: the king sent messengers after him, and being apprehended and brought back to Jerusalem, he was put to death, and his remains treated with very great indignity.

About three years after Jehoiakim had been on the throne of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon and Assyria, to revenge the late expedition of Pharaoh-Necho, king of Egypt, who had taken from him many principal places in Syria and Palestine, marched against him with a very powerful army, and having totally defeated the

* About this time also were living the prophets, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, and Nahum, who, being called to the prophetic office in the reign of Josiah, continued (very likely) to this time, because we find them prophesying the same things that Jeremiah did, viz. the destruction and desolation of Judah and Jerusalem, for the many heinous sius of which they were guilty. As to Habakkuk, neither the time in which he lived, nor the parents from whom he was descended, are any where named in scripture; but his prophecying the coming of the Chaldeans, in the same manner that Jeremiah did, gives us reason to believe, that he lived in the same time. Of Zephaniah it is directly said, that he prophesied in the time of Josiah, and in his pedigree, (which is also given us) his father's grandfather is called Hezekiah, whom some take for the king of Judah, and, consequently, reckon this prophet to have been of royal descent. As to Nahum, lastly, it is certain, that he prophesied after the captivity of the ten tribes, and before that of the other two, which he foretold. Though therefore the Jews do generally place him in Manasseh's reign, yet others ehuse to refer him to the latter part of Josiah's, as being nearer to the destruction of Nineveh, and of the Assyriau monarchy, to which several prophecies of his principally relate.

troops under his command, so improved that victory, that, in a very short time, he took from him all the country that lies between the river Euphrates and the Nile.

Having proved thus successful over Necho, king of Egypt, Nebuchadnezzar next laid siege to Jerusalem, which he soon took, and after plundering the temple, and making the king prisoner, returned with him and the spoil in triumph to Babylon.* In a short time, however, he released the king, and restored him to his crown, on condition that he should become tributary to him during the remainder of his life.

A circumstance took place, previous to Nebuchadnezzar's besieging Jerusalem, which clearly evinced the beneficence of Providence to an undeserving people, and, had they not been hardened in their wickedness, might have so opened their eyes as to have produced a reformation. The approach of Nebuchadnezzar's army having alarmed the Rechabites† (who, according to the institution of Jonadab, the son of Rechab, their founder, had always abstained from wine, and hitherto only lived in tents) they, apprehending themselves in more danger in the open country than in the capital, fled for safety to Jerusalem. By means of these people, God was pleased to point out to the Jews, in the most clear light, their great disobedience to his word and command. He ordered the prophet Jeremiah to conduct them to the temple, and there, in the presence of the people, offer them wine to drink. The prophet obeyed the Divine injunction, but when he

It is thought, and with great reason, that at this time the prophet Daniel, with his three companions, Hananiah, Michael and Azariah (who were afterwards called Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego) were carried with the king captives to Babylon. For Daniel says, when Nebuchadnezzar took Jehoiakim, and the vessels of the temple, he spake unto Ashpenaz, the master of the eunuchs, that he should take with him to Babylon some of the children of Israel, of the seed of the king, and of the princes, such as were well favored, and without blemish, of good parts and well educated; that being instructed in the language and learning of the Chaldeans, they might be fit to serve the king in his palace; and that the eunuchs, among others, made choice of these four. See Dan. i. 3, 4, 6.

†The Rechabites were Midianites, who lived in tents; and although, in some respects, they conformed to the laws of Moses, yet they had not hitherto been admitted as proselytes, and consequently, could not attend the temple service.