LESSON LXXV THE END OF SAMARIA Five years of confusion in Israel followed the death of Jeroboam II. The reigns of Pekah and Hoshea bring the monarchy to an end. The Assyrians conquer Israel, carry away many captives, and settle foreigners in Samaria. During this time the prophets Hosea and Isaiah bore witness against the sins of Israel. 2 KINGS XV. 27-30, XVII. 1-41; HOSEA; ISAIAH [Zechariah, Shallum, Menahem, and Pekahiah, were nominal kings for brief periods. Pekah murdered Pekahiah and succeeded to the throne.] 15 27 In the two and fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah Pekah the son of Remaliah began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned twenty1 years. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD: he departed not from the sins of 5 Jeroboam the son of Nebat, wherewith he made Israel to sin. In the days of Pekah king of Israel came Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, and took Ijon, and Abel-beth-maacah, and Janoah, and Kedesh, and Hazor, and Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali; and he carried them captive to Assyria. And Hoshea 10 the son of Elah made a conspiracy against Pekah the son of Remaliah, and smote him, and slew him, and reigned in his stead, in the twentieth year of Jotham the son of Uzziah. 171 In the twelfth 2 year of Ahaz king of Judah began Hoshea the son of Elah to reign in Samaria over Israel, and reigned nine 15 years. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, yet not as the kings of Israel that were before him. Against him came up Shalmaneser king of Assyria. And the king of Assyria found conspiracy in Hoshea; for he had sent messengers to So king of Egypt, and offered no present to the king of Assyria, as 1 For twenty read two. 2 For twelfth read second. he had done year by year: therefore the king of Assyria shut him 20 up, and bound him in prison. Then the king of Assyria came up throughout all the land, and went up to Samaria, and besieged it three years. In the ninth 1 year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria took Samaria, and carried Israel away unto Assyria, and placed them in Halah, and in Habor, on the river of Gozan, and in the 25 cities of the Medes. 24 And the king of Assyria brought men from Babylon, and from Cuthah, and from Avva, and from Hamath and Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel and they possessed Samaria, and dwelt in the cities 30 thereof. And so it was, at the beginning of their dwelling there, that they feared not the LORD: therefore the LORD sent lions among them, which killed some of them. Wherefore they spake to the king of Assyria, saying, The nations which thou hast carried away, and placed in the cities of Samaria, know not the 35 manner of the God of the land: therefore he hath sent lions among them, and, behold, they slay them, because they know not the manner of the God of the land. Then the king of Assyria commanded, saying, Carry thither one of the priests whom ye brought from thence; and let them go and dwell there, and let him teach 40 them the manner of the God of the land. So one of the priests whom they had carried away from Samaria came and dwelt in Beth-el, and taught them how they should fear the LORD. Howbeit every nation made gods of their own, and put them in the houses of the high places which the Samaritans had made, every 45 nation in their cities wherein they dwelt. And the men of Babylon made Succoth-benoth, and the men of Cuth made Nergal, and the men of Hamath made Ashima, and the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites burnt their children in the fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sephar- 50 vaim. So they feared the LORD, and made unto them from among themselves priests of the high places, which sacrificed for them in the houses of the high places. They feared the LORD, and served their own gods, after the manner of the nations from among whom they had been carried away. 55 1 For ninth read twelfth. 60 65 70 75 80 85 PRIESTS AND PEOPLE ARE CORRUPT. [Hosea 4] 1 Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, Because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land. There is nought but swearing and breaking faith, And committing adultery; they break out, and blood toucheth blood. Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish, With the beasts of the field and the fowls of heaven ; yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away. My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: Because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me : Seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I also will forget thy children. As they were multiplied, so they sinned against me: I will change their glory into shame. They feed on the sin of my people, like priest: And I will punish them for their ways, and will reward them their doings. THE PRINCES AND THE IDOLS OF SAMARIA ARE VAIN. 8 4 They have set up kings, but not by me; they have made princes, and I knew it not: Of their silver and their gold have they made them idols, that they may be cut off. He hath1 cast off thy calf, O Samaria ; mine anger is kindled against them: 1 For He hath read I have. How long will it be ere they attain to innocency? 1 The workman made it, and it is no God: yea, the calf of Samaria shall be broken in pieces. For they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind. Israel is swallowed up: now are they among the nations as a vessel wherein is no pleasure. For they are gone up to Assyria, 95 90 like a wild ass alone by himself : Yea, though they hire among the nations, now will I gather them; Because Ephraim hath multiplied altars to sin, altars have been unto him to sin. Though I write for him my law in ten thousand precepts, they are counted as a strange thing. As for the sacrifices of mine offerings, But the LORD accepteth them not: now will he remember their iniquity, and visit their sins : THE NOBLES OF SAMARIA. [Isaiah 28] 100 105 1 Woe to the crown of pride of the drunkards of Ephraim, IIO And to the fading flower of his glorious beauty, Which is on the head of the fat valley of them that are over come with wine! Behold, the LORD hath a mighty and strong one; As a tempest of hail, a destroying storm, As a tempest of mighty waters overflowing, Shall he cast down to the earth with the hand. The crown of pride of the drunkards of Ephraim And the fading flower of his glorious beauty, 1 For innocency read impunity. 115 I 20 LESSON LXXVI AHAZ AND ISAIAH The evil reign of Ahaz. Attacked by Pekah and Rezin, he asks for aid from the king of Assyria, and pays him tribute. Isaiah rebukes the sins of Judah, and vainly warns Ahaz. 2 KINGS XV. 32—XVI. 17; ISAIAH V., VI., VII. 15 32 In the second year of Pekah the son of Remaliah king of Israel began Jotham the son of Uzziah king of Judah to reign. And he did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD: he did according to all that his father Uzziah had done. In those days 5 the LORD began to send against Judah Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah. And Jotham slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father and Ahaz his son reigned in his stead. 16 2 Twenty years old was Ahaz when he began to reign; and 10 he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: and he did not that which was right in the eyes of the LORD his God, like David his father. But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, yea, and made his son to pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out from before the children of 15 Israel. And he sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree. Then Rezin king of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel came up to Jerusalem to war: and they besieged Ahaz, but could not overcome him. At that time Rezin king of Syria 1 recovered Elath to 20 Syria, and drave the Jews from Elath: and the Syrians 2 came to Elath, and dwelt there, unto this day. So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, saying, I am thy 1 For Rezin king of Syria read the king of Edom. 2 For Syria, Syrians read Edom, Edomites. |