a mysterious providence that so upright a monarch, on whom the affections of the entire nation centred, who only by his energy and influence could restrain the rising tide of idolatry, should be cut off in the midst of his days. They might in their despondency even wonder that so untoward an event should happen under a wise and beneficent government. But his work was done-nobly done for himself, unavailing as it was for his country; and the last good king of the line of David, if not the best, "was taken away from the evil to come."

In our sympathy for the unfortunate Hebrew king, we can scarcely avoid the momentary feeling of incongruity between his godly life and the manner of its close. We should little expect that a prince, confining his efforts so strictly to the religious interests of his kingdom, and regardless, apparently, of the policy and movements of other nations, would meet his fate on the tented field. Had he sunk in the arms of victory amid the shouts of embattled hosts, some might think it a glorious though strange termination of such a career. But that he should fall before the shaft of an idolater, after warring so long against idols, and breathe out his spirit amid the disasters if not the disgrace of a defeat, is as trying to faith as to feeling.

But the arrows of death fly not by chance. There is a meaning and a moral in this very strangeness attending the death of Josiah. It teaches us

to look at men's lives, and not at the mode of their departure from the world, for evidence of the divine favor. It was not on his own account, not to punish self-will or presumption in attacking the Egyptians, that Josiah was the first king of David's house struck down in battle. No frown of heaven cast a gloom over his hours of pain and languishing. He was gathered to his grave in peace." Safe among the faithful in heaven, the mode of his transfer from the scenes of time was to him a small matter; but to the guilty nation, unreformed by his efforts and example, it was a prelude to fearful calamities, and a solemn premonition to prepare for their doom.

CHAPTER XX.

JEHOAHAZ-JEHOIAKIM-JECONIAH-ZEDEKIAH.

GOD's dealing with the Jews, especially for the last two centuries previous to the Babylonish captivity, are vividly illustrated by our Saviour's parable of the barren fig-tree. For all that period, it seems as if there was a conflict between judgment rising up to inflict vengeance, and compassion pleading for a little longer delay; between the owner of the vineyard almost impatient at disappointed expectation, and the gardener anxious to wait one year more, and then another, for the fig-tree to bear fruit, ere he cut it down.

It would seem, on reading the sacred history, that at the close of the reign of Ahaz, little could be offered in favor of another trial to fix the nation in the service of Jehovah. The mercy of God, however, raised up Hezekiah to reestablish religion among the people, and purify the land from idolatry. But Manasseh, on coming to the throne, almost instantly overthrew the reforms; and even the imperfect repairs which he attempted at the close of his reign, were rendered ineffectual by the short, disgraceful reign of Amon, his successor. As if divine patience was exhausted, its monitory voice had been for many years silent. A faint beam of

hope gleamed on the land during the reign of Josiah; but it expired with his death. Both the owner and the dresser of the vineyard seem, at his untimely exit, to have formed the settled conclusion that nothing but barrenness would reward further forbearance and toil. "Cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?" is henceforth almost the only indication to be gathered from the movements of Providence in regard to the nation. Its future history, until the removal to Babylon, is little else than a record of successive blows to level the fruitless branches in the dust.

The two centuries to which we have referred, include the golden age of prophecy. The most cutting rebukes, the most tender expostulations, the most winning entreaties, the most glowing descriptions which language contains, were employed during this period by Jehovah to recover his people from apostasy. A mere glance at this part of the Bible will show the force of the divine appeal, "What could have been done more to my vineyard that I have not done in it?" Well might ground which failed to yield a vintage to the labors of such men as Hosea, Isaiah, Micah, Nahum, Jeremiah, and Habakkuk, be thought "nigh unto cursing."

We shall not enter into a minute account of the several steps taken to overthrow a government and nation which were now evidently given up to ruin. Suffice it to say, that on the death of Josiah the

people raised Jehoahaz, his second son, to the throne. After three months, Pharoah-Necho returned to Jerusalem from the conquest of Phenicia, and deposing Jehoahaz, put his brother Eliakim in his place. To him Necho gave the name Jehoiakim, and carried Jehoahaz to Egypt. He imposed also on the land an annual tribute of a hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold, a sum equal to about $200,000. In utter disregard of their pious education and of the example of their godly father, the sons of Josiah were corrupt princes; and Jehoiakim was, in reality, what he was represented by Jeremiah, one of the worst kings that ever ruled over Judah.

Three years after the battle of Megiddo, in which Josiah was slain, Necho undertook a second expedition against the king of Babylon. He was defeated by Nebuchadnezzar at Carchemish on the river Euphrates, and driven out of Asia. Nebuchadnezzar marched directly to Jerusalem, which was subject to Egypt. After a short siege, Jehoiakim surrendered, and was again placed on the throne by the Babylonian prince. Nebuchadnezzar carried back with him to Babylon a part of the furniture of the temple, and some young men, sons of the principal Hebrew nobles. Among these

were Daniel and his three friends.

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When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him." But