[389] Hos. iv. 4; v. 1, "Hear ye this, O priests ... ye have been a snare on Mizpah," etc.; vi. 9, "The company of the priests murder by the way to Shechem."
[390] Hos. x. 10 (so R.V., and in the main the versions after the Hebrew margin). LXX., ἐν τῷ παιδεύεσθαι αὐτοὺς ἐν ταῖς δύσιν ἀδικίαις αὐτῶν; Vulg., "_cum corripientur propter duas iniquitates suas_"; A.V., "When they shall bind themselves in their two furrows." I believe that the "_two_ iniquities" may mean _two_ cherubs at Bethel. See x. 15: "So shall Bethel do unto you because of the evil of your evil."
[391] Hos. xi. 8-11.
[392] 2 Kings xvii. 1 is inconsistent with xv. 30, 33, and it is wholly useless for our purpose to enter into complicated chronological hypotheses, every one of which may be erroneous.
[393] Schrader, _K. A. T._, p. 255.
[394] _Seder Olam_, xxii. 2; 2 Chron. xxx. 6-11.
[395] See Herod., ii. 137; called So (Heb., Sô or Seve) in 2 Kings xvii. 4. Perhaps Shebek, the founder of the twenty-fifth dynasty. LXX., Σηγώρ; Vulg., _Sua_; Manetho, _Sabachon_. In the _Eponym Canon_ he is called an Egyptian general, _Sibakhi_, who helped Gaza against Assyria, and was defeated. The _ka_ appended at the end of his name (Egyptian Shaba-ka) is thought by some to be the Cushite article. The race of the priest Hirhor died out with Piankhi, and the Ethiopians elected a noble named Kashta. Shabak was his son. He conquered Sais, and burnt his rival Bek-en-raut alive (B.C. 724). His dynasty ruled for fifty years; he was succeeded by Sevechus (Shabatok), and he by Tehrak (Tirhakah).
[396] His name means "Salmân, pardon." We have no monuments or inscriptions of this king; only an imperial weight.
[397] Mic. v. 1.
[398] Hos. xiii. 13.
[399] Hos. xiii. 7-11. The prophecy is rhythmic, though not written in actual poetry.
[400] Till the discovery of the Assyrian records, Sargon (Sharru-kênu, 'the faithful king') was but a name. The Jews knew but little of him. He is but once mentioned in Scripture (Isa. xx. 1), and was probably confused by some Jews with other kings. Yet he reigned sixteen years (722-705), and his records give the annals of fifteen campaigns. In 720 he crushed a confederacy headed by Yahubid of Hamath, and reduced that city to a "heap of ruins." He then advanced against Hanno, King of Gaza, who was in alliance with Sabaco, and defeated the combined forces of the Philistines and Egyptians at Raphia, half-way between Gaza and the Wady-el-Arîsh, "the torrent [_nachal_] of Egypt." Sargon was at the time too much occupied with other enemies to pursue his advantage over Egypt; for Armenia, Media, and other countries needed his attention. This encouraged Ashdod to rebel, and its king, Azuri, refused his tribute (see Isa. xx. 1). Sargon deposed him, and put his brother Ahimit in his place. Relying on Egyptian promises, Philistia joined Judah, Edom, and Moab in defying Assyria. They deposed Ahimit as an Assyrian nominee, and put Yaman in his place. Egypt, as usual, failed to help, and in 711 the Assyrian Turtan, or Commander-in-chief, took Ashdod after three years' resistance, and carried its people into captivity. The punishment of Egypt was reserved for the subsequent reigns of Esarhaddon (681-668) and Assurbanipal. See Driver's _Isaiah xlv._ (Isa. xx.). Isa. xiv. 29-32 is an ode of triumph for the Fall of Philistia.
[401] Hos. xiii. 16.
[402] See De Hincks in _Journ. of Sacr. Lit._, October 1858; Layard, _Nin. and Bab._, i. 148.
[403] Isa. xxviii. 1-4.
[404] 2 Kings xvii. 13, "by all the prophets, and all the _seers_," (_chôseh_). Hāvernick thinks that the _nebi'îm_ were such _officially_.
[405] See Amos ii. 4, 5; Isa. xxviii. 15; Jer. xvi. 19, 20; Ezek. xx. 13-30, etc.
[406] Deut. xxvi. 5.
[407] Isa. xli. 14.
[408] Hos. xi. 9.