that juclgoth in the earth" (Ps. !viii. 11), and we are warned lest we provoke his "wrath to the uttermost" (1 Thess. ii. 16) by our own impenitence. III. MANABBEH's DEATH. The reign of more than half a century came at length to a close, and, though the Inst years of it were marked by repentance, it left indelible traces of evil on the condition of the people. That by which Manasseh was specially remembered was "his sin that he sinned." He was buried in "the garden of bis own hou~e, the gardeu of Uzza." Amon also was buried in this garden (ver. 26). There was another garden which had a sepulchre in it (John xix. 41); but bow different the sleepers !-J. 0. Vere. 19-26.-The reign of .Amon. In this king we have- I. A PALER COPY OF HIS FATHER, The only noteworthy facts about Amon, during his brief two years' reign, are: 1. His imitation of Manasseh's wickedness. His father, during the greater part of his reign, had set an evil example, but towards its close he had repented. Amon did not imitate the repentance, but imitated the sin. He walked in all the ways his father had walked in, apparently setting up again the idols which his father had latterly removed (2 Cbron. xxxiii. 15). 2. He was the father of a good son, viz. Josiah, bis successor. This is another of the surprising alternations of character already alluded to. How Josiah came out of such a home with the character he <lid must remain inexplicable, unless we are to attribute it to his grandfather's influence after bis return from Babylon. II. ANOTHER VICTIM OF COURT coNsPIRA0Y. Joash and Amaziab among the kings of Judah had met their death by conspiracy (eh, xii. 20, 21; xiv. 19), and rr.any of the kings of Israel had thus perished. But no king of Judah came to this end till he had first fallen away from God. Amon bad a like miserable death. His servants conspired against him, and slew him in his own house, The fact that they dared to do so may indicate a tendency to reaction in the public mind against the excesses of idolatry in which the king indulged. 'l'he people, however, had no intention of allow- ing conspirators to seize the throne, so they slew the murderers, and set up Josiah &s king. This, again, for a time led to a great reaction for the better.-J. 0.
EXPOSITION. only fifteen. And he reigned ttlrty and CH APTER XXII. one yea.re in J'erusalem. Probably from Vera. 1-20.-A0OESSION OF JOSIAH. RE- B.C. 6!0 to B.0. 609-a most important period of the world's history, including, as PAm OF THE TEMPLE, REO0VEBY OF THE it does, (1) the great Scythic invasion; BOOK 01!' THE LAW. (2) the fall of Assyria; (3) the formation Vera. 1-7.-GENERAL CrrA&ACTEB OF of the Media.n empire; and the foundation JosIAH's REIGN. His repair of the temple. of the Babylonian empire by Nabopolasar. The wl'itor begins bis account of Joaiah's And bis mother's name wns J'edide.h-i.e. "Darling "-the daughter of Ade.iah of reign with the usual brief summary, giving :Boscath. Bosooth is mentioned 11s among his age at bis accession, the length of his the cities of Judah (Josh. xv. 39). It lay reign, his mother's name and birthplace in the Shefelah (Josh. xv. 33), not far from (ver. 1), o.nd the general character of his Laohiah and Eglon. The recent explorers rule (ver. 2). He then proceeds to men- of Palestine identify it with the modern Um-el-Bihar, two miles I\Ild a half south. tion some circumstances oonnected with the east of Ajlun (Eglon). (See the 'Map of repair of the temple, which Josiah had taken Wastern Palestine,' published by Ml'. in hand (vers. 3-7). Trelawny Saunders.) Ver. 2.-And he did that which wa.s right Ver. 1.-.Josiah was eight years old when in the sight of the Lord, and walked in all he began to reign. So the writer of Chro• the way of Da.vid his fe.ther. This is a nicles (2 Chron. xxxiv. 1) and Josephus stronger expression than any which has (' Ant. Jud.,' x. 4. § 1). He must have been used of e.ny previous king of Judah been born, therefore, when his fother was except Hczokiali, and indicates a very high no more than sixteon yenrs of age, and degree of npprovo.l. The son of Siracb says Amon must have married when he was of Josiah, "The remembrance of Josias is 436 THE SECOND BOOK OF THE KINGS. [err. xxn. 1-20,