bilities of e. crown, even he.d the period been pee.ceful, much more when ic was full of trouble and anxiety, both on e.ccount of the socio.! e.nd religious de""enere.cy of his own pcoplo, ~nd the thre'ltenings e.nd dangers arising from foreign fo~s. It was hardly wonderful that Hezekie.h's health should have broken down under the intense strait! to which it was subjected. 3. Its contents. These may be gathered from 2 Kings (xviii.-xx.), 2 Chronicles (xxix.-xxxii.), and Isaiah (xxxvi.-xxxix.). The principal events were: (1) The reformation of religion, commenced in the first (ecclesiastical) month of the first year of his reign, by opening and purifying the temple (eh. xxix. 3-36), and concluded in the second month by the celebration of a Passover (eh. xx.x. 1), and the demolition of heathen altars in Jerusalem (eh. xxx. 13) and throughout the land (eh. xxxi. 1). To this the king was most likely moved by the impressions made upon his mind by the fierce denunciations of Micah, who had already during the two previous reigns been testifying against the moral and spiritual corruption of the people (Micah i.-iii.). "'fhe outward reformation was doubtless the expression of an inward change also" (Stanley), (2) The breaking of the yoke of Assyria and the assertion of the nation's independence (2 Kings xviii. 7), with the conducting of a successful campaign against the Philistines (2 Kings xviii. 8), some time before the fourth year of his reign (2 Kings xviii. 9), clearly before the capture of Samaria by the King of .Assyria (2 Kings xviii. 10). .A.s the monuments show that the king who commenced the siege of Samaria was Sha.lmaneser, and the king who finished it was his son Sargon (Schrader,' Keilinschriften,' p. 271), it is more than likely that llezr- kiah was moved to revolt by the death of Shalmaoeser, B.c. 722. (3) The sickne~s of Hezekiah in his fourteenth year, with the gracious prolongation of his life for fifteen more years (eh. xx.xii. 24-26; 2 Kings xx. 1-11; Isa. x::xxviii. 1-22). (4) The imprudent reception of Merodach-Baladan's ambassadors, who had been sent ostensibly to congratulate Hezekiah on his recovery, but really to obtain bis assistance against Sargon of Assyria (eh. xx.xii. 31; 2 Kings x.x. 12; Isa. xxxix. 1). (5) The conquest of Judah and the capture of Jerusalem by Sargon, in Hezekiah's fourteenth year, not mentioned by the Chronicler or the author of the Kings, but described by Lm.iah (x., xi.), who represents an .Assyrian mocarch as first conquering Calno, Carchemish, Hamatb, .Arphad, Damascus, and Samaria, and then advancing towards Jerusalem" by the usual high-road from the north-east, and halting e.t Nob, only an hour's journey distant from Jerusalem, in which also (cf. eh. xxii.) the prophet presents the picture of a siege which has already lasted some time, and which can only be explained by Sargon" (Sayce, 'Fresh Light,' etc., p.139). This conquest of Judah, the monuments show, was carried out in connection with Sargon's expedition against .Ashdod, which he entrusted to his tartan, or commander (Isa. xx. 1), while he himself "overran the 'widespreading land of J udab,' and captured its capital" (Sa.yea, 'Fresh Light,' etc., p. 137 ; cf. G. Smith's '.Assyrian Discoveries,' pp. 288-293). (6) The fortification of Jerusalem in anticipation of the above attack upon his caµital, not by Sennacherib (eh, x.xxii. 1-8), but by Sargon. (7) The invasion of Judah by Sennacherib, not in Hezekiah's fourteenth (2 Kings xviii. 13-16), but in his twenty-fourth year, since, according to the monuments, Sargon was murdered in B.o. 705, while Sennacherib's campaign agaicst Syria and the West did not bei:;in till B.O. 701. (8) The submission of Hezekiah to Sennacherib at Lachish (2 Kings xviii. 14-16). (9) The siege of Jerusalem by Sennacherib's captains, Tartan, Rabshakeh, and Rabsaris (eh. x::uii. 9- 22; 2 Kings xviii. 17-xix. 36 ; Isa. :xxxvi. 2-x.xx.vii. 37). (10) The reception of a. blasphemous letter from Sennacherib, with the prnyer to which it led (eh. xxxii. 20; 2 Krn"'s xix. 8-34; Isa. xxxvii. 8-35). (11) The destrnction of Sennacherib's army (eh. ~xii. 21; 2 Kings xix. 35; Isa. xxxvii, 36). (12) The extension of Hezekiah's fame in consequence of this deliverance ( eh. xxxii. 23). III. Hxs cHAilACTER, 1. Good, "He did tbe.t which we.s right in the sight of the Lord nccordin<> to all that David his father had done" (ver. 2). With this agrees the testi~o:iy of 2'°King,s (xviii. 5, 6), that his piety (1) sprang from the right root-faith: "he trusted in the Lord God of Israel:" (2) evinced the right quality-constancy: 11 he clave to the Lord, and departed not from foliowing him;" and (3) produced the ri:;h t fruit-obedience: "he kept the commandments which the Lord commanded Mosec;," 'l'he causos which led to Hezekiah's conversion were doubtless manifold: (1) Divine grace, without which oo change of heart or life can be permanently good (John iii. 7; 356 THE SECOND BOOK OF THE CHRONICLES. [ea. xx1x. 1-36.
l Cor. xv. 10); (2) prophetic instruction, given by Isaiah (xxxvii. 2), Micah, Jeremiah (xx,'i. 18, 19), a.nd ZechRria.h, his maternal grandfather-no la.sting tmnsformation being effected on the mind or cba.ra.cter except through the medium of the truth (Ps. xix. 7; cxix. 9; Micah ii. 7; John xv. 3); and (3) personal observation of the sinful- ness and ruinous consequences of idolatry. 2. Energetic. Sufficiently apparent from the abo,•e-recited record of his life. Besides being a pious sovereign, he was a military commander of pronounced skill and undaunted courage (eh. xxxii. 3-8), a wise and judicious civil R?ministr~tor (eh. xxxii. 27--30), a zealous and unwearied religious reformer (eh. xx1x.-xxx1.), a student and patron of letters (Prov. xxv. 1), an anti- quaria?- and a poet (eh. x.xxii. 27; 2 ~ings_ xxiii. 12; Isa. xxxviii. 9-20). In short, Hezekiah was "one of the most splendid pnncee that ever adorned the throne of David and whose reign of nine and twenty years exhibits an almost unclouded picture of per~ sistent struggles against the most embarrassed and difficult circumstances, crowned with elevatin~ victories" (Ewald, • History of Israel,' iv. 172). Learn: 1. That Divine grace is stronger than hereditary corruption. 2. That God can raise up great men when such are demanded by the times. 3. That the hidden root of all true nobility in man is faith in God, and steadfast adherence to truth and right.-W.