received a message of peace for himself, and an assurance; that though the judgments of God should indeed be poured out on his guilty people, he should be gathered to his fathers in peace, before the threatened calamities should be fulfilled.

In the thirteenth year of the reign of this good young king, Jeremiah the prophet commenced his public work, and it might reasonably have been hoped that the conjoined labours of such a king, and such a prophet, would have been truly effectual for the reformation of the nation. But, alas! their piety and zeal only aggravated the guilt, and hastened the ruin, of that wicked and incorrigible people. Indeed, the first captivity of Judah seems to have been principally brought on by the hypocrisy and apostasy of those who professed to concur with Josiah in the work of reformation.

Zephaniah, and most likely Habakkuk, also prophesied in this reign. The young reader will find great advantage in comparing the writings of the prophets with the periods of history to which they refer. These two short prophecies relate chiefly to the approaching captivity of Judah, and the judgments of God upon the Chaldeans, who completed that captivity. We may here observe, that though God will punish sin in His own people, and make use of wicked men as his sword for that purpose,

*Not the first captivity under which the people of Judah ever suffered; but the commencement of the seventy years' captivity, which took place soon after the death of Josiah.

He does not approve, but will surely avenge the cruelty and oppression which those wicked men or nations practise; and "if judgment begin at the house of God, what will the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? In Josiah's reign, a most solemn passover was kept, and, as far as his influence extended, a great reformation took place.

At length, Josiah, having imprudently provoked Pharoah-necho king of Egypt, was slain in battle, in the valley of Megiddo, and was greatly lamented by all Judah and Jerusalem. The lamentation, composed by Jeremiah on this occasion, is not among those preserved to us, which refer to a later period. 610.-Jehoahaz, (or Shallum.) 2 Kings xxxiii. 31–35. 2 Chron. xxxvi. 1-4.

Jehoahaz was made king in the room of Josiah his father. He did evil in the sight of the Lord, and apparently also did unwisely in the dispensation of government; for in the short space of three months he was deposed by Pharaoh-necho king of Egypt, and the land made tributary to that country. The king took Jehoahaz to Egypt, and made his brother Eliakim (whose name he changed to Jehoiakim) king in Judah.

610.-Jehoiakim. 2 Kings xxiii. 36, 37. xxiv. 1—4. 2 Chron. xxxvi. 5—8.

Jehoiakim reigned wickedly for eleven years: during that period, the prophets continued to denounce the near approaching judgments of God against the

rebellious Jews, and indeed those judgments began to be poured out; yet the king and people hardened themselves, and despised the threatenings and even the displays of the righteous judgments of God against sinners. Early in the reign of Jehoiakim, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon having gained great advantage against Egypt, to which the land of Judah was now tributary, attacked Jehoiakim, and bound him in fetters to carry him to Babylon. He also took many of the young nobles of Judah, and a part of the sacred treasures. Among the nobles now taken, were Daniel and his companions, and this is considered as the commencement of the predicted seventy years' captivity. The land, however, was not yet entirely desolated, and on the submission of Jehoiakim, and his consenting to become tributary, Nebuchadnezzar released, and restored him to his kingdom.

VOL. II

186

X.-THE SEVENTY YEARS' CAPTIVITY.

606-536.

§ 606.-Jehoiakim continued.-2 Kings xxiii. 36, 37. xxiv. 1—6. 2 Chron. xxxvi. 5-8. Jer. xxii. xxxvi.

About three years after Jehoiakim's restoration to the throne by Nebuchadnezzar, he rebelled against that monarch, in consequence of which all the neighbouring nations who were tributary to him, were commanded to unite against Judah. Jehoiakim was taken prisoner, and slain with a sword, and his dead body ignominiously cast into the highway, without the gates of Jerusalem, according to the prediction of Jeremiah.

606.-Jehoiachin, (sometimes called Jeconiah and Coniah.) 2 Kings xxiv. 6-16. 2 Chron. xxxvi. 9, 10. 2 Kings xxv. 27-30. Jer. lii. 31-34.

Jehoiachin succeeded his father, and followed his vicious example. After reigning three months, Nebuchadnezzar carried him captive to Babylon. At this time, the remaining gold and silver vessels of the temple were taken, also the chief and most useful of the people of Judah were carried into Chaldea,

that the land might be reduced to absolute dependence upon Nebuchadnezzar. Among the captives at this time was Ezekiel, whose prophecies commence about five years after this period. They were delivered in Babylon, both before and after the captivity of Zedekiah, and the destruction of the temple; they are therefore contemporary with, and directed against, the same crimes as those of Jeremiah. After a captivity of thirty-seven years, Jehoiachin was kindly treated by Evil-merodach king of Babylon, during the short remainder of his life.

306.-Zedekiah, (or Mattaniah,) 2 Kings xxiv. 17— 20. xxv. 2 Chron. xxxvi. 11-21. Jer. xxxviixxxix. lii.

On removing Jehoiachin, Nebuchadnezzar set up Zedekiah his brother in his stead. During the wicked reign of this prince, the prophet Jeremiah was constantly employed in testifying against the wickedness of Judah, declaring the approaching judgments of God, and exhorting to repentance and reformation, as the only possible means of averting the calamity. His message, however, was disregarded, the prophet repeatedly persecuted and abused, and he lived to witness, and to weep over, the calamities he had predicted.

When Zedekiah had reigned wickedly eleven years, the city, which had been besieged two years, was taken; the temple, the palaces, and all the principal