AFTER this signal discomfiture Ben-hadad returned to Damascus, and before long lay prostrate with his last illness. At this time Elisha was present in the city, and the king being informed of it, sent Hazael, an officer in high position at his court, to enquire whether he should recover of his disease. With 40 camels’ burden of the choicest products of the Syrian capital, Hazael presented himself before the prophet, and preferred his request in the most humble tones. Elisha replied that his master might indeed recover, but yet that he would not. Wondering at these ambiguous words, Hazael fixed upon him a long and searching glance, and the prophet burst into tears. Why weepeth my lord? enquired the other. And Elisha, who saw in him the destined successor of Ben-hadad, replied, Because I know the evil that thou wilt do unto the children of Israel; their strongholds wilt thou set on fire, and their young men wilt thou slay with the sword, and wilt dash their children, and rip up their women with child. But such a future had no sorrow for his listener, it was only too good to expect. What is thy servant, he replied, dog that he is391, that he should do this great thing? The prophet, without making any remark, simply announced the message Elijah had long ago been bidden to deliver, Jehovah hath showed me, said he, that thou shalt be king over Syria (2 K. viii. 7–13). With these mysterious words sounding in his ears Hazael returned to his master, and told him but the half of the prophet’s answer. That day was the last of Ben-hadad’s life. On the morrow he was found suffocated with a thick cloth dipped in water spread upon his face. Whether or no Hazael’s hand had done the deed, his path was now clear392, and he mounted the Syrian throne392a.
Meanwhile there had been changes in the kingdom of Judah. After an unsuccessful attempt to quell a rebellion of his vassal, the king of Edom (2 K. viii. 20; 2 Chr. xxi. 8–10; see Gen. xxvii. 40), Jehoram died, and was succeeded by Ahaziah, B.C. 885, the issue of his father’s ill-starred marriage with the daughter of Jezebel. True to the traditions of his mother, he signalized his accession by the grossest idolatries (2 Chr. xxii. 3), but soon, like his rival the king of Israel, began to feel the hand of the new monarch of Syria, who had already made an attempt to recover the stronghold of Ramoth-gilead. In intimate alliance the two kings now crossed the Jordan to defend the place, and an engagement ensuing, Jehoram was severely wounded, and forced to return to Jezreel, whither also Ahaziah followed him (2 K. ix. 28, 29).
During their absence Elisha, knowing that the time was now come for the doomed destruction of Ahab’s family, sent a young man, one of the “sons of the prophets” to Ramoth-gilead, with a horn of oil and a commission to look out and anoint Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi, king over Israel. As one of Ahab’s guards, Jehu, in company with Bidkar, had ridden behind his master to the fatal plot of Naboth’s vineyard, and heard the terrible warning of Elijah against his murderer (2 K. ix. 25). Since then, he had risen to a position of some importance, and was now well known for his vehemence and activity, as well as his rapid, furious driving. According to his instructions the young disciple of the prophets went to Ramoth-gilead, and finding Jehu seated in the midst of his officers, intimated that he had an errand for his ear alone. Together the two retired to an inner chamber, and there the youth having poured the oil on Jehu’s head, and announced the Divine Will that he should be king over Israel, and utterly exterminate the whole family of Ahab, opened the door and fled.
Shortly afterwards Jehu came forth, and rejoined his comrades, who eagerly enquired the purport of the mad fellow’s visit. At first he tried to evade the question, but soon revealed all that the other had said. Instantly the enthusiasm of his hearers was kindled. Recognising the truth of the prophetic call, they threw off each man his garment, and placing Jehu on a rude throne or carpet of state, blew the trumpets, and shouted Jehu is king. Then, for everything depended on the speed of his movements, without losing a moment Jehu drove his chariot towards the fords of Jordan, and thence direct to Jezreel. From the tower393 of the latter city the watchman observed his hurrying chariot, and announced the fact to Jehoram, who straightway sent a horseman to enquire, Is it peace? The crafty conspirator detained the messenger. Then a second horseman was despatched, and he too was detained. By this time the watchman was better able to distinguish the advancing charioteer, and pronounced him to be no other than Jehu, the son of Nimshi. Thereupon the chariot of the king of Israel was made ready, and with Ahaziah, king of Judah, he set out to meet him, probably expecting tidings of the Syrian war. But he was quickly and terribly undeceived. His question, Is it peace, Jehu? was met by a furious denunciation of the idolatries of his mother Jezebel, and in an instant divining his danger, he turned his chariot towards Jezreel. But at that moment Jehu drew a bow with his full strength, and shot him to the heart. While he paused to charge Bidkar to take up his corpse and fling it into the portion of Naboth, Ahaziah, pursued by his soldiers, fled down the westward plain towards Beth-gan, or the village of Engannim394, but was overtaken, and wounded, and died at Megiddo, whither he managed to escape.
Jehu’s next step was to make for Jezreel. Here Jezebel, the queen-mother, still retained her influence, and hearing of the approach of the conspirator, she resolved to confront him in person. After the Oriental fashion, she tired her head and painted her eyes with antimony, and, as Jehu passed beneath the palace, cried out from the latticed window, Had Zimri peace, who slew his master395? On that Jehu looked up, and called aloud, Who is on my side? who? and two or three eunuchs looking out, he bade them throw her down; and they threw her down before his chariot, and her blood was sprinkled partly on the palace-wall and partly on his horses, while with merciless severity he trode her underfoot. Then he entered the palace, and ate and drank. But remembering the fallen queen, he commanded that she should be buried. His messengers went forth to execute his commands, but when they reached the open space before the city walls, they found nothing but her skull, and feet, and the palm of her hands. The dogs, which prowl about the streets of Eastern cities, had devoured all the rest, and thus fulfilled the words of Elijah, In the portion of Jezreel shall dogs eat the flesh of Jezebel (2 K. ix. 36).
The thoughts of the conqueror now turned towards Samaria. Here resided the sons and grandsons of Ahab to the number of 70 persons. To the elders of the city, therefore, he wrote letters, bidding them select the best and meetest of their master’s sons, set him on his father’s throne, and fight for their master’s house. This proposition terrified the servile elders, and they replied that they had no idea of setting up a rival king, and were perfectly ready to submit in all things to the usurper’s will. On this, Jehu wrote a second letter, proposing as a test of their fidelity, that they should send to Jezreel on the next day the heads of the 70 descendants of Ahab, and then repair thither themselves. His commands were duly executed, the 70 heads were sent to Jezreel, and by Jehu’s command placed in two heaps at the entrance of the gate, where they remained all night. In the morning the usurper went forth, and acknowledged to the awe-struck crowd that he had conspired against his master, but threw the blame of the slaughter of Ahab’s descendants on their guardians at Samaria, who had thus fulfilled the words of Elijah. He then proceeded to exterminate all the acquaintance of Ahab at Jezreel, the officers of his court, and the hierarchy of Ashtaroth, and finally set out in person for Samaria (2 K. x. 12).
On the road, he first met 42 sons or nephews of the late king of Judah, and discovering who they were, directed that they too should be put to death at the Well of the Shearing-House, between Jezreel and Samaria. A little further on he encountered Jehonadab the son of Rechab, of the race of the Kenites, who had bound his descendants396 to drink no wine, to build no houses, to sow no seed, neither to plant nor possess vineyards, but to adhere to the old nomadic life and dwell in tents (Jer. xxxv. 6, 7). Is thine heart right, as my heart is with thy heart? exclaimed Jehu, when he saw him. The other assured him that it was, and was bidden thereupon to ascend his chariot and come and see his zeal for Jehovah. Thus side by side the two drove into the city, where the butchery of Ahab’s relatives was renewed, till none were left remaining. But this was only preparatory to another and still greater blow. Convening an assembly of the people, Jehu announced his intention of inaugurating the worship of Baal on a scale of the greatest magnificence; Ahab, said he, served Baal a little, but Jehu shall serve him much. Then, under pain of death, he commanded the entire hierarchy of Baal and all his worshippers throughout Israel to assemble in the great temple, which Ahab had built in honour of this god (1 K. xvi. 32). On the appointed day they came, and the building was filled from end to end. The sacred vestments, probably of white linen, were brought forth, the worshippers arrayed in them, the temple cleared of any chance worshippers of Jehovah, and then Jehu and Jehonadab entered, and the king himself offered the burnt-offering. He had hardly ended, when eighty trusty warriors, who had secretly received their orders, rushed in, and commenced an indiscriminate slaughter of the unarmed and helpless assembly. The huge image of Baal was broken, the smaller images burnt, and the temple itself converted to the basest uses (2 K. x. 26, 27).
THUS, after scenes hitherto unparalleled in the history of the Chosen Nation, Jehu established himself upon the throne, and reigned upwards of 28 years. Those years are almost a blank to us. All we know is, that though commended for the destruction of Ahab’s worthless dynasty, and assured that his descendants to the fourth generation should sit upon the throne, he persisted in walking in the ways of Jeroboam, and retained the old calf-worship at Dan and Bethel. But his reign was not a peaceful one. The Lord began to cut Israel short, Hazael attacked his kingdom, and ravaged the territories of the tribes east of the Jordan (2 K. x. 33).
Meanwhile similar scenes of extermination had been enacted even in the southern kingdom of Judah. On the death of Ahaziah, B.C. 884, Athaliah, the queen-mother, who had probably been entrusted with the royal functions during his absence at Jezreel, resolved to seize the supreme power, and for this purpose put to death all the members of the royal house who had not already perished by the sword of Jehu. From the general massacre Joash, the infant son of Ahaziah, alone escaped, and was concealed by his aunt Jehosheba, wife of Jehoiada the high-priest, in the house of the Lord for the space of 6 years (2 Chr. xxii. 11, 12). During this period the usurpation of Athaliah was endured, but in the seventh year (B.C. 878) her foreign practices having probably disgusted the nation, the high-priest deemed it an auspicious moment to bring about a change. Gathering round him all the supporters of the family of David, he placed a large force of priests and Levites in three bands at the entrances of the Temple, and armed the “captains of hundreds” with the consecrated spears and shields placed there by David. Then before them and a number of the people who favoured his design, he brought out the infant Joash, and in the presence of all publicly crowned and anointed him, and presented him with a copy of the Law. The noise of the people reached the ears of the queen-mother, and she came into the Temple only to see her grandson already placed on a raised throne, and invested with regal functions. Jehoiada had given strict orders that she should not be put to death within the sacred enclosure, and crying treason, she was hurried from the ranges, and slain at the entrance of the Horse-Gate by the royal palace (2 K. xi. 4–16; 2 Chr. xxiii. 12–15).
A covenant was then solemnly ratified between the king, high-priest, and people, by which they bound themselves to be faithful to Jehovah, and in proof thereof attacked the temple of Baal, which Athaliah had built, slew its attendant priest Mattan, and broke down the altars and images. During the lifetime of his aged counsellor, the youthful sovereign ruled his kingdom prudently, and was blessed with a large measure of prosperity. In the 23rd year of his reign he commenced a complete repair of the Temple, which had suffered much during the late usurpation. Messengers were dispatched throughout his dominions to levy contributions for the work, which were willingly bestowed both by princes and people. But on the death of the high-priest, at the advanced age of 130 years, a change came over the policy and character of the king. At the suggestion of the princes of Judah, the worship of Baal and Ashtaroth was revived, and the service of Jehovah neglected. Prophets were sent to rebuke the king for this apostasy, but their protests were unavailing. One of them, Zechariah, the son of the late high-priest, as a penalty for his bold outspoken honesty, was stoned to death between the Holy Place and the Altar of Burnt-offering397 (Matt. xxiii. 35). His last words, the Lord look upon it and require it, were speedily fulfilled. The year had not ended before the Syrian army commanded by Hazael appeared before Jerusalem (2 K. xii. 17). It had lately been successful against the Philistine city of Gath, and now, though small in numbers, was able to defeat a large army of Judah, and was only prevailed upon to depart by being permitted to carry away to Damascus all the votive offerings and much of the Temple treasures. Nor was Joash destined long to survive this disgrace. Afflicted with a severe illness, probably in consequence of wounds received in the late engagement, he was suddenly attacked by two of his servants, and slain in his bed in the fortress of Millo, B.C. 839 (2 K. xii. 20, 21; 2 Chr. xxiv. 26).
In addition to their victories over the Philistines, the Syrians under Hazael had been equally successful against the king of Israel, Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, reducing him to such a depth of subjection, that he was compelled to limit his army to 50 horsemen, 10 chariots, and 10,000 infantry. After an inglorious reign, he bequeathed his throne to his son Jehoash or Joash, B.C. 841, who in spite of the warnings the nation had already received, persisted in practising idolatry. During his reign the aged prophet Elisha fell sick, and Jehoash went to his house and wept over him in the same words that Elisha himself had used, when he beheld Elijah carried up into heaven, saying, O my father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof! But other thoughts than the prophet’s approaching end filled the hearts of both. Hazael was cutting Israel short, and ravaging the country far and near. The aged prophet bade the king open the window eastward towards the hated country, and place an arrow on the string of his bow. Then, laying his own hands upon the king’s hands, he bade him shoot, and as the shaft sped from the string, he followed it with the prophetic blessing, the arrow of the Lord’s deliverance, and the arrow of deliverance from Syria, thou shalt smite the Syrians in Aphek till thou hast consumed them. At the prophet’s command the king next took the arrows and smote them on the ground three times, and then stayed. But he did it with no spirit or energy, and the victories he might have achieved were limited to three (2 K. xiii. 14–19).
Shortly afterwards Elisha died, but his wonder-working power was not to cease with his life. He had not been long laid in the tomb when marauding bands of the Moabites invaded the land. A dead man was about to be buried in the cemetery, which contained the prophet’s sepulchre. Seeing the band of spoilers the mourners hastily thrust the corpse into the receptacle where the prophet lay, and no sooner did it touch his remains than the man revived and stood upon his feet. The victories, however, which Elisha had promised were realised. Three times was Jehoash enabled to triumph over the Syrian armies, and recovered the cities which the Israelites had lost in previous wars (2 K. xiii. 25).
MEANWHILE Amaziah had succeeded to the throne of Judah. His first care after his accession was to punish the murderers of his father, which he did with unusual lenity, sparing their children, in accordance with the true spirit of the Mosaic law (Deut. xxiv. 16; Ezek. xviii. 4, 20). He next resolved to take vengeance on the revolted Edomites, and for this purpose summoned to his standard 300,000 of Judah, and, at the rate of 100 silver talents, hired 100,000 of Israel (2 Chr. xxv. 6). Warned, however, by a prophet against leading any of the idolatrous Israelites into battle amongst his own forces, he was induced to dismiss his mercenaries, who returned home in great anger. With his own army he then marched against the Edomites, and defeated them with great slaughter in the Valley of Salt, south of the Dead Sea, capturing also their rocky fortress-capital Petra or Sela, and flinging 10,000 of his captives headlong from their native cliffs. But with strange perversity he now set up in Jerusalem the idols of the very nation he had just subdued, and paid them religious honours (2 Chr. xxv. 14). For this apostasy a prophet threatened him with speedy vengeance, and misfortunes quickly thickened around him.
The Israelite mercenaries, in revenge for the loss of booty they had sustained, on their way homewards ravaged many of the towns of Judah. Smarting under this insult Amaziah was foolish enough to challenge his rival, the king of Israel, to battle. Jehoash replied by the contemptuous parable of the Thistle and the Cedar, and bade Amaziah not provoke a contest. The other, however, would not yield, and the rival armies met at Beth-shemesh398, on the borders of Dan and Philistia, and the men of Judah were utterly defeated. Jehoash even took his rival prisoner, and conveyed him as a captive to Jerusalem, the walls of which he broke down on the side nearest to his own kingdom to the extent of 400 cubits, and after rifling the Temple of its treasures and exacting hostages returned to Samaria. Shortly after this, however, he died, and bequeathed his throne to his son Jeroboam II., B.C. 825, while Amaziah survived him 15 years, at the close of which period a conspiracy was formed against him, from which he fled to Lachish, where he was assassinated, and was succeeded by his son Azariah or Uzziah, B.C. 810 (2 K. xiv. 19, 20).
The reign of Jeroboam II. which lasted 41 years399, was the most prosperous the kingdom of Israel had ever known. The new king did not simply content himself with repelling the attacks of the Syrian invaders, but carried the war into their own country, captured their capital Damascus, and recovered all the old dominion of Israel from Hamath to the Dead Sea, together with the territory of Moab and Ammon. These successes had been predicted (2 K. xiv. 25) by the earliest of the prophets, whose writings as well as words have come down to us, Jonah, the son of Amittai, of Gath-hepher in Zebulun. The idolatries, however, of the king called forth the protests of Hosea, a prophet of uncertain tribe and birth-place (Hos. i. 1), and Amos, a herdsman of Tekoa400 (Am. i. 1). Those of Amos were keenly resented by Amaziah the high-priest of Bethel (Am. vii. 10), and he reported him to the king as having predicted the destruction of the royal house and the captivity of the nation (Am. vii. 11–17), which, though not fulfilled in his reign, were only deferred401.
Azariah or Uzziah, the new king of Judah, retained the sceptre for upwards of 52 years, and was successful in several warlike expeditions. He subjugated the Philistines, and dismantled Gath and Ashdod, reduced the Arabians and Mehunims to obedience, and recovered Elath, the famous port on the Red Sea (2 Chr. xxvi. 2, 7). He also improved the internal resources of his kingdom, restored the fortifications of Jerusalem, built military engines, and established a powerful army. Moreover he devoted himself to the encouragement and protection of husbandry, building towers and wells for his numerous herds in the low country and in the plains, and growing vines on the terraces of the mountains (2 Chr. xxvi. 9–15). But in the hour of prosperity his heart was lifted up to his destruction. Assuming priestly functions, he entered the Holy Place in the Temple for the purpose of offering incense on the Golden Altar. This flagrant violation of the Law was resolutely opposed by the high-priest Azariah and others of the Levitical body, and drew down upon the king signal punishment. As he stood censer in hand by the Altar, the leprosy rose up in his forehead, and he hurried in alarm from the sacred enclosure. He was now incapable of discharging the regal functions402, and till the day of his death lived in a separate house, while Jotham his son was entrusted with the regency, and eventually succeeded him B.C. 758 (2 K. xv. 5; 2 Chr. xxvi. 16–22).
Meanwhile the great Empire, destined to be the instrument of punishing the apostate kingdom of Israel, was advancing with gigantic strides in the path of universal conquest. Beyond the territory of the Syrians—the scourge of Jehu and his dynasty—was the far more powerful Empire of the Assyrians, including the whole region watered by the Tigris and Euphrates, and already augmented by important conquests in Cappadocia, Armenia, and Babylonia. To Nineveh, its celebrated capital, the prophet Jonah, already mentioned, was directed to go and denounce its approaching doom, unless its people repented of their sins. The prophet shrunk from this arduous commission, and instead of crossing the Syrian desert, went down to Joppa, and there took ship for Tarshish, probably Tartessus403 on the southern coast of Spain (Jon. i. 3). But during the voyage an awful storm arose, and in their alarm the mariners threw him at his own request into the sea, where a large fish took him up, and after three days and three nights flung him forth alive on the dry land (Matt. xii. 40, xvi. 4; Lk. xi. 30). Thus miraculously delivered he was a second time bidden to undertake the arduous journey, and now not daring to disobey arose and went. Suddenly appearing in the midst of Nineveh404, clothed in his rough prophet’s robe, he cried through corridor, and lane, and square, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown! His mysterious words filled the hearts of all with fear and consternation, and before long reached the palace, where the king sat “on his royal throne in the great audience-chamber, surrounded by all the pomp and magnificence of his court405.” The words of the unknown prophet touched even his heart, and he arose from his throne, and laid aside his robe from him, and covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes (Jon. iii. 6). Then he proclaimed a decree that all his people, from the greatest even to the least, should be covered with sackcloth, and that even the beasts should be put in mourning406. His decree was obeyed, a fast was observed, and the people of Nineveh, laying aside their revelry and feasting, assumed the garb of mourning, humbled themselves, turned from their evil way, and offered up petitions for mercy to the Most High. Their repentance was accepted, God had pity on the great city, with its 120,000 persons that could not discern between their right hand and their left, and deferred the judgment. In vain the prophet sat in his booth of woven boughs, at the east side of the city, waiting for the doom he had denounced. In vain he complained of the deferring of the punishment. God was more merciful than man, and for more than another century Nineveh was to stand unharmed (Jon. iv. 5–11).
THE death of Jeroboam II., B.C. 783, was the signal for a frightful state of anarchy in the kingdom of Israel. At length, after an interregnum of 11 years, Zachariah his son succeeded to the throne (B.C. 773). His brief reign of six months served only to exhibit his addiction to idolatrous practices, when he was assassinated by Shallum, and with him the dynasty of Jehu came to an end. The reign of the usurper was briefer still. For one month only did he retain the royal power, and then was deposed in his turn by Menahem, the son of Gadi, B.C. 772. Either at the beginning, or at a somewhat later period, during his reign of 10 years, the new king ordered a promiscuous massacre of the inhabitants of the country between Tirzah and Thapsacus, probably for the purpose of inspiring terror into the hearts of many who were unfavourable to his cause407 (2 K. xv. 14). A more significant circumstance during his reign was the appearance of the Assyrians on the north-eastern frontier of his kingdom. Pul408, king of Assyria, having been successful in his expedition against Damascus, advanced also against Israel, and was only induced to draw off his forces by a timely gift of 1000 talents of silver, which Menahem wrung from his people by an assessment of 50 shekels a head from 60,000 Israelites (2 K. xv. 20).
Menahem died in peace, bequeathing his throne to his son Pekahiah, B.C. 761, who only reigned for 2 years, and was then assassinated in his palace by Pekah, son of Remaliah, a captain of his body-guard, B.C. 759. The new king displayed far greater energy than his immediate predecessors. The enormous tribute levied by the King of Assyria had greatly exhausted the resources of his kingdom. He resolved, by way of compensation, to ally himself with Syria, and attack the rival kingdom of Judah. During the vigorous reign of Jotham he does not seem to have been able to carry out the latter part of this design, but on the death of that monarch, and the accession of his weak son Ahaz, B.C. 742, he advanced against Jerusalem in alliance with Rezin, king of Syria, and took a vast number of captives, who were, however, restored by the advice of the prophet Oded (2 Chr. xxviii. 8–15). So far as the Syrians were concerned, the expedition was successful. Rezin captured the port of Elath, drove the Jews out of the place, and settled there a Syrian colony. But in other respects the unnatural alliance of Israel and Syria was calamitous. In his extremity, Ahaz resolved to seek the assistance of Tiglath-Pileser, the successor of Pul on the Assyrian throne, and for this purpose sent him a large and valuable present from the Temple treasures (2 K. xvi. 7). The Assyrian monarch readily embraced the opportunity of crushing the formidable alliance of Syria and Israel. Marching against Damascus, B.C. 740, he captured the Syrian capital, slew Rezin409, and carried off his subjects to Kir (2 K. xv. 29). Then turning his arms still further westward, he fell upon the northern towns in Pekah’s dominions, Ijon, Abel-beth-maachah, Hazor and others, and carried off the inhabitants to remote districts within his own dominions410. Pekah was now reduced to the position of a humble vassal of the great Lord of Assyria, and was obliged to abstain from any further hostilities against Ahaz.
But that king had purchased this temporary relief at a great cost. Not only was he obliged to yield up the Temple treasures as tribute to Tiglath-Pileser, but he had to appear also in person at Damascus as a vassal of that monarch, and did homage to his protector, and even to his protector’s gods. Because, said he, the gods of the kings of Syria help them, therefore will I sacrifice to them, that they may help me, and he not merely conformed to heathen rites, but actually sent to Urijah, the high-priest at Jerusalem, the pattern of an altar he had seen in the Syrian capital, and desired that another should be made like it. The high-priest obeyed, and the idolatrous altar was placed within the sacred precincts of the Temple, and the king himself offered sacrifice thereon. Moreover, every city in his dominions shared in the idolatries of the capital. Everywhere Ahaz made high places to burn incense to other gods, introducing the worst superstitions of the remotest East, practising necromancy and witchcraft (Isai. viii. 19), causing his children to pass through the fire in the valley of Hinnom to Moloch (2 K. xvi. 3), dedicating sacred horses to the Sun, and raising altars on the housetops for the worship of the heavenly bodies (2 K. xxiii. 12; 2 Chr. xxviii. 2–4).
While the Southern kingdom thus seemed bent on rivalling that of Israel in idolatrous excesses, the fortunes of the latter kingdom had become more and more gloomy. After a reign of 20 years, Pekah was assassinated B.C. 737 by Hoshea the son of Elah, who, after several years of anarchy, was strong enough to secure the sceptre for himself, B.C. 730. His reign, indeed, was not so sinful as that of his predecessors (2 K. xvii. 2), but the doom of Israel was nigh at hand. He had been on the throne but a few years when Shalmaneser, the successor of Tiglath-Pileser, invaded his territory, and reduced Israel to vassalage. This induced Hoshea to open a secret correspondence with So, Sabaco I., king of Egypt. But news of his defection reaching the ears of the Assyrian monarch, he summoned Hoshea to Damascus to explain his conduct, and there placed him in prison. Then mustering his forces, he invaded his territory, and laid siege to Samaria, B.C. 723. Its natural strength enabled that city to hold out for three years, during which period Shalmaneser appears to have been obliged to return to Damascus, in consequence of a successful revolt headed by Sargon, to whom he forfeited his crown411. But this change brought no respite to the beleaguered capital of Israel. After a protracted resistance it was captured, B.C. 721, and thus Sargon completed the conquest which Shalmaneser had begun. Vast numbers of the remaining tribes were now removed into captivity412, and located partly in Gozan or Mygdonia413, and partly in the cities lately taken from the Medes. Their place was filled by a foreign population from the more inland districts of the empire, and colonies from Cuthah, Hamath, and Sepharvaim, possessed Samaria, and dwelt in the cities of Israel, whose existence as an independent kingdom now came to an end for ever.