Once the king of a.s.syria sent a high official with a great army to Jerusalem. When they arrived at Jerusalem, they called for Hezekiah the ruler of Judah, Eliakim, the son of Hilkiah, Shebnah, the scribe, and Joah, the son of Asaph, and they came out to them. And the high official said to them, "Why are you so confident? To whom do you look for help that you have rebelled against me? You count on Egypt to help you.

Pharaoh, king of Egypt, is as weak as a broken reed. But if you say, 'We trust in Jehovah our G.o.d,' is not he the one whose high places and altars Hezekiah has destroyed? Now therefore make a bargain with my master, the king of a.s.syria, and I will give you two thousand horses, if you are able on your part to set riders upon them. How then can you conquer one of the least of my master's servants? Have I now come up against this place to destroy it without Jehovah's approval? Jehovah it was who said to me, 'Go up against this land and destroy it.'"

Then Eliakim and Shebnah and Joah said to the high official, "Speak, I pray you, to your servants in the Aramaic language, for we understand it; but do not speak with us in the Jewish language in the hearing of the people who are on the wall." But the high official said to them, "Has my master sent me to your master and to you to speak these words?

Is it not rather to the men who sit on the wall, who will suffer most from the siege?"

Then the high official stood and cried with a loud voice, in the Jewish language, saying, "Hear the message of the great king, the king of a.s.syria. 'Thus saith the king, Let not Hezekiah deceive you; for he will not be able to save you from my hand. Neither let Hezekiah make you trust in Jehovah by saying, Jehovah will surely save us, and this city shall not be given into the power of the king of a.s.syria.'"

"Do not listen to Hezekiah, for thus says the king of a.s.syria, 'Make your peace with me and come over to me; then each one of you shall eat from his own vine and his own fig-tree and drink the waters of his own cistern, until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land full of grain and new wine, a land full of bread and vineyards, a land full of olive-trees and honey, that you may live and not die. But do not listen to Hezekiah, when he deceives you by saying, Jehovah will save us. Has any of the G.o.ds of the nations ever saved his land from the power of the king of a.s.syria? Have the G.o.ds of the land of Samaria saved Samaria from my power? Who are they among all the G.o.ds of the countries, that have saved their country from my power, that Jehovah should save Jerusalem from my power?'"

Then the people were silent and made no answer; for the ruler's command was, "Do not answer him." But Eliakim, the steward of the palace, and Shebnah, the scribe, and Joah, the son of Asaph, came to Hezekiah with torn clothes and told him the words of the high official. And as soon as Hezekiah heard it, he tore his clothes and covered himself with sackcloth and went into the temple of Jehovah. And he sent Eliakim, who was in charge of the palace, and Shebnah, the scribe and the oldest of the priests, covered with sackcloth, to Isaiah, the prophet. And they said to him, Hezekiah says, "This is a day of trouble, of discipline and of shame. It may be Jehovah your G.o.d will hear all the words of the high official, whom his master, the king of a.s.syria, has sent to defy the living G.o.d, and will punish him for them; therefore lift up your prayer for the people."

When the servants of Hezekiah came to Isaiah, Isaiah said to them, "Take back this answer to your master: Jehovah says, 'Do not be afraid of the words that you have heard, with which the servants of the king of a.s.syria have insulted me. I will put a spirit in him, so that he will hear bad news and return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land.'"

So the high official returned and found the king of a.s.syria making war against Libnah, for he had heard that he had gone from Lachish. But the king of a.s.syria had heard that Tirkakah, king of Ethiopia, had come out to fight against him. Now that very night the angel of Jehovah went out and struck down in the camp of the a.s.syrians a hundred and eighty-five thousand. And when men arose early the next morning, these were all dead.

Then Sennacherib, king of a.s.syria, went away and returned to Nineveh.

While he was worshipping in the temple of Nisroch his G.o.d, his sons struck him down with the sword; and they escaped into the land of Ararat. And Esarhaddon, his son, became king in his place.

JEREMIAH'S COURAGE IN DANGER

The command came to Jeremiah from Jehovah, "Stand in the door of the temple and speak this message: 'Hear the word of Jehovah, all you people of Judah who enter these gates to worship him. Jehovah, the G.o.d of Israel, says: Change your ways and your deeds and I will let you live in this place. Trust not in misleading words, thinking, this is the temple of Jehovah. For if you really change your ways and your deeds, if you faithfully see that justice is done between a man and his neighbor, if you do no wrong to the foreigners who live among you, to the fatherless nor to the widow, and do not shed the blood of the innocent in this place nor follow other G.o.ds to your hurt, then I will let you stay in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers, forever and ever.

"'But now you are trusting in misleading words that are useless. Will you steal, murder, tell lies and offer sacrifice to Baal, and follow other G.o.ds whom you have not known, and then come and stand before me in this house which bears my name and say, We are free to do all these shameful deeds? Is this my house, which bears my name, in your eyes a den of robbers? I myself have seen these shameful deeds,' says Jehovah.

"'Then go to my temple which was at Shiloh, where people used to worship me at first, and see what I did to it because of the wickedness of my people Israel. Now because you have done all these deeds, and have paid no attention, although I spoke to you earnestly and often; and have not answered, although I called you, I will destroy the temple which bears my name, in which you trust, and the place which I gave to you and to your fathers, as I did at Shiloh. I will also send you from my sight, as I have sent away your relatives, even all the Northern Israelites.'"

When Jeremiah had finished speaking all that Jehovah had commanded him to say, the priests and prophets seized him and said, "You must die. Why have you said in the name of Jehovah that this temple shall be like Shiloh and this city shall be deserted, with no one living in it?" And all the people were gathered about Jeremiah in the temple of Jehovah.

But when the public officials of Judah heard of these things, they came up from the palace to the temple of Jehovah and held court at the entrance, at the new gate of the temple. Then the priests and the prophets said to the officials and to the people, "This man should be put to death, for he has prophesied against this city as you have heard with your own ears." But Jeremiah answered the officials and all the people, "It was Jehovah who sent me to prophesy against this temple and city all that you have heard. Now therefore change your ways and your deeds and listen to Jehovah your G.o.d; and he will not do the evil things that he has threatened to do to you. But as for me, see, I am in your power; do to me as you think right and proper. Only remember that, if you put me to death, you will bring upon yourselves and upon this city and upon its inhabitants guilt for shedding innocent blood, for Jehovah has indeed sent me to you to tell you all these things."

Then the officials and all the people said to the priests and to the prophets, "This man does not deserve to die, for he has spoken to us in the name of Jehovah our G.o.d." Certain of the elders of the land rose and said to the a.s.sembly of the people, "Micah prophesied in the days when Hezekiah ruled over Judah, and said to the people of Judah, 'Jehovah of hosts says:

"Zion shall be ploughed as a field, Jerusalem shall become a ruin, The temple-mount an overgrown hill."'

"Did Hezekiah and the people of Judah put him to death? Did they not rather fear Jehovah and ask him to forgive them, so that he did not do the evil things that he had threatened to do to them? But we are in danger of doing great harm to ourselves?"

THE SAD FATE OF A GUILTY NATION

Jerusalem was taken in the eleventh year of the rule of Zedekiah, on the ninth day of the fourth month. An opening was made through the walls, and all the princes of the king of Babylon came and sat in the middle gate. When Zedekiah, the ruler of Judah, and all the warriors saw them, they fled and left the city by night by the way of the royal garden, through the gate between the two walls, and went out toward the Arabah.

But the army of the Chaldeans followed them and captured Zedekiah on the plains of Jericho. Then they brought him up to Nebuchadrezzar, king of Babylon, who was then at Riblah in the land of Hamath. And the king of Babylon killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes. And the king of Babylon put to death all the n.o.bles of Judah. Moreover, he put out Zedekiah's eyes and bound him in chains to carry him to Babylon.

In the nineteenth year of the reign of Nebuchadrezzar, king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan, the commander of the body-guard, an officer of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. He burned the temple of Jehovah and the royal palace and all the houses in Jerusalem. All the soldiers of the Chaldeans, who were with the commander of the body-guard, broke down the walls around Jerusalem. The rest of the people who were left in the city and the deserters who had gone over to the king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan carried away captive. But he left some of the poorest of the people to take care of the vineyards and farms.

The pillars of bra.s.s that were in the temple of Jehovah, and the stands and the bronze sea that were in the temple of Jehovah the Chaldeans broke in pieces and carried the bra.s.s from them to Babylon. Also the pots, the shovels, the snuffers, the bowls, and all the vessels of bra.s.s, with which sacrifices were offered in the temple, they took away.

The fire-pans and the basins of silver and of gold, the commander of the body-guard also melted and took away.

The commander of the body-guard carried away Seraiah, the chief priest and Zephaniah, the second priest, and the three doorkeepers and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah. And the king of Babylon put them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. So the people of Judah were carried away captive from their own homeland.

Nebuchadrezzar made Gedaliah, the grandson of Shaphan, governor over the people he had left in the land of Judah.

Now Nebuchadrezzar, king of Babylon, had given this command about Jeremiah to Nebuzaradan, the commander of the body-guard, "Take good care of him, and do him no harm; but do to him as he shall tell you." So Nebuzaradan, the commander of the body-guard, said to him, "See, I release you this day from the chains which are upon your hand. If it seems best to you to come with me to Babylon, come, and I will look out for you. But if you do not wish to come with me to Babylon, do not come; go back to Gedaliah, whom the king of Babylon has made governor over the cities of Judah, and live with him among the people, or go wherever it seems right for you to go." So the commander of the body-guard gave Jeremiah food and a present, and sent him away. Then Jeremiah went to Gedaliah, who was at Mizpah, and lived with him among the people who were left in the land.

THE COURAGE OF FOUR CAPTIVES

Nebuchadrezzar, the king of Babylon, commanded Ashpenaz, the chief of his servants, to bring to him certain of the Israelites and some of their princes and n.o.bles. They were to be young men who were strong and handsome, well taught and quick to learn and able to serve in the king's palace. And they were to be taught the learning and the language of the Chaldeans. The king gave to them each day some of his rich food and some of the wine which he drank. He also commanded that they should be taught for three years, and that at the end of that time they should enter the royal service.

Among these young men were: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; but the chief of the king's servants gave other names to them. To Daniel he gave the name Belteshazzar, and to Hananiah, Shadrach, and to Mishael, Meshach, and to Azariah, Abednego.

But Daniel made up his mind not to injure himself with the rich food of the king nor with the wine which he drank. So he asked the chief of the king's servants not to make him injure himself. And G.o.d helped Daniel to win the kindness and favor of the chief of the king's servants.

But the chief of the king's servants said to Daniel, "I fear that my lord, the king, who has given you your food and your drink will see that your faces are sadder than those of young men who are your own age, and so you will endanger my head with the king."

Daniel said to the guardian whom the chief of the king's servants had put over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, "Try your servants ten days; and let us have vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then compare the way we look with that of the young men who eat of the king's rich food. Then do to us as seems best." So he did as they asked and tried them ten days. At the end of ten days they looked better and they were fatter than all the young men who ate of the king's rich food. So the guardian took away their rich food and the wine and gave them vegetables.

To these four young men G.o.d gave knowledge, learning, and wisdom; and Daniel understood all kinds of visions and dreams.

At the end of the days which the king had fixed for bringing them in, the chief of his servants brought them in to Nebuchadrezzar, and the king talked with them. But not one of all the young men was found equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. So they began to serve the king. On every subject which called for wisdom and understanding and about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the wise men and magicians who were in his entire kingdom.

A KING'S STRANGE DREAM

Nebuchadrezzar in the second year of his reign had dreams, and his mind was so troubled that he could not sleep. Then the king sent for the magicians and the wise men, and those who studied the stars to tell him what his dreams meant. So they came in before the king, and he said to them, "I have had a dream and my mind is troubled, for I want to know what the dream means."

Then those who studied the stars said to the king: "O king, live forever! Tell the dream to your servants and we will tell you what it means." The king answered, "What I now say is certain: if you do not tell me the dream and what it means, you shall be torn limb from limb and your houses shall be made ash-heaps. But if you tell the dream and what it means, you shall receive from me gifts and rewards and great honors; therefore tell me the dream and what it means." They answered the second time, "Let the king tell the dream to his servants, and we will tell what it means." The king replied, "I see clearly that you wish to gain time, for you know that what I have said is certain, and that if you do not tell the dream to me, you will all suffer the same punishment. So you have planned to speak lying and false words before me, until the time when it is to happen has pa.s.sed. Therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can tell me what it means." The Chaldeans answered the king, "There is no man on earth who can do what the king asks, for no king, however great and powerful, has ever asked such a thing of any wise man or magician, or of one who studies the stars. What the king asks is too hard. There is no one else who can tell it to the king, except the G.o.ds, who do not live with men." This made the king very angry and he ordered all the wise men of Babylon put to death.

So the command was given that the wise men were to be put to death. And search was made for Daniel and his friends that they too might be put to death. Then Daniel spoke wisely, to Arioch, the captain of the king's guard, who had gone out to put the wise men of Babylon to death, and said, "Why is the king's command so harsh?" When Arioch told Daniel the facts, he went to the king and asked that he give him time to tell what the dream meant.

Then Daniel went to his house and told the facts to his friends, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, that they might ask the G.o.d of heaven to be kind to them and to tell Daniel this secret, so that they might not die with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. Then the secret was told to Daniel in a vision at night, and he praised the G.o.d of heaven and said:

"Blessed be the name of G.o.d From everlasting to everlasting!

For wisdom and power are his.

He gives wisdom to the wise, And knowledge to those who have insight.

He shows the deep, secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, And the light of truth dwells in him.

I give thee thanks and praise, For thou givest me wisdom and strength, And hast made known the things we asked; Thou hast made known to us the king's secret!"

Then Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had commanded to kill the wise men of Babylon, and said to him, "Do not kill the wise men of Babylon.

Take me to the king, and I will tell him what his dream means."

Then Arioch quickly brought Daniel to the king and said to him, "I have found a man among the captives from Judah who will tell you what this dream means." The king said to Daniel (whose name was Belteshazzar), "Can you make known to me the dream which I have had and what it means?"

Daniel answered, "The secret which the king asks is something that neither wise men, magicians, nor those who study the stars can make known to him; but there is a G.o.d in heaven who tells secrets, and he has made known to King Nebuchadrezzar what shall come in the future. Your dream and the visions which you had as you lay asleep are these: You, O king, had a vision and saw a great image. That image was large and it was exceedingly bright as it stood before you, and its appearance was terrible. The head of the image was of fine gold, its breast and its arms of silver, its body and its thighs of bra.s.s, its legs of iron, its feet part of iron and part of clay. You looked at it until a stone was cut out, not by the hands of men, which struck the image on its feet of iron and clay and broke them in pieces. Then the iron, the clay, the bra.s.s, the silver, and the gold were all broken in pieces and became like the chaff which blows from the summer threshing-floors, and the wind carried them away so that nothing was left of them. But the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the earth.

"This is the dream, and we will tell the king what it means: O king, you are the king of kings to whom G.o.d has given the rule, the power, the strength, and the glory. Over the whole world he has given into your power, men, the wild beasts and the birds, and has made you rule over them all. You are the head of gold.

"After you shall rise another kingdom not so strong as you are, and a third kingdom of bra.s.s, which shall rule over the whole earth. A fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron, for iron breaks in pieces and shatters all things, and like iron which crushes, it shall break in pieces and crush all things. As you saw the feet and toes, part clay and part iron, it shall be a divided kingdom; but there shall be in it some of the strength of the iron, for you saw the iron mixed with clay. As the toes of the feet were part iron and part clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly broken. You saw the iron mixed with clay, for the rulers will marry one another, but they will not stick together, even as iron does not stick to clay.

"During the reigns of these kings the G.o.d of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed, nor shall the power be left to another people; but it shall break in pieces and destroy all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. This is shown by the fact that you saw a stone cut out of the mountain, but not with the hands of men. And it broke in pieces the iron, the bra.s.s, the clay, the silver, and the gold.