is juncture, made himself
master of Babylon, and annexing it to his former dominions, reigned over
the two united empires thirteen years.

After having reunited to the Assyrian empire Syria and Palestine, which
had been rent from it in the preceding reign, he entered the land of
Israel, where he took captive as many as were left there, and carried them
into Assyria, except an inconsiderable number that escaped his pursuit.
But that the country might not become a desert, he sent colonies of
idolatrous people, taken out of the countries beyond the Euphrates, to
dwell in the cities of Samaria. The prediction of Isaiah was then
fulfilled;(1028) _within threescore and five years shall Ephraim be
broken, that it be no more a people_. This was exactly the space of time
which elapsed between the prediction and the event: and the people of
Israel did then truly cease to be a visible nation, what was left of them
being altogether mixed and confounded with other nations.

This prince, having possessed himself of the land of Israel, sent some of
his generals with part of his army into Judea, to reduce that country
likewise under his subjection.(1029) These generals defeated Manasseh, and
having taken him prisoner, brought him to Esarhaddon, who put him in
chains, and carried him with him to Babylon. But Manasseh, having
afterwards appeased the wrath of God by a sincere and lively repentance,
obtained his liberty, and returned to Jerusalem.

Meantime the colonies, that had been sent into Samaria, in the room of its
ancient inhabitants, were grievously infested with lions.(1030) The king
of Babylon being told that the cause of this calamity was their not
worshipping the God of the country, ordered an Israelitish priest to be
sent to them, from among the captives brought from that country, to teach
them the worship of the God of Israel. But these idolaters did no more
than admit the true God amongst their ancient divinities, and worshipped
him jointly with their false deities. This corrupt worship continued
afterwards, and was the primary source of the aversion entertained by the
Jews against the Samaritans.

Esarhaddon, after a prosperous reign of thirty-nine years over the
Assyrians, and thirteen over the Babylonians, was succeeded by his son:

(M171) SAOSDUCHINUS. This prince is called in Scripture Nabuchodonosor,
which name was common to the kings of Babylon. To distinguish this from
the others, he is called Nabuchodonosor the