erstition of his predecessors had cumbered the temple, and which
they had connected with the worship of Jahveh, and in his zeal even
destroyed the ancient brazen serpent, the Nehushtan, the origin of which
was attributed to Moses.***

* Isa. xxx. 33, where the prophet describes the Tophet
Jahveh's anger is preparing for Assyria.

** Isa. ii. 8.

*** 2 Kings xviii. 4. I leave the account of this religious
reformation in the place assigned to it in the Bible; other
historians relegate it to a time subsequent to the invasion
of Sennacherib.

On the occasion of the revolt of Yamani, Isaiah counselled Hezekiah to
remain neutral, and this prudence enabled him to look on in security at
the ruin of the Philistines, the hereditary foes of his race. Under his
wise administration the kingdom of Judah, secured against annoyance from
envious neighbours by the protection which Assur freely afforded to its
obedient vassals, and revived by thirty years of peace, rose rapidly
from the rank of secondary importance which it had formerly been content
to occupy. "Their land was full of silver and gold, neither was there
any end of their treasures; their land also was full of horses, neither
was there any end of their chariots."*

* Isa. ii. 7, where the description applies better to the
later years of Ahaz or the reign, of Hezekiah than to the
years preceding the war against Pekah and Rezin.

Now that the kingdom of Israel had been reduced to the condition of an
Assyrian province, it was on Judah and its capital that the hopes of the
whole Hebrew nation were centred.

Tyre and Jerusalem had hitherto formed the extreme outwork of the Syrian
states; they were the only remaining barrier which separated the empires
of Egypt and Assyria, and it was to the interest of the Pharaoh to
purchase their alliance and increase their strength by every means in
his power. Negotiations must have been going on for some time between
the three powers, but up to the time of the death of Sargon and
the return of Merodach-baladan to Babylon their results had been
unimportant, and it was possible that the disasters which had befallen
the Kalda would tend to cool the ardour of the allies. An unforeseen
circumstance opportunely rekindled their zeal, and determined them to
try their fortune.

[Illustration: 023.jpg MAP OF THE CAMPAIGN OF SENNACHERIB IN JUDEA]

The inhabitants of Ekron, dissatisfied with Pad