it come to
pass. For the head of Syria is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is
Rezin: and the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is
Remaliah's son. If ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be
established."

(But the effort of the prophet was wholly without effect.)

So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, saying, "I
am thy servant and thy son: come up, and save me out of the hand of
the king of Syria and out of the hand of the king of Israel, which
rise up against me."

And Ahaz took the silver and gold that was found in the house of the
Lord, and in the treasures of the king's house, and sent it for a
present to the king of Assyria. And the king of Assyria hearkened unto
him: and the king of Assyria went up against Damascus, and took it,
and carried the people of it captive to Kir, and slew Rezin.

(Many years passed away. The prophet tried to make his people better,
but often without success. He tried to get the rulers to trust in
Jehovah rather than in armies and the aid of foreign kings. Sometimes
he succeeded, but more often he failed. The land was still subject to
Assyria, and had paid heavy tribute ever since Ahaz had hired the king
of Assyria to help him against the Northern kings. Other lands were
also under the yoke of Assyria, and all of them wanted to win their
freedom. At last the king of Babylon sent messengers to these other
countries to see if he could not get {268} their kings to join in
revolt against Assyria. But Isaiah did not favor this alliance, for
this also was trusting, not to Jehovah, but to armies and foreign
kings.)

At that time Merodach-baladan the son of Baladan, king of Babylon,
sent letters and a present to Hezekiah: for he heard that he had been
sick, and was recovered. And Hezekiah was glad of them, and shewed
them the house of his precious things, the silver, and the gold, and
the spices, and the precious oil, and all the house of his armour, and
all that was found in his treasures: there was nothing in his house,
nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah shewed them not. Then came
Isaiah the prophet unto King Hezekiah, and said unto him, "What said
these men? and from whence came they unto thee?"

And Hezekiah said, "They are come from a far country unto me, even
from Babylon."

Then said he, "What have they seen in thine house?"

And Hezekiah answered, "All that is in mine house have they seen:
there is nothing among my treasures that