CHAPTER XXIX: MANASSEH (B.C. 686-641) [29]351

THE GREAT DELIVERANCE (B.C. 701) [28]331

Embassy of the Turtan, the Rabsaris, and the Rabshakeh--Misery and licence in the city--The conference--Oration of the Rabshakeh--Its effect on the king's ministers and on the people--Taunting insults of the Rabshakeh--Faithfulness and self-control of the people--Heroic faith of Isaiah--Failure of the embassy--Sennacherib's threatening letter--Hezekiah's prayer--Isaiah promises deliverance in the name of Jehovah--The sign--The angel of death--Scene of the catastrophe--The Egyptian tradition of Sethos and the mice--Death and burial of Hezekiah--The campaign as recorded on the Assyrian monuments--The triumph of indomitable faith--Grandeur of Isaiah--Wane of Assyria--Beautiful tolerance of Isaiah.

MANASSEH (B.C. 686-641) [29]351

The name Manasseh--His tender age--Influence of evil counsellors--Heathenising party--Their dislike of Hezekiah's reformation and of the exclusive worship of Jehovah--Tendency to trust in sacrifices and asceticism--Sanctification of licence--Arguments of the heathenisers--Disparagement of the work of Isaiah--Doubts and disbelief--Influence of the bamoth-priests--Reliance on Assyria--The immoral and idolatrous reaction--1. Restoration of the bamoth, and arguments in their favour--2. Adoption of Phoenician nature-worship--3. Assyrian Sabaism and star-worship--Connivance of the priests--4. Canaanite Moloch-worship--5. Mesopotamian Shamanism--6. The Asherah--Denunciation of the prophets--Persecution and the shedding of innocent blood--Asserted captivity, repentance, and reforming energy of Manasseh--Difficulties of the story--Reign of Amon (b.c. 641-639)--Wretchedness of his reign--Zephaniah and Jeremiah--Murder of Amon.