— This chapter is a continuation of the account of Sennacherib's invasion of Judea commenced in the previous chapter. He "came up," as it is said, "against all the defenced cities of Judah, and took them, and then advanced on Jerusalem, with the object of doing the same for the Holy City as he had done for the rest.

In this, however, he was divinely circumvented. The blasphemous boasting, in which he placed Yahweh on a level with the idol-gods of the nations whom he had overthrown, met with its fitting reward in the miraculous destruction of his army to the extent of 185,000 men, accomplished by an angel in a single night.

The prayer of Hezekiah had doubtless something to do with this result. It is somewhat remarkable that the account of this very matter (less the destruction of Sennacherib's hosts) should have been found among the annals of the Assyrian King, but so it is, for the king makes the following reference to this as the last event in the record of his "third campaign," which took him to Syria, and which answers, as is supposed, to the third year of his reign:—

And Hezekiah, King of Judah, who had not bowed down at my feet.

Forty-six of his strong cities, his castles, and the smallest towns in their neighbourhood beyond number with warlike engines. . . . I attacked and captured.

200,150 people small and great, male and female, horses, mares, asses, camels, oxen, and sheep beyond number, from the midst of them I carried off, and distributed them as a spoil.

He himself, like a bird in a cage, inside Jerusalem, his royal city, I shut him up.

Siege-towers against him I constructed.

The exit of the gate of his city, to divide it, he had given command.

His cities which I plundered from his kingdom I cut off, and to Mitinti King of Ashdod, Padiah King of Ekron, and Izmi-Bel King of Gaza I gave them. I diminished his kingdom.

Beyond the former scale of their yearly gifts, their tribute and gifts to my majesty I augmented and improved upon them. He himself, Hezekiah, the fearful splendour of my majesty had overwhelmed him.

The workmen, soldiers, builders, whom for the fortification of Jerusalem, his royal city, he had collected within it, now carried tribute.

And with thirty talents of gold, 800 talents of silver, woven cloth, scarlet embroidered: precious stones of large size, couches of ivory, moveable thrones of ivory, skins of buffaloes, teeth of buffaloes, danwood, kirwood, a great treasure of every kind, and his daughters, and the male and female inmates of his palace made slaves, and female slaves; unto Nineveh my royal city, after me he sent, and to pay tribute and do homage he sent his envoy.

The Christadelphian, Aug 1889

16 O Yahweh hosts, Elohim of Israel, that dwellest between the cherubims, thou art Elohim, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth: thou hast made heaven and earth.

"O Yahweh of Hosts, Elohim of Israel, inhabiting the Cherubim, shine forth, Thou, He, the Mighty Ones (athtah-hu ha-Elohim). Thou alone of all the kingdoms of the earth; Thou didst make the heavens and the earth."

- PHANEROSIS .. 'Yahweh manifested in cherubim'