Thus, in a little more than two centuries after the separation of the ten tribes from those of Judah and Benjamin, were they destroyed as a nation, having, on account of their great sins, previously suffered an awful series of calamities.

JEWS.

12. The kingdom of JUDAH from the commencement of this period enjoyed but a doubtful existence. It was invaded at different times by the Babylonians, rendered tributary, and finally subdued.

Nebuchadnezzar, within 115 years after the destruction of Samaria, took Jerusalem, and razed the city and its temple to its foundations.

§ During the latter part of the kingdom of Judah, the greater portion of its kings were impious. Two or three of them, however,` were eminently religious. Such were Hezekiah and Josiah. They were both of them reformers, and destroyed the altars of idolatry.

The idolatry of Ahaz was punished by the captivity of 200,000 of his subjects, though they were afterwards sent back upon the remonstrance of the prophet Obed. Manasseh, an impious and cruel prince, was carried to Babylon, bound with fetters. This affliction, becoming the means of his repentance, God heard his supplications, and brought him again into his kingdom.

13. Under Jehoiachin, who was carried captive to Babylon, together with his people, commenced the Seventy years. Captivity of the Jews, 606 B. C. The king was afterwards released, but remained tributary to the king of Babylon.

§ In the reign of Zedekiah, the next but one in succession after Jehoiachin, Jerusalem was taken by the Babylonians, and entirely demolished. Zedekiah, after seeing all his children slain, had his eyes put out, and was brought in fetters to Babylon.

14. The Jews having been in captivity to the Babylonians just 70 years, were permitted, by Cyrus, king of Persia, to return to their native land, 536 years B. C. This was accomplished under the direction of Zerubbabel and Joshua, their leaders.

They soon began the rebuilding of the temple, but their enemies prevented them from making any progress. Several years afterwards they commenced the work anew, and completed it in the space of four years, 516 B. C. Upon this event they celebrated the first passover.

§ The return of the Jews from their captivity happened the first year of Cyrus, who, as we shall soon learn, had conquered Babylon, and terminated the Babylonian empire.

The influence of adversity on many of the Jews, seems to have

been very favorable on this occasion. It brought them to repentance, and engaged them in the worship and ordinances of their re ligion. The vessels of the temple, which Nebuchadnezzar had brought with him from Jerusalem, were all restored by the Persian monarch.

NINEVEH.

15. Of the three kingdoms into which the ancient Assyrian empire was divided upon the death of Sardanapalus, NINEVEH OF Assyria comes first in order. Its first king is supposed to have been Tiglath Pileser, 747 B. C. A few of his successors, during this period, were Salmanazar, Sennacherib, Esarhaddon, Nebuchadnezzar, and Belshazzar.

Under the last of these kings the kingdom of Nineveh ended. Babylon, its capital, was taken by Cyaxares II. aided by Cyrus, and Belshazzar was killed, 538 years B. C.

§ Salmanazar was the sovereign mentioned above, in the history of the Israelites. He destroyed the kingdom of the Ten Tribes.

Of Sennacherib it is recorded in his war with the Jews, that having written a letter to Hezekiah full of blasphemy against the God of Israel, God, in order to punish him, when he was just ready to take Jerusalem, sent an angel, who in one night smote 185,000 men of his army.

Covered with shame, he returned to his own country, and there his two eldest sons conspired against and killed him in the temple of Nisroch.

About 108 years after this prince, Nebuchadnezzar began to reign over the kingdom of Nineveh. He signalized his reign by many conquests, particularly of Syria, Palestine, and Egypt.

His heart being elated with success, God, to punish him for his pride, reduced him to such a state of insanity, that, wandering in the forests, he lived upon grass, like a wild beast. He recovered twelve months before his death, and, by a solemn edict, published throughout the whole of his dominions the astonishing things that God had wrought in him.

Labynit, or the scripture Belshazzar, became peculiarly infamous," by profanely using the holy vessels which Nebuchadnezzar had brought out of the spoils of the temple. He was at length besieged by Cyaxares II. king of the Medes, in conjunction with Cyrus.

During the siege he made a great entertainment for his whole court on a certain night; but their joy was greatly disturbed by a vision, and still more by the explanation which Daniel, the prophet, a Jew ish captive, gave of it to the king, that his kingdom was taken from him, and delivered to the Medes and Persians. That very night Babylon was taken and Belshazzar killed.

BABYLON.

16. BABYLON, the next kingdom in order of the second em

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pire of Assyria, continued separate not quite 70 years. bonassar was its first king. After a few successive reigns, and interregnums, it was subdued by Esarhaddon, one of the kings of Nineveh, and annexed to his dominions, 680 B. C.

The famous astronomical epocha at Babylon, called the era of Nabonassar, commenced from the reign of this prince. We are unacquainted with the history of his successors, only Merodach seems to be the same prince who sent ambassadors to Hezekiah, to congratulate him on the recovery of his health.

MEDES.

17. The last in order of the kingdoms that constituted the second empire of Assyria was that of the MEDES. After the destruction of the first Assyrian empire, the Medes enjoyed for some time the liberty they had acquired by their valour. They formed a republic; but anarchy having prevailed, they elected a king after 37 years.

Dejoces, the first king, was elected 690 years B. C. The fourth king after him, viz. Cyaxares II. or Darius the Mede, having with his nephew, Cyrus, conquered Babylon, reigned over it two years in conjunction with Cyrus; after which the kingdom of the Medes, and indeed the whole Assyrian empire, was united to that of Persia, 536 years B. C.

§ The Medes are supposed to be the descendants of Madai, the third son of Japhet, from whom they derived their name. They seem to have been independent tribes at first, and not to have been united under one monarchy till the time of Dejoces.

They were governed by petty princes, and some are of opinion, that one of the four kings, who in the time of Abraham, invaded the southern coast of Canaan, reigned in Media. They were first brought into subjection to the Assyrian yoke by Ninus.

Some time after they had shaken off this yoke, they were governed by kings of their own, who became absolute, and were controlled by no law. Of Dejoces it is recorded, that he no sooner ascended the throne, than he endeavoured to civilize and polish his subjects. He built the beautiful city of Ecbatana, and made it the capital of his empire.

He then contrived a code of laws for the good of the state, and caused them to be strictly obeyed. In a war with Nebuchadnezzar I. his capital was plundered, and stripped of all its ornaments, and falling into the conqueror's hands, he was cruelly shot to death with

arrows.

Phraortes, his successor, was much more fortunate, and conquered almost all upper Asia. Cyaxares I. a brave prince, made war upon the kingdom of Nineveh, to avenge the wrongs inflicted by Nebuchednezzar. A battle ensued, in which the Ninevites or Assyrians

were defeated; but a formidable army of the Scythians having invaded Media, Cyaxares marched with all his forces against them.

The Medes, however, were vanquished, and obliged to make an alliance with the Scythians, who settled in Media, where they remained for 28 years. Finding that they could not get rid of their troublesome guests by force, they effected it by stratagem. The Scythians being invited to a general feast, which was given in every family, each landlord made his guest drunk, and in that condition massacred him.

After this event, Cyaxares entered into a war with the Lydians. This war continued five years. The battle fought in the fifth year, was remarkable on account of a total eclipse of the sun, which appened during the engagement, and which was foretold by Thales, the philosopher.

The Medes and Lydians, equally terrified, immediately retreated, and soon after concluded a peace. Two more princes succeeded, viz. Astyages and Cyaxares II. Astyages married his daughter to Cambyses, king of Persia, of which marriage Cyrus was the issue. After the death of Cyaxares, Cyrus united the kingdoms of the Medes and Persians.

PERSIA.

18. From the days of Cyrus the Great, 536 years B. C. the PERSIAN empire holds a distinguished place in ancient history. It was originally of small extent, and almost unknown; but after being founded by Cyrus, it included all India, Assyria, Media, and Persia, and the parts adjoining to the Euxine and Caspian Seas. It is sometimes called the Medo-Persian empire.

Cyrus is represented as a prince of an excellent character, and he obtained the surname of Great, from his heroic actions and splendid achievements. Having undertaken an expedition against the Scythians, he was surprised and slain by means of an ambuscade from the enemy, 529 years B.C.

He was succeeded by his son Cambyses, who is called in scripture Artaxerxes, and who added Egypt to his empire. Cambyses was succeeded by Darius, 522 years B. C., the son of Hystaspes, who by a stratagem obtained the sovereignty.

§ The first inhabitants of Persia were called Elamites, and descended from Elam the eldest son of Shem. During, however, more than 16 centuries we have little information relative to their history. Chederlaomer, the only king of Elam recorded in history, conquered the king of Sodom, but was defeated by Abraham. This incident is mentioned in Scripture.

Cyrus was born but one year after his uncle Cyaxares. The manners of the Persians were admirable in those days, great simplicity of dress, and food, and behaviour, universally prevailed, so that Cyrus

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was plainly and wisely educated, as he was treated like other chil dren of his own age. But he surpassed them all, not only in aptness to learn, but in courage and in address.

When he was yet a boy, his mother took him to visit his grandfather, but the pride and luxury of the court of Media quite surprised and disgusted him. Astyages was so charmed with the sensible conversation and artless manners of the prince, that he loaded him with presents. Cyrus, however, gave them all away to the courtiers, according to their merits, or their services rendered to himself.

Sacas, the cup-bearer, he neglected, because he did not let him visit Astyages when he pleased; and when Astyages lamented his neglect of so good an officer, "Oh,” said the young prince, "there is not much merit in being a good cup-bearer; I can do as well myself." He then took the cup, and handed it to his mother with great modesty and gracefulness.

Astyages admired his skill, but laughingly observed, "the young waiter had forgotten one thing." Cyrus. "To taste the wine before you handed it to me and your mo"What have I forgotten?" asked ther." "I did not forget that, but I did not choose to swallow poison."

"Poison!" exclaimed the king. "Yes, there must be poison in the cup, for they who drink of it sometimes grow giddy and sick, and fall down." "Then do you never drink in your country?" inquired Astyages. "Yes, but we only drink to satisfy thirst, and then a little water suffices."

Many similar anecdotes are recorded of this prince, which may be learnt from larger histories. Having reduced all the nations from the Ægean sea to the Euphrates, he advanced towards Babylon, and at length entered it by stratagem. Having caused deep and large ditches to be dug all around it, he, on a certain night, when all the Babylonians were engaged in feasting and merriment, ordered the dams of the ditches to be thrown open, that the waters of the Euphrates might run into them.

By this means, the channel of the river, which ran through the city, was left dry, so that the troops entered it without opposition. The guards were surprised and slain, together with the king and all his family. The kingdom of Babylon was thus destroyed for ever.

Two years after this, Cyrus reigned over his vast empire alone during seven years, in the first of which he published the famous edict for the return of the Jews.

Of Cambyses, the son of Cyrus, it is recorded that he conquered Egypt, which remained under the Persian yoke 112 years. He made himself master of Pelusium, the key of Egypt, by the following stratagem. He placed in front of his army a great number of those animals considered sacred by the Egyptians, who not daring to injure them, made no opposition to the Persian army.

After an impostor named Smerdis, who reigned 7 months, Darius, a descendant of Cyrus on the mother's side, ascended the throne. In his time it was that the Jews were permitted to rebuild their temple. After a war against the Scythians, he turned his arms, as we shall soon see, against the Greeks.