NOTICES IN KINGS
AND CHRONICLES.
15
CHAPTER II. NOTICES
OF
BABYLON" IX THE BOOKS CHRONICLES.
OF
KINGS
AND
SCRIPTURE is silent on the subject of Babylon through the whole period from Genesis to Kings.* Israel, during the sojourn in Egypt, the wanderings in the wilderness, the time of the Judges, and the greater part of the time of the Kings, was never brought in contact with Babylonia or Babylonians ; and Scripture, which traces the religious history of the people of God, has therefore no occasion to mention the southern Mesopotamian power. Another power has interposed itself between Israel and Babylon the great empire of Assyria and has barred the path by which alone It is not till Assyria, they could readily communicate. nncTer the Sargonida3, is seriously threatening the independence of both countries, that a common danger brings them together, and Babylon once more claims the attention of the sarrrd historians. The first notice of Babylon in the Books of Kings is the following :
" At that time
" Berodach[the time of Hezekiah's illness] Baladan, the sou of Baladan, King of Babylon, sent letters and a present unto Hczekiah : for he had heard that llezekiah had been sick. And Hczekiah hearkened unto them, and showed them all the house of his precious things, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the precious ointment, and all the house of his armor, and all that was found in his treasures there was nothing in his house, nor in all 2 Kings xx., 12. 13. his dominion, that Hezekiah showed them not." "
:
The same circumstance is related, almost in the same words, by the prophet Isaiah, in one of his historical chapIsaiah says " At that time Merodach-Baladan, the son of Baladan, king cf for he had heard Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah that he had been sick, and was recovered. And Hezekiah teas ylad of them, and showed them the house of his precious things, the ISA. xxxix. 1, 2. silver, and the gold," etc. " * The " coveted by Achan ( Josh.vii. 21) Babylonish garment scarcely constitutes an exception.
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