presume to regard themselves as instruments of God's judgments, forgetful of the guilt which

res ted upon themselves? Nay, let them know that wrath was already upon them, alike for their

sins, for this fratricidal war, and now for their purpose of enslaving their brethren - and let them

set their captives free.

There is not the least reason for ques tioning the accuracy of this narrative,* nor yet of that of the

effectual intervention on behalf of the captives of four of the heads of houses in Ephraim, whose

names have been handed down to honor.

* This has been done by certain critics. Unwilling as we are to use hard language, not only in this,

but in most of the difficulties raised by that school of critics, it seems not easy to determine

whether their ingenuity is greater in raising objections that are ungrounded, or in constructing a

history of their own.

The latter is a further confirmation of the historical character of the report. Indeed, even if it had

not been recorded, we should have expected some such intervention. The more serious party in

Israel, whether friends or foes of Pekah, must have disapproved of such an undertaking as that of

their king. There had previously been wars between Israel and Judah; but never one in which

Israel had joined a heathen power for the purpose of overthrowing the house of David, and placing

on its throne a Sy rian adventurer. It must have awakened every religious and national feeling; and

the sight of 200,000 Judean women and children driven into Samaria, weary, footsore, hungry, and

in rags, to be sold as slaves, would evoke not satisfaction, but abhorrence and indignation. It is to

this that we understand the four princes to refer when speaking of the "trespass" already

committed by this war, and warning against adding to it by retaining the captives as slaves. As we

realize the scene, we do not wonder at the intervention of the princes, nor at the popular reaction

when the words of the prophet roused them to full consciousness of their wrong. Nor, taking

merely the political view of it, could princes or people have been blind to the folly of weakening

Judah and entangling themselves in a war with Tiglath-pileser.

As so often in similar circumstances, the revulsion of popular feeling was immediate and

complete. The spoil and the captives were handed over to "the princes;" those who had lately been

prisoners we re tenderly cared for as brethren and honored guests,* and brought back to the Judean

border-city Jericho.** Without presuming to affirm that this episode was in the mind of our Lord

when He spoke the parable of "the Good Samaritan," there is that in the b earing of these men who

are expressed by names*** which reminds us of the example and the lessons in that teaching of

* They were, "anointed," and the weak among them carried back on asses.

** Looking back upon this episode, it has been suppos ed by some critics that the narratives in 2

Kings and 2 Chronicles relate to two different campaigns - a theory in itself utterly improbable.

Without entering on a formal discussion of critical questions, it is hoped that the account given in

the text either anticipates or removes the objections advanced. An excellent monograph on the

subject is that of Caspari: Uber den Syrischephraemit. Krieg (Christiania, 1849, 101 pages). That

scholar places the events recorded in 2 Chronicles 28:5, etc., between the first and the second half

of 2 Kings 16:5 (Caspari, u.s., p. 101). But readers of Caspari's monograph will perceive that in

some important particulars our view of the course of events differs from that of Dr. Caspari.

*** That is, their names were recorded in perpetuam rei memoriam. A noble fact this; nor was, in

all likelihood, participation in this good deed limited to the four princes.

Another suggestion we would venture to make. It will be remembered that when Isaiah was

directed to meet King Ahaz he was to go not alone, but accompanied by his son, Shear Yashub

(Isaiah 7:3). The meaning of this evidently symbolical name is "A remnant shall return." May that