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| Of the Varying Condition of Both the Hebrew Kingdoms, Until the People of Both Were at Different Times Led into Captivity, Judah Being Afterwards Recalled into His Kingdom, Which Finally Passed into the Power of the Romans. PREVIOUS SECTION - NEXT SECTION - HELP
Chapter 23.—Of the Varying
Condition of Both the Hebrew Kingdoms, Until the People of Both
Were at Different Times Led into Captivity, Judah Being Afterwards
Recalled into His Kingdom, Which Finally Passed into the Power of
the Romans.
So also in the kingdom of Judah
pertaining to Jerusalem prophets were not lacking even in the times
of succeeding kings, just as it pleased God to send them, either
for the prediction of what was needful, or for correction of sin
and instruction in righteousness;1132 for there, too, although far less
than in Israel, kings arose who grievously offended God by their
impieties, and, along with their people, who were like them, were
smitten with moderate scourges. The no small merits of the pious
kings there are praised indeed. But we read that in Israel the
kings were, some more, others less, yet all wicked. Each part,
therefore, as the divine providence either ordered or permitted,
was both lifted up by prosperity and weighed down by adversity of
various kinds; and it was afflicted not only by foreign, but also
by civil wars with each other, in order that by certain existing
causes the mercy or anger of God might be manifested; until, by His
growing indignation, that whole nation was by the conquering
Chaldeans not only overthrown in its abode, but also for the most
part transported to the lands of the Assyrians,—first, that part
of the thirteen tribes called Israel, but afterwards Judah also,
when Jerusalem and that most noble temple was cast down,—in which
lands it rested seventy years in captivity. Being after that time
sent forth thence, they rebuilt the overthrown temple. And
although very many stayed in the lands of the strangers, yet the
kingdom no longer had two separate parts, with different kings over
each, but in Jerusalem there was
one prince over them; and at
certain times, from every direction wherever they were, and from
whatever place they could, they all came to the temple of God which
was there. Yet not even then were they without foreign enemies
and conquerors; yea, Christ found them tributaries of the
Romans.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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