DEATH OF SENNACHERIB.

KING SENNACHERIB was permitted to escape from this terrible visitation, but his pride was humbled and his power defeated. He saw the soldiers whom he had led against Judah dropping dead in heaps before an unseen and irresistible power, and he fled in terror and despair. But all the horrors of that dreadful night were not revealed to him; he saw the brief agony and sudden death of thousands, but his flight saved him from beholding the ghastly pyramids of corpses which the morning sun revealed. He did not see the wild beasts crunching the bones of the dead, and the swarms of crows and vultures, attracted by the scent of death, hovering over that silent and fearful camp. He did not behold that terrible memento of the wrath of an offended God.

He fled to the gorgeous city of Nineveh, and there, in his stately palaces and luxurious pavilions, endeavoured to forget the check his pride and love of conquest had received. Abandoning himself to pleasure, he feasted in his beautiful gardens by the side of lofty fountains, or, seated on his throne of gold, which blazed with orient gems, he listened to the sounds of sweet music, and caressed his beautiful slaves.

But the grim figure of death was hiding among these scenes of beauty; a dark and unnatural treason was weaving its fatal web around the monarch. His own sons, Adrammelech and Sharezar, conspired to murder their father, and their detestable wickedness succeeded.

Sennacherib had called a solemn meeting in honour of the Assyrian idol Nisroch, and he offered a great sacrifice in the temple of this false god. When engaged in this act of idolatry, his two wicked sons each plunged their swords into his bosom, and he fell dead before the altar of the senseless deity whom he served.

DEATH OF SENNACHERIB.

KING SENNACHERIB was permitted to escape from this terrible visitation, but his pride was humbled and his power defeated. He saw the soldiers whom he had led against Judah dropping dead in heaps before an unseen and irresistible power, and he fled in terror and despair. But all the horrors of that dreadful night were not revealed to him; he saw the brief agony and sudden death of thousands, but his flight saved him from beholding the ghastly pyramids of corpses which the morning sun revealed. He did not see the wild beasts crunching the bones of the dead, and the swarms of crows and vultures, attracted by the scent of death, hovering over that silent and fearful camp. He did not behold that terrible memento of the wrath of an offended God.

He fled to the gorgeous city of Nineveh, and there, in his stately palaces and luxurious pavilions, endeavoured to forget the check his pride and love of conquest had received. Abandoning himself to pleasure, he feasted in his beautiful gardens by the side of lofty fountains, or, seated on his throne of gold, which blazed with orient gems, he listened to the sounds of sweet music, and caressed his beautiful slaves.

But the grim figure of death was hiding among these scenes of beauty; a dark and unnatural treason was weaving its fatal web around the monarch. His own sons, Adrammelech and Sharezar, conspired to murder their father, and their detestable wickedness succeeded.

Sennacherib had called a solemn meeting in honour of the Assyrian idol Nisroch, and he offered a great sacrifice in the temple of this false god. When engaged in this act of idolatry, his two wicked sons each plunged their swords into his bosom, and he fell dead before the altar of the senseless deity whom he served.

JOSIAH RECEIVING THE COVENANT.

JOSIAH ascended the throne of Judah when he was but eight years old; but he proved to be a righteous king, and was exceedingly anxious that the temple of the Lord should be put in thorough repair. While the carpenters and masons were at work in the sacred edifice, Hilkiah, the high priest, by a happy chance, discovered the book of the law, which had been lost. He immediately sent it to the king by the hand of Shaphan, the scribe, and Shaphan read it before the king.

When Josiah heard the words of the inspired book, he tore his robe and uttered a cry of terror, for he saw that his people had departed from the commands of the Lord, and that heavy curses were denounced against them. He sent Hilkiah to Huldah, the prophetess, to inquire of the Lord concerning the book that was found. That holy woman answered, "Thus saith the Lord, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the words of the book which the king of Judah hath read; but the king himself shall be spared the sight of this desolation, and shall go down to his grave in peace."

Then King Josiah, hoping to divert the wrath of God, called a solemn gathering of the priests, prophets, and people in the temple; and he stood by a pillar, and made a covenant before the Lord that he, and all assembled, should keep his commandments with their whole hearts and souls, and act according to all the words written in the discovered book.

And all the people bowed reverently, and accepted the covenant with the king. Then Josiah put down all the idolatrous priests, and destroyed the altars that had been erected to Baal, and to the sun, and moon, and stars; and he cut down the sacred groves, and turned them into sepulchres for the dead.