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JEHOIAKIM AND THE PEOPLE OF IS

RAEL LED INTO CAPTIVITY.

JEHOIAKIM ascended the throne of Jerusalem in the six hundred and tenth year before Christ, but continuing to follow the vicious course of his predecessor, he drew down upon himself the indignation of heaven, and was visited with a signal chastisement. Within a few years after his accession to the throne, having grievously oppressed the people with taxes to satisfy the avaricious demands of Pharaoh king of Egypt, who had placed him upon the throne, Nebuchadnezzar with a large army approached Jerusalem, to which he laid siege. Jehoiakim, who was a dastardly and weak prince, was so terrified at the approach of the Babylonish army, that he went out to meet the invader, accompanied by his mother and all the chief persons of his kingdom; and supplicating the clemency of Nebuchadnezzar, resigned his crown, and submitted to the degraded condition of a captive. He was immediately put in chains and sent to Babylon with his family, and a vast number of captives. This happened in the eighth year of his reign. Nebuchadnezzar not only made the king of Jerusalem and his people captive, but "he carried out thence all the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king's house, and cut in pieces all the vessels of gold which Solomon, king of Israel, had made in the temple of the Lord, as the Lord had said. And he carried away all Jerusalem, and all the princes, and all the mighty men of valour, even ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and smiths; none remained save the poorest sort of the people of the land." In the accompanying illustration, the immense host of the Jews are seen on their march as captives towards Babylon, which appears in the distance, its mighty walls laved by the river Euphrates, flowing in tranquil majesty beneath them. In the foreground are the waggons loaded with the rich spoils of the temple. On the left, behind the captives, appears the rear guard of the Babylonish army.

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JERUSALEM TAKEN CAPTIVE INTO BABYLON.

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