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mother, his wives, his officers, all the mighty of the land. These, and all the best craftsmen and smiths, and all the treasure of the city, Nebuchadnezzar carried to Babylon.

Well might the prophet Jeremiah cry out, "How doth the city sit solitary, that was full of people! how is she become as a widow! she that was great among nations, and princess among the provinces, how is she become tributary!... Her adversaries are the chief, her enemies prosper; for the LORD hath afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions; her children are gone into captivity before the enemy."

Nebuchadnezzar placed a younger son of Josiah's upon the throne-Zedekiah. Zedekiah was as bad as any of his forefathers. He would not hearken to the warnings which the LORD spoke by Jeremiah, and threw the prophet into prison because he foretold the troubles that were coming. He was still in prison when the king of Babylon took Jerusalem. This was in the ninth year of Zedekiah's reign, when, because the king of Judah rebelled against his master, Nebuchadnezzar besieged the city. After four months' siege, the king tried to escape, but he was taken prisoner, and

brought to Babylon, where his eyes were put out and his children killed. Nebuchadnezzar also broke down the walls of Jerusalem, and burnt the Temple, the king's palace, and all the great men's houses in the city. The people who had escaped the sword were carried prisoners to Babylon, and Jerusalem was left utterly desolate and ruined.

"The LORD hath accomplished His fury; He hath poured out His fierce anger, and hath kindled a fire in Zion, and it hath devoured the foundations thereof."

The LORD had fulfilled His threats, but how He yet loved His chosen people, we know.

"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem! thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not."

JOSEPH MASTERS AND CO., PRINTERS, ALDERSGATE STREET.

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