Illustrated bible History - Catholic Apologetics Information

162 HIBTUIIY OF THE OLD TESTABIENT.
3. Thosc of this mixed race who settlcd in the northern
part of' tl~c c!onqtry were cnllcd Galileans ; tl~osc 15410 lived
in the soutll wcrc c:~lled S:unnriL~ns, from S~maria, thc nnc,icnt
capital of Idle kingclorn ; and tl.iose ~vlio c111~clt 1)ryond the
Jordnn wcrc czllod Pereaas. 'I'l~c: religion of tllcsa districts
was n rnixtl~rc of Jntlnhn nncl Pnganis1-n ; lleace tl~cy l~ntctd
the t~vo tri t~es of Jncla aild Denj amin, who had remained true
to thc old rt:ligion.
4. Thosc w110 wcrc talretl captive to Assyria never returncd
to their 0 ~11 country. Etill God ciid not fnil to give numerous
proofs of His watchful cnrc ovcr those unhappy cxi1t:s. One
of the nlost rc~~~nrl~al~lc of Bcsc insta11c:t:s is found in the
history of the good Tobins. Whcn he was in lliv onrn conntry,
ancl in his earliast years, hc ncver associated with the
wickcd; never went to adore thc golden calf, but lrept the
law of God r?xactly.
5, Hence, Cod protected him in tlic lanL1 of captivity, ~ nd
ca~~sccl hirrz io fincl fnvor in $11~ sight of S~lmanaz,zr, who allorved
him to go wllcrevcr l~ ~vislled. Hc wont, nccordindy,
to all his fcllow-captives, col~soling ancl cnconr;qing tllem.
He shared with tllern a11 BO POSSC~S~~, fed tllcnl when they
were hungry, ancl clothed them when naked, His life was
spent in ~ucll r~-orks of c11:uity.
6. King Bnl~naunanr bcing dead, Sennacherib L hia son,
who succeeded him on the Bronc, was not so favorable t.0
Tobias, and put Illany of the Israelites to death. But To-
bias, fearing God more than the liing, hid the wodics of
his brctI1rei1 in his house, and buried thcni by night. The
Iriug, having beard this, sentenced Tobias to death, and took
away all his prop crty .
7. Tobias fled will^ his wife and son, and remained con-
cedecl in a place of safety, till the death of the wicked king,
who forty days lntcr was lrilled by his olvll sons. Then To-
bins returned, and ill1 his propcrty\vere restored t~ him. 13ut
the persecution against tlle Israelites was still mging, ~o
1 Srxxbcnmrn (pr. Scn-ak'-crib.)