Illustrated bible History - Catholic Apologetics Information

182 HIRTORY OF TEE OLD TESTAI+~ICNT.
peal prophet Jcremins, who liwd :~t tha~t tinic, endeavor to
rc:oall thcln to rcpelltancc. Firlallp tllc pLzticn[:~ ol thc merciful
Gocl was cxha.ustec1, and the ruin so of'tcn lu'uretolrl 1)~'
thc prophet lsaias fcll heiz~ily on tllc people.
2. In tl~c year 606 before Christ, JMabucl~odanosor, king of
Babylon, placed himself at t,Im head of an immense army,
maxched agajnst Jeruvrtlem; and, having ta1;en it, culicti
away the king oild the prineip:ll iahaI>ita~lts as ca1)iives.
Rixteen yca,rs Inter, those who rverc. left in Jcrusl~lem, rcbroltctl
against Nabnchodonosor, und the latter returned rvith :L
still greatcr nrny, anil, after ,z siegc of eighteen months, he
took Jer~zsalcm by stonn.
3. Then the whole city was given up to firc and pillage.
The temple itself was con~~~~ncd by fire, and tllc sacred vesscls
mere carried off. A11 the people that cscnped the ~worcl
wcrc led into captivity in Bllbglon, and thc splendicl city of
.Jcrusalern waa rcducecl to n ]leap of ruins.
4. Jeren~ias remdncd in Scrusalem, and sitting on the
ruins dille dcsolate city he lamc~~tc?d in the 111ost pathetic
nianncr the miscries of his people arid tllc thtiatmction 01
Jcrusdem. " JCow (10th thc city sit solitary that was full of
pcople; how is the n~istresu of nations hocome as a widow;
the princess of pru\~inccs made tributal*y? The ways uPSion
luourn because there are none that come to the solemn feast.
0 all ye that pass by the way, attend, and seF if there Bc any
sorrow lilrc to lrip sorrow. To -\v11J shall 1 compare thcc, or
to what hall I likcn thee ? Great nr; the sea is thy defitruction.
Who shall hcnl thee? Convert us 0 Lord to Thec,
and we shall be converted; renew our dny~, as from the bcgili~ling."
5, Jeremim, honrevcr, was not without consolation. Hc
knew that Xsrr~el mould bc restored and that God would
make a new cotrena~lt with fIis pt!ople. '( The days shall
comc, snith the Lord, ;uld I will n~nke n new covenant with
N~nucnn~o~oson (pr, Knlru-ko-do'-no-xor).