them higher. He made many other preparations for the defence of the
city, and went among his people, exhorting them to trust in God, and
be of good courage. But Sennacherib sent messengers to induce those
that guarded the walls of the city to revolt against Hezekiah, saying,
"Do not believe this Hezekiah when he tells you that your God will
deliver you; hath any of the nations against which I have made war
been delivered by their gods?"

When Hezekiah heard these words he went into the house of the Lord,
and sent messengers to Isaiah, asking for his prayers. Isaiah said to
them, "Thus saith the Lord, 'Be not afraid of the words with which the
King of Assyria hath blasphemed Me. I will send a blast upon him, and
he shall return and shall fall by the sword in his own land.'"
Afterwards the King of Assyria sent a letter to Hezekiah, in which he
repeated his sneers at the power of God. When Hezekiah read it, he
went into the house of the Lord, and spreading the letter before the
Lord, prayed for His help. God answered, by the mouth of Isaiah, that
the King of Assyria should not enter Jerusalem, nor shoot over it, but
be turned back the way he came. And the same night the angel of the
Lord went into the camp of the Assyrians, and smote one hundred and
eighty-five thousand. Then Sennacherib returned to Nineveh, and as he
was worshipping in the house of his god, there came to him two of his
sons, who killed him.

[Illustration: HEZEKIAH LAYING THE LETTER BEFORE GOD.]




THE BRAVE HEBREW BOYS.