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The Chosen People - A Compendium of Sacred and Church History for School-Children by Charlotte Mary Yonge
page 34 of 244 (13%)
She was bent on reigning, and savagely murdered all her grandsons who
fell into her hands; but as the House of David was never to fail, one
tender branch, the infant Joash, was hidden from her fury by his aunt,
the wife of the High Priest Jehoiada; and when the fitting time was
come, the Levites were armed, and the people were shown their little
king. They acknowledged him with shouts of joy, and Athaliah coming to
see the cause of the outcry, was dragged out of the Temple and put
to death. Jerusalem was cleansed from the worship of Baal, and all
prospered as long as the good Jehoiada lived. After his death, however,
Joash fell away grievously, and promoted idol worship; nay, he even slew
the son of his preserver, Jehoiada, for bringing him a Divine rebuke,
and for this iniquity his troops suffered a great defeat from the
Syrians, and his servants slew him as he lay sick on his bed in 838. His
son Amaziah began well, obeying the Lord by dismissing the Ephraimites
whom he had hired to aid him against the Edomites, and he was therefore
rewarded with a great victory; but so strangely blind was he, that he
brought home the vain gods of Edom and worshipped them. He too was slain
by rebels in the flower of his age, leaving his son Uzziah, also called
Azariah, to succeed him at sixteen years old. Uzziah met with such
success at first, that his heart was lifted up, and in his pride he
endeavoured to intrude into the priest's office, and burn incense on the
Altar; but even while striving with the High Priest, the leprosy broke
out white on his brow, setting him apart, to live as an outcast from
religious services for ever. His son Jotham became the governor of the
kingdom during his lifetime, and afterwards reigned alone till the year
759, when he was succeeded by his son Ahaz, one of the worst and most
idolatrous of the Kings of Judah. The Syrians made alliance with Israel,
and terribly ravaged Judea, till Jerusalem stood alone in the midst
of desolation; and Ahaz, instead of turning to the Lord, tried to
strengthen himself by fresh heathen alliances, though the prophet Isaiah
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