R22 KING AHAZIAH.

lying dead upon the ground; there | were three days gathering it. When
was not one there to hurt Judah. | they had finished, they all came to-
But who had killed them? Not! gether, and blessed and thanked
Jehoshaphat; not his army; it was | God for subduing their enemies;
God Himself who had subdued them | and then they went home to Jeru-
all. When the people began to sing | salem, to the temple, playing on
their psalms of praise, God began | harps and trumpets, and shouting
to save them from their enemies. | for joy. All the countries round,
The Ammonites, and Moabites, and | heard about this wonderful victory ;
the people of Mount Seir had quarrel- | and they feared God very much, for
led and fought one against another, they saw how powerful He was.
till all were killed: and when Ju- | God gave rest and peace to Jehosha-
dah came to the battle, they found | phat, because he trusted in Him
no enemies left to conquer. So they | alone, and not in his own strength.
went to the dead bodies, and took | God is now as powerful as He was
oft all the fine things that were upon | then; and he is still willing to hear
them. There was so much spoil, | his people’s prayers, and to comfort
that Jehoshaphat and his soldiers | and save them in all their troubles,

 

 

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inc (PHAZIAN,

e\[HAZIAH, Ahab’s son,| Then an angel came to Elbyjah
<)| was now king of Israel, | from God, and said, “ Why does
“AY)| He was a wicked man| Ahaziah seek Baal-zebub in his
(| like his father. Ahaziah sickness, and not the true God, the

was not taught to love| God of Israel? Go, and tell Aha-
God when he was young. His pa-| ziah that he shall not recover from
rents worshipped idols, and taught | his illness, but shall surely die.”
Ahaziah to do so too. It is sad for} Elijah arose directly and went to
children to have wicked parents— | Samaria, and soon he met the king’s
fathers and mothers who do not care | messengers who were going to
about God, and who teach their! Ekron. Elijah told them what God
children to love the world and sin. | had said, and sent the messengers

Ahaziah did not reign many years, | back to tell their master. The king
and the end of his life was very | wondered to see them again so soon,
sad. Ife fell down from a high win- | and he asked, « Why do you return 2”
dow, and was taken up much hurt. | They answered, “ Because we met a
But in his sickness, this wicked | man who told us, that God has
king did not seek the Lord, the true | said, thou shalt not recover, but
God, who alone could save him;!| must die very soon, because thou
but he sent to an idol god, Baal- | hast sought Baal-zebub, and not the
zebub, the god of Ekron, to ask if} God of Israel.” Then the king
he should live or die. | asked, “ Who is the man who sends