DIGGING IN THE MOUND WHICH COVERS THE ANCIENT CITY OF LACHISH.
From a photograph of the Palestine Exploration Fund and used by special permission.
Lachish, a very ancient city, was captured by the Hebrews when they first came into Palestine. It was an important military post, guarding the passes into southern Judea. It was captured by Sennacherib in the great raid when he took "all the fenced cities of Judah." Assyrian sculpture has been found depicting this siege of Lachish. About 120 years later, the city was again captured by Nebuchadnezzar when he carried the people into captivity. When the people returned it was again occupied. The pictures show the excavation in the mound which covers the site of this very ancient city. In this mound there are 14 layers of ruins one above the other. Important tablets dating before the first occupation of the Hebrews have been found.
And Azariah the chief priest, of the house of Zadok, answered him and said, "Since the people began to bring the oblations into the house of the Lord, we have eaten and had enough, and have left plenty: for the Lord hath blessed his people; and that which is left is this great store." Then Hezekiah commanded to prepare chambers in the house of the Lord; and they prepared them.
After these things, and this faithfulness, Sennacherib king of Assyria came, and entered into Judah, and encamped against the fenced cities, and thought to win them for himself. And when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib was come, and that he intended to fight against Jerusalem, he took counsel with his princes and his mighty men to stop the waters of the fountains which were without the city; and they helped him. So there was gathered many people together, and they stopped all the fountains, and the brook that flowed through the midst of the land, saying, "Why should the kings of Assyria come, and find much water?"
And he took courage, and built up all the wall that was broken down, and raised it up to the towers, and the other wall without, and strengthened Millo in the city of David, and made weapons and shields in abundance. And he set captains of war over the people, and gathered them together to him in the broad place at the gate of the city, and spoke encouragingly to them, saying, "Be strong and of a good courage, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him: for there is a greater with us than with him: with him is [{312}] an arm of flesh; but with us is the Lord our God to help us, and to fight our battles." And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.
After this did Sennacherib king of Assyria send his servants to Jerusalem (now he was before Lachish, and all his army with him), unto Hezekiah king of Judah, and unto all Judah that were at Jerusalem, saying, "Thus saith Sennacherib king of Assyria, Whereon do ye trust, that ye abide the siege in Jerusalem? Doth not Hezekiah persuade you, to give you over to die by famine and by thirst, saying, 'The Lord our God shall deliver us out of the hand of the king of Assyria'? Hath not the same Hezekiah taken away his high places and his altars, and commanded Judah and Jerusalem, saying, 'Ye shall worship before one altar, and upon it shall ye burn incense'? Know ye not what I and my fathers have done unto all the peoples of the lands? Were the gods of the nations of the lands any ways able to deliver their land out of my hand? Who was there among all the gods of those nations which my fathers utterly destroyed, that could deliver his people out of my hand, that your God should be able to deliver you out of my hand? Now therefore let not Hezekiah deceive you, nor persuade you on this manner, neither believe ye him: for no god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people out of my hand, and out of the hand of my fathers: how much less shall your God deliver you out of my hand?"
And his servants spoke yet more against the Lord God, and against his servant Hezekiah. He wrote also letters, [{313}] to ridicule the Lord, the God of Israel, and to speak against him, saying, "As the gods of the nations of the lands, which have not delivered their people out of my hand, so shall not the God of Hezekiah deliver his people out of my hand."