ν reigned sixteen years. He built the gate of the House of the Lord, which in the Acts of the Apostles is called Beautiful, by the Hebrews the Gate of Jotham, and by others the Tower of the Flock. At this time the prophets Hosea, Amos, Isaiah, and Jonah prophesied in Judsea. After Jotham, Ahaz reigned sixteen years ; after Ahaz, Hezekiah reigned twenty-eight years ; and in the sixth year of his reign, Shalmaneser the king of the Assyrians descended into Samaria and carried off the ten tribes of Israel, and made them dwellers in the land of the Assyrians ; and into their country he introduced in their stead the people who were called Chusseans. And as they began to serve other gods in that land, the Lord sent Hons among them, who devoured them ; and when king Shalmaneser heard this, he sent one of the priests, who were his prisoners, to teach them the doctrines of the law of Israel, and to convert them to the worship of the God of that land, in hopes that by that remedy this annoyance or curse might be removed from them. But they received indeed the pentateuch of Moses, but did not desert the gods of their fathers : and moreover, they erected an altar on Mount Gerizim, and would never enter the temple which was at Jerusalem, which they were enjoined by the law to go to, and in which they were bound to pay their vows to God. And we read that these people were called Samaritans from Samaria, and the Jews abstained from all intercourse with them. The years during which Israel was divided from Judah and from the house of David were three hundred and sixty. After Hezekiah, Manasseh reigned over Judah for thirty-five years. After Manasseh, Amon reigned two years. After Am on, Josiah reigned thirty-óne years. He fought with Necho, king of Egypt, and was slain in the plain of Megiddo. About this time Jeremiah, Oldah, and Zephaniah prophesied in Judaea. After Josiah, Joachaz reigned in Judsea three months ; and before the end of these months, Necho the king of Egypt, who has been already mentioned, came to Jerusalem, and took Joachaz prisoner, and carried him into Egypt, and set Eliachim, whom he called Joachim or Jeconiah, the son of Josiah, over his kingdom. And he condemned Judsea to pay a tribute of a hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold. In the eleventh Îear of Eliachim, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, came to erusalem, demanding from him the tribute which he had τ 2