The Reign of Ahaz--His Character--Alliance between Pekah and Rezin--Tiglath-Pileser and Assyria--Ahaz seeks Assyrian Aid--Isaiah's Opposition--Defeat of Pekah and Rezin--Introduction of Assyrian Worship--Human Sacrifices--The Second Micah--Samaria after Pekah's Death--Assyria and Egypt--Hoshea--Samaria taken by Shalmaneser--The Exile--Hezekiah--His Early Measures--His Weakness of Character--Isaiah's Efforts to Restrain Hezekiah from War with Assyria--Arrangements for the Defence--Change of Policy--Isaiah Predicts the Deliverance--Micah--Rabshakeh's Embassy--Hezekiah's Defiance--His Illness and Recovery--The Destruction of Sennacherib's Army--Merodach-baladan--Hezekiah's Rule--The Psalmists--Death of Hezekiah. 739-696 B. C. E. The bond of union which connected Judah and Israel, under Uzziah and Jotham, was snapped asunder on the death of the latter, and dissensions filled all minds. The cause of this can only be conjectured. The new king of Judah, Ahaz (739-725), who ascended the throne in his twenty-fifth year, was a weakling, with confused ideas, and by no means equal to his dangerous position. Important political complications occurred during his reign, in the meshes of which he became hopelessly entangled. Shortly after his accession to the throne he had to decide a question of great import, namely, whether or not to join the alliance formed by Pekah of Israel, Rezin, king of Damascus, and other less important confederates. This alliance was formed to meet a twofold danger. On the one side was Egypt, which had become powerful under King Sabako, and on the other side Assyria, which was also governed by a king ambitious of conquest, whose strong hand had reduced to subjection the refractory tributary states. After the death of King Pul, the last descendant of the royal house of the Derketades, an energetic king ascended the throne of Assyria, who not only reunited the crumbling kingdom, but gave it still greater power and extent; this was Tiglath-Pileser. After capturing and destroying the fortresses of Mesopotamia, he turned towards the countries westward from the Euphrates and in the neighbourhood of Lebanon. He wished to complete the annexation of the kingdoms which Pul had subjugated. In order to oppose the Assyrian conqueror, Rezin, king of Aram-Damascus, formed an offensive and defensive alliance with Pekah, and was desirous of securing the co-operation of Ahaz. When the latter refused to join them, the two kings, united, it appears, with the Philistines and other neighbouring nations, prepared an attack upon Judah.