Next Josaphat possessed the royal state; A happy prince, well worthy of his fate: His oft oblations on God's altar, made With thousand flocks, and thousand herds, are paid, Arabian tribute! What mad troops are those, Those mighty troops that dare to be his foes? He prays them dead; with mutual wounds they fall; One fury brought, one fury slays them all. Thus sits he still, and sees himself to win, Never o'ercome but by his friend Ahab's sin; On whose disguise Fates then did only look, And had almost their God's command mistook: Him from whose danger Heaven securely brings, And for his sake too ripely wicked kings. Their armies languish, burnt with thirst, at Seere, Sighs all their cold, tears all their moisture there: They fix their greedy eyes on the empty sky, And fancy clouds, and so become more dry. Elisha calls for waters from afar To come; Elisha calls, and here they are. In helmets they quaff round the welcome flood, And the decrease repair with Moab's blood. Jehoram next, and Ochoziah, throng For Judah's sceptre; both shortlived too long. A woman, too, from murder title claims; Both with her sins and sex the crown she shames. Proud, cursed woman! but her fall at last To doubting men clears Heaven for what was past. Joas at first does bright and glorious show; In life's fresh morn his fame did early crow: Fair was the promise of his dawning ray, But prophet's angry blood o'ercast his day: From thence his clouds, from thence his storms, begin, It cries aloud, and twice lets Aram in. So Amaziah lives, so ends his reign, Both by their traitorous servants justly slain. Edom at first dreads his victorious hand; Before him thousand captives trembling stand. Down a precipice, deep down he casts them all; The mimic shapes in several postures fall: But then (mad fool!) he does those gods adore, Which when plucked down had worshipped him before. Thus all his life to come is loss and shame: No help from gods, who themselves helped not, came. All this Uzziah's strength and wit repairs, Leaving a well-built greatness to his heirs; Till leprous scurf, o'er his whole body cast, Takes him at first from men, from earth at last. As virtuous was his son, and happier far; Buildings his peace, and trophies graced his war: But Achaz heaps up sins, as if he meant To make his worst forefathers innocent: He burns his son at Hinnon, whilst around The roaring child drums and loud trumpets sound: This to the boy a barbarous mercy grew, And snatched him from all miseries to ensue. Here Peca comes, and hundred thousands fall; Here Rezin marches up, and sweeps up all; Till like a sea the great Belochus' son Breaks upon both, and both does overrun. The last of Adad's ancient stock is slain, Israel captived, and rich Damascus ta'en; All his wild rage to revenge Judah's wrong; But woe to kingdoms that have friends too strong!