that is soon after _Manasseh_ their King had been carried captive to _Babylon_ by _Asserhadon_; and upon the death of that King, or some other change in the _Assyrian_ Empire, had been released with the _Jews_ from that captivity, and had repaired the Altar, and restored the sacrifices and worship of the Temple, 2 _Chron._ xxxiii. 11, 16. In the _Greek_ version of the book of _Judith_, chap. v. 18. it is said, that _the Temple of God was cast to the ground_; but this is not said in _Jerom_'s version; and in the _Greek_ version, chap. iv. 3, and chap. xvi. 20, it is said, that _the vessels, and the altar, and the house were sanctified after the prophanation_, and in both versions, chap. iv. 11, the Temple is represented standing. After this war _Nabuchodonosor_ King of _Assyria_, in the 13th year of his Reign, according to the version of _Jerom_, sent his captain _Holofernes_ with a great army to avenge himself on all the west country; because they had disobeyed his commandment: and _Holofernes_ went forth with an army of 12000 horse, and 120000 foot of _Assyrians_, _Medes_ and _Persians_, and reduced _Cilicia_, _Mesopotamia_, and _Syria_, and _Damascus_, and part of _Arabia_, and _Ammon_, and _Edom_, and _Madian_, and then came against _Judæa_: and this was done when the government was in the hands of the High-Priest and Antients of _Israel_, _Judith_ iv. 8. and vii. 23. and by consequence not in the Reign of _Manasseh_ or _Amon_, but when _Josiah_ was a child. In times of prosperity the children of _Israel_ were apt to go after false Gods, and in times of affliction to repent and turn to the Lord. So _Manasseh_ a very wicked King, being captivated by the _Assyrians_, repented; and being released from captivity restored the worship of the true God: So when we are told that _Josiah in the eighth year of his Reign, while he was yet young, began to seek after the God of _David_ his father, and in the twelfth year of his Reign began to purge _Judah_ and _Jerusalem_ from Idolatry, and to destroy the High Places, and Groves, and Altars and Images of Baalim_, 2 _Chron_. xxxiv. 3. we may understand that these acts of religion were occasioned by impending dangers, and escapes from danger. When _Holofernes_ came against the western nations, and spoiled them, then were the _Jews_ terrified, and they fortified _Judæa_, and _cryed unto God with great fervency, and humbled themselves in sackcloth, and put ashes on their heads, and cried unto the God of _Israel_ that he would not give their wives and their children and cities for a prey, and the Temple for a profanation: and the High-priest, and all the Priests put on sackcloth and ashes, and offered daily burnt offerings with vows and free gifts of the people_, _Judith_ iv. and then began _Josiah_ to seek after the God of his father _David_: and after _Judith_ had slain _Holofernes_, and the _Assyrians_ were fled, and the _Jews_ who pursued them were returned to _Jerusalem_, _they worshipped the