THE DYNASTY OF JEHU (CONTINUED)--JEROBOAM II. (B.C. 781-740) 187 Jeroboam II. the greatest of the kings of Israel--His conquests and wide dominion--A dying gleam of prosperity--Cause of his success--Relations with Assyria--Dawn of written prophecy--Jonah. CHAPTER XVIII AMOS AND HOSEA--ZACHARIAH BEN-JEROBOAM (B.C. 740) 193 Amos describes the condition of Israel--Growth of usury and vice--Humble origin of Amos--His burdens--Degenerations of the "calf-worship"--Uncompromising denunciation--Collision of Amos with Amaziah the high priest at Bethel--His expulsion from Bethel--The curse denounced--His justification of his mission--Hosea the saddest of the prophets--His pictures of Ephraim--Jeroboam II.--His death--His son Zachariah--His desertion and shameful end. CHAPTER XIX UZZIAH OF JUDAH (B.C. 783[?]-737)--JOTHAM (B.C. 737-735) 209 Wane of Assyria--Uzziah a wise and good king--His other name Azariah--Expansion of the story of his conquests in the Chronicles--Training of his army--Defeated by the Assyrians (?)--Stricken with leprosy--The story--Jotham acts as his public representative--Diminished power of Judah under Jotham--Beginning of Isaiah's prophecies--Death of Jotham. CHAPTER XX THE AGONY OF THE NORTHERN KINGDOM--SHALLUM, MENAHEM, PEKAHIAH, PEKAH (B.C. 740-734) 217 Shallum, an usurping murderer--Rapid disappearance of kings--Distracted epoch--The prophet Zechariah and the three shepherds--Zechariah's prophecies--The cruel shepherd, Menahem--His savage deeds--Portentous appearance of the Assyrians in Israel--Menahem pays tribute--Tiglath-Pileser--Fulfilment of Hosea's prophecy--Pekahiah--His murder--Pekah--His alliance with Rezin against Judah--Ahaz appeals to Assyria--Defeat and death of Rezin--Fulfilment of prophecy of Amos--Beginning of the captivity of the Ten Tribes--Tiglath-Pileser's successors--Murder of Pekah by Hoshea--Horrible state of Israel as described by Isaiah. CHAPTER XXI KING HOSHEA AND THE FALL OF THE NORTHERN KINGDOM (B.C. 734-725) 235