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（3） That this terrible calamity of the slaughter of the 185；000
Assyrians is here delivered in the words of Berosus the Chaldean；
and that it was certainly and frequently foretold by the Jewish
prophets； and that it was certainly and undeniably accomplished；
see Authent。 Rec。 part II。 p。 858。
（3） We are here to take notice； that these two sons of
Sennacherib； that ran away into Armenia； became the heads of two
famous families there； the Arzerunii and the Genunii； of which
see the particular histories in Moses Chorenensis； p。 60。
（4） Josephus； and all our copies； place the sickness of Hezekiah
after the destruction of Sennacherib's army； because it appears
to have been after his first assault； as he was going into Arabia
and Egypt； where he pushed his conquests as far as they would go；
and in order to despatch his story altogether； yet does no copy
but this of Josephus say it was after that destruction； but only
that it happened in those days； or about that time of Hezekiah's
life。 Nor will the fifteen years' prolongation of his life after
his sickness； allow that sickness to have been later than the
former part of the fifteenth year of his reign； since chronology
does not allow him in all above twenty…nine years and a few
months； whereas the first assault of Sennacherib was on the
fourteenth year of Hezekiah； but the destruction of Sennacherib's
army was not till his eighteenth year。
（5） As to this regress of the shadow； either upon a sun…dial； or
the steps of the royal palace built by Ahaz； whether it were
physically done by the real miraculous revolution of the earth in
its diurnal motion backward from east to west for a while； and
its return again to its old natural revolution from west to east；
or whether it were not apparent only； and performed by an aerial
phosphorus； which imitated the sun's motion backward； while a
cloud hid the real sun； cannot now be determined。 Philosophers
and astronomers will naturally incline to the latter hypothesis。
However； it must be noted； that Josephus seems to have understood
it otherwise than we generally do； that the shadow was
accelerated as much at first forward as it was made to go
backward afterward； and so the day was neither longer nor shorter
than usual； which； it must be confessed agrees best of all to
astronomy； whose eclipses； older than the time were observed at
the same times of the day as if this miracle had never happened。
After all； this wonderful signal was not； it seems； peculiar to
Judea； but either seen； or at least heard of； at Babylon also； as
appears by 2 Chronicles 32：31； where we learn that the Babylonian
ambassadors were sent to Hezekiah； among other things； to inquire
of the wonder that was done in the land。
（6） This expression of Josephus； that the Medes； upon this
destruction of the Assyrian army； 〃overthrew〃 the Assyrian
empire； seems to be too strong； for although they immediately
cast off the Assrian yoke； and set up Deioces； a king of their
own； yet it was some time before the Medes and Babylonians
overthrew Nineveh； and some generations ere the Medes and
Persians under Cyaxares and Cyrus overthrew the Assyrian or
Babylonian empire； and took Babylon。
（7） It is hard to reconcile the account in the Second Book of
Kings （ch。 23：11） with this account in Josephus； and to translate
this passage truly in Josephus； whose copies are supposed to be
here imperfect。 However； the general sense of both seems to be
this： That there were certain chariots； with their horses；
dedicated to the idol of the sun； or to Moloch； which idol might
be carried about in procession； and worshipped by the people；
which chariots were now 〃taken away；〃 as Josephus says； or； as
the Book of Kings says； 〃burnt with fire； by Josiah。〃
（8） This is a remarkable passage of chronology in Josephus； that
about the latter end of the reign of Josiah； the Medes and
Babylonians overthrew the empire of the Assyrians； or； in the
words of Tobit's continuator； that 〃before Tobias died； he heard
of the destruction of Nineveh； which was taken by Nebuchodonosor
the Babylonian； and Assuerus the Mede；〃 Tob。 14：15。 See Dean
Prideaux's Connexion； at the year 612。
（9） This battle is justly esteemed the very same that Herodotus
（B。 II。 sect。 156） mentions； when he says； that 〃Necao joined
battle with the Syrians ＇or Jews＇ at Magdolum； ＇Megiddo；＇ and
beat them；〃 as Dr。 Hudson here observes。
（10） Whether Josephus； from 2 Chronicles 35：25； here means the
book of the Lamentations of Jeremiah； still extant； which chiefly
belongs to the destruction of Jerusalem under Nebuchadnezzar； or
to any other like melancholy poem now lost； but extant in the
days of Josephus； belonging peculiarly to Josiah； cannot now be
determined。
（11） This ancient city Hamath； which is joined with Arpad； or
Aradus； and with Damascus； 2 Kings 18：34； Isaiah 36：19； Jeremiah
49：23； cities of Syria and Phoenicia； near the borders of Judea；
was also itself evidently near the same borders； though long ago
utterly destroyed。
（12） Josephus says here that Jeremiah prophesied not only of the
return of the Jews from the Babylonian captivity； and this under
the Persians and Medes； as in our other copies； but of cause they
did not both say the same thing as to this circumstance； he
disbelieved what they both appeared to agree in； and condemned
them as not speaking truth therein； although all the things
foretold him did come to pass according to their prophecies； as
we shall show upon a fitter opportunity their rebuilding the
temple； and even the city Jerusalem； which do not appear in our
copies under his name。 See the note on Antiq。 B。 XI。 ch。 1。 sect。
3。
（13） This observation of Josephus about the seeming disagreement
of Jeremiah； ch。 32：4； and 34：3； and Ezekiel 12：13； but real
agreement at last； concerning the fate of Zedekiah； is very true
and very remarkable。 See ch。 7。 sect。 2。 Nor is it at all
unlikely that the courtiers and false prophets might make use of
this seeming contradiction to dissuade Zedekiah from believing
either of those prophets； as Josephus here intimates he was
dissuaded thereby。
（14） I have here inserted in brackets this high priest Azarias；
though he be omitted in all Josephus's copies； out of the Jewish
chronicle； Seder Olam； of how little authority soever I generally
esteem such late Rabbinical historians； because we know from
Josephus himself； that the number of the high priests belonging
to this interval was eighteen； Antiq。 B。 XX。 ch。 10。； whereas his
copies have here but seventeen。 Of this character of Baruch； the
son of Neriah； and the genuineness of his book； that stands now
in our Apocrypha； and that it is really a canonical book； and an
appendix to Jeremiah； see Authent。 Rec。 Part I。 p。 111。
（15） Herodotus says； this king of Egypt ＇Pharaoh Hophra； or
Apries＇ was slain by the Egyptians； as Jeremiah foretold his
slaughter by his enemies； Jeremiah 44：29； 30； and that as a sign
of the destruction of Egypt ＇by Nebuchadnezzar＇。 Josephus says；
this king was slain by Nebuchadnezzar himself。
（16） We see here that Judea was left in a manner desolate after
the captivity of the two tribes and was no