itself equivalent to a declaration of enmity with Babylon. As a natural consequence it brought on
Jerusalem an immediate invasion of the Chaldaeans. The mention of this event in the Bible though
indisputable, is extremely slight, and occurs only in (Jeremiah 37:5-11; 34:21) and Ezek 17:15-20
But Josephus (x.7,3) relates it more fully, and gives the date of its occurrence, namely, the eighth
year of Zedekiah. (B.C. 589.) Nebuchadnezzar at once sent an army to ravage Judea. This was
done, and the whole country reduced, except Jerusalem and two strong places in the western plain,
Lachish and Azekah, which still held out. (Jeremiah 34:7) Called away for a time by an attack
from Pharaoh and the Egyptians, on the tenth day of the tenth month of Zedekiah’s ninth year the
Chaldeans were again before the walls. (Jeremiah 52:4) From this time forward the siege progressed
slowly but surely to its consummation, The city was indeed reduced to the last extremity. The
bread had for long been consumed, (Jeremiah 38:9) and all the terrible expedients had been tried
to which the wretched inhabitants of a besieged town are forced to resort in such cases. At last,
after sixteen dreadful months the catastrophe arrived. It was on the ninth day of the fourth month,
about the middle of July at midnight, as Josephus with careful minuteness informs us, that the
breach in those strong and venerable walls was effected. The moon, nine days old, had gone down.
The wretched remnants of the army acquitted the city in the dead of night; and as the Chaldaean
army entered the city at one end, the king and his wives fled from it by the opposite gate. They
took the road toward the Jordan. As soon as the dawn of day permitted it, swift pursuit was made.
The king’s party were overtaken near Jericho and carried to Nebuchadnezzar, who was then at
Riblah, at the upper end of the valley of Lebanon. Nebuchadnezzar, with a refinement of barbarity
characteristic of those cruel times ordered the sons of Zedekiah to be killed before him, and lastly
his own eyes to be thrust out. He was then loaded with brazen fetters, and at a later period taken
to Babylon, where he died.
•Son of Chenaanah, a false prophet at the court of Ahab, head, or, if not head, virtual leader, of the
college. (B.C. 896.) He appears but once viz. as spokesman when the prophets are consulted by
Ahab on the result of his proposed expedition to Ramoth-gilead. 1Kin 22; 2Chr 18. Zedekiah had
prepared himself for the interview with a pair of iron horns, with which he illustrated the manner
in which Ahab should drive the Syrians before him. When Micaiah the prophet of the Lord appeared
and had delivered his prophecy, Zedekiah sprang forward and struck him a blow on the face,
accompanying it by a taunting sneer.
•The son of Maaseiah, a false prophet in Babylon. (Jeremiah 29:21,22) He was denounced in the
letter of Jeremiah for having, with Ahab the son of Kolaiah, buoyed up the people with false hopes,
not for profane and flagitious conduct. Their names were to become a by-word, tend their terrible
fate a warning. (B.C. 595.)
•The son of Hananiah, one of the princes of Judah in the time of Jeremiah. (Jeremiah 38:12) (B.C.
605.)
Zeeb
(wolf), one of the two “princes” of Midian in the great invasion of Israel. (B.C. about 1250.)
He is always named with Oreb. (Judges 7:25; 8:3; Psalms 83:11) Zeeb and Oreb were not slain at
the first rout of the Arabs, but at a later stage of the struggle, probably ill crossing the Jordan at a
ford farther down the river. Zeeb, the wolf, was brought to bay in a wine-press which in later times
bore his name—the “wine-press of Zeeb.” [Oreb]
Zelah
frankie
(Frankie)
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