- 132-
deepest moral degradation,* and by their side, and in fellowship with them, that of
priestesses of Astarte, must have been the work of Manasseh.
- On the nameless abominations of this mania of vice, this is not the place to speak. The
classical scholar knows what the Galli were. It is not possible to determine what these
priestesses wove, whether "tents," or hangings - perhaps carpets, or it may have been
raiments for the rites of Astarte: but certainly something for the vile worship with which
they were connected (2 Kings 23:6). Perhaps the text is here (purposely?) corrupted. In
regard to such abominations, comp. Deuteronomy 23:17, 18. See also 1 Kings 14:24;
15:12:22:46; Job 36:14.
We know that some such abominations formed part of the religious rites, not only of the
inhabitants of Canaan, but of the Babylonians.*
- Herod. 1. 199. Comp. Bar. VI. 43.
On the other hand, we can scarcely avoid the inference that these forms of idolatry were
chiefly encouraged for the sake of the vices connected with them. Thus it involved not
only religious, but primarily moral degeneracy. Yet, as might be expected, there was also
spiritual protest and a moral reaction against all this. Prophetic voices were heard
announcing the near doom of a king and people more wicked than the Canaanites* of old.
But it is significant that the names of these Divine messengers are not mentioned here.**
- The "Amorites" are named as the representatives of the Canaanites generally, being the
most powerful of the eleven Canaanitish tribes (Genesis 10:15-18). Comp. Genesis
15:16; 48:22; Joshua 7:7; 13:4; 24:15; Ezekiel 16:3; Amos 2:9, and other passages.
** Micah 6 and 7 are supposed to date from this period.
In truth, it was a time of martyrdom, rather than of testimony. There may be exaggeration
in the account of Josephus, that Manasseh killed all the righteous among the Hebrews,
and spared not even the prophets, but every day slew some among them (Ant. x. 3, 1);
and only a basis of historical truth may underlie the Jewish tradition,* which was
adopted by the Fathers,** that by command of Manasseh Isaiah was sawn asunder in a
cedar-tree, in which he had found refuge. But Holy Scripture itself relates that Manasseh
had filled Jerusalem "from end to end" with innocent blood.
- Jewish tradition has it (Yebam 49b,) that Manasseh charged Isaiah with having taught
what was in opposition to the law of Moses (thus Isaiah 6:1, comp. Exodus 33:20; Isaiah
55:6, comp. Deuteronomy 4:7; 2 Kings 20:6, comp. Exodus 23:26). To this Isaiah
replied, that he had indeed a good answer to these charges, but would not give it, in order
not to aggravate the guilt of Manasseh. Then the prophet spoke the Ineffable Name, on
which a cedar tree opened to receive him. The cedar was now sawn through. When it
(^)