after
"Ephraim was broken that he was not a people." Those, who adhered to
the house of David did not revolt so early as those who seceded at the
division of the kingdom. Divine worship according to the law of Moses,
was kept up among them; and several pious princes reigned over them.
But though the progress of impiety was less rapid than in the other
kingdom, there was a departure from the living God, and idolatry and
immorality prevailed, till they also filled up the measure of their
sins. Then, impartial heaven "stretched over Jerusalem the line of
Samaria, and the plummet of the house of Ahab." *

* 2 Kings xxi. 13.

The generation on which those judgments were executed was greatly
depraved, and like the men of Sodom, sinners exceedingly; but their
sins alone would not have occasioned those desolations; they were
added to the national account, and filled up the measure of national
guilt. One of their kings did much to swell that account. Mention is
made, more than once, of his sins, particularly of the innocent blood
which he shed, as fixing the doom of the nation, rendering prayer for
it unavailing and its ruin inevitable. "Though Moses and Samuel stood
before me, yet my mind could not be towards this people: Cast them out
of my sight; I will cause them to be removed into all the kingdoms of
the earth, _because of Manassah, the king of Judah, for that which he
did in Jerusalem_." * Wantonly shedding the blood of his subjects, was
one of the sins charged upon him. This sin is, in a sense,
unpardonable. "Blood defileth the land; and the land cannot be
cleansed of the blood that is shed in it, but by the blood of him that
shed it." + Manasseh's blood was not shed. Therefore was the land
destined to suffer, Josiah, who reigned after Manasseh, was pious; but
after he had done every thing in his power to atone for the sins of
his fathers, and reclaim the nation, and not wholly without effect, it
is expressly noted that "the Lord turned not from the fierceness of
his wrath, wherewith his anger was kindled against Judah, because of
all the provocations that Manasseh had provoked him withal." And after
the judgments had been executed, it is again remarked that they were
sent to punish the sins of that wicked ruler--"Surely at the
commandment of the Lord came this upon Judah, _for the sins of
Manasseh, according to all that he did; and also for the innocent
blood that he shed, for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, w