the districts situated further south
just beyond Abu-Simbel formed at that period a sort of neutral ground
between their domain and that of the Pharaohs of Napata. While all this
was going on, Syria continued to plot in secret, and the faction which
sought security in a foreign alliance was endeavouring to shake off the
depression caused by the reverses of Jehoiakim and his son; and the tide
of popular feeling setting in the direction of Egypt became so strong,
that even Zedekiah, the creature of Nebuchadrezzar, was unable to stem
it. The prophets who were inimical to religious reform, persisted in
their belief that the humiliation of the country was merely temporary.

[Illustration: 417.jpg THE FACADE OF THE GREAT TEMPLE OF ABU-SIMBEL]

Drawn by Boudier, from a photograph by Daniel Heron.

Those of them who still remained in Jerusalem repeated at every turn,
"Ye shall not serve the King of Babylon... the vessels of the Lord's
house shall now shortly be brought again from Babylon." Jeremiah
endeavoured to counteract the effect of their words, but in vain; the
people, instead of listening to the prophet, waxed wroth with him,
and gave themselves more and more recklessly up to their former sins.
Incense was burnt every morning on the roofs of the houses and at the
corners of the streets in honour of Baal, lamentations for Tammuz again
rent the air at the season of his festival; the temple was invaded
by uncircumcised priests and their idols, and the king permitted the
priests of Moloch to raise their pyres in the valley of Hinnom. The
exiled Jews, surrounded on all sides by heathen peoples, presented a no
less grievous spectacle than their brethren at Jerusalem; some openly
renounced the God of their fathers, others worshipped their chosen idols
in secret, while those who did not actually become traitors to their
faith, would only listen to such prophets as promised them a speedy
revenge--Ahab, Zedekiah, son of Maaseiah, and Shemaiah. There was one
man, however, who appeared in their midst, a priest, brought up from his
youth in the temple and imbued with the ideas of reform--Ezekiel, son of
Buzi, whose words might have brought them to a more just appreciation of
their position, had they not drowned his voice by their clamour; alarmed
at their threats, he refrained from speech in public, but gathered round
him a few faithful adherents at his house in Tel-AMb, where the spirit
of the Lord first came upon him in thei