--a strange procedure which he explained by the words which
Jahveh had put into his lips: "Like as My servant Isaiah hath walked
naked and barefoot three years for a sign and a wonder upon Egypt
and upon Kush (Ethiopia); so shall the King of Assyria lead away the
captives of Egypt and the exiles of Kush, young and old, naked and
barefoot, and with buttocks uncovered, to the shame of Egypt. And they
shall be dismayed and ashamed, because of Kush their expectation, and
of Egypt their glory. And the inhabitants of this coastland shall say in
that day, Behold, such is our expectation, whither we fled for help to
be delivered from the King of Assyria: and we, how shall we escape?"*

* Isa. xx.

The fulfilment of this prophecy did not take place as quickly as the
prophet perhaps desired. Egypt appeared too strong to be openly attacked
by a mere section of the battalions at the disposal of Assyria, and
besides, it may have been deemed imprudent to involve the army to any
serious extent on so distant a field as Africa, when Babylon was ready
and waiting to fall upon the very heart of Assyria at the first news of
a real or supposed reverse. Circumstances seemed, moreover, to favour a
war against Merodach-baladan. This sovereign, who had been received with
acclamation by the Babylonians, had already lost the popularity he had
enjoyed at his accession. The fickle character of the people, which made
them nearly always welcome a fresh master with enthusiasm, soon led
them from love and obedience to hatred, and finally to revolt.
Merodach-baladan trusted to the Kalda to help him to maintain his
position, and their rude barbarity, even if it protected him against the
fickleness of his more civilised subjects, increased the discontent at
Kutha, Sippar, and Borsippa. He removed the statues of the gods from
these towns, imprisoned the most turbulent citizens, confiscated their
goods, and distributed them among his own followers; the other cities
took no part in the movement, but Sargon must have expected to find
in them, if not effective support, at least sympathies which would
facilitate his work of conquest. It is true that Elam, whose friendship
for the Aramaean was still undiminished, remained to be reckoned with,
but Elam had lost much of its prestige in the last few years. The aged
Khumban-igash had died in 717,* and his successor, Shutruk-nakhunta,
had not apparently inherited all the energy of his father,** and it is
possib