Hilkiah

“ Hilkiah delivered the book to Shaphan, and he read it. 022:009 Shaphan the scribe came to the king, and brought the king word again, and said, Your servants have emptied out the money that was found in the house, and have delivered it into the hand of the workmen who have the oversight of the house of Yahweh. 022:010 Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest has delivered me a book. ”

“ For, apart altogether from the improbability of such a transposition having taken place in a register formed as this is, “Shallum begat Hilkiah, and Hilkiah begat Azariah, and Azariah begat,” the main objection to it is the fact that between Azariah, 1Ch 6:13, who lived under Uzziah, and Hilkiah four names are introduced; so that on this supposition, during the time which elapsed between Uzziah's forcing his way into the temple till the passover under Hezekiah, i.e., during a period of from 55 to 60 years, four generations must have followed one another, which is quite impossible. ”

“ No person in the least acquainted with the history can deny that it has suffered great alterations; 1 and I have already noticed the opinion of the best informed fathers of the church upon the non-existence of the Pentateuch, several centuries prior to Esdras. I now beg to be informed, how we are to decide, if Hilkiah, in the reign of Josias, collected from tradition, or some old book he found in a chest, the precepts of the law? ”

“ It was seen long ago by some of the Church Fathers that the law book which Hilkiah found and Josiah enforced can have been no other than Deuteronomy. The historian of the kingdoms, writing after the reforms of Josiah and the following reaction and believing that the prohibition of worship at the high places had been binding since the building of Solomon's temple, is at pains to say that none of the kings from Solomon to Josiah, not even those to whom otherwise he gives the best mark for piety, had paid any attention to this law, with the sole exception of a brief attempt by Hezekiah. ”

“ But Josiah was supported by a band of able and faithful advisers. Shaphan, grandfather of the unhappy Gedaliah—afterwards the Chaldæan viceroy over conquered Judah—was scribe; Hilkiah, the son of Shallum and the ancestor of Ezra, was the high priest. [692] By them the king was assisted, fist in the obliteration of the prevalent emblems of idolatry, and then in the purification of the Temple. Two centuries and a half had elapsed since it had been last repaired by Joash, and it must have needed serious restoration during long years of neglect in the reigns of Ahaz, of Manasseh, and of Amon. ”

“ Hilkiah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, princes of the house of God, gave to the priests for passover offerings two thousand six hundred [sheep and goats] , and six hundred cattle. 9 And Conaniah, and Shemaiah and Nethanel, his brethren, and Hashabiah and Jeiel and Jozabad, leaders of the Levites, distributed for the Levites as passover offerings five thousand [sheep and goats] , and five hundred cattle. 10 And they made preparations for the service, and the priests stood at their stations, and the Levites by their courses, as the king commanded. ”

“ It is curious, however, that this list of the high-priests omits Jehoiada (mentioned in 2 Kings xi. 9; 2 Chronicles xxii. 11) and Urijah (2 Kings xvi. 11 ff.) and an Azariah in the reign of Uzziah (2 Chronicles xxvi. 20) who should come between Amariah of Jehoshaphat’s reign and Hilkiah in the time of Josiah. (4) Finally note that the list of high-priests as far as the reign of David is repeated in verses 50‒53. It is a very difficult problem to determine the relation between the two lists (see the head-note to verse 50) . ”

“ Hilchetha Gabriatha, Talmud commentary by Samuel Ibn-Nagrela, 3, 259. Hildebrand. See Gregory VII. Hilderic of Nismes, governor of Septimania, revolts against Wamba, 3, 104–5. promises the Jews religious liberty, 3, 105. Hildesheim, Jews tolerated in, 4, 686. the Jews of, deprived of civil rights, 5, 512. Hildesheimer, the Frankfort deputy to the Synhedrion, 5, 497. Hilduin, incites the sons of Louis the Pious against their step-mother, 3, 166. Hilkia, treasurer of the Temple, envoy to Nero, 2, 248. Hilkiah, high priest, charged with the repairs of the Temple, 1, 289. ”

“ For he who does not know the law cannot be pious.”
“But, Rabbi,” said the Boy eagerly, “will He not have mercy on them just because they are ignorant? Will He not pity them as a shepherd pities his sheep when they are silly and go astray?”
“He is not only a Shepherd,” answered Hillel firmly, “but a great King. They must all keep the law, even as it is written and as the elders have taught it to us. There is no other way.” ”

“ Do you believe he could bring it off?”
“I’m sure I don’t know,” answered the Prophet, with stony indifference. “Good-night to you!”
“But we want to come in,” cried Lady Enid.
“Young man,” roared Sir Tiglath, “the old astronomer will not leave this house till he has searched it from attic to cellar.”
“I am sorry,” replied the Prophet, “but I cannot permit my grandmother’s servants or wine to be disturbed at such an hour. If you wish to murder Malkiel the Second, I shall not prevent you, but he is not here.” ”

“ I'd like to know if I'm not responsible for the atmosphere of brotherly love and the dove of peace that floats around Baldwin's [Pg 280] classroom. I'd like to know if I'm not responsible for his calling us up alphabetically, regular order, every other day, no suspicion, perfect trust—mutual confidence. Am I right?"
"You are right, Hickey, you are right," said Turkey apologetically. "The binomial theorem is a delight and a joy, when, as you say, the master has mutual trust in the scholar. But where in blazes, Hickey, did you get this political shindy into your thinker?" ”

“ Hilka, who had been sitting with her back to the street, turned hastily, as Kota’s husband appeared in the veranda entrance:—a tall and austere-looking Brahman, clad in a long, white garment. He came forward at once to greet his wife, giving Hilka but a careless recognition; for, to the head of the village, even his wife’s relatives were scarcely worthy of attention from him. And Hilka’s visit was brought to a sudden close; for no woman of Bul-Ruknu would, from choice, have stayed long in the proximity of the Priest of Siva. ”

“ Hickey indignantly denied the accusation, and a [Pg 205] little quarrel arose between them, terminated by Wash, who broke in:
"Shut up, Crazy—Hickey is dead right. We want to go in friendly-like, just as though we knew the Doctor would side with us at once—sort of take him into our confidence."
"That's it," said Hickey; "we want to be good-natured at first, lay the matter before him calmly, then afterward we can be firm."
"Rats!" said Crazy; "are we going to tell him, or not, that we represent the Dickinson and the Woodhull and that they have voted the extinction of 'sinkers'?" ”

“ But—”
“If you don’t declare yourself I shall declare yourself for you this very moment. I will not endure to be left in the corner while all these nobodies are being truckled to. Bernard Wilkins, indeed! A prophet we wouldn’t so much as recognise to be a prophet, and that there Mrs. Eliza—people from the Wick going down to supper in front of us, and a man from the Butts put before you! It’s right down disgusting, and I won’t have it.”
It was exactly at this point in the matrimonial conference that Lady Enid and Sir Tiglath Butt, shaking themselves free of Mrs. ”

“ So saying, he grasped the crumpet as if it had been an assegai, and assailed himself with it so violently that it entirely disappeared.
“But Malkiel is an—” began Mrs. Merillia.
The Prophet stopped her with a glance, whose almost terror-stricken authority surprised her into silence.
“But I thought Malkiel was a man,” cried Lady Enid, looking towards the Prophet.
“He—for I will not foul my lips with the accursed name—is not a man,” roared Sir Tiglath. “He is a syndicate. He is a company. He meets together, doubtless, in some low den of the city. ”

“ Hickey bowed again and raised his head cloaked in seriousness. A titter acclaimed him. He stopped and looked appealingly at the master.
"Go on, Hicks, go on," said Mr. Dater. "Do your best. At least, let us hear the words."
Another inspiration came to Hickey. "I don't think that this is quite regular, sir," he said aggressively. "I have always taken an interest in my work, and I don't see why I should be made to sacrifice a good mark." ”

“ But on the morning after the exposing of the skeleton Hickey had trouble with the dickey. The school regulations tyrannically demanded that each [Pg 118] boy should appear at breakfast and chapel properly dressed, i. e., in collar and shirt. But as the appearance is accepted for the fact, the "dickey" comes to the rescue and permits not only despatch in dressing, but by suppressing a luxury from the wash list, to attend to the necessities of the stomach. The dickey is formed by the junction of two flat cuffs, held together by a stud, to which is attached a collar, and later a tie. ”

“ He came to Hillel (with the same request) , and the latter accepted him. Said Hillel to him: "Do people select a king unless he knows the laws of their government? Thou must study the laws of our government (if thou wilt become a high priest) ." The convert began studying Torah. When he came to the passage: "A stranger who comes near (to the vessels of the sanctuary) shall die" [Numb. i. 51] , he asked: "To whom does this passage refer?" Hillel answered: "To any one (who is not a descendant of Aaron the high priest) , even if he would be David, the king of Israel." ”

“ So he was beating out Hickey, the famous Hickey! Then the touchdown was a fact! Above the uproar he heard a strident shriek:
"Piggy, oh, you damned Piggy!"
The terror of that familiar voice gave a new impetus [Pg 80] to his chubby legs. Some one else must be gaining on him. Thirty yards still to go!
He ran and ran, hugging the ball in his arms, his head thrown back, gasping for breath. Twenty yards—fifteen yards! Suddenly swift, glorious visions rose before him, scenes of jubilation and exultation, of cheering comrades, celebrations that would wipe out the long record of humiliation. ”

“ Feeling herself, for the first time, an Imperial creature in exile, who had only to declare herself to receive instant homage and to be overwhelmed with the most flattering attentions, her lust of glory developed with alarming rapidity, and she urged her husband to cast the traditions that had hitherto guided him to the winds and to declare forthwith his identity with Malkiel the Second, the business-like and as it were official head of the whole prophetic tribe. ”

“ The Prophet looked away. A strong man’s emotion is always very scared and very terrible. Three minutes swept by, then the Prophet heard a calm and hollow voice say,—
“And now, sir, to business.”
The Prophet looked up, and perceived that Malkiel’s overcoat was tightly buttoned and that his mouth was tightly set in an expression of indomitable, though tragic, resolution.
“What business?” asked the Prophet.
“Mine,” replied Malkiel. “Mine, sir, and yours. You have chosen to enter my life. You cannot deny that. You cannot deny that I sought to avoid—I might even say to dodge you.” ”

“ The Prophet felt sure that she did not applaud his resolution, but he could not discuss the matter with her in public, and she now got up—looking almost like a skeleton—and said that she must go. Sir Tiglath immediately rolled up out of his chair and roared that he would accompany her.
“The old astronomer will protect the injudicious young female,” he exclaimed, “lest she wander forth into accursed places.”
“I’m only going to Hill Street,” said Lady Enid, rather snappishly. “Come to see me to-morrow at three,” she whispered to the Prophet as she took his hand. “We must have a talk. ”

“ Then they'll learn what it means to hunt Heinrich Hilker from their country."
"Stop!" he shouted. "That's the church tower! Now steer her to the right, then drop! The ground is clear behind, and you can make a landing."
The broad back in front wriggled and writhed, the strong shoulders heaved upwards. If Heinrich Hilker had been a man of discernment, and less engaged with his own affairs and his own importance, he would have appreciated the fact that that heave, that wriggle, denoted something not altogether pleasant. ”

“ Butcher and Egghead have got to take two each—that would make sixteen. The other eight I can fill up with some harmless freaks: some will snap at anything."
That night at the supper-table Turkey had to face the music.
"You're a nice one, you are," said Hickey, starting in immediately, "you arch deceiver. You are a fine friend; I have my opinion of you. 'Handsome girl,' 'a wonder,' 'fine talker,' 'a screamer'—that's the sort of game you try on your friends, is it? ”

“ Against the wall Hickey was standing, with a large box under his arm, selling souvenirs as fast as he could make [Pg 123] change to the breathless crowd which augmented at every moment.
Meanwhile, Hickey, fully aware of his enemy's proximity, took special pains that the conversation should carry. About him the excited crowd pressed in a frantic endeavour to purchase before the store was exhausted.
To all inquiries Hickey maintained a dark secrecy.
"I'm saying nothing, fellows, nothing at all," he said with a canny smile; "it isn't wise sometimes to do much talking. ”

“ The children of Israel assembled themselves together, and encamped in Mizpah. 10:18 The people, the princes of Gilead, said one to another, What man is he who will begin to fight against the children of Ammon? he shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.
11:1 Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valor, and he was the son of a prostitute: and Gilead became the father of Jephthah. 11:2 Gilead's wife bore him sons; and when his wife's sons grew up, they drove out Jephthah, and said to him, You shall not inherit in our father's house; for you are the son of another woman. ”