Mouthfuls of molten lead, wild weather, and insanity: the occupational hazards of an early lighthouse keeper.
Isaiah 17:9 speaks of God’s judgment against Syria, specifically Damascus, predicting the desolation of its strong cities. The verse compares these cities to a forsaken branch, abandoned due to the actions of the Syrians against Israel. The destruction and abandonment of these cities serve as a consequence of the hostility they had shown toward Israel, highlighting the divine retribution for their offenses. The prophecy emphasizes the total ruin and desolation that will come as a result of this judgment.
Henry Hall, the 94-year-old lighthouse keeper, discovered that a spark, probably from a candle in the lantern, had flown up and ignited the top of the tower. As Hall looked up to throw a bucket of water on the blaze, a stream of molten lead from the roof poured down his face and throat.