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1. Now when king Nebuchadnezzar had reigned forty-three years,
he ended his life. He was an active man, and more fortunate
than the kings that were before him. Now Berosus makes mention of
his actions in the third book of his Chaldaic History, where he
says thus: "When his father Nebuchodonosor [Nabopollassar] heard
that the governor whom he had set over Egypt, and the places
about Coelesyria and Phoenicia, had revolted from him, while he
was not himself able any longer to undergo the hardships [of
war], he committed to his son Nebuchadnezzar, who was still but a
youth, some parts of his army, and sent them against him. So when
Nebuchadnezzar had given battle, and fought with the rebel, he
beat him, and reduced the country from under his subjection, and
made it a branch of his own kingdom; but about that time it
happened that his father Nebuchodonosor [Nabopollassar] fell ill,
and ended his life in the city Babylon, when he had reigned
twenty-one years; and when he was made sensible, as he was
in a little time, that his father Nebuchodonosor [Nabopollassar]
was dead, and having settled the affairs of Egypt, and the other
countries, as also those that concerned the captive Jews, and
Phoenicians, and Syrians, and those of the Egyptian nations; and
having committed the conveyance of them to Babylon to certain of
his friends, together with the gross of his army, and the rest of
their ammunition and provisions, he went himself hastily,
accompanied with a few others, over the desert, and came to
Babylon. So he took upon him the management of public affairs,
and of the kingdom which had been kept for him by one that was
the principal of the Chaldeans, and he received the entire
dominions of his father, and appointed, that when the captives
came, they should be placed as colonies, in the most proper
places of Babylonia; but then he adorned the temple of Belus, and
the rest of the temples, in a magnificent manner, with the spoils
he had taken in the war. He also added another city to that which
was there of old, and rebuilt it, that such as would besiege it
hereafter might no more turn the course of the river, and thereby
attack the city itself. He therefore built three walls round
about the inner city, and three others about that which was the
outer, and this he did with burnt brick. And after he had, after
a becoming manner, walled the city, and adorned its gates
gloriously, he built another palace before his father's palace,
but so that they joined to it; to describe whose vast height and
immense riches it would perhaps be too much for me to attempt;
yet as large and lofty as they were, they were completed in
fifteen days. He also erected elevated places for walking,
of stone, and made it resemble mountains, and built it so that it
might be planted with all sorts of trees. He also erected what
was called a pensile paradise, because his wife was desirous to
have things like her own country, she having been bred up in the
palaces of Media." Megasthenes also, in his fourth book of his
Accounts of India, makes mention. of these things, and thereby
endeavors to show that this king [Nebuchadnezzar] exceeded
Hercules in fortitude, and in the greatness of his actions; for
he saith that he conquered a great part of Libya and Iberia.
Diocles also, in the second book of his Accounts of Persia,
mentions this king; as does Philostrates in his Accounts both of
India and of Phoenicia, say, that this king besieged Tyre
thirteen years, while at the same time Ethbaal reigned at Tyre.
These are all the histories that I have met with concerning this
king.
2. But now, after the death of Nebuchadnezzar, Evil-Merodach his
son succeeded in the kingdom, who immediately set Jeconiah at
liberty, and esteemed him among his most intimate friends. He
also gave him many presents, and made him honorable above the
rest of the kings that were in Babylon; for his father had not
kept his faith with Jeconiah, when he voluntarily delivered up
himself to him, with his wives and children, and his whole
kindred, for the sake of his country, that it might not be taken
by siege, and utterly destroyed, as we said before. When
Evil-Mcrodach was dead, after a reign of eighteen years,
Niglissar his son took the government, and retained it forty
years, and then ended his life; and after him the succession in
the kingdom came to his son Labosordacus, who continued in it in
all but nine months; and when he was dead, it came to Baltasar,
who by the Babylonians was called Naboandelus; against him
did Cyrus, the king of Persia, and Darius, the king of Media,
make war; and when he was besieged in Babylon, there happened a
wonderful and prodigious vision. He was sat down at supper in a
large room, and there were a great many vessels of silver, such
as were made for royal entertainments, and he had with him his
concubines and his friends; whereupon he came to a resolution,
and commanded that those vessels of God which Nebuchadnezzar had
plundered out of Jerusalem, and had not made use of, but had put
them into his own temple, should be brought out of that temple.
He also grew so haughty as to proceed to use them in the midst of
his cups, drinking out of them, and blaspheming against God. In
the mean time, he saw a hand proceed out of the wall, and writing
upon the wall certain syllables; at which sight, being disturbed,
he called the magicians and Chaldeans together, and all that sort
of men that are among these barbarians, and were able to
interpret signs and dreams, that they might explain the writing
to him. But when the magicians said they could discover nothing,
nor did understand it, the king was in great disorder of mind,
and under great trouble at this surprising accident; so he caused
it to be proclaimed through all the country, and promised, that
to him who could explain the writing, and give the signification
couched therein, he would give him a golden chain for his neck,
and leave to wear a purple garment, as did the kings of Chaldea,
and would bestow on him the third part of his own dominions. When
this proclamation was made, the magicians ran together more
earnestly, and were very ambitious to find out the importance of
the writing, but still hesitated about it as much as before. Now
when the king's grandmother saw him cast down at this accident,
she began to encourage him, and to say, that there was a
certain captive who came from Judea, a Jew by birth, but brought
away thence by Nebuchadnezzar when he had destroyed Jerusalem,
whose name was Daniel, a wise man, and one of great sagacity in
finding out what was impossible for others to discover, and what
was known to God alone, who brought to light and answered such
questions to Nebuchadnezzar as no one else was able to answer
when they were consulted. She therefore desired that he would
send for him, and inquire of him concerning the writing, and to
condemn the unskilfulness of those that could not find their
meaning, and this, although what God signified thereby should be
of a melancholy nature.
3. When Baltasar heard this, he called for Daniel; and when he
had discoursed to him what he had learned concerning him and his
wisdom, and how a Divine Spirit was with him, and that he alone
was fully capable of finding out what others would never have
thought of, he desired him to declare to him what this writing
meant; that if he did so, he would give him leave to wear purple,
and to put a chain of gold about his neck, and would bestow on
him the third part of his dominion, as an honorary reward for his
wisdom, that thereby he might become illustrious to those who saw
him, and who inquired upon what occasion he obtained such honors.
But Daniel desired that he would keep his gifts to himself; for
what is the effect of wisdom and of Divine revelation admits of
no gifts, and bestows its advantages on petitioners freely; but
that still he would explain the writing to him; which denoted
that he should soon die, and this because he had not learnt to
honor God, and not to admit things above human nature, by what
punishments his progenitor had undergone for the injuries he had
offered to God; and because he had quite forgotten how
Nebuchadnezzar was removed to feed among wild beasts for his
impieties, and did not recover his former life among men and his
kingdom, but upon God's mercy to him, after many supplications
and prayers; who did thereupon praise God all the days of his
life, as one of almighty power, and who takes care of mankind.
[He also put him in mind] how he had greatly blasphemed against
God, and had made use of his vessels amongst his concubines; that
therefore God saw this, and was angry with him, and declared by
this writing beforehand what a sad conclusion of his life he
should come to. And he explained the writing thus:" MANEH. This,
if it be expounded in the Greek language, may signify a Number,
because God hath numbered so long a time for thy life, and for
thy government, and that there remains but a small portion.
THEKEL This signifies a weight, and means that God hath weighed
thy kingdom in a balance, and finds it going down
already.--PHARES. This also, in the Greek tongue, denotes a
fragment,. God will therefore break thy kingdom in pieces, and
divide it among the Medes and Persians."
4. When Daniel had told the king that the writing upon the wall
signified these events, Baltasar was in great sorrow and
affliction, as was to be expected, when the interpretation was so
heavy upon him. However, he did not refuse what he had promised
Daniel, although he were become a foreteller of misfortunes to
him, but bestowed it all upon him; as reasoning thus, that what
he was to reward was peculiar to himself, and to fate, and did
not belong to the prophet, but that it was the part of a good and
a just man to give what he had promised, although the events were
of a melancholy nature. Accordingly, the king determined so to
do. Now, after a little while, both himself and the city were
taken by Cyrus, the king of Persia, who fought against him; for
it was Baltasar, under whom Babylon was taken, when he had
reigned seventeen years. And this is the end of the posterity of
king Nebuchadnezzar, as history informs us; but when Babylon was
taken by Darius, and when he, with his kinsman Cyrus, had put an
end to the dominion of the Babylonians, he was sixty-two years
old. He was the son of Astyages, and had another name among the
Greeks. Moreover, he took Daniel the prophet, and carried him
with him into Media, and honored him very greatly, and kept him
with him; for he was one of the three presidents whom he set over
his three hundred and sixty provinces, for into so many did
Darius part them.
5. However, while Daniel was in so great dignity, and in so great
favor with Darius, and was alone intrusted with every thing by
him, a having somewhat divine in him, he was envied by the rest;
for those that see others in greater honor than themselves with
kings envy them; and when those that were grieved at the great
favor Daniel was in with Darius sought for an occasion against
him, he afforded them no occasion at all, for he was above all
the temptations of money, and despised bribery, and esteemed it a
very base thing to take any thing by way of reward, even when it
might be justly given him; he afforded those that envied him not
the least handle for an accusation. So when they could find
nothing for which they might calumniate him to the king, nothing
that was shameful or reproachful, and thereby deprive him of the
honor he was in with him, they sought for some other method
whereby they might destroy him. When therefore they saw that
Daniel prayed to God three times a day, they thought they had
gotten an occasion by which they might ruin him; so they came to
Darius and told him that the princes and governors had thought
proper to allow the multitude a relaxation for thirty days, that
no one might offer a petition or prayer either to himself or to
the gods, but that he who shall transgress this decree shall be
east into the den of lions, and there perish."
6. Whereupon the king, not being acquainted with their wicked
design, nor suspecting that it was a contrivance of theirs
against Daniel, said he was pleased with this decree of theirs,
and he promised to confirm what they desired; he also published
an edict to promulgate to the people that decree which the
princes had made. Accordingly, all the rest took care not to
transgress those injunctions, and rested in quiet; but Daniel had
no regard to them, but, as he was wont, he stood and prayed to
God in the sight of them all; but the princes having met with the
occasion they so earnestly sought to find against Daniel, came
presently to the king, and accused him, that Daniel was the only
person that transgressed the decree, while not one of the rest
durst pray to their gods. This discovery they made, not because
of his impiety, but because they had watched him, and observed
him out of envy; for supposing that Darius did thus out of a
greater kindness to him than they expected, and that he was ready
to grant him pardon for this contempt of his injunctions, and
envying this very pardon to Daniel, they did not become more
honorable to him, but desired he might be cast into the den of
lions according to the law. So Darius, hoping that God would
deliver him, and that he would undergo nothing that was terrible
by the wild beasts, bid him bear this accident cheerfully. And
when he was cast into the den, he put his seal to the stone that
lay upon the mouth of the den, and went his way, but he passed
all the night without food and without sleep, being in great
distress for Daniel; but when it was day, he got up, and came to
the den, and found the seal entire, which he had left the stone
sealed withal; he also opened the seal, and. cried out, and
called to Daniel, and asked him if he were alive. And as soon as
he heard the king's voice, and said that he had suffered no harm,
the king gave order that he should be drawn up out of the den.
Now when his enemies saw that Daniel had suffered nothing which
was terrible, they would not own that he was preserved by God,
and by his providence; but they said that the lions had been
filled full with food, and on that account it was, as they
supposed, that the lions would not touch Daniel, nor come to him;
and this they alleged to the king. But the king, out of an
abhorrence of their wickedness, gave order that they should throw
in a great deal of flesh to the lions; and when they had filled
themselves, he gave further order that Daniel's enemies should be
cast into the den, that he might learn whether the lions, now
they were full, would touch them or not. And it appeared plain to
Darius, after the princes had been cast to the wild beasts, that
it was God who preserved Daniel for the lions spared none of
them, but tore them all to pieces, as if they had been very
hungry, and wanted food. I suppose therefore it was not their
hunger, which had been a little before satisfied with abundance
of flesh, but the wickedness of these men, that provoked them [to
destroy the princes]; for if it so please God, that wickedness
might, by even those irrational creatures, be esteemed a plain
foundation for their punishment.
7. When therefore those that had intended thus to destroy Daniel
by treachery were themselves destroyed, king Darius sent
[letters] over all the country, and praised that God whom Daniel
worshipped, and said that he was the only true God, and had all
power. He had also Daniel in very great esteem, and made him the
principal of his friends. Now when Daniel was become so
illustrious and famous, on account of the opinion men had that he
was beloved of God, he built a tower at Ecbatana, in Media: it
was a most elegant building, and wonderfully made, and it is
still remaining, and preserved to this day; and to such as see
it, it appears to have been lately built, and to have been no
older than that very day when any one looks upon it, it is so
fresh flourishing, and beautiful, and no way grown old in so
long time; for buildings suffer the same as men do, they grow old
as well as they, and by numbers of years their strength is
dissolved, and their beauty withered. Now they bury the kings of
Media, of Persia, and Parthia in this tower to this day, and he
who was entrusted with the care of it was a Jewish priest; which
thing is also observed to this day. But it is fit to give an
account of what this man did, which is most admirable to hear,
for he was so happy as to have strange revelations made to him,
and those as to one of the greatest of the prophets, insomuch,
that while he was alive he had the esteem and applause both of
the kings and of the multitude; and now he is dead, he retains a
remembrance that will never fail, for the several books that he
wrote and left behind him are still read by us till this time;
and from them we believe that Daniel conversed with God; for he
did not only prophesy of future events, as did the other
prophets, but he also determined the time of their
accomplishment. And while prophets used to foretell misfortunes,
and on that account were disagreeable both to the kings and to
the multitude, Daniel was to them a prophet of good things, and
this to such a degree, that by the agreeable nature of his
predictions, he procured the goodwill of all men; and by the
accomplishment of them, he procured the belief of their truth,
and the opinion of [a sort of] divinity for himself, among the
multitude. He also wrote and left behind him what made manifest
the accuracy and undeniable veracity of his predictions; for he
saith, that when he was in Susa, the metropolis of Persia, and
went out into the field with his companions, there was, on the
sudden, a motion and concussion of the earth, and that he was
left alone by himself, his friends fleeing away from him, and
that he was disturbed, and fell on his face, and on his two
hands, and that a certain person touched him, and, at the same
time, bid him rise, and see what would befall his countrymen
after many generations. He also related, that when he stood up,
he was shown a great rain, with many horns growing out of his
head, and that the last was higher than the rest: that after this
he looked to the west, and saw a he-goat carried through the air
from that quarter; that he rushed upon the ram with violence, and
smote him twice with his horns, and overthrew him to the ground,
and trampled upon him: that afterward he saw a very great horn
growing out of the head of the he-goat, and that when it was
broken off, four horns grew up that were exposed to each of the
four winds, and he wrote that out of them arose another lesser
horn, which, as he said, waxed great; and that God showed to him
that it should fight against his nation, and take their city by
force, and bring the temple worship to confusion, and forbid the
sacrifices to be offered for one thousand two hundred and
ninety-six days. Daniel wrote that he saw these visions in the
Plain of Susa; and he hath informed us that God interpreted the
appearance of this vision after the following manner: He said
that the ram signified the kingdoms of the Medes and Persians,
and the horns those kings that were to reign in them; and that
the last horn signified the last king, and that he should exceed
all the kings in riches and glory: that the he-goat signified
that one should come and reign from the Greeks, who should twice
fight with the Persian, and overcome him in battle, and should
receive his entire dominion: that by the great horn which sprang
out of the forehead of the he-goat was meant the first king; and
that the springing up of four horns upon its falling off, and the
conversion of every one of them to the four quarters of the
earth, signified the successors that should arise after the death
of the first king, and the partition of the kingdom among them,
and that they should be neither his children, nor of his kindred,
that should reign over the habitable earth for many years; and
that from among them there should arise a certain king that
should overcome our nation and their laws, and should take away
their political government, and should spoil the temple, and
forbid the sacrifices to be offered for three years' time. And
indeed it so came to pass, that our nation suffered these things
under Antiochus Epiphanes, according to Daniel's vision, and what
he wrote many years before they came to pass. In the very same
manner Daniel also wrote concerning the Roman government, and
that our country should be made desolate by them. All these
things did this man leave in writing, as God had showed them to
him, insomuch that such as read his prophecies, and see how they
have been fulfilled, would wonder at the honor wherewith God
honored Daniel; and may thence discover how the Epicureans are in
an error, who cast Providence out of human life, and do not
believe that God takes care of the affairs of the world, nor that
the universe is governed and continued in being by that blessed
and immortal nature, but say that the world is carried along of
its own accord, without a ruler and a curator; which, were it
destitute of a guide to conduct it, as they imagine, it would be
like ships without pilots, which we see drowned by the winds, or
like chariots without drivers, which are overturned; so would the
world be dashed to pieces by its being carried without a
Providence, and so perish, and come to nought. So that, by the
forementioned predictions of Daniel, those men seem to me very
much to err from the truth, who determine that God exercises no
providence over human affairs; for if that were the case, that
the world went on by mechanical necessity, we should not see that
all things would come to pass according to his prophecy. Now as
to myself, I have so described these matters as I have found them
and read them; but if any one is inclined to another opinion
about them, let him enjoy his different sentiments without any
blame from me.
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