114 



Western Asiatic history, and fortunately, one illustrated 

 by historical inscriptions and chronicles. As long- as the 

 Chaldean supremacy in Asia remained unshaken, there was 

 no hope for any mitigation of the punishment of Israel. The 

 active and firm policy of Nebuchadnezzar, with a mighty 

 army of the Chaldeans, kept all Western Asia in awe. It 

 was only on the death of this iron-handed ruler that the 

 Jews began to dream of the coming deliverance, and to 

 see whence it would come. '^Israel is a scattered sheep, 

 lions have driven him away; first the King of Assyria 

 (Sargon) hath devoured him ; and last this Nebuchadnezzar, 

 king of Babylon, hath broken his bones. Therefore, saith the 

 Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, I will punish the King 

 of Babylon and his land, as I have punished the King 

 of Assyria ^^ (Jer. 1. 17, 18). And the point whence 

 deliverance cometh is shown : "■ For out of the north there 

 cometh up a nation against her, which shall make her land deso- 

 late.^^ Again : " For, lo, I will raise and cause to come up 

 against Babylon an assembly of great nations from the north 

 country : and they shall set themselves in array against her; 

 from thence she shall be taken. At the noise of the taking 

 of Babylon the earth is moved, and a cry is heard among the 

 nations'^ (Jer. 1. 3-9, 46). In the next chapter he becomes 

 even more precise in his warnings. " Make bright the 

 arrows ; gather the shields ; the Lord hath raised up the 

 spirit of the kings of the Modes : for his device is against 

 Babylon to destroy it ; because it is the vengeance of the 

 Lord, the vengeance of his temple." " Set ye up a standard 

 in the land, blow the trumpet among the nations, prepare the 

 nations against her, call together against her the kingdoms 

 of Ararat, Minni, and Ashchenaz. Prepare against her the 

 nations, with the kings of the Modes" (Jer. li. 11, 27-28). In a 

 cylinder inscription of Nabonidus, found in the record chamber 

 of the temple of Sippara, the Sepharvaim of the Bible, 

 the modern Abbo Hubba, by Mr. Rassam, the following 

 important passage occurs : — 



" In the beginning of my reign, Merodach, the great lord 

 and !Sin (Moongoa), the illuminator of Heaven and earth, the 

 strengthener of all things, appeared to me in a dream. 

 Merodach spoke to me : ' Nabunaid, king of Babylon, come 

 up with the horses of thy chariot, build the walls of E-Khul- 

 Khul, and have the seat of Sin, the great lord, set within it.^ 

 Reverently I spake to the lord of the gods, Merodach, ' I will 

 build this temple of which thou speakest. The Sabmanda 

 (barbarians) destroyed it; strong was their might. ^ Merodach 

 spoke with me. ' The Sabmanda of whom thou speakest, they, 



