188 THEOPHILUS G. PINCHES, LL.D., M.R.A.S., ON 



built endure unto eternity. Let me be satisfied witli its 

 splendour, let me attain old age therein. Let me be satisfied 

 with children. Let me receive in the midst of it the abundant 

 tribute of the kings of the regions of all mankind. From 

 the horizon to the zenith, like the rising sun, may no enemy 

 exist — may I not have a foeman. May my posterity within 

 it for ever rule the (people) dark of head." 



From the wording of this, the concluding column of the India 

 House inscription, it would seem certain that Nebuchadrezzar 

 was at the time the text was written still a youngish man, and 

 one who had not yet had time to realize the vanity of human 

 existence. It is noteworthy, however, that the deity whom 

 he worshipped by preference was Merodach, who, as we know 

 from other sources, was likened unto Yahwah. It would there- 

 fore not be surprising if he looked, in the end, with favour on 

 the national God of the Israelites. Whether he became a convert 

 to their faith or not, we do not know, but the adoption of Mordecai, 

 " the Merodachite," " the worshipper " or " follower of Mero- 

 dach," suggests an identification, with the Hebrews, of those 

 two divine personages, Yahwah or Jehovah and Merodach, 

 though the Israelites must have ignored the fact that the latter 

 stood for Amar-uduk, and meant " the steer of day," a description 

 of the sun when on his upward course to that power and might 

 which our great luminary exercises when high in the heavens. 



Nebuchadrezzar's Gifts. 



In all his building inscriptions, and probably also others, 

 Nebuchadrezzar refers to himself as " the nourisher of E-sagila 

 and E-zida " {zanin JE-sagila u E-zida), and it would appear 

 that he was extremely generous in this respect, though whether 

 the other temples of Babylon and the country in general benefited 

 by his largess to the same extent is doubtful. In the case of 

 E-sagila, however, he states that he increased Merodach's rich 

 allowances, and his splendid offerings, over their former amount. 

 " On the 1st day an unblemished bull, a fatling, a full-grown ox, 

 a satisfaction of offerings of delights, the portion of the gods 

 of fi-sagila and the gods of Babylon. Fish, fowl, sprouting 

 garlic, the glory of the water-centres, honey, curd, milk, the 

 choicest of oil, wines, syrup, mountain-beer bright wine, 

 wine of Izalla Tu'immu, Simminu, Helbon, of Aranabanu, 



