BABYLON IN THE DAYS OF NEBUCHADREZZAR. 



189 



Suha (the land of the Shuhites), Bit-kubati, and Bitati, like 

 the untold waters of a river, I then made to abound 

 on the votive -table of Merodach and Zer-panitum, my lords. 

 As for the chamber, the seat of his lordship, with shining 

 gold its panels did I make. I overlaid the Hili-su gate 

 with gold, and the house for ZGr-panitum, my lady, richly did 

 I decorate. E-zida, the seat of Lugal, the king of the gods of 

 heaven and earth (lugal-dimmer-ana-ki), the chamber of Nabiu'" 

 (Nebo), which is within E-sagila, its threshold, its bolt, and 

 its bar, I caused to be overlaid with gold — I caused the house 

 to shine like the day. I built E-temen-ana-ki, the Tower of 

 Babylon, with gladness and rejoicing." 



Here the king introduces details of the construction of the 

 walls of Babylon. 



As far as one can see, Nebuchadrezzar was liberal in his gifts 

 to the temples of Babylon, and it seems probable that the neigh- 

 bouring city of Borsippa, the " second Babylon," was equally 

 favoured, for the same inscription records his offerings to E-zida 

 at Borsippa in much the same words as we find in the case of 

 E-sagila. " An unblemished bull, a fatling, a full-grown ox, 

 16 fat sucklings, the portion of the gods of Borsippa, the choicest 

 of fish, fowl, garlic, herb the glory of the water-centres, S3rrup, 

 wines, mountain-beer, bright wine, honey, cream, milk, the 

 best of oil, on the table (or dish) of Nabiu"' (Nebo), and Nanaa, 

 my lords, more than formerly I made to abound. For the 

 8th day the plenteousness of the offerings of Nergal and Laz, 

 the gods of E-meslam and Gudua (Cuthah) I instituted. I set 

 aside the periodical offering of the great gods, and besides the 

 old offering, an offering I added." 



Here follows a list of the temples which Nebuchadrezzar 

 rebuilt — E-parra of Sippar for Samas and Aya, E-parra of Larsa 

 for Samas and Aya, E-kis-nu-gal of Ur (of the Chaldees) for 

 Sin, " the brilliant lord, my lord, the beloved of my majesty," 

 E-Ine-Anum of Dailem for the god Uras, E-dur-gina of Baz for 

 Bel-sarbi, etc. 



These latter have nothing to do with Babylon, but they give 

 names which are known to us, and some of which are mentioned, 

 like Ur of the Chaldees, in the Old Testament, and farther on 

 the king's work in Erech is spoken of. It is not by any means 

 improbable that business documents may be found in one or 

 more of these cities referring to the supplies in question. In 

 this connection it is noteworthy that one of the items referred 



