Antiquities of the Jews - Book 10

BOOK X

Containing the Period of One Hundred and Eighty-Two and a Half Years, from the Captivity of the Ten Tribes to the First Year of Cyrus

CHAPTER 1

How Sennacherib marched against Hezekiah; the threats Rabshakeh made while Sennacherib was away fighting the Egyptians; how the prophet Isaiah encouraged Hezekiah; how Sennacherib returned to Jerusalem after failing in Egypt; how he found his army destroyed and went home; and what happened to him soon afterward.

It was now the fourteenth year of Hezekiah's reign over the two tribes. Sennacherib, king of Assyria, marched against him with a great army and took all the cities of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin by force. When Sennacherib prepared to march against Jerusalem, Hezekiah sent ambassadors to him. They offered to submit and pay whatever tribute he demanded.

After hearing their offer, Sennacherib decided not to continue the war. He agreed to accept Hezekiah's terms: three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold. He swore to the ambassadors that he would do Hezekiah no harm and would leave peacefully. Hezekiah submitted, emptied his treasury, and sent the money, believing he had escaped his enemy and any further danger to his kingdom.

But the Assyrian king took the money and ignored his promise. He went to war against the Egyptians and Ethiopians, leaving his general Rabshakeh and two other leading commanders with a large force to destroy Jerusalem. The other commanders were Tartan and Rabsaris.

When the commanders reached Jerusalem, they set up camp outside the walls and sent messengers to ask for a meeting with Hezekiah. The king was afraid to go out to them, so he sent three of his closest advisers instead: Eliakim, who was in charge of the kingdom; Shebna; and Joah, the recorder.

They went out and stood opposite the Assyrian commanders. Rabshakeh addressed them, telling them to take this message to Hezekiah: "The great king Sennacherib wants to know whom you trust and rely on, since you have rebelled against your master and refused to admit his army into the city. Do you trust the Egyptians, hoping their army will defeat us? If so, you are foolish. You are like someone leaning on a broken reed. It will not only give way beneath you, but pierce your hand.

"You should understand that I have come against you by God's will. He has granted me the power to overthrow the kingdom of Israel, and I will destroy your people in the same way."

Rabshakeh delivered this speech in Hebrew, which he knew well. Eliakim feared that the people listening would be shaken, so he asked him to speak in Aramaic instead. But Rabshakeh understood why he had asked and saw that he was afraid. He raised his voice and continued in Hebrew:

"Since you can all hear the king's orders, you should look after your own safety and surrender to us. You and your king are trying to keep the people from submitting with empty promises, and you are urging them to resist. If you are brave enough to drive our army away, I will give you two thousand horses to use, if you can find enough horsemen to ride them. But you don't have the strength to do that. Why delay surrendering to a stronger force that can take you whether you agree or not? It is safer to surrender willingly. If we defeat you and take the city by force, your suffering will be far worse."

When the people and the ambassadors heard the Assyrian commander's words, they reported them to Hezekiah. The king took off his royal clothing, put on sackcloth, and dressed as a mourner. Then, following the custom of his people, he fell facedown and prayed to God, asking for help when they had no other hope of rescue.

He also sent some of his advisers and priests to the prophet Isaiah. He asked Isaiah to pray to God, offer sacrifices for their deliverance, and plead for mercy on the people, so God would turn against their enemies.

Isaiah did as the king asked. God then gave him a message to encourage Hezekiah and those with him. Their enemies, God said, would be defeated without a battle and would leave in disgrace, no longer boasting as they did now. God would see to their destruction. Isaiah also foretold that Sennacherib would fail in his attack on Egypt and would be killed by the sword after returning home.

Around the same time, the king of Assyria sent Hezekiah a letter. He called him foolish for thinking he could avoid becoming his servant, since Sennacherib had already conquered many great nations. He threatened to destroy Hezekiah unless he opened the gates and willingly let the Assyrian army into Jerusalem.

Hezekiah read the letter and dismissed its threats because he trusted in God. He rolled it up and placed it in the temple. Then he continued to pray for the city and for the safety of all its people.

The prophet Isaiah told him that God had heard his prayer. Hezekiah would not be besieged by the king of Assyria at that time, Isaiah said, and would not have to fear being troubled by him in the future. The people could go about their farming and other work in peace.

Soon afterward, Sennacherib returned home without success after his treacherous plans against the Egyptians had failed. This is what happened: He had spent a long time besieging Pelusium. He raised banks against the walls, and when they had grown high enough for an immediate assault, he heard that Tirhaka, king of the Ethiopians, was coming to help the Egyptians with a large army. Tirhaka planned to march through the desert and attack the Assyrians directly. Sennacherib was alarmed by this news and, as I have said, left Pelusium and returned home without succeeding.

Herodotus also tells a story about Sennacherib in the second book of his histories. He says that the king attacked Egypt, whose king was a priest of Vulcan, and that he lifted the siege of Pelusium after the Egyptian priest prayed to God and God heard him. But Herodotus was wrong when he called Sennacherib the king of the Arabians instead of the Assyrians. He says that a swarm of mice gnawed through the Assyrians' bows and the rest of their weapons in a single night. Since the soldiers had no bows left, the king withdrew his army from Pelusium.

Herodotus does tell this story, and Berosus, who wrote about Chaldean affairs, also mentions Sennacherib. He says that Sennacherib ruled the Assyrians and marched against all Asia and Egypt. Berosus writes:

"When Sennacherib returned from his war in Egypt to Jerusalem, he found that his army, under his general Rabshakeh, was in danger because God had sent a plague upon it. On the first night of the siege, one hundred and eighty-five thousand men, along with their captains and generals, were killed. The king was terrified and overwhelmed by the disaster. Fearing for the rest of his army, he fled with his remaining forces to his kingdom and his city of Nineveh.

"After staying there for a short time, he was attacked by treachery and killed by his older sons, Adrammelech and Seraser, in his own temple, which was called Araske. Because they had murdered their father, the citizens drove them away, and they went to Armenia. Assarachoddas took the kingdom of Sennacherib."

This was the end of the Assyrian expedition against the people of Jerusalem.

CHAPTER 2

How Hezekiah Fell Sick and Was Near Death, and How God Gave Him Fifteen More Years of Life, Confirming His Promise by Turning Back the Shadow Ten Degrees

After Hezekiah had been delivered in this astonishing way from the danger that had filled him with fear, he and all his people offered thanks to God. They believed that divine help alone had destroyed some of their enemies and so terrified the rest that they left Jerusalem rather than face the same fate.

Hezekiah remained zealous and diligent in the worship of God. But soon afterward, he fell gravely ill. His physicians expected no recovery, and neither did his friends. Along with his illness, another distressing thought weighed on the king: he had no children, and he was about to die, leaving his household and kingdom without an heir of his own. He grieved over this and prayed that God would extend his life long enough for him to have children, rather than let him die before becoming a father.

God had mercy on him and answered his prayer. Hezekiah had not asked for more time because he wanted to keep the benefits of ruling the kingdom. He wanted sons who could succeed him as king. So God sent the prophet Isaiah to tell him that within three days he would recover, live another fifteen years, and have children.

When Isaiah delivered God's message, Hezekiah could scarcely believe him. His illness was severe, and the promise seemed beyond all expectation. He asked Isaiah for a sign or wonder to prove that the message came from God. Great and unexpected promises, he said, become believable through signs of equal wonder.

Isaiah asked what sign Hezekiah wanted. The king asked him to make the shadow of the sun, which had already moved down ten steps, or degrees, in his house, return to its former place. Isaiah prayed to God for this sign, and Hezekiah saw what he had asked to see. He recovered from his illness, went up to the temple, worshipped God, and made vows to him.

At this time, the Medes overthrew the Assyrian dominion, but I will speak of these events elsewhere. The king of Babylon, whose name was Baladan, sent ambassadors to Hezekiah with gifts and asked him to become his ally and friend.

Hezekiah welcomed the ambassadors and held a feast for them. He showed them his treasures, his weapons, and his other wealth, including precious stones and gold. He also gave them gifts to take back to Baladan.

After they had left, the prophet Isaiah came to Hezekiah and asked where the ambassadors had come from. Hezekiah replied that they had come from Babylon, sent by its king. He had shown them everything he owned so they could see his wealth and military strength and report them to their king.

Isaiah answered, "Know that before long, all these riches of yours will be carried away to Babylon. Your descendants will be taken there, made eunuchs, and forced to serve the king of Babylon. God has foretold that these things will happen."

Hezekiah was troubled by Isaiah's words. He said he did not want his people to suffer such calamities, but since God's decision could not be changed, he prayed that there would be peace during his lifetime.

Berosus also mentions Baladan, king of Babylon. All agree that Isaiah was a remarkable prophet who spoke the truth. Certain that he had never written anything false, he recorded all his prophecies and left them in books, so that later generations could judge their fulfillment by what took place. The other prophets did the same, and there were twelve of them. Among us, everything that happens, whether good or bad, comes to pass according to their prophecies. I will speak of each prophet later.

CHAPTER 3

How Manasseh Reigned After Hezekiah, Was Taken Captive, Returned to God, and Was Restored to His Kingdom, Which He Left to His Son Amon

King Hezekiah lived in peace for the time already mentioned. He died at the age of fifty-four, after reigning for twenty-nine years. His son Manasseh, whose mother was Hephzibah of Jerusalem, took the throne. But Manasseh rejected his father's ways and chose a life of wickedness. He committed every kind of impiety and copied the sins of the Israelites, whose offenses against God had brought about their destruction. He dared to defile God's temple, the city, and the whole country. Because he despised God, he cruelly killed the righteous men among the Hebrews. He did not spare the prophets, but put some of them to death each day until Jerusalem ran with blood.

God was angered by these deeds. He sent prophets to the king and the people to warn them that the same calamities would fall on them as had fallen on their Israelite brothers for their offenses against God. But they refused to believe the prophets, though their warning could have helped them escape those disasters. In time, they learned that the prophets had spoken the truth.

When the people continued in their wicked ways, God brought war upon them. The king of Babylon and Chaldea sent an army against Judea and laid waste the land. Manasseh was captured by treachery and brought before the king, who held him in his power and could punish him as he pleased.

Then Manasseh understood how miserable his condition was. He blamed himself for what had happened and begged God to move his enemy to treat him with kindness and mercy. God heard his prayer and granted it. The king of Babylon released Manasseh, and he escaped the danger he had faced.

When Manasseh returned to Jerusalem, he tried to put his former sins against God behind him. He repented and devoted himself to a religious life. He purified the temple and cleansed the city. For the rest of his days, he gave thanks to God for his deliverance and sought to remain in God's favor. He also urged the people to do the same, for he had nearly suffered disaster because he had lived in the opposite way.

Manasseh rebuilt the altar and offered the sacrifices required by the law of Moses. After restoring the worship of God, he turned his attention to Jerusalem's defense. He carefully repaired the old walls and built another wall outside them. He also raised tall towers and strengthened the fortified places before the city, supplying them with all the provisions they needed.

After changing his ways, Manasseh lived so that people regarded him as a fortunate man and an example to follow. He died at the age of sixty-seven, after reigning for fifty-five years, and was buried in his own garden. His son Amon became king. Amon's mother was Meshulemeth of Jotbath.

CHAPTER 4

Amon Reigns in Manasseh's Place; Josiah Succeeds Amon and Proves Righteous and Devout; Huldah the Prophetess

Amon followed the sinful ways of his father, the same ways Manasseh had pursued in his youth. His own servants conspired against him and killed him in his house. He was twenty-four years old and had reigned for two years. The people punished those who had killed Amon, buried him with his father, and made his son Josiah king. Josiah was eight years old. His mother, Jedidah, came from the city of Boscath.

Josiah had an excellent character and a natural love of virtue. He followed King David's example in every part of his life. When he was twelve, he began to show his devotion to God and his commitment to justice. He urged the people to live uprightly and give up their belief in idols, which were not gods, and worship their own God instead.

Josiah carefully considered what his ancestors had done. Like a wise old man, he corrected their mistakes and kept what they had done well, putting it into practice throughout the land. He followed his own good judgment as well as the advice of his elders. By obeying the laws, he governed well and remained faithful in the worship of God.

The sins of the earlier kings soon disappeared. Josiah traveled through the city and the countryside, cutting down the sacred groves dedicated to foreign gods and tearing down their altars. He also pulled down and disgraced any gifts his ancestors had dedicated to those gods. In this way, he turned the people away from their idols and back to the worship of God. He offered the usual sacrifices and burnt offerings on the altar.

Josiah also appointed judges and overseers to manage their assigned duties. He charged them to put justice above all else and to judge each case with the same care they would give to their own lives. He sent word throughout the land that anyone who wished could contribute gold or silver for repairs to the temple, according to their means and desire.

When the money had been collected, Josiah appointed Maaseiah, the city governor; Shaphan, the scribe; Joab, the recorder; and Eliakim, the high priest, to oversee the temple and the funds given for its repair. They wasted no time. They hired builders, gathered everything the work required, and set to work at once. In this way, the temple was repaired, and the work gave public proof of the king's devotion to God.

In the eighteenth year of his reign, Josiah sent for Eliakim the high priest and ordered him to use the surplus money to make cups, dishes, and bowls for the temple service. He also told him to take any gold or silver from the temple treasury and use it to make these vessels.

As the high priest brought out the gold, he came upon the holy books of Moses, which had been stored in the temple. He took them out and gave them to Shaphan the scribe. After reading them, Shaphan went to the king and reported that everything Josiah had ordered was finished. Then he read the books aloud to him.

When Josiah heard the words of the books, he tore his clothes. He summoned Eliakim the high priest, Shaphan the scribe, and several of his closest companions. He sent them to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum, a man of high rank and an eminent family. Josiah told them to ask her to seek God's mercy and favor for the people. He feared that, because their ancestors had broken the laws of Moses, the people might be taken into captivity and driven from their country. They might be left without the necessities of life and meet a miserable end.

When Huldah heard the king's message, she told the messengers to return and say that God had already decreed the destruction of the people and their removal from their country. They would lose the happiness they had enjoyed, and no prayer could turn aside this judgment. Their punishment had been decreed because they had broken the laws and failed to repent for a long time. The prophets had urged them to change their ways and warned them of the consequences of their wicked practices. God would carry out his threat, so they would know that he was truly God and had not spoken falsely through his prophets.

But because Josiah was righteous, God would delay the calamities for a time. After Josiah's death, he would bring upon the people the suffering he had already appointed for them.

The messengers returned and told the king what the prophetess had said. Josiah then sent word throughout the land, ordering the priests and Levites to gather in Jerusalem. He also commanded people of every age to attend.

When they had assembled, the king first read the holy books to them. Then he stood on a raised platform in the midst of the crowd and required them to make a solemn covenant, swearing that they would worship God and obey the laws of Moses. The people willingly agreed and promised to follow the king's command.

They at once offered sacrifices in a manner pleasing to God and prayed for his mercy and kindness. Josiah also ordered the high priest to remove from the temple any vessels dedicated to idols or foreign gods. When a great number had been gathered, he burned them and scattered their ashes. He also put to death the priests of the idols who were not descended from Aaron.

After completing this work in Jerusalem, Josiah went through the countryside and destroyed the buildings King Jeroboam had built in honor of foreign gods. He burned the bones of the false prophets on the altar Jeroboam had first built.

The prophet Jadon had foretold this when he came to Jeroboam as the king was offering sacrifice. All the people had heard him say that a man from the house of David, named Josiah, would do these very things. His prophecy came to pass 361 years later.

Josiah also went to the Israelites who had escaped captivity and slavery under the Assyrians. He urged them to abandon their wicked practices and stop honoring foreign gods. Instead, they were to worship their own Almighty God and remain faithful to him.

He searched houses, villages, and cities, suspecting that someone might be keeping an idol in secret. He even removed the chariots of the sun from the royal palace, which his predecessors had made, along with anything else they worshiped as a god.

After cleansing the whole country, Josiah called the people to Jerusalem and celebrated the Feast of Unleavened Bread, also called Passover. For the Passover sacrifices, he gave the people 30,000 young goats and lambs, along with 3,000 oxen for burnt offerings. The chief priests gave the priests 2,600 lambs for the feast. The chief Levites gave the Levites 5,000 lambs and 500 oxen.

There were sacrifices in great abundance. The priests offered them according to the laws of Moses, explaining each matter to the people as they served them. No other festival of this kind had been celebrated by the Hebrews since the days of Samuel the prophet. The abundance of sacrifices allowed everything to be done according to the law and the custom of their ancestors.

After these events, Josiah lived in peace, and he was wealthy and held in high regard by all. His life ended in the following manner.

CHAPTER 5

How Josiah Fought Neco, King of Egypt, Was Wounded, and Soon Died; How Neco Took Jehoahaz to Egypt and Gave the Kingdom to Jehoiakim; and What Happened to Jeremiah and Ezekiel

Neco, king of Egypt, gathered an army and marched toward the Euphrates River to fight the Medes and Babylonians, who had overthrown the Assyrian kingdom. He hoped to rule over Asia. When he reached the city of Mendes, which belonged to Josiah's kingdom, Josiah brought out his army to stop him from crossing his land on the way to fight the Medes.

Neco sent a messenger to Josiah. He said that his campaign was not directed against Josiah and that he was hurrying to the Euphrates. He asked Josiah not to provoke him by blocking his march to the place he had set out to reach. Josiah refused to accept Neco's advice and prepared to prevent him from continuing on his way.

I suppose fate drove Josiah to act this way, so that it could bring about his downfall. As he arranged his army for battle and rode in his chariot from one side of the line to the other, an Egyptian archer shot him. His desire to fight ended at once. Badly wounded, he ordered his army to retreat and returned to Jerusalem, where he died from his injury.

Josiah was buried with great honor in the tomb of his ancestors. He lived thirty-nine years and ruled for thirty-one. All the people mourned him and grieved for many days. The prophet Jeremiah wrote a lament for him, which is still preserved today.

Jeremiah had also foretold the terrible disasters that would come upon the city. He left a written account of the destruction of our nation, which happened in our own time, and of the capture of Babylon. Jeremiah was not the only prophet to make such predictions to the people. Ezekiel did so as well, and he was the first to write two books about these events.

Both prophets were priests by birth. Jeremiah lived in Jerusalem from the thirteenth year of Josiah's reign until the city and the temple were completely destroyed. We will tell what happened to him in the proper place.

After Josiah's death, as we have already said, his son Jehoahaz took the throne. He was about twenty-three years old and ruled in Jerusalem. His mother was Hamutal, from the city of Libnah. Jehoahaz was wicked and lived an impure life.

When Neco returned from battle, he summoned Jehoahaz to meet him at Hamath, a city in Syria. After Jehoahaz arrived, Neco put him in chains and gave the kingdom to his brother on their father's side, Eliakim. Neco changed Eliakim's name to Jehoiakim and imposed a tribute of one hundred talents of silver and one talent of gold on the land. Jehoiakim paid this tribute.

Neco took Jehoahaz to Egypt, where he died after ruling for three months and ten days. Jehoiakim's mother was Zebudah, from the city of Rumah. Jehoiakim had a wicked nature and was eager to do harm. He showed no reverence for God and treated other people cruelly.

CHAPTER 6

How Nebuchadnezzar Defeated the King of Egypt, Attacked the Jews, Killed Jehoiakim, and Made His Son Jehoiachin King

In the fourth year of Jehoiakim's reign, Nebuchadnezzar took control of the Babylonians. At that time, he marched with a great army to Carchemish, on the Euphrates, intending to fight Neco, king of Egypt, who then ruled over all Syria. When Neco learned that the Babylonian king was coming against him, he did not dismiss the threat. He hurried to the Euphrates with a large force to defend himself. They fought, and Neco was defeated. Tens of thousands of his soldiers died in the battle.

Nebuchadnezzar crossed the Euphrates and took control of all Syria as far as Pelusium, except for Judea. After Nebuchadnezzar had reigned four years, in the eighth year of Jehoiakim's rule over the Hebrews, he marched against the Jews with a powerful army. He demanded tribute from Jehoiakim and threatened to make war against him if he refused. Afraid of the threat, Jehoiakim paid for peace and delivered the required tribute for three years.

In the third year, Jehoiakim heard that the Babylonian king was marching against Egypt, so he stopped paying tribute. But his hope was misplaced, because the Egyptians did not dare to fight at that time. The prophet Jeremiah warned the people each day that they were foolish to trust in help from Egypt. He also foretold that the Babylonian king would overthrow the city and subdue Jehoiakim.

His warnings did them no good, for none of them would escape what was coming. The people and their rulers paid no attention. They were angry at Jeremiah's words, as though he were making false predictions against the king. They accused him and brought him before the court, demanding that he be sentenced and punished.

The others voted to condemn him, but the elders refused. They wisely led the prophet out of the court and persuaded the rest not to harm him. They pointed out that Jeremiah was not the only one who had foretold the city's fate. Micah had spoken the same words before him, along with many others, yet none of them had been harmed by the kings of that time. Instead, they had been honored as prophets of God. The elders calmed the crowd with these words and saved Jeremiah from the punishment they had planned for him.

After Jeremiah had written down all his prophecies, the people gathered at the temple to fast. In the ninth month of Jehoiakim's fifth year, Jeremiah read from the scroll, telling them what would happen to the city, the temple, and the people. When the rulers heard about it, they took the scroll from him and told him and Baruch the scribe to leave before anyone discovered them. Then they brought the scroll to the king.

In front of his friends, the king ordered his scribe to read it aloud. When he heard what it said, he became angry. He tore the scroll apart and threw it into the fire, where it burned up. He also ordered that Jeremiah and Baruch be found and brought to him for punishment. But they escaped his anger.

A short time later, the Babylonian king marched against Jehoiakim. Jehoiakim welcomed him into the city, fearing the prophet's earlier warnings and believing that he would suffer no harm if he neither shut the gates nor fought back. But once the Babylonian king entered the city, he broke the agreement he had made. He killed the young men in the prime of life and the people of highest rank, along with their king, Jehoiakim. He ordered Jehoiakim's body thrown outside the walls without burial.

The Babylonian king made Jehoiachin, Jehoiakim's son, ruler over the country and the city. He also took three thousand leading officials and other people of rank as captives and carried them to Babylon. The prophet Ezekiel was among them; he was still young at the time.

This was the end of Jehoiakim. He lived thirty-six years and reigned for eleven. His son Jehoiachin succeeded him. Jehoiachin's mother was Nehushta, a citizen of Jerusalem. He reigned for three months and ten days.

CHAPTER 7

The King of Babylon Regrets Making Jehoiachin King, Takes Him to Babylon, and Gives the Kingdom to Zedekiah. Zedekiah Ignores the Prophecies of Jeremiah and Ezekiel and Joins the Egyptians. When the Egyptians Enter Judea, the King of Babylon Defeats Them. The Fate of Jeremiah

The king of Babylon soon became afraid that Jehoiachin, whom he had made king, would resent him for killing his father and would stir the country to rebel. So he sent an army to besiege Jehoiachin in Jerusalem. But Jehoiachin was gentle and just, and he did not want the city to suffer on his account. He took his mother and his relatives and gave them up to the Babylonian commanders, after they swore that neither they nor the city would be harmed.

The agreement lasted less than a year. The king of Babylon broke his oath and ordered his generals to take everyone in the city captive, including the young men and the craftsmen, and bring them to him in chains. Their number was 10,832. Jehoiachin, his mother, and his relatives were taken as well. The king kept them in custody, then made Jehoiachin's uncle, Zedekiah, king. He made Zedekiah swear that he would hold the kingdom for him, make no changes, and form no alliance with the Egyptians.

Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he began to rule. He had the same mother as his brother Jehoiakim, but he despised justice and his duty. The people his own age were wicked, and the whole nation did whatever unjust and insolent things they pleased.

The prophet Jeremiah often came to Zedekiah and warned him to abandon his sins and do what was right. He told him not to listen to the officials, many of whom were wicked, or to believe the false prophets who deceived them. They claimed that the king of Babylon would never make war on them again, and that the Egyptians would defeat him. Their words were false, and events would prove them wrong.

When Zedekiah heard Jeremiah speak, he believed him and agreed that his words were true and good for him. But his friends turned him away from the prophet's advice and persuaded him to do as they wished.

Ezekiel, who was in Babylon, also foretold the calamities that would come upon the people. When he heard Ezekiel's words, Zedekiah sent word of them to Jerusalem. Yet he did not believe the prophets, for this reason: Jeremiah and Ezekiel agreed that the city would be taken and that Zedekiah himself would be captured. But they differed on whether he would see Babylon. Ezekiel said he would not see it, while Jeremiah said the king of Babylon would take him there in chains.

Zedekiah kept his treaty with the Babylonians for eight years, then broke it and rebelled, hoping the Egyptians would help him defeat them. When the king of Babylon learned of this, he went to war against Zedekiah. He laid waste to the country, captured its fortified towns, and came to Jerusalem to besiege it.

When the king of Egypt heard what had happened to his ally, Zedekiah, he brought a large army into Judea, as though he meant to break the siege. The king of Babylon then left Jerusalem, met the Egyptians in battle, and defeated them. He pursued them as they fled and drove them out of all Syria.

As soon as the king of Babylon had left Jerusalem, the false prophets deceived Zedekiah. They told him that the king of Babylon would never again make war on him or his people, and would not carry them away to Babylon. They also said that the captives would return, along with all the vessels the king of Babylon had taken from the Temple.

Jeremiah came among them and spoke against these predictions. He said they were doing wrong and deceiving the king. The Egyptians would be no help to them. The king of Babylon would return, besiege Jerusalem, and bring famine upon the people. He would take those who survived into captivity, seize their possessions, carry away the treasures in the Temple, burn the Temple, and destroy the city. The people would serve him and his descendants for seventy years. Then the Persians and Medes would end their captivity and overthrow the Babylonians. "We will be released and return to this land. We will rebuild the Temple and restore Jerusalem."

Most of the people believed Jeremiah, but the officials and the wicked among them scorned him as a madman.

Jeremiah had decided to go to his own town, Anathoth, which was twenty furlongs from Jerusalem. As he was leaving, one of the officials met him, seized him, and falsely accused him of going over to the Babylonians. Jeremiah said the man was lying and explained that he was only going to his hometown. But the official would not believe him. He took Jeremiah to the other officials and accused him before them. They tortured and tormented him, then kept him in custody for punishment. For some time, he suffered unjustly in this way.

In the ninth year of Zedekiah's reign, on the tenth day of the tenth month, the king of Babylon returned to Jerusalem. He camped before the city and besieged it for eighteen months, pressing the attack with all his strength.

Two terrible disasters struck Jerusalem during the siege: famine and plague. Both took a heavy toll. Though Jeremiah was in prison, he did not stop speaking. He cried out and urged the people to open the gates and admit the king of Babylon. If they did, he said, they and their families would be spared. If they refused, they would be destroyed. Anyone who stayed in the city would die, either from famine or by the enemy's sword. Those who fled to the enemy would escape death.

Even in the midst of their suffering, the officials refused to believe him. In their anger, they went to the king and reported Jeremiah's words. They accused him of being mad and said he was discouraging the people. The people had been ready to face danger for the king and their country, they said, but Jeremiah was urging them to flee to the enemy and warning them that the city would certainly be captured and destroyed.

The king himself was not angry with Jeremiah, for he was gentle and just. But he did not want to quarrel with the officials at such a time, so he let them do as they wished with the prophet.

Once the king gave them permission, the officials went to the prison, took Jeremiah, and lowered him by a rope into a pit full of mud, hoping he would suffocate and die. He sank into the mud up to his neck and remained there.

One of the king's servants, an Ethiopian who was in high favor with him, told the king what had happened. He said the officials had done wrong by throwing the prophet into the mud, where he faced a death worse than dying in chains.

When the king heard this, he regretted handing Jeremiah over to the officials. He ordered the Ethiopian to take thirty of the king's guards, along with ropes and whatever else they needed to save the prophet, and pull him out at once. The Ethiopian took the men and rescued Jeremiah from the mud. Jeremiah was then left free in the prison.

The king later sent for Jeremiah in secret. He asked what message Jeremiah had from God for him in his present circumstances and told him to speak plainly.

Jeremiah replied that he had something to say, but feared the king would not believe him or listen to his warning. "Your friends have decided to destroy me, as though I had committed some crime. Where are the men who deceived us, saying the king of Babylon would never come to fight us again? I am afraid to tell the truth, in case you condemn me to death."

The king swore that he would neither kill Jeremiah nor hand him over to the officials. Reassured by this promise, Jeremiah gave him this counsel: he should surrender the city to the Babylonians. God had foretold this through Jeremiah. If the king obeyed, he would be saved from danger, the city would not be destroyed, and the Temple would not be burned. But if he refused, he would bring these disasters upon the people and calamity upon his own household.

The king said he was willing to follow Jeremiah's advice, since it would be for his good. But he feared the Judeans who had gone over to the Babylonians. He thought they might accuse him to the king of Babylon, who would punish him.

Jeremiah told him he had no reason to fear such punishment. If he surrendered to the Babylonians, neither he, his children, nor his wives would suffer misfortune, and the Temple would remain unharmed.

After speaking, Jeremiah was released. The king ordered him not to tell anyone what they had discussed, and not to reveal it to the officials if they learned that he had been summoned and asked what the king had said. Instead, he was to tell them that he had begged the king not to keep him in prison. That is what Jeremiah told them when they came and asked what advice he had given the king. Here ends the account of this matter.

CHAPTER 8

How the King of Babylon Took Jerusalem, Burned the Temple, and Carried the People of Jerusalem and Zedekiah to Babylon; and the Succession of High Priests Under the Kings

The king of Babylon pressed the siege of Jerusalem with great force. He built towers on high earthen banks, from which his men could drive back those who stood on the walls. He also raised many banks around the whole city, as high as its walls.

Those inside the city endured the siege with courage. Famine and disease did not weaken their resolve, and they kept fighting with confidence, though they suffered from those hardships as well. They were not frightened by the enemy's plans or weapons. Instead, they built new devices to meet each attack. The contest became a test of skill between the Babylonians and the people of Jerusalem. The Babylonians trusted that their machines would help them destroy the city, while the defenders looked for safety in building devices that could make the enemy's weapons useless. They held out for eighteen months, until famine and the arrows fired from the enemy's towers overcame them.

The city was taken on the ninth day of the fourth month, in the eleventh year of Zedekiah's reign. Nebuchadnezzar had placed the siege in the hands of his generals while he stayed in the city of Riblah. Their names were Nergal Sharezer, Samgar Nebo, Rabsaris, Sorsechim, and Rabmag.

The enemy entered the city around midnight. When Zedekiah realized what had happened, he fled through the fortified ditch and into the desert with his wives, children, captains, and friends. At daybreak, some of the deserters told the Babylonians what he had done. They hurried after him and caught up with him near Jericho, where they surrounded him.

When Zedekiah's captains and friends saw the enemy closing in, they abandoned him and scattered in different directions, each trying to save himself. The Babylonians captured Zedekiah alive, along with his children and wives, though only a few people remained with him, and brought them to the king.

Nebuchadnezzar called Zedekiah wicked and faithless, accusing him of breaking his covenant and forgetting his promises to keep the country for him. He also condemned Zedekiah for turning against the very man who had given him the kingdom after taking it from Jehoiachin. "But God is great," he said, "for he hated your conduct and has brought you under our power."

After saying this, Nebuchadnezzar ordered Zedekiah's sons and friends killed while Zedekiah and the other captains watched. Then he had Zedekiah's eyes put out, bound him, and took him to Babylon.

This was what Jeremiah and Ezekiel had foretold. Jeremiah had said that Zedekiah would be captured, brought before the king of Babylon, and speak to him face to face, seeing him with his own eyes. Ezekiel had also foretold that Zedekiah would be blinded and taken to Babylon, where he would not see the city.

We have described these events to show those who do not understand God's nature that it works in many ways, and that events come to pass in their proper order and at their appointed time. God foretells what will happen. These events also show how ignorant and unbelieving people can be, unable to see what lies ahead and left without protection when disaster comes. They cannot escape the hardships that follow.

The kings of David's line came to the end of their rule in this way. There were twenty-one of them, including the last king, and together they reigned for five hundred and fourteen years, six months, and ten days. Saul, their first king, ruled for twenty years, though he did not belong to the same tribe as the others.

Afterward, the king of Babylon sent Nebuzaradan, the commander of his army, to Jerusalem. He ordered him to plunder the Temple, burn it and the royal palace, level the city, and carry its people away to Babylon.

Nebuzaradan came to Jerusalem in the eleventh year of King Zedekiah's reign. He plundered the Temple and took away the sacred vessels of gold and silver. These included the great basin Solomon had dedicated, the bronze pillars and their capitals, the golden tables, and the lampstands. After carrying them off, he set fire to the Temple on the first day of the fifth month, in the eleventh year of Zedekiah's reign and the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar's. He also burned the palace and tore down the city.

The Temple had stood for four hundred and seventy years, six months, and ten days before it burned. From the departure out of Egypt to the Temple's destruction was one thousand and sixty-two years, six months, and ten days. From the Flood to its destruction was one thousand nine hundred and fifty-seven years, six months, and ten days. From the generation of Adam to the destruction of the Temple was three thousand five hundred and thirteen years, six months, and ten days. These are the years that had passed. We have already described the events that took place during them.

The Babylonian commander pulled the city down to its foundations and carried away its people. He took the high priest Seraiah, Zephaniah, the priest who served beneath him, the three officers who guarded the Temple, the eunuch in charge of the armed men, seven of Zedekiah's friends, the king's scribe, and sixty other officials. He brought them, along with the vessels he had plundered, to the king of Babylon at Riblah, a city in Syria.

There the king ordered the high priest and the officials to be beheaded. He then took the captives and Zedekiah to Babylon. He also carried away Josedek, the high priest's son, in chains. Josedek was the son of Seraiah, the high priest whom the king of Babylon had killed at Riblah, as we have just related.

Since we have listed the kings, named them, and given the length of their reigns, I think it is necessary to name the high priests who succeeded one another under the kings.

Zadok was the first high priest at the Temple Solomon built. His son Achimas followed him, and Azarias followed Achimas. Azarias's son was Joram, and Joram's son was Isus. After Isus came Axioramus. His son was Phidens, whose son was Sudeas. Sudeas's son was Juelus, and Juelus's son was Jotham. Jotham's son was Urias, whose son was Nerias. Nerias's son was Odeas, and Odeas's son was Sallumus. Sallumus's son was Elcias, whose son was Azarias. Azarias's son was Sareas, and Sareas's son was Josedec, who was carried away captive to Babylon. Each of these men received the high priesthood from his father in succession.

When the king arrived in Babylon, he kept Zedekiah in prison until he died, then gave him an honorable burial. He dedicated the vessels taken from the Temple in Jerusalem to his own gods and settled the people in the country of Babylon. He also released the high priest from his chains.

CHAPTER 9

How Nebuzaradan Appointed Gedaliah Governor over the Jews Left in Judea, How Ishmael Soon Killed Gedaliah, and How Johanan Went Down to Egypt with the People, Whom Nebuchadnezzar Later Captured and Took to Babylon

After Nebuzaradan, the commander of the army, had taken the Jewish people into captivity, he left the poor and those who had deserted behind in the country. He appointed Gedaliah, son of Ahikam, a man of noble birth, as their governor. Gedaliah was gentle and just. He ordered the people to farm the land and pay the king the required tribute.

Nebuzaradan also released the prophet Jeremiah from prison. He urged him to come to Babylon, saying the king had ordered him to provide whatever Jeremiah needed. If Jeremiah preferred not to go, Nebuzaradan asked him to say where he intended to live so he could inform the king.

But Jeremiah had no wish to follow him or settle anywhere else. He preferred to remain among the ruins of his homeland, with what little remained of it. When the commander learned this, he told Gedaliah, whom he was leaving behind, to care for Jeremiah and provide whatever he needed. Nebuzaradan then gave Jeremiah valuable gifts and sent him on his way.

Jeremiah settled in a city in that region called Mizpah. He also asked Nebuzaradan to free his disciple Baruch, son of Neriah, who came from a distinguished family and was highly skilled in the language of his people.

After making these arrangements, Nebuzaradan hurried back to Babylon. During the siege of Jerusalem, many people had fled and scattered throughout the country. When they heard that the Babylonians had left a remnant in the land, with people to cultivate it, they came from all sides to Gedaliah at Mizpah.

Their leaders included Johanan, son of Kareah, Jezaniah, Seraiah, and others. Among them was Ishmael, a member of the royal family, a wicked and cunning man. During the siege of Jerusalem, he had fled to Baalis, king of the Ammonites, and stayed with him.

Gedaliah urged the people to remain with him and not fear the Babylonians. If they worked the land, he promised, they would come to no harm. He swore this to them and assured them that he would protect them. If trouble arose, he would be ready to defend them.

He told them they could settle in any city they chose. They could send men with his own servants to rebuild their houses on their old foundations and live there. He also advised them to gather grain, wine, and oil while the season allowed, so they would have food through the winter. After speaking with them, he let each person settle wherever he wished in the country.

News spread to the neighboring nations that Gedaliah welcomed those who came to him after fleeing, asking only that they pay tribute to the king of Babylon. People from those nations then came willingly to Gedaliah and settled in the country.

Johanan and the other leaders saw Gedaliah's kindness toward them and grew very fond of him. They told him that Baalis, king of the Ammonites, had sent Ishmael to murder him in secret and take control of the Israelites, since Ishmael belonged to the royal family. They said Gedaliah could escape the plot by allowing them to kill Ishmael without anyone finding out. They feared that if Ishmael killed Gedaliah, the remaining strength of the Israelites would be destroyed.

Gedaliah said he could not believe their warning. Ishmael had been treated well by him, and it seemed unlikely that a man who had lacked for nothing would act so wickedly and repay his benefactor with treachery. Still, Gedaliah said, even if the report were true, he would rather be killed by Ishmael than kill a man who had sought his protection and entrusted his safety to him.

Johanan and the other leaders could not persuade Gedaliah, so they left. Thirty days later, Ishmael returned to Gedaliah at Mizpah with ten men. Gedaliah welcomed him and his companions to a fine meal and gave them gifts. As he tried to make merry with them, he drank too much and fell into a deep stupor.

When Ishmael saw that Gedaliah was helpless and asleep, he suddenly rose with his ten companions and killed him and the others at the feast. That night, he killed all the Jews who were in the city, as well as the soldiers the Babylonians had left there.

The next day, eighty men arrived from the countryside, bringing gifts for Gedaliah. They did not know what had happened. Ishmael invited them into Gedaliah's house. Once they entered, he shut the courtyard and killed them, throwing their bodies into a deep pit so no one would see them. He spared some of the eighty who begged him to let them live until they could give him the wealth they had hidden in the fields, including household goods, clothing, and grain.

Ishmael took the people who remained in Mizpah captive, along with their wives and children. Among them were the daughters of King Zedekiah, whom Nebuzaradan had left with Gedaliah. After doing this, Ishmael went to the king of the Ammonites.

When Johanan and the other leaders heard what Ishmael had done at Mizpah and that Gedaliah was dead, they were outraged. Each gathered his armed men, and they hurried after Ishmael, catching up with him at the spring in Hebron.

When the captives saw Johanan and the leaders, they were glad and believed they had come to rescue them. They left Ishmael and went over to Johanan. Ishmael escaped with eight men to the king of the Ammonites.

Johanan took back those Ishmael had captured, along with the eunuchs, their wives, and their children. They came to a place called Mandra and stayed there for the day. They had decided to leave and go to Egypt because they feared the Babylonians would kill them if they remained in the country. They thought the Babylonians would be angered by the death of Gedaliah, whom they had appointed governor.

While they were considering what to do, Johanan, son of Kareah, and the other leaders came to the prophet Jeremiah. They asked him to pray to God and seek guidance, since they did not know what course to take. They swore that they would do whatever Jeremiah told them.

The prophet said he would pray on their behalf. Ten days later, God appeared to him and told him to speak to Johanan, the other leaders, and all the people. God would remain with them if they stayed in that country. He would protect them from the Babylonians, whom they feared. But if they went to Egypt, he would abandon them in anger and bring the same punishments upon them that their brothers had already suffered.

Jeremiah told Johanan and the people what God had said. They refused to believe him when he urged them to stay in the country. They imagined he was saying this to please his disciple Baruch. They accused him of lying about God's command and trying to keep them there so the Babylonians could destroy them.

So the people and Johanan disobeyed the command God had given through the prophet. They went to Egypt and took Jeremiah and Baruch with them.

After they arrived in Egypt, God told the prophet that the king of Babylon was preparing to attack the Egyptians. God commanded Jeremiah to tell the people that Egypt would be conquered. The king of Babylon would kill some of them, take others captive, and bring them to Babylon.

These events came to pass. In the fifth year after Jerusalem was destroyed, the twenty-third year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign, he marched against Coele-Syria. After conquering it, he made war on the Ammonites and Moabites. Once he had brought these nations under his rule, he attacked Egypt to overthrow it. He killed the king who then ruled and appointed another in his place. He also took the Jews who were there captive and led them away to Babylon.

This is the history that has been handed down to us of the Hebrew people, who were carried beyond the Euphrates twice. The Assyrians took the people of the ten tribes from Samaria in the days of King Hoshea. Later, after Jerusalem fell, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon and Chaldea, carried away the people of the two remaining tribes.

Shalmaneser removed the Israelites from their country and settled the Cutheans there. They had once lived in the inner regions of Persia and Media, but after moving into the land, they took the name of the place and were called Samaritans. The king of Babylon, who carried away the two tribes, settled no other people in their land. Judea, Jerusalem, and the Temple therefore remained deserted for seventy years. The time between the captivity of the Israelites and the exile of the two tribes was one hundred and thirty years, six months, and ten days.

CHAPTER 10

Concerning Daniel and What Befell Him at Babylon

Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, took some of the noblest young Jews, including relatives of King Zedekiah. They were chosen for their handsome bodies and fine appearance, then placed in the care of tutors to be trained. He made some of them eunuchs, as he did with young men from other nations whom he had captured. They received food from the king's own table and were taught the customs and learning of the Chaldeans. They had now spent enough time studying the subjects the king had assigned them.

Among them were four young men from Zedekiah's family, all of excellent character. One was named Daniel, another Ananias, a third Misael, and the fourth Azarias. The king changed their names and ordered them to use new ones. Daniel became Baltasar, Ananias became Shadrach, Misael became Meshach, and Azarias became Abednego. The king favored them and continued to show them affection because of their fine character, their dedication to learning, and their wisdom.

Daniel and his kinsmen resolved to follow a strict diet. They would avoid the food from the king's table and eat no meat. Daniel went to Ashpenaz, the eunuch entrusted with their care, and asked him to keep the food sent by the king for himself. Instead, Daniel asked him to give them vegetables and dates, along with any other food he chose, as long as it was not meat. They preferred that kind of food and wanted no part of the king's meals.

Ashpenaz said he was willing to help, but feared the king would notice their thin bodies and changed appearance. Their diet, he warned, might make them look worse than the other young men, who ate richer food. The king might then blame him and punish him. Still, Daniel persuaded him to let them try the diet for ten days. If their bodies did not change, they would continue eating that way. If they looked thinner and weaker than the others, they would return to their former meals.

At the end of the trial, the young men looked healthier and fuller than the others. Those who ate from the king's table appeared less well-fed, while Daniel and his companions looked as if they had enjoyed a rich and plentiful diet. From then on, Ashpenaz kept the food sent from the king's table for himself and gave the young men the diet they had requested.

Their simple food left their minds clearer and less burdened, making them better able to learn. Their bodies, too, were fit for hard work. They were not weighed down by rich meals or weakened by indulgence. They quickly learned all the wisdom taught among the Hebrews and the Chaldeans. Daniel excelled in particular. Already skilled in wisdom, he applied himself to interpreting dreams, and God revealed himself to him.

Two years after the destruction of Egypt, Nebuchadnezzar had a strange dream. God showed him its meaning while he slept, but after waking, the king forgot what he had seen. He summoned the Chaldeans, magicians, and prophets, told them he had dreamed, and said he could no longer remember it. He ordered them to tell him both the dream and its meaning.

They replied that no human being could discover such a thing. If the king told them what he had dreamed, they said, they could explain its meaning. The king threatened to put them to death unless they revealed the dream. He ordered the execution of them all when they admitted they could not do what he had commanded.

Daniel learned that the king had ordered all the wise men killed, including Daniel and his three kinsmen. He went to Arioch, captain of the king's guard, and asked why the king had issued this order. Arioch explained that the king had forgotten his dream, and that the wise men had angered him by saying they could not reveal it.

Daniel asked Arioch to speak with the king and request one night's delay before the executions. He hoped that prayer to God would reveal the dream. Arioch brought Daniel's request to the king, who agreed to postpone the executions until he heard what Daniel could do.

Daniel returned to his house with his kinsmen. They prayed through the night, asking God to reveal the dream and save the Chaldeans and magicians, as well as themselves, from the king's anger. They asked God to show Daniel what the king had seen in his sleep and then forgotten. God had compassion on those in danger and looked with favor on Daniel's wisdom. He revealed the dream and its meaning to him, so the king could learn what it signified.

Daniel was overjoyed. He told his kinsmen, who were glad and began to hope that their lives would be spared. Until then, they had expected nothing but death. They gave thanks to God together. When morning came, Daniel went to Arioch and asked him to bring him before the king. He was ready to reveal the dream Nebuchadnezzar had seen the night before.

When Daniel came before the king, he first explained that he did not claim to be wiser than the other Chaldeans and magicians. Their failure to reveal the dream did not mean Daniel had greater skill or had studied harder than they had. Instead, he said:

"God has taken pity on us, though we were in danger of death. When I prayed for my own life and for the lives of my people, he revealed the dream and its meaning to me. I cared as much for your honor as I did for the grief we felt when you sentenced us to death. You unjustly ordered good and worthy men to be killed after demanding something beyond human wisdom, something only God could do.

"While you slept, you were troubled by thoughts of those who would rule the world after you. God chose to show you who would reign after you, and for that purpose he sent you this dream. You saw a great statue standing before you. Its head was made of gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, and its legs and feet of iron. Then you saw a stone break away from a mountain and strike the statue. It knocked the statue down and shattered it, leaving no part whole. The gold, silver, bronze, and iron broke into pieces smaller than meal. A violent wind swept them away and scattered them. But the stone grew until it seemed to fill the whole earth.

"This is the dream you saw, and this is its meaning. The golden head is you and the kings of Babylon who ruled before you. The two hands and arms mean that your kingdom will be overthrown by two kings. Then a king from the west, armed with bronze, will destroy that kingdom. After him, a kingdom as strong as iron will end the power of the one before it and rule over the whole earth, for iron is stronger than gold, silver, or bronze."

Daniel also explained the meaning of the stone to the king. I do not think it proper to relate that part, since I have undertaken to describe what has happened in the past or is happening now, not what is yet to come. But anyone so eager to know the truth that he cannot turn away from such questions, and cannot resist the desire to learn what the future may hold, should carefully read the Book of Daniel among the sacred writings.

When Nebuchadnezzar heard Daniel's account and remembered his dream, he was astonished. He fell to his knees and greeted Daniel as people worship a god. He ordered that Daniel be honored as a god. He also gave Daniel the name of his own god, Baltasar, and appointed Daniel and his kinsmen as rulers over his whole kingdom.

Daniel's kinsmen soon faced grave danger because of the envy and malice of their enemies. They offended the king in this way: Nebuchadnezzar made a gold statue sixty cubits high and six cubits wide, then set it up on the great plain of Babylon. When he prepared to dedicate it, he invited the leading men from every land under his rule. He ordered them to bow down and worship the statue when they heard the trumpet. Anyone who refused would be thrown into a fiery furnace.

When the trumpet sounded, everyone else bowed down to the statue. Daniel's kinsmen refused, because they would not break the laws of their people. They were accused and thrown into the fire at once. But by God's providence, they escaped death in a way that astonished everyone. The flames did not touch them. I suppose the fire did them no harm because it recognized that they had been thrown into it without committing any wrong, and so had no power to burn them. God made their bodies stronger than the flames, so the fire could not consume them.

This event convinced the king that they were righteous men and beloved by God. They remained in his favor.

Some time later, the king had another dream. It showed that he would lose his kingdom and live among wild beasts, feeding like them. After spending seven years in the wilderness, he would regain his rule.

The king summoned the magicians again and asked them to explain the dream. None could understand it or tell him what it meant. Daniel alone interpreted it. As Daniel had foretold, the king lived in the wilderness for the appointed period. No one dared to seize his kingdom during those seven years. Then he prayed to God to restore his rule, and he returned to it.

No one should blame me for recording these events as they appear in our ancient books. I have already explained at the beginning of this history that my purpose is to translate the Hebrew books into Greek. I promised to explain these accounts without adding anything of my own or leaving anything out.

CHAPTER 11

Nebuchadnezzar and His Successors, the Persian Conquest of Their Kingdom, Daniel's Experiences in Media, and the Prophecies He Delivered There

King Nebuchadnezzar ruled for forty-three years and then died. He was energetic and more fortunate than the kings who had ruled before him. Berosus describes his deeds in the third book of his Chaldaic History. He writes:

"When his father, Nebuchodonosor [Nabopollassar], learned that the governor he had appointed over Egypt and the regions of Coelesyria and Phoenicia had rebelled, he could no longer endure the hardships of war himself. He therefore placed part of his army under his son Nebuchadnezzar, who was still young, and sent him against the rebel. Nebuchadnezzar fought and defeated him, bringing the country back under his father's rule and adding it to his own kingdom.

"About that time, Nebuchodonosor [Nabopollassar] fell ill and died in Babylon, after reigning for twenty-one years. Nebuchadnezzar soon learned of his father's death. He had already settled affairs in Egypt and the other countries, including matters concerning the captive Jews, Phoenicians, Syrians, and Egyptians. He entrusted the captives, together with most of his army and its weapons and supplies, to some of his friends, who were to bring them to Babylon. He then hurried across the desert with a small company and arrived in the city.

"There he took charge of public affairs and assumed the kingdom his father had left in the care of the leading Chaldean. He received all his father's territories and ordered that, when the captives arrived, they should be settled as colonists in the most suitable parts of Babylonia.

"He magnificently adorned the temple of Belus and the other temples with the spoils of war. He also enlarged the old city and rebuilt it, so that no future enemy could divert the river and use it to attack the city. He built three walls around the inner city and three more around the outer city, all of burnt brick. After fortifying the city and adorning its gates, he built a new palace beside his father's palace. Its height and wealth are too great for me to describe, but, vast as it was, the palace was completed in fifteen days.

"He also built raised walks of stone, shaped like mountains, and planted them with every kind of tree. This was called a hanging garden. His wife had wanted a garden like those in her homeland, for she had grown up in the palaces of Media."

Megasthenes also mentions these events in the fourth book of his Accounts of India. He says that Nebuchadnezzar surpassed Hercules in courage and in the scale of his deeds, and claims that the king conquered much of Libya and Iberia. Diocles refers to him in the second book of his Accounts of Persia. Philostratus, in his accounts of India and Phoenicia, writes that Nebuchadnezzar besieged Tyre for thirteen years, while Ethbaal was king there. These are all the accounts I have found concerning Nebuchadnezzar.

After Nebuchadnezzar died, his son Evil-Merodach succeeded him. He immediately freed Jeconiah and counted him among his closest friends. He also gave him many gifts and honored him above the other kings in Babylon. His father had not kept faith with Jeconiah, even though Jeconiah had surrendered himself, his wives, his children, and his whole family in order to spare his country from siege and destruction, as I have already related.

Evil-Merodach died after ruling for eighteen years. His son Niglissar then took the throne and ruled for forty years before he died. His son Labosordacus succeeded him, but he held the kingdom for only nine months. After Labosordacus died, Baltasar became king. The Babylonians called him Naboandelus.

Cyrus, king of Persia, and Darius, king of Media, made war against Baltasar. While they were besieging Babylon, an extraordinary event took place. Baltasar was dining in a great hall, surrounded by his concubines and friends. Many silver vessels, the kind used at royal feasts, stood before him. He then ordered that the vessels from God's temple, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken from Jerusalem and placed in his own temple without using them, be brought out. In his arrogance, Baltasar drank from them as he feasted and blasphemed against God.

At that moment, he saw a hand appear on the wall and write several words there. Alarmed by the sight, he summoned the magicians, Chaldeans, and all the other men among the people who claimed they could interpret signs and dreams. He asked them to explain the writing. But they could neither understand it nor reveal its meaning. The king was deeply troubled by what he had seen, so he had a proclamation sent throughout the country. He promised a gold chain for the neck, a purple robe such as the kings of Chaldea wore, and a share of one-third of his kingdom to whoever could interpret the writing.

The magicians gathered again, eager to learn what it meant, but they remained as uncertain as before. When the king's grandmother saw how distressed he was, she encouraged him. She told him that there was a captive from Judea, a Jew named Daniel, whom Nebuchadnezzar had brought away when he destroyed Jerusalem. Daniel was wise and discerning, able to discover things beyond the understanding of others, and to reveal what was known only to God. He had answered questions for Nebuchadnezzar that no one else could solve. The king's grandmother advised Baltasar to send for him and ask him to interpret the writing. Daniel would expose the ignorance of those who had failed to understand it, even if God's message brought bad news.

When Baltasar heard this, he sent for Daniel. He told him what he had heard about his wisdom and said that a divine spirit was with him. Daniel, he said, could discover what others could not even imagine. The king asked him to explain the writing, promising that, if he did so, he would receive a purple robe, a gold chain around his neck, and one-third of the kingdom. These honors, the king said, would make him famous, and people would ask how he had come by them.

Daniel told him to keep his gifts. Wisdom and divine revelation could not be bought, and the benefits they brought were freely given to those who sought them. Still, he would explain the writing. It meant that Baltasar's death was near because he had failed to honor God and had ignored the lessons of the punishment his ancestor had suffered for offending Him.

Daniel reminded the king that Nebuchadnezzar had been driven away to live among wild beasts because of his wickedness. He had not returned to human society or regained his kingdom until God showed mercy to him after many prayers and pleas. Nebuchadnezzar then praised God throughout his life as the Almighty who cares for humankind. Baltasar had forgotten all of this. He had blasphemed against God and used the sacred vessels while feasting with his concubines. God had seen what he had done and was angry with him. The writing on the wall announced the sorrowful end that awaited him.

Daniel interpreted the words this way:

"MANEH. In Greek, this can mean 'number.' God has numbered the days of your life and your reign, and only a little time remains.

"THEKEL. This means 'weight.' God has weighed your kingdom in the balance and found that it is already falling.

"PHARES. In Greek, this means 'fragment.' God will break your kingdom apart and divide it between the Medes and Persians."

When Daniel explained the writing, Baltasar was overcome with grief, as anyone would be after hearing such a grim prediction. Still, he did not take back what he had promised Daniel, though Daniel had foretold his misfortune. The king gave him the promised gifts. He reasoned that the reward was his own to give and that the coming disaster was the work of fate, not the prophet. A just man, he thought, should keep his promise, even when the news is sorrowful.

Soon afterward, Cyrus, king of Persia, captured both Baltasar and the city. Baltasar had ruled for seventeen years. With his death, the line of Nebuchadnezzar came to an end, according to the histories.

When Darius captured Babylon, he and his kinsman Cyrus brought the Babylonian kingdom to an end. Darius was sixty-two years old. He was the son of Astyages and was known by another name among the Greeks. He took Daniel with him to Media, treated him with great honor, and kept him close. Darius appointed Daniel as one of three presidents over the kingdom's three hundred and sixty provinces.

Daniel held great rank and enjoyed Darius's favor. The king trusted him with everything, and Daniel seemed to possess something divine. This stirred envy among the others, as often happens when a king honors one man above the rest. Those who resented Daniel searched for a reason to accuse him, but found none. He resisted every temptation involving money, despised bribes, and considered it shameful to accept a reward, even one that was fairly offered. His enemies could find no fault in his conduct and no disgraceful act with which to ruin his standing at court.

So they searched for another way to destroy him. They knew that Daniel prayed to God three times each day, and they decided to use this against him. They went to Darius and said that the princes and governors had agreed to give the people a thirty-day period of rest. During that time, no one would be allowed to make a request or offer a prayer to the king or to any god. Anyone who broke the decree would be thrown into a den of lions and killed.

The king did not know of their wicked plan, nor did he suspect that they had devised it to trap Daniel. He approved the decree and promised to confirm it. He then issued an order throughout the land, announcing the law the princes had proposed.

Everyone else obeyed and kept quiet. Daniel paid no attention to the decree. As he had always done, he stood and prayed to God where everyone could see him. The princes had found the opportunity they had been waiting for. They went straight to the king and accused Daniel, saying that he alone had broken the decree, while no one else had dared to pray to the gods.

They had watched Daniel out of envy, not because they cared about his worship. They thought Darius might pardon him, perhaps because the king favored him more than they had expected. Even the possibility that Daniel might receive the king's forgiveness made them more determined to destroy him. They demanded that he be thrown into the lions' den according to the law.

Darius hoped God would save Daniel from the beasts and told him to bear what had happened with courage. Daniel was thrown into the den, and the king sealed the stone over its entrance. Then he went away. But he spent the whole night without food or sleep, overcome with worry for Daniel.

At daybreak, Darius hurried to the den. The seal on the stone was still intact. He opened it, called out to Daniel, and asked if he was alive. Daniel answered the king and said that he had suffered no harm. Darius ordered that he be lifted out of the den.

When Daniel's enemies saw that he had survived, they refused to admit that God had protected him. Instead, they claimed the lions had already been fed and were too full to attack him. The king despised their wickedness and ordered a large quantity of meat to be thrown to the lions. Once they had eaten their fill, he commanded that Daniel's enemies be cast into the den, to see whether the lions would attack them when they were full.

The result showed Darius plainly that God had protected Daniel. The lions spared none of the princes. They tore them all to pieces as if they were starving. I think it was not hunger, which had just been satisfied with plenty of meat, but the men's wickedness that brought the lions against them. If God so wills, even unreasoning creatures can become instruments of punishment for the wicked.

After the men who had plotted against Daniel were themselves destroyed, King Darius sent letters throughout the country. He praised the God whom Daniel worshipped, declaring that He alone was the true God and possessed all power. Darius held Daniel in the highest esteem and made him the foremost among his friends.

Daniel's fame grew because people believed that God loved him. He built a tower at Ecbatana in Media, a beautiful and carefully constructed building that still stands today. Anyone who sees it might think it had just been built, for it remains fresh, strong, and lovely, without any sign of age. Buildings grow old just as people do. Time wears away their strength and withers their beauty.

To this day, the kings of Media, Persia, and Parthia are buried in that tower. A Jewish priest has charge of it, as he did in the past.

It is fitting to tell what Daniel did, for his story is remarkable. He received extraordinary revelations, as one of the greatest prophets. During his lifetime, kings and ordinary people alike honored and praised him. He is still remembered, for the books he wrote and left behind are read among us to this day. From these writings, we believe that Daniel spoke with God.

Unlike the other prophets, Daniel did not only foretell future events. He also gave the time when they would happen. The prophets often predicted disasters, which made them unwelcome to kings and common people. Daniel, however, foretold good things, and his predictions were so welcome that everyone favored him. When his prophecies came true, people believed that they were true and thought him almost divine.

Daniel wrote down his visions and left a record that showed how accurate his predictions were. He says that, while he was at Susa, the capital of Persia, he went out into the plain with his companions. Suddenly the earth shook violently. His companions fled, leaving him alone. Daniel was frightened and fell on his face and hands. Then someone touched him and told him to rise and see what would happen to his people after many generations.

When Daniel stood, he saw a great ram with many horns. One horn was taller than the others. He then looked west and saw a he-goat flying through the air. It charged the ram, struck it twice with its horns, knocked it to the ground, and trampled it.

Afterward, a very large horn grew from the he-goat's head. When that horn broke off, four horns appeared in its place, each facing one of the four winds. Daniel also wrote that another, smaller horn grew from among them and became great. God showed him that this horn would make war against Daniel's people, seize their city by force, bring the temple services to an end, and stop the sacrifices for 1,296 days.

Daniel says he saw this vision in the plain of Susa. God explained its meaning to him. The ram stood for the kingdoms of the Medes and Persians, and its horns stood for the kings who would rule them. The last horn meant the final king, who would surpass all the others in wealth and glory.

The he-goat stood for a Greek king who would come and rule. He would fight the Persian king twice, defeat him in battle, and take over his entire kingdom. The great horn that grew from the he-goat's forehead meant the first Greek king. The four horns that appeared after it broke off meant the rulers who would follow him. They would divide his kingdom among themselves, but they would not be his children or his relatives. They would rule the inhabited world for many years.

One of those rulers, Daniel wrote, would rise against our people and our laws. He would take away our political government, plunder the temple, and prevent sacrifices for three years. This is what happened to our nation under Antiochus Epiphanes, just as Daniel had foretold many years earlier.

Daniel also wrote about Roman rule and foretold that the Romans would lay waste to our country. He recorded all these things as God had shown them to him. Anyone who reads his prophecies and sees how they came true will be amazed at the honor God gave Daniel.

His prophecies also show the error of the Epicureans, who deny that Providence governs human life. They do not believe that God cares for the affairs of the world or that the universe is sustained and governed by His blessed, immortal nature. They say that the world moves on by itself, without a ruler or guardian. But a world without a guide would be like ships without pilots, tossed and wrecked by the winds, or chariots without drivers, overturned on the road. Without Providence, the world would be thrown into chaos and destroyed.

Daniel's prophecies show how mistaken those people are when they say that God takes no care of human affairs. If the world were governed only by blind necessity, we would not see events unfold as Daniel foretold them.

I have described these matters as I found them in the writings I read. Anyone who prefers a different view may hold it without reproach from me.