were to be sent after him, with the spoils of the nations he had conquered.

Being now, by the death of his father, become fole king of Babylon, his firt care was to adorn and enlarge the feat of his growing empire. While he was thus bufied, he was in an extraordinary manner affected by dreams. One in particular, which he had in the fecond after he became fole mo

year

narch, gave him greater uneafiness than all the reft, although he had entirely forgot the fubftance of it. In vain did he apply to the

hey answered him h it was their p is when they wITE them, yet the gods a man had fra ich captive, as related led sot only to rem box to give the inte

invefted him with the government of the whole province of Babylon, and appointed him chief of the governors of all the wife men of Babylon.

Nebuchadnezzar having foon after entered into an alliance with Cyaxares the Mede, and confirmed that alliance by a marriage with his daughter, the two kings marched against Nineveh, took that proud metropolis, levelled it with the ground, and put an end to the Affyrian empire.

While the Babylonian monarch was thus employed, Jehoiakim, the Jewish king, laying hold of fo favourable an opportunity, fhook off the yoke, after three years fubjection. But his revolt cost him dear, for Nebuchadnezzar, highly incenfed against him, dispatched an army into Judea, confifting of various nations, who, having laid the country wafte far and near, took and murdered that unfortunate prince; and dragging his body out of the city, left it unburied, pursuant to Jeremiah's prediction.

Jehoiakim was fucceeded by his fon Jehoiachin, against whom, for what provocation is not faid, Nebuchadnezzar fent firft an army,

army, and afterwards arrived himself before Jerufalem, which his troops had invested. Jehoiachin, terrified at fuch a formidable force, came out to him, with his mother, and his whole court, in a most fubmiffive manner; but the Babylonian monarch caused him to be arrested, and carried captive to Babylon, after a fhort reign of three months and ten days.

Having made himself master of the city, Nebuchadnezzar ranfacked and plundered it a fecond time, together with the temple, palace, and treasury; and carried off with him an immense booty, and fuch numbers of сарtives, of all ranks and conditions, that scarcely fufficient hands were left to cultivate the land. Before he returned to his own dominions, he fet Mattaniah on the throne of the defolate kingdom, changing his name into that of Zedekiah; and at the fame time laying him under a certain tribute, and obliging him to take an oath of fidelity and allegiance. No fooner was Jerufalem taken, than Jeremiah began to prophefy the increase of Nebuchadnezzar's power and dominion. This mighty prince, the darling of Heaven, or rather the inftrument of God's wrath to punish the wickedness of the nations round

him, had always his victories and acceffions of fortune preceded by prophecies from the mouth of Jeremiah, or fome other prophet. Nay, plots and feditions contriving against him, were blafted, while yet in embryo, by typical remonftrances from men divinely inspired. A more fublime elevation can no man be fhewn in than this, which exalts him to the height of being, as it were, God's immediate vicegerent here upon earth.

But how great and terrible foever the Babylonian monarch is at this time reprefented, the western nations, particularly the Egyptians, grew impatient under his yoke, and were contriving in what manner to throw it off. Even Zedekiah, whom he had appointed king of the Jews, encouraged by the Egyptians, fet him at defiance. Nebuchadnezzar, however, foon marched with an army into those parts; and after he had punished, in an exemplary manner, the ingratitude and infidelity of the Jews, he entirely fuppreffed the rebellious Egyptians.

Having thus once more taken Jerufalem, and put an end to the Ifraelitifh kingdom, he appointed Gedaliah as a kind of governor over the remnant of the meaner people,

whom

whom he left behind him to cultivate the land; and returned once more to his metropolis, adding great ftrength and glory to it, by the immenfe booty he brought with him, and a numerous acceffion of new inhabitants.

With the gold he amaffed in this expedition, it is thought Nebuchadnezzar erected the monstrous Coloffus of that metal, in honour of his god Bel, on the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. This image, which was fixty cubits in height, and fix cubits in breadth, and all of gold, he dedicated in a most grand and folemn manner, commanding all the people, nations and languages that were in fubjection to him, to fall down and worship it, as soon as they should hear the found of various mufical inftruments which were then to found. And this they were to do on pain of being immediately thrown into a burning furnace. It was upon this occafion that the three Hebrew youths, the friends and companions of Daniel, by name Shadrach, Meshech, and Abednego, courageoufly refufing to obey the king's mandate, were miraculously preserved in the midft of the flames. Nebuchadnezzar, who was an eye-witnefs of this surprising

prodigy,