even the Hand of Man, ftriving, as it may feem, against all Refiftance of Nature, and Providence. So that by this exceffive Labour of the Chaldeans, that Scripture was fulfilled, that every Head should be made bald, and every Shoulder bould be made bare, Ezek. xxix. 18. Yet would not Nebuchadnezzar give over till he was mafter of the Town. When he was entred upon this defperate Undertaking, whether it were by fome Loffes received, or fome Mutiny in his Army, or fome glorious Rumour of the Egyptians Strength, his Evil-willers took Courage to rebel against him; and amongst them, Jehoiakim renounced his Subjection, and began to hope for the contrary which foon after fell out. For Nebuchadnezzar gave him no leisure to do much Hurt: But with Part of his Army, he marched ftrait into Judea ; where the amazed King made fo little Refiftance (the Egyptians having left him, as it were in a Dream) that Nebuchadnezzar entred Jerufalem, laid Hands on Jeboiakim, whom at firft he bound, intending to fend him to Babylon, but his Mind changing, he caufed him to be flain in that Place, and gave him the Burial of an Afs, to be devoured by Beasts, and ravenous Birds, according to the former Prophecy; leaving in his Place his Son, Jehoiakim, or Jeccnias; whom yet after three Months, and ten Days, he depofed, and fent him Prifoner to Babylon, together with Efekiel, Mordecai, and Jofedech, the High Priest. The Mother of Jeconias, together with his Servants, Eunuchs, and all the ableft Men, and beft Artificers in the Land, were alfo then carried away Captives. This feconias, following the Counfel of the Prophet Jeremiah, made no Refiftance, but fubmitted him felf to the King's Will, wherein he both pleased God, and did that which was moft profitable for himself, though at the prefent it might feem otherwise, to fuch as confidered the Evil that befel him, rather than the greater Evil that he thereby avoided. This only particular Act of his is recorded in Scripture which was good: But it feems that he was at leaft a Partaker in his Father's Sins, if not a Provoker, which was the Cause, that though he submitted. himself to God's Will, yet did he not preferve his Eftate: For fo it is faid; That he did Evil in the fight of the Lord, according to all that his Father had done. In his stead, Nebuchadnezzar fet up Mattania, his Uncle, making him King of Judea, and called him Zedekiah. For like as Necho, King of Egypt, had formerly difplaced boabaz, after he had flain his Father Jofas, and fet. up Jehoiakim, the Son by another Mother; fo Nebuchadnezzar new Jehoiakim, who depended on the Egyptions, and, carrying his Son Jeconias Prifoner to Babylon, he gave the Kingdom to this Zedekiab, who was whole Brother to that Jeboabaz, whom Necho took with him into Egypt; and from Zedekiah he required an Oath for his Loyalty, and faithful Subjection, which Zedekiah gave him, and called the living God to witnels in the fame, that he would remain affured to the Kings of Chaldea, 2 Chron. xxxvi. 13. Ezek. xvii. 13, 14, 18. In the first Year of Zedekiah, Jeremiah faw, ‡ and expounded the Vision of ripe, and rotten Figs, the one fignifying thofe that were already carried away Captives, the other fignifying thofe Jews that yet remained, and were afterwards destroyed, Jer. xxix. 17. In the fourth year of Zedekiah, Jeremiah wrote in a Book all the Evil which fhould fall upon Babylon, which Book, or Roll he gave to Seriah, when he went Jer. xxii. 18, 19. and xxxvi. 30. * Jer. xxix. 2. 2 King. xxviii. 8, 16. Ezek. xvii. 12. Jer. xxxvii. 1... with King Zedekiab to Babylon, to vifit Nebuchadnezzar, willing him firft to read it to the Captive Jews, and then to bind a Stone to it, and cast it into Euphrates, pronouncing thefe words; Thus fhall Babel be drowned, and shall not rife from the Evil which I will bring upon her. This Journey of Zedekiah to Babylon is probably thought to be in way of a Vifit, and to carry fome Prefents to Nebuchadnezzar ; *but yet its likely he had fome Suit to make, which his lordly Master refused to grant, and fent him away difcontented. For at his Return, al the bordering Princes fent Meffengers to him, inciting him (as it feems) to those unquiet Courfes from which the Prophet Jeremiah + dehorted both him, and them. About which time the Prophet, by God's Appointment, made Bonds, and Yokes, one of which he wore about his own Neck, others he fent unto the five Kingsof Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre, and Zidon, by thofe Meffengers which came to visit Zedekiah, making them know, that if they, and the King of Juda continued in Subjection to Babylon, they should then poffefs, and enjoy their own? Countries; if not, they fhould affuredly perish by the Sword, by Famine, and by Pestilence. He alfo foretold them that thofe Veffels which yet remained in Jerufalem, fhould be carried after the other to Babylon, yet at length should be restored again. The fame year Ananias, the falfe Prophet, took off the wooden Yoke which Jeremiah did wear, as a Sign of the Captivity of the Jews, and brake it: Vaunting, that in like manner, after two years, t God would break the Strength of Babel, and the Yoke which he laid on all Nations: and that he would restore Jeconias and all the Jews, with the Veffels, and Riches of the Temple, and put an End to all the fe Troubles. But Jeremiah, instead of his wooden Yoke, wore a Collar of Iron; and in fign that Ananias had given a false, and deceitful Hope to the People, he foretold the Death of this false Prophet, which accordingly came to pafs in the feventh Month. After this, when Zedekiah had wavered long between Faith, and Paffion, ** in the eighth Year of his Reign, he practised more seriously against Nebuchadnezzar with his Neighbours, the Edomites, Ammonites, Moabites, Tyrians, and others. who were promised great Aids by the Egyptians, in Confidence of whofe affiftstance he refolved to shake off the Babylonian Yoke, whereof when Nebuchadnezzar was informed, he marched with his Army in the dead of Winter, towards Jerufalem, and befieged it. Jeremiah perfwaded, Zedekiah to render the City, and himself to him: But Zedekiah, being confident of Help from Egypt, and being perfwaded by his Princes, and falfe Prophets, that it was impoffible that the Kingdom of Judah fhould be extirpated until the Coming of Shilo, according to Jacob's Prophecy, Gen, xlix. 10. he defp fed the Counsel of Jeremiah, and imprisoned him. For Jeremiah had told the King that the City fhould be taken and burnt; that the King fhould not escape, but be taken Prifoner, and brought to the Prefence of Nebuchadnezzar: That he fhould not perish by the Sword, but, being carried to Babel, fhould there die a natural Death, The following year, Jerufalem was furrounded, and more strictly befieged by Nebuchadnezzar's Army; whereupon the King of Egypt, Pharaob Hopbra, entered into Judea with his Army, to fuccour Zedekiah, of whofe Revolt he had been the principal * Jer. li. 59. Jer. xxviii. + Jer. xxvii. 8. Jer. xxviii. 15. **Ezek. xvii. 15, 17. principal Author. But Jeremiah gave the Jews faithful Counfel, willing them not to have any Truft in the Succours of Egypt: for he affured them that they fhould return back again, and in no fort relieve them. And it fell out accordingly. For when the Chaldeans removed from Jerufalem to encounter the Egyptians, thefe bragging Patrons abandoned their Enterprife, and taking Gaza, in their way homewards, returned into Egypt as if they had already done enough, leaving the poor People in Jerufalem to their deftined Miferies, Jeremiab xxxiv. II, 22. In the mean while the Jews, who in the Time of their Extremity had released their Hebrew Bondmen, and Bondwomen, according to the Law, in the Year of Jubilee, and made them free, thereby to encourage them to fight, did now upon the breaking up of the Chaldean Army, repent of what they had done, and thinking that all danger had been paft, they held them by force to their former Slavery. But the Chaldeans being returned to the Siege, the Prophet Jeremiah, when the State of Jerufalem began now to grow to Extremity, counfelled Zedekiab, to render himself to the Babylonians, affuring him of his own Life, and of the Safety of the City if he would do fo. But his obftinate Heart led him on to that wretched end, which, his Neglect of God, and his Infidelity and Perjury had provided for him. Three and twenty Months the Chaldean Army lay before Jerufalem, and held it exceeding ftraitly befieged; For they built Forts against it round about, 2 King. xxv. 1. or, they furrounded the City with wooden Towers, fo as the Befieged could neither fally out, nor receive into the City any Supplies of Men or Victuals. Jofephus faith, that they over-topped the Walls with their high Towers which they erected upon Mounts, from which, with their Engines, they did fo beat upon the Walls, that the Defendants were forced to fortake their Stations. And thought the Befieged alfo raised Counter-Buildings, like unto thefe, yet the great Nebubuchadnezzar, who commanded all the Regions thereabouts, and had the Woods, and Rivers at his Command, found out Means to disappoint and overthrow all the Citizens Endeavours, and to beat down their Towers as faft as they raised them. For his own Works were guarded by the Walls of Jerufalem, whereas theirs within lay open to his Batteries. Befides, both Famine, and Peftilence. (which commonly accompany Men ftraitly befieged) grew faft upon them, whereby, when the Number, Strength and Courage of the Jews failed, the Chaldeans made a Breach, and forcing an Entry, their Princes did feat themselves as Lords of the Town, in the middle Gate, 2 King. xxvi. 2, 3, 4. Jer. xxxix. 2, 3. and lii. 5, &c. Zedekiah, beholding this uncomfortable Sight, and finding no other Means to escape the present Danger, loft both his Courage and Hope at once, and fhifted himself, together with his Wives, Children, Princes, and principal Servants, out of the City, by a Way under-ground, leaving his amazed, and now headless Subjects to the mercilefs Swords of their enraged Enemies. Thus he, who when the Prophet Jeremiah perfwaded him to render himfelf, defpifed both the Counfel of God, and the Army and Force of Nebuchadnezzar, used now the remedy which one calls, A worful, fhameful and unfortunate Shift. By Jer. xxxxvii. 3, 10. Lev. xxv. 39. 40. &c. Jer. xxxiv. ↑ Jer. xxxix. || Jer, xxxix, Jer. xxxix. 1. &. lii. 4. I By this fecret fubterranean Vault, Zedechiab ftole away, and by the help of the dark Night, recovered the Plains, or Defarts of Jericho. But by reason of the Train that followed him and his (every one leading with him those whom he loved beft) he was easily traced and purfued. How great foever the Company was that attended him, yet certain it is, that they, on whofe Fidelity he most relied, no -fooner beheld the Chaldeans to draw near, but they all abandoned his Defence, and thifted for themselves in the Defarts, as they could. For whom God bad for faken, no Man regarded. And thus Zedekiah was taken by the Minifters of God's Vengeance, and being made a Prifoner, together with his Children, and Princes, he was carried to Riblah, in the Tribe of Nepthalim, where Nebuchadnezzar then lay, as a Place indifferent between Jerufalem and Tyre, with both which Places he had at one Time to de. Now when Nebuchadnezzar had laid before Zedekiah, the many Graces and Favours which he had conferred upon him,† together with the notable Falfhood and Perjury wherewith he had requited him, he commanded his Children, Princes, and Friends to be flain before his Face. This being done, to the end that fo lamentable a Spectacle fhould be the laft, that ever he fhould behold in this World, he caufed his Eyes to be put out, and fo carried him like a Slave to Babylon, where he confumed the reft of his Life in perpetual Imprisonment. Herein was that marvellous Prophecy of Ezekiel, fulfilled: I will bring him to Babylon, and be fhall not fee it, Ezek. xii. 13. Thus in the eleventh, and laft Year of Zedekiab, which was the eighteenth of Nebuchadnezzar, the Chaldeans entred Jerufalem, by Force, where fparing neither Sex nor Age, they put all to the Sword that they found therein. In the Year next following, Nebuzaradan, the General of the Babylonish Army, burnt the King's Palace, and the whole City of Jerufalem, and after the Fire had lafted from the feventh to the tenth Day, he alfo burnt the Temple of God to the Ground, the richest and most magnificent Place that ever the Sun faw, when it had ftood four hundred thirty and one Years. After this, upon a second Search,†Nebuzaradan (not yet fatiated with Blood) commanded seventy and two others to be flain, which had hidden themselves from the first Fury, to wit, the chief, and the fecond Prieft, two Commanders of Zedekiah his Men of War, five of houfhold Servants, and fome others, carrying away to Babylon the ableft of the People through all Judea, and leaving the poorest labouring People, with fome that followed the Party of Nebuchadnezzar, to till the Ground,t over whom he placed Gedaliah, the Nephew of that Saphan, whom Jofas had formerly employed in the Reformation of Religion. This Gedaliah, a few by Nation, left Zedekiah, as it feemeth, in the beginning of the War, and by Jeremiah's Defire to live with him, its probable had embraced the fame advice, which the Prophet gave to Zedekiah, which was, to fubmit himfelf to the Babylonian King, who being ordained of God for them, as an Inftrument of his Juftice, was therefore irrefiftble. The Prophet Jeremiah, being left to his own choice to live where he pleased, chofe to go to Gedeliab, to whom he was commended by Nebuzaradan, tand he, + Jer. xxxiv. 3, &c. 2 King. xxv. 4, 7. 2 King. xxv. 8. † Jer. lii. 13. with 39.8. + 2 King. xxv. 18. not Jer. xxxix. 8, 9. and lii. 14, 23. 2 Chron. xxxvi. 18. &c. Jer. xxxix. 10. and xl. 16. xx. not only entertained him kindly, but comforted him, and all the other Jews that were left under his Charge, promifing them Favour, and Liberty, fo long as they remained obedient Subjects to Nebuchadnezzar, by whom he was established Provincial Governcur over his own Nation. But ere the Year was expired, a Prince of the late King's Family (who during the Siege of Jerufalem had fheltered himself from the Storm with Baalis, King of the Ammonites) being attended by ten other chofen Men, whilft Gedaliah feafted them in Mitfpah, the City of his Refidence, they traiterously flew him, together with diverfe Chaldeans and Jews that accompanied him ‡ This done, they escaped, and in their way, encountring with eighty Perfons, repairing toward Gedaliah, with Prefents, they flew moft of them, and only fpared fome, who promised to difcover to them fome Treasures that were hidden in the Fields during the War. They took with them alfo a Daughter of Zed kiab committed to the care of Gedaliah by Nebuchadnezzar: This Treachery of Ifmael had been formerly discovered to Gedaliah, by Jokanan, one of the Captains of the few remaining Jews, but he would not believe it. Judea being now without a Governour (for Ifmael durft not take it upon him, but fled as fast as he could to the Ammonites) the Refidue of the Jews, fearing the Revenge of the Chaldeans, refolved to fly into Egypt, and befought Jeremiah to afk Counsel of God for them, who returned anfwer, that if they remained in Judea, God would provide for them, and fhew them Mercy; but if they fought to fave themselves in Egypt, they should then undoubtedly perish. Notwithftanding which Advice, the Jews held their Determination, and despised the Oracle of God; and conftraining Jeremiah, and Baruch, to accompany them, they went into Egypt, and by the Permiffion of Pharaoh, they dwelt in Taphnes; where, when Jeremiah often reproved them for their Idolatry, foretelling the Deftruction of themselves, and the Egyptians, he was, by thefe his own hard-hearted and ingrateful Countrymen, stoned to Death, and by the Egyptians, who greatly reverenced him, buried near the Sepulchre of their Kings, Jer. xlii. and xliii. The nineteenth Year of Nebuchadnezzar's Reign it was, when deftroying utterly the great and mighty City of Jerufalem, he exceedingly enriched himself with the Spoils of it, and the Temple, and by that dreadful Example terrified all those that should dare to refift him. From that Time forward, he, to his three and twentieth Year, laboured in the Conqueft of thofe adjoining Countries, which God hath expofed unto his Sword, and commanded to wear his Yoke, namely, the Edomites, Moabites, Ammonites, Tyrians, Sidonians, and Egyptians, though fome of these were already become his Followers, and ferved under him when Jerufalem was taken, and burnt. But the Tyrians, whofe City was built upon an Ifland; and therefore fecure from the Invafion of any LandArmy, and whofe Fleet was fo ftrong, that they needed not to fear any Enemy at Sea, were neither daunted with the Fall of their neighbour City, nor with the obftinate Refolution of this mighty King, employing all his Wit, and Power, to work their Subverfion. That the City of Tyre was rather well pleafed than any way difcouraged with the Destruction of Jerufi em, it appeareth by the Words which Ezekiel condemnthe, as the common Voice of Tyrus, Ezek. xxvi. 2. Aba! the Gate of the People is broken, + Jer. xli. 2. Jer. xliii. + Jer. xl. 6. F |