off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by showing mercy
to the poor, if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity. All this
came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar. At the end of twelve months, he
walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon. The king spake, and
said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of my
kingdom, by the might of my power and for the honor of my majesty?
While the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from
heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar! To thee it is spoken; the
kingdom is departed from thee. And they shall drive thee from men, and
thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field; they shall make
thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until
thou know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth
it to whomsoever he will."

Nebuchadnezzar was the Son of Nabopolasser, and the second king of
Assyria. He was Regent with his father in the Empire 607 years before
the birth of our Lord, and the next year, he raised a powerful army,
marched against Jerusalem, and took Jehoiakim, king of Judah,
prisoner. While making preparations to carry him and his subjects into
captivity, in Babylon, Jehoiakim solemnly promised submission, and
begged the privilege of holding his throne under the sceptre of
Nebuchadnezzar. This favor was granted, and he was permitted to remain
at Jerusalem. Three years after this, he made an unsuccessful attempt
to throw off the Assyrian yoke and regain his former independence.
This brought on the general captivity of the Jewish nation, which
lasted 70 years.

Nebuchadnezzar extended his conquests till he subjugated the
Ethiopians, Arabians, Idumeans, Philistines, Syrians, Persians, Medes,
Assyrians, and nearly all Asia to his sceptre. These splendid