- Babylon:
- Babylon, whose destruction and utter ruin are here predicted, was situated in the midst of a large plain, having a very deep and fruitful soil, on the Euphrates, about 252 miles south-east of Palmyra, and the same distance north-west of Susa and the Persian gulf, in lat. 32 degrees 30 minutes n and long. 44 degrees 20 minutes e. According to Herodotus, it formed a perfect square, each side of which was 120 stadia, and consequently its circumference 480 stadia, or sixty miles; inclosed by a wall 200 cubits high, and fifty wide, on the top of which were small watch towers of one story high, leaving a space between them, through which a chariot and four might pass and turn. On each side were twenty-five gates of solid brass; from each of which proceeded a street, 150 feet broad, making in all fifty streets; which, crossing each other at right angles, intersected the city into 676 squares, extending four stadia and a half on each side, along which stood the houses, all built three or four stories high, and highly decorated towards the street; the interior of these squares being employed as gardens, pleasure grounds, etc. Its principal ornaments were the temple of Belus, having a tower of eight stories, upon a base of a quarter of a mile square; a most magnificent palace; and the famous hanging gardens, or artificial mountains raised upon arches, and planted with large and beautiful trees. Cyrus took it by diverting the waters of the Euphrates, which ran through the midst, and entering by the channel; and the river being never restored to its proper course, overflowed the whole country, and made it a morass. Darius Hystaspes afterwards depopulated the place, lowered the walls, and demolished the gates; Xerxes destroyed the temples; the building of Seleucia nearly exhausted it of its inhabitants; a king of the Parthians carried a number of them into slavery, and destroyed the most beautiful parts; so that modern travellers describe it as a mass of shapeless ruins, the habitation of wild beasts. "That thou shalt take upª° this¹ proverbª against¹ the kingª of Babylon,ª and say,ª° How¹ hath the oppressorª° ceased!ª° the golden cityª ceased!ª° ... He who smoteª° the peopleª in wrathª with a continual²² stroke,ª¹¹ he that ruledª° the nationsª in anger,ª is persecuted,ª [and] noneª hindereth.ª°" {Isa 14:4-6} + "How¹ art thou fallenª° from heaven,ª¹ O Lucifer,ª sonª of the morning!ª°²° [how] art thou cut downª° to the ground,ª which didst weakenª°¹ the nations!ª ... Yet¹ thou shalt be brought downª° to¹ hell,ª to¹ the sidesª of the pit.ª" {Isa 14:12-15} + "How¹ is Sheshachª taken!ª° and how is the praiseª of the whole¹ earthª surprised!ª° how¹ is Babylonª become¹ an astonishmentª among the nations!ª" {Jer 51:41} + "Thou,ª O king,ª [art] a kingª of kings:ª for¹ the Godª of heavenª hath givenª° thee a kingdom,ª power,ª and strength,ª and glory.ª ... And wheresoeverª¹ the childrenª of menª dwell,ª° the beastsª of the fieldª and the fowlsª of the heavenª hath he givenª° into thine hand,ª and hath made thee rulerª° over them all.ª Thouª [art] this¹ headª of¹ gold.ª" {Dan 2:37-38} + "The kingª spake,ª° and said,ª° Is notª thisª² greatª Babylon,ª that¹ Iª have builtª° for the houseª of the kingdomª by the mightª of my power,ª and for the honourª of my majesty?ª" {Dan 4:30}
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