The Sons of Moses were not the only ones to escape from under the heavy
hand of Nebuchadnezzar. Still more miraculous was the deliverance of
the pious Ethiopian Ebed-melech from the hands of the Babylonians. He
was saved as a reward for rescuing Jeremiah when the prophet's life was
jeopardized. On the day before the destruction of the Temple, shortly
before the enemy forced his way into the city, the Ethiopian was sent,
by the prophet Jeremiah acting under Divine instruction, to a certain
place in front of the gates of the city, to dole out refreshments to
the poor from a little basket of figs he was to carry with him.
Ebed-melech reached the spot, but the heat was so intense that he fell
asleep under a tree, and there he slept for sixty-six years. When he
woke up, the figs were still fresh and juicy, but all the surroundings
had so changed, he could not make out where he was. His confusion
increased when he entered the city to seek Jeremiah, and found nothing
as it had been. He accosted an old man, and asked him the name of the
place. When he was told it was Jerusalem, Ebed-melech cried out in
amazement: "Where is Jeremiah, where is Baruch, and where are all the
people?" The old man was not a little astonished at these questions.
How was it possible that one who had known Jeremiah and Jerusalem
should be ignorant of the events that had passed sixty years before? In
brief words he told Ebed-melech of the destruction of the Temple and of
the captivity of the people, but what he said found no credence with
his auditor. Finally Ebed-melech realized that God had performed a
great miracle for him, so that he had been spared the sight of Israel's
misfortune.
While he was pouring out his heart in gratitude to God, an eagle
descended and led him to Baruch, who lived not far from the city.
Thereupon Baruch received the command from God to write to Jeremiah
that the people should remove the strangers from the midst of them, and
then God would lead them back to Jerusalem. The letter written by
Baruch and some of the figs that had retained their freshness for
sixty-six years were carried to Babylonia by an eagle, who had told
Baruch that he had been sent to serve him as a messenger. The eagle set
out on his journey. His first halting-place was a dreary waste spot to
which he knew Jeremiah and the people would come it was the
burial-place of the Jews which Nebuchadnezzar had given the prophet at
his solicitation. When the eagle saw Jeremiah and the people approach
with a funeral train, he cried out: "I have a message for thee,
Jeremiah. Let all the people draw nigh to receive the good tidings." As
a sign that his mission was true, the eagle touched the corpse, and it
came to life. Amidst tears all the people cried unto Jeremiah: "Save
us! What must we do to return to our land?"
The eagle brought Jeremiah's answer to Baruch, and after the prophet
had sent the Babylonian women away, he returned to Jerusalem with the
people. Those who would not submit to the orders of Jeremiah relative
to the heathen women, were not permitted by the prophet to enter the
holy city, and as they likewise were not permitted to return to
Babylonia, they founded the city of Samaria near Jerusalem. (58)