On the death of Nebuchadnezzar, Evil-Merodach took the throne. Of this
man we have said but little. He acted as regent during his father’s
Insanity. He was a person of a low, groveling mind, and no sooner was
he established on his throne than he began to give signs that the
scepter was in the hands of a profligate tyrant. Contrary to the
request of his dying father, he neglected the weighty matters of the
empire, and plunged into dissipation and gluttonous revelry.
As with the commencement of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign began the real glory
of Chaldea, so with his death the glory departed, and the empire was
soon in a rapid decline. No feature in the character of the new king
was in the least calculated to command either the love or the
admiration of his subjects. He was inwardly cursed by the nation, and
feared only on account of his cruelty. Of Daniel he had some dread, and
over him the Hebrew had some control. He was well convinced, from what
he had seen in his father’s history, that Daniel was not to be
slighted, and that among all the wise men of the realm, there was none
like him. And, moreover, he was well aware that his superior wisdom had
had much to do in elevating the empire to its present high position.
Through the influence of this man of God, the wicked king dealt with
comparative mildness toward the captive Hebrews so numerous within the
realm.
The reign of this monarch was of short duration. Some of his own
relatives, conspiring against him, put an end to his existence; and so
died Evil-Merodach, unwept by the nation, and Nerriglisser, one of the
chief conspirators, reigned in his stead.
The three brothers, since the death of Nebuchadnezzar, had seen best to
retire from public life. In Babylon they were greatly beloved, and
considered as the peculiarly favored of the gods, and over whom no
mortal had control.
Nerriglisser, immediately on his accession to the throne, made great
preparations for war against the Medes, which preparations lasted for
three years. Cyaxeres, king of the Medes, seeing the hostile attitude
of the Babylonians, sent to Persia, imploring the help of his young
nephew, Cyrus, the son of Cambyses, king of Persia, who had married his
sister Mandana. Now Cyrus was beautiful in person, and still more
lovely in the qualities of his mind; was of sweet disposition, full of
good nature and humanity, and always had a great desire to learn and a
noble ardor for glory. He was never afraid of danger nor discouraged by
any hardship or difficulty. He was brought up according to the laws and
customs of the Persians, which were excellent in those days with
respect to education. With the consent of his father, he readily
complied with the wish of his uncle, and, at the head of 30,000
well-trained Persians, he marched into Media and thence to Assyria, to
meet the forces of Nerriglisser, king of Babylon, and the forces of
Crœsus, king of the Lydians. The armies met. The Chaldeans were routed.
Crœsus fled, and Nerriglisser, the king of Babylon, was slain in the
action. His son, Loboros-barchod, succeeded to the throne.
This was a very wicked prince. Being naturally of the most vicious
inclinations, he now indulged them without restraint, as if he had been
invested with sovereign power only to have the privilege of committing
with impunity the most infamous and barbarous actions. He reigned but
five months; his own subjects, conspiring against him, put him to
death, and Belshazzar, the son of Evil-Merodach, reigned in his place.
Since the death of Evil-Merodach, and during the reign of his two
successors, Daniel had retired to private life, and was but little
spoken of at public places. This king, following in the footsteps of
his predecessors, led a life of dissipation and profligacy.
In the meantime, the fame of the Persian prince was spreading far and
wide. His armies proved victorious on every shore; and, to the faithful
Hebrews, who discerned the signs of the times, his conquests were
hailed with inward joy. Cyrus for some years had tarried in Asia Minor,
and had reduced all the nations that inhabited it to subjection, from
the Ægean Sea to the River Euphrates. Then he proceeded to Syria and
Arabia, which he also subdued.
The fortifications of Babylon, since the death of Nebuchadnezzar, had
been strengthened, and now the work of fortifying was carried on with
great vigor. Belshazzar, if from no other motive than fear, gave all
encouragement to this kind of improvement, and during his reign
prodigious works of this nature were completed. He was well aware that
the famous Persian had his eye upon him, and that the besieging of the
city was but a question of time. He therefore made all preparations for
a formidable attack. Provisions of all kinds, from all parts of the
country, were stored within the city in great abundance, and everything
was put in readiness to withstand a protracted siege.
Cyrus, whom divine Providence was to make use of, was mentioned in the
Scriptures _by his name_ one hundred and fifty years before he was born
in these words:
“Thus saith the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have
holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of
kings, to open before him the two-leaved gates; and the gates shall not
be shut. I will go before thee and make the crooked places straight; I
will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of
iron; and I will give thee the treasures of darkness and hidden riches
of secret places; that thou mayest know that I, the Lord, which call
thee by thy name, am the God of Israel. For Jacob my servant’s sake,
and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have
surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me” (Isa. 45: 1-4).