nd _Ammonites_, to the number of 10000
chariots, and 180000 foot, and 120000 horse, and laid waste _Samaria_,
_Galilee_, _Scythopolis_, and the _Jews_ in _Galaaditis_, and besieged
_Jerusalem_, and took King _Jehoiakim_ alive, and [381] bound him in chains
for a time, and carried to _Babylon_ _Daniel_ and others of the people, and
part of what Gold and Silver and Brass they found in the Temple: and in
[382] the fourth year of _Jehoiakim_, which was the twentieth of
_Nabopolassar_, they routed the army of _Pharaoh Nechoh_ at _Carchemish_,
and by pursuing the war took from the King of _Egypt_ whatever pertained to
him from the river of _Egypt_ to the river of _Euphrates_. This King of
_Egypt_ is called by _Berosus_, [383] the _Satrapa_ of _Egypt_,
_Coele-Syria_, and _Phoenicia_; and this victory over him put an end to his
Reign in _Coele-Syria_ and _Phoenicia_, which he had newly invaded, and
gave a beginning to the Reign of _Nebuchadnezzar_ there: and by the
conquests over _Assyria_ and _Syria_ the small Kingdom of _Babylon_ was
erected into a potent Empire.

Whilst _Nebuchadnezzar_ was acting in _Syria_, [384] his father
_Nabopolassar_ died, having Reigned 21 years; and _Nebuchadnezzar_ upon the
news thereof, having ordered his affairs in _Syria_ returned to _Babylon_,
leaving the captives and his army with his servants to follow him: and from
henceforward he applied himself sometimes to war, conquering _Sittacene_,
_Susiana_, _Arabia_, _Edom_, _Egypt_, and some other countries; and
sometimes to peace, adorning the Temple of _Belus_ with the spoils that he
had taken; and the city of _Babylon_ with magnificent walls and gates, and
stately palaces and pensile gardens, as _Berosus_ relates; and amongst
other things he cut the new rivers _Naarmalcha_ and _Pallacopas_ above
_Babylon_ and built the city of _Teredon_.

_Judaea_ was now in servitude under the King of _Babylon_, being invaded and
subdued in the third and fourth years of _Jehoiakim_, _and _Jehoiakim_
served him three years, and then turned and rebelled_, 2 _King._ xxiv. 1.
While _Nebuchadnezzar_ and the army of the _Chaldaeans_ continued in
_Syria_, _Jehojakim_ was under compulsion; after they returned to
_Babylon_, _Jehojakim_ continued in fidelity three years, that is, during
the 7th, 8th and 9th years of his Reign, and rebelled in the tenth:
whereupon in the return or end of the year, that is in spring, he sent
[385] and besieged _Jerusalem_, captivated _Jecon