y."

[19] Since Josephus here explains the seven prophetic times which were
to pass over Nebuchadnezzar [Daniel 4:16] to be seven years, we thence
learn how he most probably must have understood those other parallel
phrases, of "a time, times, and a half," Antiq. B. VII. ch. 25., of so
many prophetic years also, though he withal lets us know, by his hint
at the interpretation of the seventy weeks, as belonging to the fourth
monarchy, and the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in the days of
Josephus, ch. 2. sect. 7, that he did not think those years to be bare
years, but rather days for years; by which reckoning, and by which
alone, could seventy weeks, or four hundred and ninety days, reach
to the age of Josephus. But as to the truth of those seven years'
banishment of Nebuchadnezzar from men, and his living so long among
the beasts, the very small remains we have any where else of this
Nebuchadnezzar prevent our expectation of any other full account of it.
So far we knew by Ptolemy's canon, a contemporary record, as well as by
Josephus presently, that he reigned in all forty-three years, that is,
eight years after we meet with any account of his actions; one of the
last of which was the thirteen years' siege of Tyre, Antiq. B. XI. ch.
11., where yet the Old Latin has but three years and ten months: yet
were his actions before so remarkable, both in sacred and profane
authors, that a vacuity of eight years at the least, at the latter end
of his reign, must be allowed to agree very well with Daniel's accounts;
that after a seven years' brutal life, he might return to his reason,
and to the exercise of his royal authority, for one whole year at least
before his death.

[20] These forty-three years for the duration of the reign of
Nebuchadnezzar are, as I have just now observed, the very same number in
Ptolemy's canon. Moses Chorenensis does also confirm this captivity of
the Jews under Nebuchadnezzar, and adds, what is very remarkable, that
sale of those Jews that were carried by him into captivity got away into
Armenia, and raised the great family of the Bagratide there.

[21] These twenty-one years here ascribed to one named Naboulassar, in
the first book against Apion, or to Nabopollassar, the father of the
great Nebuchadnezzar, are also the very same with those given him in
Ptolemy's canon. And note here, that what Dr. Prideaux says, at the
year, that Nebuchadnezzar must have been a common name of other kings