First.

Tobit was still alive at this time, and dwelt among other captives at
Nineveh.(1031) Perceiving his end approaching, he foretold to his children
the sudden destruction of that city; of which at that time there was not
the least appearance. He advised them to quit the city, before its ruin
came on, and to depart as soon as they had buried him and his wife.

"The ruin of Nineveh is at hand," says the good old man, "abide no longer
here, for I perceive the wickedness of the city will occasion its
destruction." These last words are very remarkable, "the wickedness of the
city will occasion its destruction." Men will be apt to impute the ruin of
Nineveh to any other reason, but we are taught by the Holy Ghost, that her
unrighteousness was the true cause of it, as it will be with other states
that imitate her crimes.

Nabuchodonosor defeated the king of the Medes in a pitched battle,(1032)
fought the twelfth year of his reign, upon the plain of Ragau, took
Ecbatana, the capital of his kingdom, and returned triumphant to Nineveh.
When we come to treat of the history of the Medes, we shall give a more
particular account of this victory.

It was immediately after this expedition, that Bethulia was besieged by
Holofernes, one of Nabuchodonosor's generals; and that the famous
enterprise of Judith was accomplished.

(M172) SARACUS, otherwise called CHYNALADANUS. This prince succeeded
Saosduchinus;(1033) and having rendered himself contemptible to his
subjects, by his effeminacy, and the little care he took of his dominions,
Nabopolassar, a Babylonian by birth, and general of his army, usurped that
part of the Assyrian empire, and reigned over it one and twenty years.

(M173) NABOPOLASSAR. This prince, the better to maintain his usurped
sovereignty, made an alliance with Cyaxares, king of the Medes. With their
joint forces they besieged and took Nineveh, killed Saracus, and utterly
destroyed that great city. We shall speak more largely of this great
event, when we come to the history of the Medes. From this time forwards
the city of Babylon became the only capital of the Assyrian empire.

The Babylonians and the Medes, having destroyed Nineveh, became so
formidable, that they drew upon themselves the jealousy of all their
neighbours. Necho, king of Egypt, was so alarmed at their power, that to
stop their progress he marched towards the Euphrates at the head of a
powerful army, and made several considerable conquests.