; he
collected and sent to Babylon all the gold and silver which former
spoilers had left; and he transported all the people who had been left
behind in Jehoiachin's captivity, save only the poor of the land, who
were left to be vine-dressers and husbandmen. Four years after,
Nebuzaradan again entered Judea, and gleaned a few more of the miserable
inhabitants, whom he sent off to Babylon.

[Illustration: The Handwriting on the Wall.]

Thus was the land left desolate; and thus ended the kingdom of Judah and
the reign of David's house, after it had endured four hundred and four
years under twenty kings. It is remarkable that the King of Babylon made
no attempt to colonize the country he had depopulated, as was done by
the Assyrians in Israel; and thus, in the providence of God, the land
was left vacant, to be re-occupied by the Jews after seventy years of
captivity and punishment.

The grand and melancholy march into captivity is seen in the
illustration of the artist.

What a vast and sad procession! The conquerors ride proudly on the high
ground with the captive host in full view. The tower of Babel and the
walls of their magnificent city are visible in the distance.

The exiles found in Babylon many of their countrymen, who had been
carried there in previous conquests, and were useful, respectable
citizens. Among these, there was a young man of splendid abilities and
noble heart, named Daniel.

He was one of the youthful sons of high family, who were carried away as
hostages for the fidelity of King Jehoiachin. He and some others were
put under the chief eunuch, to be properly trained in the language and
learning of the Chaldeans, to fit them for employments at the court.
This training lasted three years, when they were examined in the
presence of the king; and Daniel and three of his friends were found to
have made far greater progress than any of those who had been educated
with them. They were therefore enrolled among the magians or learned
men.

A few years after, Nebuchadnezzar was greatly troubled with a dream,
which made a profound impression upon his mind; but the particulars of
which quite passed from his memory when he awoke. Great importance was
attached to dreams in those days, and men skilled in the sciences were
supposed to be able to discover their meaning. Therefore, the king sent
for his court magians, and required them not only to interpret the
dream, but to discover the dream itself, whi