no more cover her slain."* The condition of the people improved
after the death of Nebuchadrezzar. Amil-marduk took Jehoiachin out of
the prison in which he had languished for thirty years, and treated
him with honour:** this was not as yet the restoration that had been
promised, but it was the end of the persecution.

* An anonymous prophet, about 570, in Isa. xxvi. 17, 20, 21.

** 2 Kings xxv. 27-30; cf. Jer. lii. 31-34.

A period of court intrigues followed, during which the sceptre of
Nebuchadrezzar changed hands four times in less than seven years; then
came the accession of the peaceful and devout Nabonidus, the fall of
Astyages, and the first victories of Cyrus. Nothing escaped the vigilant
eye of the prophets, and they began to proclaim that the time was at
hand, then to predict the fall of Babylon, and to depict the barbarians
in revolt against her, and Israel released from the yoke by the
all-powerful will of the Persians. "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 the doors before him, and
the gates shall not be shut; I will go before thee and make the rugged
places plain: I will break in pieces the doors of brass, rend 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 am the
Lord which call thee by thy name, even the God of Israel. For Jacob My
servant's sake, and Israel My chosen, I have called thee by thy name: I
have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known Me."* Nothing can stand
before the victorious prince whom Jahveh leads: "Bel boweth down, Nebo
stoopeth; their idols are upon the beasts, and upon the cattle: the
things that ye carried about are made a load, a burden to the weary
beast. They stoop, they bow down together; they could not deliver the
burden, but themselves are gone into captivity."** "O virgin daughter
of Babylon, sit on the ground without a throne, O daughter of the
Chaldaeans: for thou shalt no more be called tender and delicate. Take
the millstones and grind meal: remove thy veil, strip off the train,
uncover the leg, pass through the rivers. They nakedness shall be
uncovered, yea, thy shame shall be seen.... Sit thou silent, and get
thee into darkness, O daughter of the Chaldaeans: for thou shalt no more
be called the lady of kingdoms."***

* Second Isaiah, in Isa.