cording to Jeremiah was Pharah-Hopbra, and he can be none other than the Apries of Herodotus. Ezekiel reprefents him as an arrogant impious prince, (XXIX. 3.) as the great dragon or crocodile that lieth in the midst of his rivers, which bath faid, My river is my own, and I have made it for myself: and agreeably hereto (7) Herodotus informs us, that Apries proudly and wickedly boafted of having established his kingdom fo furely, that it was not in the power of God himself to difpoffefs him of it. However Jeremiah foretold, that he fhould be taken and flain by his enemies, (XLIV. 30.) Thus faith the Lord, Bebold, I will give Pharaoh-Hophra king of Egypt into the hand of his enemies, and into the band of them that seek his life, as I gave Zedekiah king of Judah into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, his enemy, and that fought his life and accordingly Apries eaque occupata et Ammanitis et Moabitis bellum intulit. Iftis autem gentibus in poteftatem fuam reductis, impetum fecit in Egyptum, ut ipfam debellaret. ac regem quidem, qui tunc regnabat, occidit; alio vero conftituto &c. Jofeph. Antiq. Lib. 10. Cap. 9. Sect. 7. p. 454. Edit. Hudfon. (7) Απρίτω δε λεγεται είναι 309 ή διάνοια, μηδ' αν θεον μιν μηδένα δύνασθαι παυσαι της βασιέτω ασφαλέως εωιίω anin idquoda edoxse. Fertur Apries ea fuiffe perfuafione, ne deum quidem ullum poffe fibi adimere fegnum: adeo videbatur fibi illud ftabiliffe. Herod. Lib. 2. Sect. 169. p. 155. Edit. Gale.. (8) Herod. (8) Apries was taken and strangled by Amafis, who was by Nebuchadnezzar constituted king in his room. Ezekiel foretold, that the country fhould be defolated forty years, and the people carried captive into other countries; (XXIX. 12.) I will make the land of Egypt defolate in the midst of the countries that are defolate, and her cities among the cities that are laid waste, shall be defolate forty years; and I will scatter the Egyp tians among the nations, and will difperfe them thro' the countries. We cannot prove indeed from heathen authors, that this defolation of the country continued exactly forty years, though it is likely enough that this, as well as the other conquered countries, did not shake off the Babylonian yoke till the time of Cyrus: but we are affured by (9) Berofus, that Nebuchadnezzar took several captives in Egypt, and carried them to Babylon; and from (1) Megasthenes we learn, that he transplanted and settled others in Pontus. So true it is, that they were fcattered among the nations, and difperfed thro' the countries, and might upon the diffolution of the Babylonian empire return to their native country. II. Not long after this was another memorable revolution, and the country was invaded and fubdued by Cambyfes and the Perfians, which is the main fubject of the 19th chapter of Ifaiah. Some parts indeed of this prophecy have a near affinity with thofe of Jeremiah and Ezekiel concerning the conqueft of Egypt by Nebuchadnezzar, and St. Jerome and others apply it to Nebuchadnezzar: but this prophecy, as well as several others, might admit of a double completion, and be fulfilled at both thofe periods. For this prophecy of Isaiah is a general reprefentation of the calamities. of the nation; it includes various particulars ; it is applicable to Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians, as well as to Cambyfes and the Perfians. They might therefore be both intended and comprehended in it but the latter, I conceive, were principally intended, and for this reason; because the deliverance of the Egyptians by fome great conqueror, and their converfion afterwards to the true religion, which των φίλων Βαβυλωνιαν ανακομίζειν εις την (1) Aπodαspor avler eis ta digia të Пoile nalonica colonias in dextram Ponti pla- which are foretold in the latter part of this chapter, were events confequent to the dominion of the Perfians, and not to that of the Babylonians. The prophet begins with declaring that the conqueft of Egypt fhould be fwift and fudeen, and that the idols of Egypt fhould be deftroyed; (ver. 1.) Behold the Lord rideth upon a swift cloud, and fall come into Egypt, and the idols of Egypt fhall be moved at his presence, and the heart of Egypt fall melt in the midst of it. The fame thing is foretoid of Nebuchadnezzar by Jeremiah, (XLIII. 11, &c.) And when be cometh, he fall fmite the land of Egypt—And I will kindle a fire in the houses of the gods of Egypt, and he shall burn them, and carry them away captives-He shall break also the images of BethShemesh, that is in the land of Egypt; and the boufes of the gods of the Egyptians fhall be burn with fire: and again by Exekiel, (XXX. 13.) Thus faith the Lord God, I will alfo deftroy the idols, and I will caufe their images to cease out of Noph, or Memphis. We are not furnished with ancient authors fufficient to prove these (2) Polyæni Stratagem. Lib. 7. Cap. 9. p. 620. Edit. Maafvicii. (3) Herod. Lib. 3. Sect. 27, particulars &c. p. 172. Se&t. 37 &c, p. 176. Edit. Gale. Strabo. Lib. 17. p. 805. Edit. Paris. p. 1158. Edit. Amftel. 1707. Juftin. Lib. particulars (however probable) in the history of Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians; but we have ample proofs with relation to Cambyfes and the Perfians. The firft attempt made by Cambyfes was upon (2) Pelufium, a strong town at the entrance of Egypt, and the key of the kingdom; and he fucceeded by the ftratagem of placing before his army a great number of dogs, theep, cats, and other animals, which being held facred by the Egyptians, not one of them would caft a javelin, or foot an arrow that way; and fo the town was stormed and taken in a manner without refiftance. He (3) treated the Gods of Egypt with marvelous contempt, laughed at the people, and chaftifed the priests for worshipping fuch deities. He flew Apis, or the facred ox which the Egyptians worshipped, with his own hand; and burnt and demolished their other idols and temples; and would likewise, if he had not been prevented, have deftroyed the famous temple of Jupiter Hammon. Ochus too, who was another king of Perfia, and fubdued the Egyptians again after they had revolted, (4) plundered their Lib. 1. Cap. 9. p. 29. Edit. (4) Diod. Sic. Lib. 16. p. 537. Edit. Steph. p. 448. Tom. temples, 2. Edit. Rhod. Plutarch de Ifid. & Ofir. p. 355. Edit. Paris. 1624. (s) Herod. |