almoft impregnable Fort was taken by form, and while a breach was made at one end of the City, and the Chaldeans kept pouring in their chariots and their men through a private gate at a diftance, which led to the King's garden, many of the inhabitants, and the Army escaped by flight; and at the dead of night, Zedekiah himself, with a few of his Nobles, and his Body-Guard, ftole out by fome very private road and reached the plains of Jericho, the Chaldees, ever on the watch, fpied them out, and dispatched a party to feize them, they were foon brought to the Camp, and fent under a guard to Riblah, the headquarters of Nebuchadnezer, and ufhered in to the royal Prefence, the King fummoned a Council, Zedekiah was brought before them, and convicted of treachery and rebellion. Immediately after, they called in all his children, one by one, and executed them in his prefence, they then struck out both the eyes of the Father, that no one object whatever might efface the bloody scene, or the fad idea and remembrance of it for ever. Zedekiah blind, and bound in fetters of brass, was then led away a State Prifoner to Babylon, to grace the triumph of this merciless Tyrant, and pine out a miferable exiftence in a dungeon. In the fifth month after, a Chaldee Officer, Nebuzar-adan, arrived from Babylon, and was commiffioned to burn to afhes the royal Palace, VOL. I. Eeee and and the houfes of the Nobles, after plundering them of all that could be fent off, and he burnt the whole City, and this fuperb and magnificent Temple, the ornament and glory of the world, after they had firft ftripped and plundered it of all its treasures, cut off from their stands the golden veffels, pulled down the brazen pillars, cut to pieces the brazen sea, and forwarded all the fpoil to Babylon. All Judah were now carried away into Captivity, a few of the poor only were left, to dress the vines and cultivate the land. Gedaliah, a friend of the Prophet Jeremiah, obtained the appointment of Judæa, and the new Governor kept his Court at Mizpah. The Prophet was here fupplied, by him, with all neceffaries, and many of the Jewish Chiefs and Princes, who had fled during the fiege, came alfo to Gedaliah, and he fware to them, and fpoke kindly, fear not ye, dwell peaceably in the land, ferve the King of Babylon, and it fhall be well with you. Amongst others, Ifhmael a Prince of the blood royal, and ten of his refolute companions, were all of a party and on a vifit at the Governor's houfe; while they were hospitably received as guefts, and entertained at a feaft he had made for them, they bafely murdered Gedaliah, and all the brave Chaldæans of his Court. On this treacherous affaffination, the Jews who had placed themselves under his friendly protection, now fled away to Egypt, and the Prophet Jeremiah was amongst the number. After this time the land is faid to have lain defolate, the Sabbatic year had been much neglected, but throughout Judæa the land now kept a very long and perpetual Sabbath. END OF VOL. I. |