And the
Chaldean rule was ended! For the Lord bestowed the kingdom upon
the Medes and Persians for a space of time, and let the might of
Babylon diminish, which the heroes should have held. But He knew
that they were sinful men who would have ruled the realm.
(ll. 686-702) The lord of the Medes, as he sat in his stronghold,
resolved on that which none had done before him, that he would
lay waste Babylon, the city of earls, where the princes within
the walls dispensed the treasure. Now the city of Babylon was
the most famous of all the fortresses of men, the mightiest and
most widely known of all that men inhabit, until Belshazzar in
his boasting tempted God. They sat at wine within their walls,
fearing not the hate of any foe, though a hostile folk with
mighty hosts in armour were coming up against them, even against
the city of Babylon to destroy it. And the Chaldean king and his
kinsmen sat feasting on the last day.
(ll. 703-711) Now when the leader of the host was drunk with wine
he bade them bring the treasure of Israel, the holy vessels of
the sacrifice, and the gold which the Chaldean warriors and their
legions had captured in Jerusalem, when they destroyed the might
of Judah with the sword, boasting exceedingly, with tumult
seizing on the kindly folk and gleaming treasure, as they
plundered the temple and the shrine of Solomon.
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