had good authorities, and was supported by earlier hiftorians, when he (6) asserted, that Nebuchadnezzar, having fubdued Cæle-Syria, waged war against the Ammonites and Moabites; and having conquered them, he invaded Egypt, and flew the king who then reigned, and appointed another. It is indeed most highly probable, that Apries was dethroned, and Amasis conftituted king by Nebuchadnezzar; and I think we may infer as much from Herodotus himself. The name of the king of Egypt at that time according to Jeremiah was Pharaoh-Hophra, and he can be none other than the Apries of Herodotus. Ezekiel represents him as an arrogant impious prince, (XXIX. 3.) as the great dragon or crocodile that lieth in the midst of his rivers, which hath 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 any god to difpossess him of it. However Jeremiah foretold, that he should be taken and flain by his enemies, (XLIV. 30.) Thus faith the Lord, Behold, I will give Pharaoh-Hophra king of Egypt into the hand of his enemies, and into the hand of them that feek 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 (8) Apries was taken and strangled by Amafis, who was by Nebuchadnezzar constituted king in his room. (6) - σρατευει ὁ αυλ [Naβεχοδονοσορα] επι την Κοιλην Συριαν και κατασχων αυτην, επολεμησε και Αμμανίτας και Μωαβιτας. ποιησαμενο δε ὑπηκοα ταυτα τα έθνη, ενεβαλεν εις την Αιγυπῖον και τασρεψομενα αυτην. και τον μεν τοτε βασιλεα κτεινει. κατασησας δε έτερον. κ. τ. λ. exercitum ipse eduxit in Cælen-Syriam; eaque occupata et Ammanitis et Moabitis bellum intulit. Iftis autem gentibus in potestatem fuam reductis, impetum fecit in Ægyptum, ut ipfam debellaret, ac regem quidem, qui tunc reg nabat, occidit; alio vero constituto, &c. Joseph. Antiq. Lib. 10. Cap. 9. Sect. 7. p. 454. Ed. Hudson. (7) Απριεω δε λεγεται είναι ήδε ἡ διανοία, μηδ' αν θεον μιν μηδενα δυνασθαι παυσαι της βασιλεΐης· έτω ασφάλεως εαυθῳ ίδρυσθαι εδοκει. Fertur Apries ea fuiffe perfuafione, ne deum quidem ullum poffe fibi adimere regnum: adeo videbatur sibi illud stabilisse. Herod. Lib. 2. Sect. 169. p. 155. Edit. Gale. (8) Herod. ibid. Diod. Sic. Lib. 1. p. 43. Edit. Steph. p. 62. Edit. Rhod. Ezekiel 9 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 Egyptians among the nations, and will disperse them through the countries. We cannot prove indeed from heathen authors, that this defolation of the country continued exactly forty years, tho' it is likely enough that this, as well as the other conquered countries, did not thake off the Babylonian yoke till the time of Cyrus, which was about forty years after the conquest of Egypt by Nebuchadnezzar: but we are affured by (9) Berofus, that Nebuchadnezzar took several captives in Egypt, and carried them to Babylon; and from (1) Megafthenes we learn, that he transplanted and fettled others in Pontus So true it is, that they were Scattered among the nations, and dispersed through 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 Persians, which is the main subject of the 19th chapter of Ifaiah. Some parts indeed of this prophecy have a near affinity with those of Jeremiah and Ezekiel concerning the conquest 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 those periods. For this prophecy of Ifaiah. is a general representation 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 Persians. They might therefore be both intended and comprehended in it: but the latter, I con (9) Berofus apud Jofephum Lib. 10. Cap. 11. Sect. 1. p. 459. Edit. Hudion. και τες αιχμαλώτες των καλά την Αιγύπίον εθνων, Cuve (1) -- αποδασμον αύλεων εις τα δεξια τε Ποντῦ κατοικίσαι. colonias in dextram Ponti plagam deportafle. Megasthenes apud Eufebium. Ceive 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 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 conquest of Egypt should be fwift and fudden, and that the idols of Egypt should be destroyed; (ver. 1.) Behold the Lord rideth upon a swift cloud, and shall come into Egypt, and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at his prefence, and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of it. The fame thing is foretold of Nebuchadnezzar by Jeremiah, (XLIII. 11, &c.) And when he cometh, he shall 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 houses of the gods of the Egyptians shall he burn with fire: and again by Ezekiel (XXX. 13.) Thus faith the Lord God, I will also destroy the idols, and I will cause their images to cease out of Noph, or Memphis. We are not furnished with ancient authors fufficient to prove these particulars (however probable) in the history of Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians; but we have ample proofs with relation to Cambyses and the Perfians. The first 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, sheep, cats, and other animals, which being held facred by the Egyptians, not one of them would cast a javelin, or shoot an arrow that way; and so the town was stormed and taken in a manner without resistance. 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 (2) Polyæni Stratagem. Lib. 7. Cap. 9. p. 620. Edit. Maasvicii. (3) Herod. Lib. 3. Sect. 27, &c. p. 172. Sect. 37, &c. p. 176. Edit. VOL. I. Gale. Strabo. Lib. 17. p. 805. Ed. P wor worshipped, with his own hand; and burnt and demo lished their other idols and temples; and would likewife, if he had not been prevented, have destroyed 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 temples, and caufed Apis to be flain and served up in a banquet to him and his friends. The prophet foretels, that they should also be miferably distracted with civil wars; (ver. 2.) And I will fet the Egyptians against the Egyptians; and they shall fight every one against his brother, and every one against his neighbour, city against city, and kingdom against kingdom; νομος επι νομον, as the Seventy tranflate it, province against province, Egypt being divided into νομοι, prefectures or provinces. Vitringa and others apply this to the time of the (5) δωδεκαρχια or the reign of the twelve kings, the anarchy that preceded, and the civil wars that ensued, wherein the genius and fortune of Psammitichus prevailed over the rest. But it may perhaps be more properly applied to what agrees better in point of time with other parts of the prophecy, (6) the civil wars between Apries and Amafis at the time of Nebuchadnezzar's invafion, and the (7) civil wars between Tachos, Nectanebus, and the Mendesian, a little before the country was finally fubdued by Ochus. It is no wonder, that in fuch distractions and distresses as these, the Egyptians being naturally a cowardly people, should be destitute of counsel, and that the spirit of Egypt should fail in the midst thereof, as the prophet foretels; (ver. 3.) and that being alfo a very fuperftitious people, they should seek to the idols, and to the charmers, and to them that have familiar spirits, and to the wizards. But their divination was all in vain; it was their fate to (4) Diod. Sic. Lib. 16. p. 537. Edit. Steph. p. 448. Tom. 2. Edit. Rhod. Plutarch. de Ifid. et Ofir. p. 355. Edit. Paris. 1624. (5) Herod. Lib. 2. Sect. 147-154. p. 146-150. Edit. Gale. Diod. Sic. Lib. 1. p. 41. &c. Edit. Steph. p. 59. &c. Tom. 1. Edit. Rhod. (6) Herod. Lib. 2. Sect. 169. р. 155. Edit. Gale. Diod. Sic. Lib. 1. p. 43. Edit. Steph. p. 62. Tom. 1. Edit. Rhod. (7) Plutarch. in Agesilao. Diod. Sic. Lib. 15. p. 506. Edit. Steph. p. 399, &c. Tom. 2. Edit. Rhod. be ning the Lord, the Lord of hosts. This is the most effential part of the prophecy; and this Grotius and others understand of Pfammitichus: but it doth not appear from history, that Pfammitichus was fuch a fierce and cruel tyrant; on the contrary he (8) reestablished the government, and reigned long and profperously for Egypt in many respects. It may with greater truth and propriety be understood of Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians, whose dominion was very grievous to the conquered nations: but with the greatest propriety and justice it may be applied to the Perfians, and especially to Cambyfes and Ochus; one of whom put the yoke upon the neck of the Egyptians, and the other rivetted it there; and who are both branded in history for cruel tyrants and monsters of men. The Egyptians faid that Cambyfes, after his killing of Apis, was stricken with madness; but his actions, faith (9) Dr. Prideaux after Herodotus, showed him to have been mad long before. He could hardly have performed those great exploits, if he had been a downright madman: and yet it is certain that he was very much like one; there was a mixture of barbarity and madness in all his behaviour. Ochus was the cruellest and worst of all the kings of Perfia, and was so destructive and oppreffive to Egypt in particular, that his favorite eunuch (1) Bagoas, who was an Egyptian, in revenge of his injured country, poifoned him. The favors shown to himself could not compenfate for the wrongs done to his country. None other allegation is wanting to prove, that the Perfian yoke was galling and intolerable to the Egyptians, than |