CHAPTER V.The King of Judah’s treatment of the Chaldean ambassador, in regard to the tribute money, had so exasperated the King of Babylon, that he was determined to chasten his audacity with rigor. This monarch, at this period of his reign, was of rather a mild disposition, but, like his sires before him, a love of conquest had become with him a strong passion.Three years before, he had dealt with much mildness toward the inhabitants of Jerusalem. On taking the city, he charged his soldiers to show no indignity to the inhabitants, under the severest penalty—which charge was well heeded. Towards Jehoiakim he also evinced a kind disposition. With but few restrictions, he was permitted to reign. Now that Jehoiakim had abused these acts of kindness, had violated solemn obligations, and, in addition to all this, had publicly ridiculed the ambassador, Nebuchadnezzar’s indignation was kindled to a flame.The King of Judah on this occasion, as well as on all other occasions of embarrassment and perplexity, sought relief in mixed wines. These stimulated his courage for the time being, which, being left to its own resources, was of a low order; but, under the effects of these deceitful liquids, he became heroic.“Jared!” said Jehoiakim, “where is that Sherakim who was so full of fight at the banquet hall last night?”“As my soul liveth, O king, I know not his whereabouts. I have not seen him since early dawn; and then he appeared to be in haste, and was in no mood for conversation.”“A curse on his cowardly head! I suppose these Chaldeans have put his valor to flight. Jared! how many armed men have we within the royal enclosures?”“Two hundred of the royal guard, O king, are present—all armed and ready to face death for their illustrious sovereign.”“It is well!” said Jehoiakim, filling his bowl. “Ha, ha, ha! Let the King of Babylon beware of my vengeance? What does the fool desire? The King of Judah is not to be frightened. Jared! where is Sherakim?”“Sherakim, O king, is not to be found.”“Ah, I had forgotten. Sherakim not to be found! Ha, ha, ha! Sherakim not to be found! The cowardly babbler! Jared, command more wine! Sherakim has fled—he is afraid of a shadow—he has not the courage of a maiden. Have I not known him of old? Did not a thunderstorm always make him cry? Ha, ha, ha! Sherakim the orator! fool! coward!”“A messenger, O king, from the King of the Chaldeans, desires to be introduced into thy presence. Shall I conduct him to the apartment?”“Is he alone or accompanied?”“Accompanied by armed men.”“Let the messenger be admitted, but let the guard remain behind.”The messenger was accordingly ushered into the presence of Jehoiakim.“And what business of importance has brought thee into the presence of the King of Judah?” asked Jehoiakim, with curling lip.“I stand in thy presence as a bearer of a message from my sovereign master, King of Babylon.”“Methinks I have seen thee on another occasion.”“And was not my behavior honorable and becoming?”“Did the King of Judah say otherwise?”“Yea, otherwise.”“How?”“By his vile and haughty treatment of the king’s ambassador.”“Be sparing with thine insolence, or at this time thou mayest fare far worse.”“The Chaldean ambassador is not to be frightened by idle threats from one who lives at the mercy of his master.”“Thinkest thou thyself safe because thou art surrounded with a few soldiers? Knowest thou not that within my call there are hundreds of armed men, ready to execute my will?”“And knowest thou not that Jerusalem is in the hands of the Chaldeans, and that threescore thousand men of war are stationed in the city?”“Threescore thousand! But come, sir, what is the message of the King of Babylon to the King of Judah? Let thy words be few.”“Then thou art commanded, without delay, to appear in my master’s presence, and there learn his sovereign will concerning thyself and the city.”“Commanded!Ha, ha, ha! Go thy way, and inform thy master that if he desires to see Jehoiakim, King of Judah, he must call at the royal palace, where he may have his desires gratified.”“Then I go. Faithfully will I convey thy answer to my illustrious sovereign.”The minister hastened from the royal palace, to convey to the king the result of the interview, while the King of Judah, waxing more desperate, still applied himself to his cups.The King of Babylon, on his arrival in Jerusalem, ordered his magnificent royal tent to be pitched in the center of a large square in the very heart of the city. The great body of the army was stationed in another part—the royal guard remaining near the royal tent. From this spot went forth the summons to the King of Judah to appear in the presence of the King of Babylon.“Where is his Royal Highness, the King of Judah?” asked Nebuchadnezzar.“In his palace, O king, indulging in excess of wine, apparently perfectly at ease.”“Is he not forthcoming?” asked the king, with a darkened brow.“He laughs to scorn thy commands, O king! and wishes to inform thee that if thou hast aught to communicate he may be consulted at his palace.”“By all the gods, the fellow is mad!” cried Nebuchadnezzar in a passion. “I’ll have to bend his stubborn will—yea, Ishalldo it. I thirst not for his blood; but let the guilty monarch beware how he trifles with my commands! Balphoras! haste thee back with a double guard, and inform Jehoiakim that my orders are not to be trifled with; and moreover, that if he persists in his stubbornness, I shall send sufficient force to drag him into my presence as a guilty culprit.”The communication was in perfect accordance with the desires and expectations of the Chaldean officer. Balphoras was in possession of an amiable mind. He was respectful to his superiors, kind and gentle to his inferiors. Wherever he was known among his countrymen he was greatly beloved. However, he was not insensible to injury or indifferent to abuse. He felt deeply; but had learned to be a greater conqueror than his master, inasmuch as he that governeth his own spirit is greater than he that taketh a city. Balphoras, without being unkind or selfish, desired to witness the humiliation of the King of Judah. The command of his king, therefore, was put in immediate execution, and the Chaldean minister, accompanied by a strong and imposing guard, once more was on his way to demand admission into the presence of the King of Judah.“Jared! Well would I have served those guilty dogs, if I had given orders to have their heads taken off. What sayest thou, Jared?”“They richly deserved it, O king,” answered Jared, with his face in another direction, on which played a suppressed smile.“Let them beware how they insult the King of Judah! Jared! hast thou learned aught of Sherakim’s whereabouts?”“Naught, O king.”“Ungrateful dog! Cowardly fool! Miserable brawler!—Sherakim! Bah! Jared, order more wine. Whom should Jehoiakim fear? Jared! what trouble is there in the porch? Haste thee and see.”Jared hastened to obey the commands of his drunken sovereign, and presently returned.“The same messenger from the King of the Chaldeans demands an interview with the King of Judah.”“Let him be admitted. Ha! ha! What next?”Balphoras, with a firm, dignified step, walked into the presence of Jehoiakim, who, in spite of his wine-propped courage, almost trembled beneath the Chaldean’s penetrating glance.“And what hast thou to communicate at this time?”“My communication is short and decisive.”“The shorter the better—let it be delivered.”“My illustrious sovereign, the King of Babylon, wishes the King of Judah to understand, that his commands are not to be trifled with; and, moreover, that if the King of Judah persists in his stubbornness, he must be dragged into his presence as a guilty culprit.”“Who dares to utter such words in my presence?” cried Jehoiakim, in a rage.“The Chaldean minister, as the words of his illustrious sovereign.”“Go and tell thine ‘illustrious sovereign’ that Jehoiakim spits upon his insolent demands.”“Thy raving is in vain. Better far to bridle thy rage and comply. Be it known to the King of Judah, that I have three hundred chosen men of war at my bidding, who wait for the word of command. What is the choice of the King of Judah?”“Be it known to thee, insolent fool,” cried the exasperated king, “that Jehoiakim laughs to scorn thy threats, and spurns thy counsels.”“Alas for thine obstinacy, proud and reckless man!” answered Balphoras, as he left the apartment; “thy doom is sealed!”After the departure of the Chaldean, Jehoiakim gave orders to his officers to be ready, at all hazards, to defend the royal enclosures against all further intrusion from the Chaldeans.“A curse upon his guilty head! Ha, ha! ‘Dragged into his presence,’ eh! Never! Fools! Villains! Let them beware of Jehoiakim’s vengeance.”While the King of Judah thus indulged in his wild delirium, a strong detachment of the Chaldean army was on a rapid march towards the royal palace, with orders to make a prisoner of Jehoiakim, and bring him into the presence of the King of Babylon. They soon reached the king’s gate, and demanded admittance; which demand was promptly and haughtily refused. This was but the signal for attack, and a furious combat followed. Both the Chaldeans and Jehoiakim’s men fought valiantly. The passage was defended with extreme bravery and valor; but after a most desperate struggle, the Chaldeans proved successful in forcing an entrance. The sentry at the palace door was soon overcome, and a company of Chaldeans rushed into the royal mansion; and, after some search, they found the king. Without ceremony he was dragged from his hiding place, and ejected from his palace. A shout of triumph broke from the Chaldeans, which only exasperated their antagonists. Another desperate rush was made for the rescue of their king, but it proved unavailing. He was conducted to the open street amid a general fight. The din of battle brought together vast multitudes, who, seeing their king a captive, added greatly to the strength of Judah’s forces; and the Chaldeans found themselves continually attacked from unexpected quarters. Thus the conflict waxed hotter and hotter as the Chaldeans desperately fought their way through the exasperated men of Judah.Finally, the King of Judah was carried into the presence of Nebuchadnezzar and had he, even then, humbled himself, he might have escaped an awful doom. The behavior of Jehoiakim in the presence of the Chaldean monarch was that of a madman. To every inquiry he replied in the most insulting and abusive epithets; and to seal his own fate he madly rushed on the King of Babylon with his sword, and had it not been that this potentate was on his guard, it would have gone hard with him. This was beyond endurance. Nebuchadnezzar, stung to the quick, grasped his sword, commanded his officers to stand aloof, and faced his enraged foe. They made a few passes, and the sword of the Chaldean was plunged into the heart of the King of Judah.”“Take the ungrateful dog,” said the excited Babylonian, “and drag his worthless carcass, and throw it outside the city walls.”The command was immediately put in execution.Thus perished the wicked king, according to the word of the Lord, by the mouth of his servant Jeremiah.
The King of Judah’s treatment of the Chaldean ambassador, in regard to the tribute money, had so exasperated the King of Babylon, that he was determined to chasten his audacity with rigor. This monarch, at this period of his reign, was of rather a mild disposition, but, like his sires before him, a love of conquest had become with him a strong passion.
Three years before, he had dealt with much mildness toward the inhabitants of Jerusalem. On taking the city, he charged his soldiers to show no indignity to the inhabitants, under the severest penalty—which charge was well heeded. Towards Jehoiakim he also evinced a kind disposition. With but few restrictions, he was permitted to reign. Now that Jehoiakim had abused these acts of kindness, had violated solemn obligations, and, in addition to all this, had publicly ridiculed the ambassador, Nebuchadnezzar’s indignation was kindled to a flame.
The King of Judah on this occasion, as well as on all other occasions of embarrassment and perplexity, sought relief in mixed wines. These stimulated his courage for the time being, which, being left to its own resources, was of a low order; but, under the effects of these deceitful liquids, he became heroic.
“Jared!” said Jehoiakim, “where is that Sherakim who was so full of fight at the banquet hall last night?”
“As my soul liveth, O king, I know not his whereabouts. I have not seen him since early dawn; and then he appeared to be in haste, and was in no mood for conversation.”
“A curse on his cowardly head! I suppose these Chaldeans have put his valor to flight. Jared! how many armed men have we within the royal enclosures?”
“Two hundred of the royal guard, O king, are present—all armed and ready to face death for their illustrious sovereign.”
“It is well!” said Jehoiakim, filling his bowl. “Ha, ha, ha! Let the King of Babylon beware of my vengeance? What does the fool desire? The King of Judah is not to be frightened. Jared! where is Sherakim?”
“Sherakim, O king, is not to be found.”
“Ah, I had forgotten. Sherakim not to be found! Ha, ha, ha! Sherakim not to be found! The cowardly babbler! Jared, command more wine! Sherakim has fled—he is afraid of a shadow—he has not the courage of a maiden. Have I not known him of old? Did not a thunderstorm always make him cry? Ha, ha, ha! Sherakim the orator! fool! coward!”
“A messenger, O king, from the King of the Chaldeans, desires to be introduced into thy presence. Shall I conduct him to the apartment?”
“Is he alone or accompanied?”
“Accompanied by armed men.”
“Let the messenger be admitted, but let the guard remain behind.”
The messenger was accordingly ushered into the presence of Jehoiakim.
“And what business of importance has brought thee into the presence of the King of Judah?” asked Jehoiakim, with curling lip.
“I stand in thy presence as a bearer of a message from my sovereign master, King of Babylon.”
“Methinks I have seen thee on another occasion.”
“And was not my behavior honorable and becoming?”
“Did the King of Judah say otherwise?”
“Yea, otherwise.”
“How?”
“By his vile and haughty treatment of the king’s ambassador.”
“Be sparing with thine insolence, or at this time thou mayest fare far worse.”
“The Chaldean ambassador is not to be frightened by idle threats from one who lives at the mercy of his master.”
“Thinkest thou thyself safe because thou art surrounded with a few soldiers? Knowest thou not that within my call there are hundreds of armed men, ready to execute my will?”
“And knowest thou not that Jerusalem is in the hands of the Chaldeans, and that threescore thousand men of war are stationed in the city?”
“Threescore thousand! But come, sir, what is the message of the King of Babylon to the King of Judah? Let thy words be few.”
“Then thou art commanded, without delay, to appear in my master’s presence, and there learn his sovereign will concerning thyself and the city.”
“Commanded!Ha, ha, ha! Go thy way, and inform thy master that if he desires to see Jehoiakim, King of Judah, he must call at the royal palace, where he may have his desires gratified.”
“Then I go. Faithfully will I convey thy answer to my illustrious sovereign.”
The minister hastened from the royal palace, to convey to the king the result of the interview, while the King of Judah, waxing more desperate, still applied himself to his cups.
The King of Babylon, on his arrival in Jerusalem, ordered his magnificent royal tent to be pitched in the center of a large square in the very heart of the city. The great body of the army was stationed in another part—the royal guard remaining near the royal tent. From this spot went forth the summons to the King of Judah to appear in the presence of the King of Babylon.
“Where is his Royal Highness, the King of Judah?” asked Nebuchadnezzar.
“In his palace, O king, indulging in excess of wine, apparently perfectly at ease.”
“Is he not forthcoming?” asked the king, with a darkened brow.
“He laughs to scorn thy commands, O king! and wishes to inform thee that if thou hast aught to communicate he may be consulted at his palace.”
“By all the gods, the fellow is mad!” cried Nebuchadnezzar in a passion. “I’ll have to bend his stubborn will—yea, Ishalldo it. I thirst not for his blood; but let the guilty monarch beware how he trifles with my commands! Balphoras! haste thee back with a double guard, and inform Jehoiakim that my orders are not to be trifled with; and moreover, that if he persists in his stubbornness, I shall send sufficient force to drag him into my presence as a guilty culprit.”
The communication was in perfect accordance with the desires and expectations of the Chaldean officer. Balphoras was in possession of an amiable mind. He was respectful to his superiors, kind and gentle to his inferiors. Wherever he was known among his countrymen he was greatly beloved. However, he was not insensible to injury or indifferent to abuse. He felt deeply; but had learned to be a greater conqueror than his master, inasmuch as he that governeth his own spirit is greater than he that taketh a city. Balphoras, without being unkind or selfish, desired to witness the humiliation of the King of Judah. The command of his king, therefore, was put in immediate execution, and the Chaldean minister, accompanied by a strong and imposing guard, once more was on his way to demand admission into the presence of the King of Judah.
“Jared! Well would I have served those guilty dogs, if I had given orders to have their heads taken off. What sayest thou, Jared?”
“They richly deserved it, O king,” answered Jared, with his face in another direction, on which played a suppressed smile.
“Let them beware how they insult the King of Judah! Jared! hast thou learned aught of Sherakim’s whereabouts?”
“Naught, O king.”
“Ungrateful dog! Cowardly fool! Miserable brawler!—Sherakim! Bah! Jared, order more wine. Whom should Jehoiakim fear? Jared! what trouble is there in the porch? Haste thee and see.”
Jared hastened to obey the commands of his drunken sovereign, and presently returned.
“The same messenger from the King of the Chaldeans demands an interview with the King of Judah.”
“Let him be admitted. Ha! ha! What next?”
Balphoras, with a firm, dignified step, walked into the presence of Jehoiakim, who, in spite of his wine-propped courage, almost trembled beneath the Chaldean’s penetrating glance.
“And what hast thou to communicate at this time?”
“My communication is short and decisive.”
“The shorter the better—let it be delivered.”
“My illustrious sovereign, the King of Babylon, wishes the King of Judah to understand, that his commands are not to be trifled with; and, moreover, that if the King of Judah persists in his stubbornness, he must be dragged into his presence as a guilty culprit.”
“Who dares to utter such words in my presence?” cried Jehoiakim, in a rage.
“The Chaldean minister, as the words of his illustrious sovereign.”
“Go and tell thine ‘illustrious sovereign’ that Jehoiakim spits upon his insolent demands.”
“Thy raving is in vain. Better far to bridle thy rage and comply. Be it known to the King of Judah, that I have three hundred chosen men of war at my bidding, who wait for the word of command. What is the choice of the King of Judah?”
“Be it known to thee, insolent fool,” cried the exasperated king, “that Jehoiakim laughs to scorn thy threats, and spurns thy counsels.”
“Alas for thine obstinacy, proud and reckless man!” answered Balphoras, as he left the apartment; “thy doom is sealed!”
After the departure of the Chaldean, Jehoiakim gave orders to his officers to be ready, at all hazards, to defend the royal enclosures against all further intrusion from the Chaldeans.
“A curse upon his guilty head! Ha, ha! ‘Dragged into his presence,’ eh! Never! Fools! Villains! Let them beware of Jehoiakim’s vengeance.”
While the King of Judah thus indulged in his wild delirium, a strong detachment of the Chaldean army was on a rapid march towards the royal palace, with orders to make a prisoner of Jehoiakim, and bring him into the presence of the King of Babylon. They soon reached the king’s gate, and demanded admittance; which demand was promptly and haughtily refused. This was but the signal for attack, and a furious combat followed. Both the Chaldeans and Jehoiakim’s men fought valiantly. The passage was defended with extreme bravery and valor; but after a most desperate struggle, the Chaldeans proved successful in forcing an entrance. The sentry at the palace door was soon overcome, and a company of Chaldeans rushed into the royal mansion; and, after some search, they found the king. Without ceremony he was dragged from his hiding place, and ejected from his palace. A shout of triumph broke from the Chaldeans, which only exasperated their antagonists. Another desperate rush was made for the rescue of their king, but it proved unavailing. He was conducted to the open street amid a general fight. The din of battle brought together vast multitudes, who, seeing their king a captive, added greatly to the strength of Judah’s forces; and the Chaldeans found themselves continually attacked from unexpected quarters. Thus the conflict waxed hotter and hotter as the Chaldeans desperately fought their way through the exasperated men of Judah.
Finally, the King of Judah was carried into the presence of Nebuchadnezzar and had he, even then, humbled himself, he might have escaped an awful doom. The behavior of Jehoiakim in the presence of the Chaldean monarch was that of a madman. To every inquiry he replied in the most insulting and abusive epithets; and to seal his own fate he madly rushed on the King of Babylon with his sword, and had it not been that this potentate was on his guard, it would have gone hard with him. This was beyond endurance. Nebuchadnezzar, stung to the quick, grasped his sword, commanded his officers to stand aloof, and faced his enraged foe. They made a few passes, and the sword of the Chaldean was plunged into the heart of the King of Judah.”
“Take the ungrateful dog,” said the excited Babylonian, “and drag his worthless carcass, and throw it outside the city walls.”
The command was immediately put in execution.
Thus perished the wicked king, according to the word of the Lord, by the mouth of his servant Jeremiah.