sent for Jehoiachin, the son of the deposed monarch, who, though only eight years of age*, had been chosen to succeed him, and appointed Zedekiah, "his father's brother," king in his stead. Ten thousand captives, among whom were the principal people of Jerusalem, 7000 fighting men, and 1000 smiths and artificers, with the treasures of the temple and the palace, were carried to Babylon; and Zedekiah became a vassal of the Chaldean monarch.

A short time previous to the captivity of Jehoiakim Neco died, and was succeeded by Psamaticus II., whom Herodotus calls Psammis. Little worthy of remark took place during his reign, except an expedition into Ethiopia, and the arrival of an embassy from the Eleans.† "These people boasted that the regulations of the Olympic games were the most just and unobjectionable that had ever been instituted; and that even the Egyptians, who were considered the wisest of men, could not invent any of a more perfect kind. On their arrival in Egypt they explained the object of their mission; the king, therefore, convoked an assembly of men reputed for their wisdom and experience, before whom the Eleans stated the rules of their games, inquiring at the same time of they could suggest any improvements. After some consultation, the Egyptians asked whether any of their fellow-citizens

ancient Egyptian Nêb, the Indian Neeb, Nowab, and the Arab Náïb. Nusr implies "victory."

* 2 Chron. xxxvi. 9., differing from the account in 2 Kings, xxiv. 8. + Herod. ii. 160. Diodorus (i. 95.) says they sent to Amasis.

were permitted to contend at the games; and upon being informed that every one, either of their own or any other Greek state, was at liberty to enter the lists, they decided that such regulations were directly at variance with every notion of justice; since it was impossible for them not to favour their fellow citizens, to the prejudice of a candidate from another place.

"And they concluded by saying, 'If you are really anxious for impartiality, and have come to Egypt to learn our opinion, we recommend you to exclude the Eleans, and to confine the games to foreign competitors." "

Psamaticus II. was succeeded by the third of that name; but whether he was the same as Apries remains uncertain. Of Apries, or Vaphres, we have some account in Herodotus and Diodorus, and he is styled in the Bible history Pharaoh Hophra.* His contemporary in Judæa was Zedekiah, who had been made king by Nebuchadnezzar, and who, thinking that a favourable opportunity now presented itself for throwing off the Babylonian yoke, made a treaty with the king of Egypt. But the war in which Apries was engaged with the Syrians, and afterwards with the Cyreneans, prevented his affording any great assistance to his ally; and though his "army," by entering Judæa, obliged "the Chaldeans" to raise the siege of Jerusalem t, and retire from their positions, the king of Babylon, having again advanced to that capital, succeeded In the Chaldee. Paraph. 77.

* Phrah Hophrā, Jeremiah, xxxvii, 8. 11.

in taking it in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, rased it to the ground, and carried away the remainder of the people captives. And this momentary aid, and the inutility of placing reliance on the protection of Apries, led Ezekiel to compare the Egyptians to a broken reed, which was to pierce the hand of him who leaned upon it.

Many other prophecies respecting the calamities consequent upon this treaty with Egypt, and the rebellion of the Jews against the Babylonians, are met with in the Bible; and Egypt itself was threatened by the arms of the victorious Nebuchadnezzar. But it is difficult to determine in what time and in what manner the last prophecy was accomplished, or to discover the extent of the calamities which happened to Egypt from the conquests of the Babylonians, though the scriptural account appears to fix those events to the time of Nebuchadnezzar. They may, however, refer to the reverses of Apries, and to the subsequent confusion which prevailed in Egypt after the rebellion of Amasis.

The commencement of the reign of Apries was prosperous, and he was considered "the most fortunate monarch who had hitherto ruled in Egypt, next to his grandfather Psammitichus." He sent an expedition against the island of Cyprus; besieged and took Gaza‡ and the city of Sidon; engaged and vanquished the king of Tyre by sea; and, being uniformly successful, he made

* Ezek. xxix. 6, 7. + Herod. ii. 161. This is foretold by Jeremiah, xlvii. 1., "Before that Pharaoh took Gaza," or Azah; properly Ghazah, or Ghuzzeh, which is the modern

name.

himself master of Phoenicia and Palestine, recovering much of the territory, and that influence in Syria which had been taken from Egypt by the victories of Nebuchadnezzar. He next sent an army against the Cyreneans of Libya; but here fortune deserted him: his troops were defeated, and, mortified by this severe and unexpected check, they attributed their disgrace to Apries himself, imagining that so disastrous a project could only have been devised by one who was desirous of their destruction. They felt persuaded that his views were to weaken the power of the military class, and thus to remove the only barrier to that ambition which aimed at nothing less than absolute dominion, and the subversion of the liberty of his subjects: and excited by these feelings, and meditating revenge for the sufferings and disgrace they had already endured, the recurrence of which could only be prevented by a timely declaration of their sentiments, they refused to acknowledge his authority; and being joined by the friends of those who had been slain, they openly raised the standard of revolt. The news of this event greatly surprised and exasperated the king; but deeming it more prudent to adopt mild and conciliatory measures, he sent Amasis, one of his ablest generals, with orders to use every endeavour to appease the tumult, and to persuade the mutineers to return to their duty.

Amasis, having arrived at the camp, addressed the soldiers in an appropriate speech; begging them to desist from their purpose, and to pay respect to

the royal authority, as they had previously done, and as was due to one who had their interest at heart. While he was speaking, an Egyptian, who stood behind him, placed a helmet on his head, proclaiming him king, and affirming, in the name of his comrades, that they were willing to acknowledge him as their master, and the ruler of Egypt. Though far from expecting such a proceeding, Amasis required little persuasion to accept the honour conferred upon him by so powerful a body; and being sensible that further attempts to recall their allegiance to Apries would be fruitless, and to sacrifice his own advantage would not benefit his sovereign, he acquiesced in the resolutions of those who had elected him as their chief, and put himself at their head.

Apries, on receiving intelligence of what had happened, despatched Patarbemis, one of the most eminent men of his court, with directions to bring Amasis alive to his presence. Having arrived at the camp, he told Amasis the purport of his mission, and the order of the king to appear before him. Amasis, who was seated on horseback, treated Patarbemis with indignity, and sent an insulting message to his master; adding, that he intended to go of his own accord, and hoped Apries would not take any trouble in looking for him, as he should soon present himself to his majesty with several companions. Patarbemis, fully comprehending his intention, from his manner of speaking, and seeing the preparations he was making, returned without loss of time to acquaint his sove