Passing from the interesting relics of Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar, we notice in

the same Table Case G a portions of an inscribed cylinder of Cyrus (No. 90,920).

Prof. Sayce tells us that the inscriptions of Cyrus are more Hebraic than any other of the

cuneiform texts known to us, and that it seems in some way or other that Cyrus had come

under the influence of Jewish ideas.  The cylinder before us tells of the taking of

Babylon. It tells us that Marduk "sought out a righteous prince, a man after his own

heart." The description of the taking of Babylon is very similar to the Scriptural account.

"Without battle and without fighting Marduk made him enter into his city of Babylon; he

spared Babylon tribulation." The last sentence quoted shows what a great difference

there must have been between Cyrus and the Kings of Assyria. These inscriptions seem

full of bloodshed and cruelty. So far as our present knowledge enables us to say, we hear

for the first time such records words of compassion and pity. Prisoners are freed, exiles

restored, gods replaced in their ancient temples (see The New Biblical Guide, Urquhart).

This was the man who restored the Jews to their land, and, in harmony with the records

of his character, gave them perfect freedom regarding their religion. Isa. 45: speaks of

Cyrus, and Ezra tells of his decree of restoration. Ezra's account gives a little more than

does II Chron. 36: 23, and we particularly note the words, "The Lord God of Israel

(HE IS THE GOD)."  Had Cyrus learned to acknowledge the living God like

Nebuchadnezzar before him? See Daniel 4: It seems so; truly great is the grace of our

In Table Case D will be found another connection with Babylon. In the lower Case

will be found a collection of seals and their impressions on white plaster. No. 89,132

(top row near the centre) is a seal of Darius, with his name and titles in the Persian,

Scythic, and Babylonian languages. Some such seal would have been used by the Darius

of Dan. 6: 17. Seal No. 89,326 shows a man and woman seated on either side of a tree,

with a serpent standing behind the woman. This has been identified as the Babylonian

equivalent to the temptation of Eve as recorded in Genesis. A very ancient name for

Babylon in the Sumerian language is Tin-Tir-Ke, which means "The place of the tree of

life." A tablet speaking of the temptation and fall says:--

Two other seals (Nos. 89,349 and 89,771), give representations of Tsir-napishtim, the

Babylonian Noah, in an ark, being steered over the waters of the flood. In Table Case E