DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5538#0088
68 PHARAOHS, FELLAHS, AND EXPLORERS.
platform is therefore, unmistakably, the brickwork, or pave-
ment, which is at the ' entry of Pharaoh's House in Tahpan-
hes.' The rains have washed away'this area and denuded
the surface, so that, although it is two or three feet thick
near the palace, it is reduced in greater part to a few inches,
and is altogether gone at the north-west corner."
'Now, the Arabic name for a platform of this kind is
"Balat;" and that we have in this "Balat" the brickwork
referred to in the Bible is scarcely to be doubted by the
most determined sceptic. And it is to be noted that in the
alternative reading above mentioned," the brickwork which
is at the entry of Pharaoh's house" is rendered as " the
pavement or square."
Here, therefore, the ceremony described by Jeremiah must
have been performed, and it was upon this spot that Nebu-
chadnezzar was to spread his ro37al pavilion. It will be
asked, perhaps, if Mr. Petrie actually found the stones which
Jeremiah laid with mortar in the thickness of that pave-
ment. He looked for them, of course, turning up the brick-
work in every part; and he did find some large stones lying
loosely on the surface. But these had probably rolled
down from the wreck of the palace. At all events, it was
impossible to identify them.
Meanwhile, we turn in vain to the pages of sacred and
secular history for some record of the fate of those hapless
princesses—the last, the very last—of the ancient and noble
royal line of Judah, who were recognized as royal. What
fate befell them and their followers ? Did the Assyrian pur-
sue them with fire and sword? And was the conqueror's
pavilion actually spread upon the spot marked out by the
prophet ? The Bible tells us no more ; but certain Egyptian
inscriptions state that Nebuchadnezzar again invaded Egypt,
and was defeated by Apries—Pharaoh Hophra; while on
the other hand, certain Babylonian inscriptions give the vic-
tory to Nebuchadnezzar. "Which are we to believe? For
my own part, I unhesitatingly accept the impartial evidence
of that burned and blackened pile, " The Castle of the Jew's
platform is therefore, unmistakably, the brickwork, or pave-
ment, which is at the ' entry of Pharaoh's House in Tahpan-
hes.' The rains have washed away'this area and denuded
the surface, so that, although it is two or three feet thick
near the palace, it is reduced in greater part to a few inches,
and is altogether gone at the north-west corner."
'Now, the Arabic name for a platform of this kind is
"Balat;" and that we have in this "Balat" the brickwork
referred to in the Bible is scarcely to be doubted by the
most determined sceptic. And it is to be noted that in the
alternative reading above mentioned," the brickwork which
is at the entry of Pharaoh's house" is rendered as " the
pavement or square."
Here, therefore, the ceremony described by Jeremiah must
have been performed, and it was upon this spot that Nebu-
chadnezzar was to spread his ro37al pavilion. It will be
asked, perhaps, if Mr. Petrie actually found the stones which
Jeremiah laid with mortar in the thickness of that pave-
ment. He looked for them, of course, turning up the brick-
work in every part; and he did find some large stones lying
loosely on the surface. But these had probably rolled
down from the wreck of the palace. At all events, it was
impossible to identify them.
Meanwhile, we turn in vain to the pages of sacred and
secular history for some record of the fate of those hapless
princesses—the last, the very last—of the ancient and noble
royal line of Judah, who were recognized as royal. What
fate befell them and their followers ? Did the Assyrian pur-
sue them with fire and sword? And was the conqueror's
pavilion actually spread upon the spot marked out by the
prophet ? The Bible tells us no more ; but certain Egyptian
inscriptions state that Nebuchadnezzar again invaded Egypt,
and was defeated by Apries—Pharaoh Hophra; while on
the other hand, certain Babylonian inscriptions give the vic-
tory to Nebuchadnezzar. "Which are we to believe? For
my own part, I unhesitatingly accept the impartial evidence
of that burned and blackened pile, " The Castle of the Jew's