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<p>Here is, 1. The death of the king. Reason enough he had to tremble, for he was just falling into the hands of the <i>king of terrors</i>, <a class="bibleref" title="Dan.5.30" href="/passage/?search=Dan.5.30">Dan. 5:30</a>. <i>In that night</i>, when his heart was merry with wine, the besiegers broke into the city, aimed at the palace; there they found the king, and gave him his death’s wound. He could not find any place so secret as to conceal him, or so strong as to protect him. Heathen writers speak of Cyrus’s taking Babylon by surprise, with the assistance of two deserters that showed him the best way into the city. And it was foretold what a consternation it would be to the court, <a class="bibleref" title="Jer.51.11,Jer.51.39" href="/passage/?search=Jer.51.11,Jer.51.39"><span class="bibleref" title="Jer.51.11">Jer. 51:11</span>, <span class="bibleref" title="Jer.51.39">39</span></a>. Note, Death comes as a snare upon those whose hearts are overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness. 2. The transferring of the kingdom into other hands. From the head of gold we now descend to the breast and arms of silver. <i>Darius the Mede took the kingdom</i> in partnership with, and by the consent of, Cyrus, who had conquered it, <a class="bibleref" title="Dan.5.31" href="/passage/?search=Dan.5.31">Dan. 5:31</a>. They were partners in war and conquest, and so they were in dominion, <a class="bibleref" title="Dan.5.28" href="/passage/?search=Dan.5.28">Dan. 5:28</a>. Notice is taken of his age, that he was now sixty-two years old, for which reason Cyrus, who was his nephew, gave him the precedency. Some observe that being now sixty-two years old, in the last year of the captivity, he was born in the eighth year of it, and that was the year when Jeconiah was carried captive and all the nobles, etc. See <a class="bibleref" title="2Kgs.24.13-2Kgs.24.15" href="/passage/?search=2Kgs.24.13-2Kgs.24.15">2 Kgs. 24:13-15</a>. Just at that time when the most fatal stroke was given was a prince born that in process of time should avenge Jerusalem upon Babylon, and heal the wound that was now given. Thus deep are the counsels of God concerning his people, thus kind are his designs towards them.</p>
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