and by sea. Babylon, it is said, had a fleet of three thousand galleys that plied not only the city’s canal system but also the great Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. This means that her fleet had access to the Persian Gulf and the seas far beyond.

BABYLON’S RELIGION

Babylon was a most religious place; remains of no less than fifty-three temples have been discovered. The god of the imperial city was Marduk. His temple was E-sagila, meaning “Lofty House”, its tower E-teme-nanki, meaning “House of the Foundation of Heaven and Earth.” Marduk is called Merodach in the Bible, and various authorities identify Nimrod with the god Marduk; it was ancient custom for a city to deify its founder. Triads of deities were also prominent in the Babylonian religion. One of these, made up of two gods and a goddess, was Sin (the moon god), Shamash (the sun god) and Ishtar; these were said to be the rulers of the Zodiac. And still another triad was composed of the devils Labartu, Labasu and Akhkhazu. Idolatry was everywhere in evidence. Babylon was indeed “a land of graven images,” filthy “dungy idols.” (Jer. 50:1, 2, 38) The Babylonians believed in the immortality of the human soul. Nergal was their god of the underworld, the “land of no return,” and his wife Eresh-kigal its sovereign lady.

The Babylonians developed the pseudoscience or astrology in an effort to discover man’s future in the stars. (See ASTROLOGERS.) Magic, sorcery and astrology played a prominent Part in their religion. (Isa 47:12, 13; Dan. 2:27; 4:7) Many heavenly bodies, for example, planets, were named after Babylonian gods. In the fourth century C.E., Epiphanius opined that it was ‘Nimrod who established the sciences of magic and astronomy.’ Divination continued to be a basic component of Babylonian religion in the days of Nebuchadnezzar, who used it to reach decisions.—Ezek. 21:20-22.

ISRAEL’S AGE-OLD ENEMY

The Bible makes many references to Babylon, beginning with the Genesis account of the original city of Babel. (Gen. 10:10; 11:1-9) Included in the spoil taken by Achan from Jericho was “an official garment from Shinar.” (Josh. 7:21) After the fall of the northern kingdom of Israel in 740 B.C.E., people from Babylon were brought in to replace the captive Israelites. (2 Ki. 17:24, 30) Hezekiah made the mistake of showing messengers from Babylon the treasures of his house; these same treasures as well as some of Hezekiah’s “sons” were later taken to Babylon. (2 Ki. 20:12-18; 24:12; 25:6, 7) King Manasseh (716-661 B.C.E.) was also taken captive to Babylon, but because he humbled himself Jehovah restored him to his throne. (2 Chron. 33:11) Under Nebuchadnezzar Babylon was a “golden cup” in the hand of Jehovah to pour out indignation against unfaithful Judah and Jerusalem. King Nebuchadnezzar took the precious utensils of Jehovah’s house to Babylon, along with thousands of captives.—2 Ki. 24:1–25:30; 2 Chron. 36:6-20; Jer. 25:17; 51:7.

In the book of Daniel are recounted the experiences of Daniel and his three companions in Babylonish captivity, including the interpreting of the king’s dreams and the receiving of visions. The books of Ezra and Nehemiah tell how nearly 50,000 came up out of captivity with Zerubbabel and Jeshua in 537 B.C.E., and about another 1,800 with Ezra in 468. The temple utensils were restored to Jerusalem. (Ezra 2:64-67; 8:1-36; Neh. 7:6, 66, 67) In 455, Persian King Artaxerxes I, also called “the king of Babylon,” commissioned Nehemiah to go to Jerusalem as governor and rebuild its walls. (Neh. 2:7, 8) Mordecai was a descendant of a Benjamite who was taken captive to Babylon.—Esther 2:5, 6.

The Christian Greek Scriptures tell how Jeconiah (Jehoiachin), taken prisoner to Babylon, was a link in the lineage to Jesus. (Matt. 1:11, 12, 17) The apostle Peter’s first canonical letter was written from Babylon. (1 Pet. 5:13) That “Babylon” was the city on the Euphrates, and not Rome as claimed by some.—See PETER, LETTERS OF.

“Babylon the Great” is included in the symbolisms of the book of Revelation. There she is described as “the mother of the harlots and of the disgusting things of the earth” (17:5) and as making “all the nations drink of the passion-arousing wine of her fornication.” (14:8) She is given the “cup of the wine of the anger” of God’s wrath (16:19); “in one hour” her judgment comes (18:10); the ten horns of the scarlet-colored wild beast unseat her as a rider on its back, make her naked, eat her fleshy parts and completely burn her with fire. (17:16) She is hurled down with a swift pitch, like a great millstone. (18:21) Thus the desolation of “Babylon the Great” becomes as complete as that of the iniquitous city on the banks of the Euphrates River.—See BABYLON THE GREAT.

See the book “Babylon the Great Has Fallen!” God’s Kingdom Rules!

BABYLONIA

(Bab·y·loʹni·a).

That ancient land in the lower Mesopotamian valley through which the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers flow, and which corresponds to the southeastern part of modern Iraq. It extends about 30 miles (48.3 kilometers) W of the Euphrates, joining the Arabian Desert. East of the Tigris it is bounded by the Persian hills; on the SE by the Persian Gulf. Its northern boundary is a natural one marked by a noticeable rise in elevation near Baghdad. Here in the N the two rivers approach to within twenty-five miles (40.2 kilometers) of each other. The plain extends about 250 miles (402 kilometers) to the S, and is 100 miles (160.9 kilometers) across at its widest point. This area of about 8,000