Dr. Wells has the following chronological arrangement of the chief events
DANIEL
He next occupies himself in beautifying the city, and erecting a palace of extraordinary magnificence, and in constructing those hanging gardens mentioned by Diodoras, Megasthenes, and Arrian. The remainder of his history is easily gathered from the Prophet's narrative. "A careful consideration of the authorities seems to shew that Clinton is right in his supposition that the reign of this prince was about forty-four years in duration, and that he was succeeded after a short interval by Belshazzar." 527 Willet arrives at the same conclusion as to the length of his reign by a different process of reasoning. The following dates are extracted from Prideaux, whose caution and accuracy are most commendable: —
A.C. 586. Tyre besieged. 570. The death of Apries, coincident with the dream of the tree, (Daniel 4,) after his last return from Egypt. 569. Daniel 4:30. Driven out into the fields. 563. Restored after seven years. 562. Death, after about forty-four years' reign. Another series of dates has been displayed by the author of "The Times of Daniel," founded on a different chronological basis; we can only extract a few of them from pages 282, et seq.: —
B.C. 510. Babylon taken by Cyrus, and kings expelled from Rome. 507. Commencement of Jehoiakim's independent reign. Daniel 1:1 500. Nebuchadnezzar II. appointed; his dream. Daniel 2. 494. Golden Image set up. Daniel 3. 483. Nebuchadnezzar 1. died. 441. Nebuchadnezzar 2. died. Dr. Wells has the following chronological arrangement of the chief events of Nebuchadnezzar's reign: —
A.C. 607. He is this year taken by his father "as partner" in the kingdom, falling in with the latter part of the third year of Jehoiakim, (Daniel 1:1.)
606. Jehoiakim carried to Babylon with Daniel and others. The first of the seventy years' captivity. 605. His father died. Nabopolassar in Ptolemy's Canon, the son's name being Nabocolassor. The Canon allows him forty-three years from this period.
603. Daniel interprets his dream. Daniel 2 588. He re-takes Jerusalem and Zedekiah. 569. Returned to Babylon, is afflicted with insanity. Daniel 4. 562. He dies "a few days" after being restored to reason. Dissertation 3. THE ANCESTORS AND SUCCESSORS OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR.
527Nineveh and Persep., p. 71, second edition.