surrounding the city were each fifteen miles long. Never before had any of them seen anything like it.
The farmers in the fields outside the city walls stopped their work as the prisoners in chains marched slowly by. All types of fruits and crops seemed to be growing. Daniel could see workers dipping water jugs into canals. They stopped and pointed at the prisoners, whispering. Were they slaves too? Daniel wondered.
The large bridge crossing the moat was covered with wooden beams. The beams could be removed in case the city came under siege. Anyone attacking the city would have to swim the moat, then climb the huge wall. Babylon was impossible to conquer.
The massive gate at the end of the bridge was open. As the prisoners walked forward, Daniel could see that there was an inner wall some distance from the outer wall. The gap between the two huge walls was filled with rubble. No one could cross the gap easily. If invaders somehow scaled the outer wall, they still would have to cross the rubble and scale the inner wall.
Pretty smart, Daniel thought.
After passing through a second large gate, the four boys 68 entered the city and gasped. There were wide streets filled with people and carts and chariots with soldiers. They entered on Aa-ibursabu, the festival street, which ran right next to the Arahtu canal Buildings on either side of the tree-covered avenues rose to over one hundred fifty feet high.
"It looks like they touch the sky," said Hananiah. "They're enormous."
Soon they passed the small temple of Ninip, which extended over both sides of the canal. Next they beheld E-sagila, the magnificently decorated great temple of Belus, dedicated to the god Merodach.
"One of the other slaves told me that the temple treasury holds wondrous articles made from gold and silver. Most of them have been captured by Nebuchadnezzar during his many wars," Mishael said.
They strained their necks as they saw the pyramid-like temple rise to over three hundred feet.
"Can you believe these streets?" Daniel asked. "They're paved with three-foot-square stone slabs. It must have taken many slaves to lift them into place."
Azariah pointed. "Look at the beautiful houses and walls made of sun-dried bricks. The mortar looks like black bitumen. And look! All of the bricks have the names and titles of Nebuchadnezzar imprinted on them."
They marched on toward Qasr, a richly decorated building that covered eleven acres.
Throughout the city they could see enormous colored reliefs of lions, bulls, dragons, and giant serpents. Huge hunting scenes depicted the chase of the lion and the leopard.
They must have many talented craftsmen, thought Daniel.
69
Eventually they passed the Ishtar Gate and the enormous Middle Palace, decorated with cedar and costly woods. The many doors were made of palm, cypress, ebony, and ivory and framed in silver and gold and plated with copper. The thresholds and hinges were of brass.
As the boys passed large statues of Ninus, Semiramis, and Jupiter-belus, Daniel said, "How sad. The Babylonians worship idols made by human hands and not Jehovah, the true God of heaven and earth."
Hananiah and his brothers were awed by the magnificent hanging gardens. Flowers, vines, and trees covered the rising terraces in a breathtaking display.
"I wish our mother was alive," Hananiah said sadly. "Remember how she could coax life out of the sickliest-looking plant?"
"How did they ever figure out the irrigation system?" Mishael asked in wonder. "Those engines that raise the water from the canal to the top of the terraces are unbelievable."
As the days passed, the changes in the boys' lives seemed incredible. Now they were eunuchs. The four boys were grateful, however, that they had had each other to cope with the difficult experience. With the pain behind them, they had to learn how to survive, how to adjust.
Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah soon began their education in the wisdom of the Chaldeans. The first step took place
The farmers in the fields outside the city walls stopped their work as the prisoners in chains marched slowly by. All types of fruits and crops seemed to be growing. Daniel could see workers dipping water jugs into canals. They stopped and pointed at the prisoners, whispering. Were they slaves too? Daniel wondered.
The large bridge crossing the moat was covered with wooden beams. The beams could be removed in case the city came under siege. Anyone attacking the city would have to swim the moat, then climb the huge wall. Babylon was impossible to conquer.
The massive gate at the end of the bridge was open. As the prisoners walked forward, Daniel could see that there was an inner wall some distance from the outer wall. The gap between the two huge walls was filled with rubble. No one could cross the gap easily. If invaders somehow scaled the outer wall, they still would have to cross the rubble and scale the inner wall.
Pretty smart, Daniel thought.
After passing through a second large gate, the four boys 68 entered the city and gasped. There were wide streets filled with people and carts and chariots with soldiers. They entered on Aa-ibursabu, the festival street, which ran right next to the Arahtu canal Buildings on either side of the tree-covered avenues rose to over one hundred fifty feet high.
"It looks like they touch the sky," said Hananiah. "They're enormous."
Soon they passed the small temple of Ninip, which extended over both sides of the canal. Next they beheld E-sagila, the magnificently decorated great temple of Belus, dedicated to the god Merodach.
"One of the other slaves told me that the temple treasury holds wondrous articles made from gold and silver. Most of them have been captured by Nebuchadnezzar during his many wars," Mishael said.
They strained their necks as they saw the pyramid-like temple rise to over three hundred feet.
"Can you believe these streets?" Daniel asked. "They're paved with three-foot-square stone slabs. It must have taken many slaves to lift them into place."
Azariah pointed. "Look at the beautiful houses and walls made of sun-dried bricks. The mortar looks like black bitumen. And look! All of the bricks have the names and titles of Nebuchadnezzar imprinted on them."
They marched on toward Qasr, a richly decorated building that covered eleven acres.
Throughout the city they could see enormous colored reliefs of lions, bulls, dragons, and giant serpents. Huge hunting scenes depicted the chase of the lion and the leopard.
They must have many talented craftsmen, thought Daniel.
69
Eventually they passed the Ishtar Gate and the enormous Middle Palace, decorated with cedar and costly woods. The many doors were made of palm, cypress, ebony, and ivory and framed in silver and gold and plated with copper. The thresholds and hinges were of brass.
As the boys passed large statues of Ninus, Semiramis, and Jupiter-belus, Daniel said, "How sad. The Babylonians worship idols made by human hands and not Jehovah, the true God of heaven and earth."
Hananiah and his brothers were awed by the magnificent hanging gardens. Flowers, vines, and trees covered the rising terraces in a breathtaking display.
"I wish our mother was alive," Hananiah said sadly. "Remember how she could coax life out of the sickliest-looking plant?"
"How did they ever figure out the irrigation system?" Mishael asked in wonder. "Those engines that raise the water from the canal to the top of the terraces are unbelievable."
As the days passed, the changes in the boys' lives seemed incredible. Now they were eunuchs. The four boys were grateful, however, that they had had each other to cope with the difficult experience. With the pain behind them, they had to learn how to survive, how to adjust.
Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah soon began their education in the wisdom of the Chaldeans. The first step took place
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