27. Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing mercies to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity. 28. All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar. 29. At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon. 30. The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty? 31. While the word _was_ in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, _saying_, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee. 32. And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling _shall be_ with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. 33. The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles' _feathers_, and his nails like birds' _claws_. 34. And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion _is_ an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom _is_ from generation to generation: 35. And all the inhabitants of the earth _are_ reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and _among_ the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou? 36. At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honour and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me. 37. Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works _are_ truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase. CHAPTER V. [SYRIAC.] [Sidenote: B.C. 538.] 1. Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand. --According to the Almagesta of Ptolemy, Nabonadios the father of Belshazzar ruled Babylon for 17 years. During the last 3 years of his reign the court and the army were under the control of his son who became acting king. The three tablets of Belshazzar fully establish his identity and the annalistic tablet of Cyrus throws much light on the affairs of the Chaldean court during the last years of the joint-reign. It reads like a nice piece of detective work.