Even this affliction, so vividly and pathetically described, failed to waken any repentance. And then the doom fell. Nebuchadrezzar advanced in person against Jerusalem.[795] Even the hardy nomad Rechabites had to fly before the Chaldæans, and to take refuge in the cities which they hated. The sacred historian tells us nothing as to the manner of the death of Jehoiakim, only saying that he "slept with his fathers": his narrative of this period is exceedingly meagre. Josephus says that Nebuchadrezzar slew him and the flower of the citizens, and sent three thousand captives to Babylon.[796] Some imagine that he was killed by the Babylonians in a raid outside the walls of Jerusalem, or "murdered by his own people, and his body thrown for a time outside the walls." If so, the Babylonians did not war with the dead. His remains, after this "burial of an ass,"[797] may have been finally suffered to rest in a tomb. The Septuagint says (2 Chron. xxxvi. 8) that he was buried "in Ganosan," by which may be meant the sepulchre of Manasseh in the garden of Uzza.[798] Not for him was the wailing cry "_Hoî, adon! Hoî, hodo!_" ("Ah, Lord! Ah, his glory!"). "The memory of the wicked shall rot." Certainly this was the case with Jehoiakim. The Chronicler mysteriously alludes to "his abominations which he did, _and that which was found in him_."[799] The Rabbis, interpreting this after their manner, say that "the thing found" was the name of the demon Codonazor, to whom he had sold himself, which after his death was discovered legibly written in Hebrew letters on his skin. "Rabbi Johanan and Rabbi Eleazar debated what was meant by 'that which was found on him.' One said that he tattooed the name of an idol upon his body (אמתו), and the other said that he had tattooed the name of the god Recreon."[800] FOOTNOTES: [766] Not Jehoiakim, but Jehoiachin, as the sequel shows. [767] Ezek. xix. 5-9. The allusions to Jehoiakim by Jeremiah are numerous, and all unfavourable (xxii. 13-19, xxvi. 20-23, xxxvi. 20-31, etc.) [768] Josephus (_Antt._, X. v. 2) is very severe on this king. He says that "he was unjust in disposition, an evil-doer, neither pious towards God nor just towards men." [769] Perhaps an allusion to a sort of fortified palace on Ophel. [770] Hab. ii. 9-11. [771] The text is perhaps corrupt. Two MSS. of the LXX. read "because thou viest _with Ahab_," and the Vatican MSS. has "_with Ahaz_." Cheyne adopts the former reading. [772] Jer. xxii. 13-17. [773] Jer. xxiii. 1. [774] Jer. xxii. 23. [775] Jer. xii. 5. [776] Jer. xxvi. 20-23. So far as I am aware, Bunsen stands alone in identifying Urijah with the "Zechariah" who wrote Zech. xii.-xiv. Others refer Zech. xii. 10 to the murder of Urijah. [777] Jer. xxvi. 18. [778] Isa. xiv., _passim_. [779] Nabu-pal-ussur, "Nebo protect the son."