“In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it.” (Daniel 1:1). Thus begins the book of the prophet Daniel as found in the Holy Bible. The scriptures go on to tell how Nebuchadnezzar took the vessels from the Temple in Jerusalem and brought them to the treasure house of his god in the land of Shinar. Nebuchadnezzar also destroyed the Jewish Temple and carried away many of the house of Judah back with him to Babylon. This period in Jewish history is known as the Babylonian Captivity. However, in this story the Jewish refugees where not the only ones who suffered, for even Nebuchadnezzar the very king who took them captive would be stricken with madness and suffer with this condition for a span of seven years.
As the story goes, one day king Nebuchadnezzar was walking through his palace and spoke of how great the kingdom of Babylon was that he had built. But as the Bible says, “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. 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. 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.” (Daniel 4:31-33).
The Bible also illustrates how Nebuchadnezzar’s heart was changed from a man’s heart to that of the heart of a beast (Daniel 4:16). So here we see a transformation of a human man created in the image of God, into an irrational beast of burden. Some have even suggested that this was a Biblical documented case of lycanthropy: that of a man turning into a creature known as a werewolf. Luckily for Nebuchadnezzar he was delivered from his beastly condition, for after seven years had passed he lifted up his eyes unto heaven and his understanding returned to him and he blessed the most High God, the King of heaven. Then Nebuchadnezzar was reestablished in his kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto him. Not only did God restore king Nebuchadnezzar, the Lord also granted him to write part of the book of Daniel, making Nebuchadnezzar the only pagan or non-Israelite to personally contribute to the writing of the Bible.
Another account (or legend rather) which associates Nebuchadnezzar with that of an animal comes from the Ethiopian holy book the Kebra Nagast. From the pages of the Kebra Nagast a most fascinating story concerning Nebuchadnezzar is told. One night two women gave birth to a male child. One woman, a merchant’s wife, delivered a beautiful child but since it was the product of adultery she sent her handmaiden to cast it into the river. The other child, though brought forth lawfully by the wife of the King of Babylon, had the appearance of a wingless eagle. So the Queen sent her handmaiden to cast her child into the river. As it so-happened the two handmaidens encountered each other at the river. The merchant’s handmaiden asked the Queen’s handmaiden, saying: “What hast though in thy basket?” And the Queen’s handmaiden said unto her: “My lady brought forth a child that hath not the appearance of a man but that of a wingless eagle, and she hath commanded me to throw it into the river. So now, give me this child of thine that I may give it to my mistress, and do though take this bird and cast it into the river.” And they did so. And the handmaiden of the Queen brought the beautiful child to her mistress, and the Queen rejoiced, and it was reported to the King that the Queen had given birth to a son. And the Queen named the child Nebuchadnezzar…which being interpreted means, “Saved by the feather of a bird.”
Returning to the Biblical narrative, at the time of the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians in 586 BC, the prophet Jeremiah predicted that Babylon would also be destroyed; never to be rebuilt or inhabited ever again (Jeremiah 50:35,39). It wasn’t until nearly 2,500 years later that the attempt to rebuild Babylon was initiated by a man that many would say was brutal like a beast, none other than the late president of Iraq: Saddam Hussein, also known as the “Butcher of Baghdad.” Beginning in 1983, Saddam worked towards the rebuilding of the ancient city of Babylon. It was also rumored that Hussein believed himself to be a direct descendant of king Nebuchadnezzar. Evidence of this was found in the very bricks that were used for the reconstruction of Babylon. For on many of the bricks an inscription in Arabic was made reading, “The Babylon of Nebuchadnezzar was Rebuilt in the Reign of Saddam Hussein.” However, the nearly decade long war with Iran shattered Saddam’s dreams of rebuilding Babylon, the ancient city of his ancestor Nebuchadnezzar. Thus the prophecy of Jeremiah that Babylon would no longer be inhabited for ever was fulfilled (Jeremiah 50:39).
In conclusion one may ask, why would a good and loving God turn a man into an animal, or at least give him the heart of one? The answer is pride. It was because Nebuchadnezzar lifted up his heart a little too high that kindled the wrath of God. For as Christ said, “Whoever exalts himself will be abased, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 14:11). The Lord was indeed true to His word for as soon as Nebuchadnezzar came to his senses, humbled himself, and gave God the glory that the king of Babylon was completely restored. This valuable lesson in humility can help all of us see the dangers of arrogance and lead us to humble ourselves before our creator, so that God himself may exalt us. For as James the brother of Jesus said, “…God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6).
References:
Brooks, M.F. Kebra Nagast. (Kingston, Jamaica: LMH Publishing Limited, 2001).
Holy Apostles Convent. The Lives of the Holy Prophets. (Buena Vista, CO: Holy Apostles Convent, 1998).
Schnoebelen, W. Romancing Death. (Shippensburg, PA: Destiny Image, 2012).
Stone, P. Unleashing the Beast. (Cleveland, Tennessee: Voice of Evangelism, Inc., 2003).