Difference between revisions of "Chaldeans"

<p> This name is taken, 1. For the people of Chaldea, and the subjects of that empire generally; 2. For philosophers, naturalists, or soothsayers, whose principal employment was the study of mathematics and astrology, by which they pretended to foretell the destiny of men born under certain constellations. </p> <p> The [[Chaldeans]] were originally a warlike people, who at first inhabited the Carduchian or Koordish mountains north of [[Assyria]] and Mesopotamia, Jeremiah 50:17 . As the [[Assyrian]] monarchs extended their conquests towards the north and west, the Chaldeans also came under their dominion; and this rough and energetic people appear to have assumed, under the sway of their conquerors, a new character, and to have been transformed from a rude horde into a civilized people. A very vivid and graphic description of the [[Chaldean]] warriors is given by the prophet Habakkuk, who probably lived about the time when they first made incursions into [[Palestine]] or the adjacent regions, Habakkuk 1:6-11 . Of the date of their location in [[Babylonia]] nothing is now known. In the reign of king Hezekiah, B. C. 713, a king of [[Babylon]] is mentioned, the first of whom we read after [[Nimrod]] and Amraphel. About one hundred years later we find the Chaldeans in possession of the kingdom of Babylon. The first sovereign in the new line appearing in history was Nabopolassar. His son [[Nebuchadnezzar]] invaded Palestine, as foretold by Jeremiah and Habakkuk, Ezra 5:12 Jeremiah 39:5 . He was succeeded by his son Evil-merodach, 2 Kings 25:27 Jeremiah 52:31 . After him came, in quick succession, Neriglissar, Laborosoarchod, and Nabonnidus or Belshazzar, under whom this empire was absorbed in the Medo-Persian. The Chaldeo-babylonian dynasty continued probably not more than one hundred years. </p>

<p> Chalde'ans. It appears that the Chaldeans, (Kaldai or Kaldi), were, in the earliest times, merely one out of many [[Cushite]] tribes inhabiting the great alluvial plain known, afterwards, as [[Chaldea]] or Babylonia. Their special seat was probably that southern portion of the country which is found to have, so late, retained the name of Chaldea. </p> <p> In process of time, as the Kaldi grew in power, their name gradually prevailed over those of the other tribes inhabiting the country; and, by the era of the [[Jewish]] captivity, it had begun to be used, generally, for all the inhabitants of Babylonia. </p> <p> It appears that, while both in Assyria and in later Babylonia, the Shemitic type of speech prevailed for civil purposes, the ancient Cushite dialect was retained, as a learned language for scientific and religious literature. This is no doubt the "learning" and the "tongue" to which reference is made in the book of Daniel, Daniel 1:4. </p> <p> The Chaldeans were really the learned class; they were priests, magicians or astronomers, and in the last of the three capacities, they probably effected discoveries of great importance. In later times, they seem to have degenerated into mere fortune-tellers. </p>