h, defeated and
mortally wounded, returned to Jerusalem, where he died. Neco pressed
forward through Syria to the Euphrates; and carrying all before him,
established his dominion over the whole tract lying between Egypt on
the one hand, and the "Great River" upon the other. On his return three
months later he visited Jerusalem, deposed Jehoahaz, a younger son of
Josiah, whom the people had made king, and gave the crown to Jehoiakim,
his elder brother. It was probably about this time that he besieged and
took Gaza, the most important of the Philistine towns next to Ashdod.

The loss of this large and valuable territory did not at once arouse the
Babylonian monarch from his inaction or induce him to make any effort
for its recovery. Neco enjoyed his conquests in quiet for the space
of at least three full years. At length, in the year B.C. 605,
Nabopolassar, who felt himself unequal to the fatigues of a campaign,
resolved to entrust his forces to Nebuchadnezzar, his son, and to send
him to contend with the Egyptians. The key of Syria at this time was
Carchemish, a city situated on the right bank of the Euphrates, probably
near the site which was afterwards occupied by Hierapolis. Here
the forces of Neco were drawn up to protect his conquests, and here
Nebuchadnezzar proceeded boldly to attack them. A great battle was
fought in the vicinity of the river, which was utterly disastrous to the
Egyptians, who "fled away" in confusion, and seem not to have ventured
on making a second stand. Nebuchadnezzar rapidly recovered the lost
territory, received the submission of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, restored
the old frontier line, and probably pressed on into Egypt itself, hoping
to cripple or even to crush his presumptuous adversary. But at this
point he was compelled to pause. News arrived from Babylon that
Nabopolassar was dead; and the Babylonian prince, who feared a disputed
succession, having first concluded a hasty arrangement with Neco,
returned at his best speed to his capital.

Arriving probably before he was expected, he discovered that his fears
were groundless. The priests had taken the direction of affairs during
his absence, and the throne had been kept vacant for him by the Chief
Priest, or Head of the Order. No pretender had started up to dispute his
claims. Doubtless his military prestige, and the probability that the
soldiers would adopt his cause, had helped to keep back aspirants; but
perhaps it was the promptnes