101 Nabonidus Cylinder

Museum Description: Nabonidus and Sacred Buildings

Room: 55/Case: 7/Number: ME 91125

Scripture: Daniel 5:29

This is one of the four most important cuneiform tablets for Bible students, all four of which are in The British Museum.  They tell the story of the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians, and their return 70 years later.  This is the third, the Nabonidus Cylinder.  The Bible's account of the fall of Babylon has been questioned for its historically accuracy.  Secular history clearly showed Nabonidus as the ruler of Babylon at the time, and yet in the Bible it said Belshazzar.  Who would be proved right?  From 1854 clay cylinders were found and translated. This one is an account of the conquests of Nabonidus and refers to  “Bel-sar-ussur, my eldest son”!  While Nabonidus was the ruler of the Babylonian Empire, Belshazzar was the ruler in the city of Babylon, so even explains Daniel being offered the 'third place in the kingdom'.  As Belshazzar was unknown in Greek and Roman times, the book of Daniel must have been written at the time, and its record of future events are true prophecies.