"John of Nikiû was an Egyptian Coptic bishop of Nikiû/Pashati in the Egyptian Delta and appointed general administrator of the monasteries of Upper Egypt in 696. He was author of a Chronicle extending from Adam to the end of the Muslim conquest of Egypt which contains important historical details otherwise unknown."--Wikipedia.

The Chronicle of John, Bishop of Nikiu in Chapter 51 states:

"Cambyses sent to Jerusalem and gave orders (to his officers) to restrain them (the Jews) from rebuilding the sanctuary of God. 20. And afterwards he made an expedition to Egypt with a great (and) innumerable army of horse and foot from Media. 21. And the inhabitants of Syria and Palestine got ready to oppose him (but in vain), and he destroyed not a few but many cities of the Jews, for he was supreme over all the world. 22. And in the pride of (his) heart he CHANGED HIS NAME AND NAMED HIMSELF NEBUCHADNEZZAR. And his disposition resembled that of a barbarian, and in the evil counsel of his desire he hated mankind...."

Now take note of the exploits of Cambyses with his 'new name' of Nebuchadnezzar. The Chronicle continues:

24. But CAMBYSES, THAT IS, NEBUCHADNEZZAR the second, and Belshazzar BURNT THE HOLY CITY JERUSALEM and THE SANCTUARY according to the PROPHECIES OF THE HOLY PROPHETS JEREMIAH AND DANIEL. 25. And after they had burnt the city Cambyses came to Gaza and got together troops and all the materials of war, and he went down into Egypt to war against it. And in the war he gained the victory and he captured the Egyptian cities Parma and Sanhur and San and Basta. And he captured Apries, the Pharaoh, alive in the city of Thebes and he slew him with his own hand....

30. But the Egyptians were moved with fear ....And for this reason they fled for refuge into the city Sais, because it was a strong city and its fortifications stronger than those of the others. 31. And Cambyses attacked this city a second time and carried it by storm and destroyed it. And he captured all the other cities of lower Egypt towards the north to the sea coast and plundered them of all their possessions and destroyed their cities and neighbourhoods and burnt their houses with fire and left neither man nor beast living. 32. And he cut down their trees and destroyed their plantations and MADE THE LAND OF EGYPT A DESERT....35. And the Assyrians besieged this citadel and carried it by storm by night and destroyed the city of Memphis the great. 36. And one of the kings of Egypt, named Muzab, had sent in secret to his son, named Elkad, bidding him to bring all his wealth and that of all his officers and of the forty wives of CAMBYSES, THAT IS NEBUCHADNEZZAR,....38. And when the soldiers of Cambyses saw this evil thing which the inhabitants of the city of Memphis had done, they were filled with wrath and warred against the city without mercy. 39. And they set up engines against it and destroyed the palaces of the kings, and they slew without mercy the children of the kings Muzab and Sufir and all the chiefs of the army which were found in the city.

40....And Cambyses also destroyed the city of On and upper Egypt as far as the city Eshmun. And the inhabitants of this city on learning (of his approach) were seized with fear and fled into the city of Eshmunin.....44. And when they had completed the destruction of the city Eshmunin they march into upper Egypt, and laid waste the city of Assuan. And they crossed to the opposite bank belonging to the city Ahif, and they destroyed Phile as they had done the other cities. 45. And they turned back to the cities and provinces which still remained, and they ravaged them and burned them with fire till ALL THE LAND OF EGYPT BECAME A DESERT, and there was no longer found in it a moving creature, neither a man nor even a bird of the air.....47. And Cambyses showed mercy to the Egyptians that survived who had come to offer their submission, and he had compassion on them and led them away to Media and Babylon. And he appointed as their ruler one of their own number....49. And the number of the Egyptians whom Cambyses led away with him were 50,000, besides women and children. And THEY LIVED IN CAPTIVITY IN PERSIA FORTY YEARS, and EGYPT BECAME A DESERT."

Well of course you may say: That was Cambyses that was given credit for the desolation of Egypt not Nebuchadnezzar. But look closely at the writing and it becomes apparent that Cambyses was actually given credit for something he did not do. Instead it was actually Nebuchadnezzar who accomplished the desolation of Egypt. At some points the exploits of Nebuchadnezzar were attributed to Cambyses. The exploits of one being combined with the exploits of the other but all being attributed to Cambyses. We know this to be a fact from the chronicle itself.

Take note:

1. Cambyses changes his name to Nebuchadnezzar. This makes the conquests of the real Nebuchadnezzar apply to Cambyses since he is Nebuchadnezzar. This is very convenient for Cambyses as he instantly becomes a great warrior king with a mighty reputation.

2. Cambyses (under his new name Nebuchadnezzar) is given credit for the destruction of Jerusalem and the burning of the temple. We know for a fact Cambyses did not do this. It was the real Nebuchadnezzar.

3. Cambyses (under his new name Nebuchadnezzar) is given credit for the total desolation of Egypt for 40 years. Wow what a coincidence?

4. It is certainly not uncommon for kings to try to take credit for accomplishments of other kings to bolster their power and make a mark in history.

This evidence gives creedence to the words of Ezekiel and the Bible. Even so, the evidence is not essential for JWs because we put God's Word ahead of the words of exaggerating kings and historians who might have an ax to grind. However, it shows that things are not so cut and dried against Ezekiel as others may try to lead us to believe.

Interesting! Wikipedia states regarding Cambyses II:

Attempts to conquer south and west of Egypt
From Egypt, Cambyses attempted the conquest of Kush, located in the modern Sudan. But his army was not able to cross the deserts and after heavy losses he was forced to return. In an inscription from Napata (in the Berlin museum) the Nubian king Nastasen relates that he had defeated the troops of "Kambasuten" and taken all his ships. This was once thought to refer to Cambyses II (H. Schafer, Die Aethiopische Königsinschrift des Berliner Museums, 1901); however, Nastasen lived far later and was likely referring to Khabash. Another expedition against the Siwa Oasis failed likewise, and the plan of attacking Carthage was frustrated by the refusal of the Phoenicians to operate against their kindred. (end quote)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cambyses

This failed expedition against the Siwa Oasis is reported by Herodotus, who reports that it was a 50,000 man expedition that vanished in the desert.

This was mysterious until recently, when Italian archaeologists reported discovering its remains:
http://news.discovery.com/archaeology/cambyses-army-remains-sahara.html

http://news.discovery.com/videos/archaeology-ancient-lost-army-found.html

It's curious that this number of 50,000 is the same number of the Egyptians whom "Cambyses"/Nebuchadnezzar led away into the 40-year exile.

I see AlanF is not happy with this.