Topical Bible: Babylon: Nebuchadnezzar King of Besieged and Took Jerusalem

◄ Babylon: Nebuchadnezzar King of Besieged and Took Jerusalem ►

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Historical Context

Nebuchadnezzar II, the most illustrious king of the Neo-Babylonian Empire, reigned from approximately 605 to 562 BC. He is renowned for his military conquests, architectural achievements, and significant role in biblical history, particularly concerning the Kingdom of Judah and the city of Jerusalem. His reign marked the zenith of Babylonian power and influence in the ancient Near East.

Biblical Account

The Bible records Nebuchadnezzar's interactions with Jerusalem primarily in the books of 2 Kings, 2 Chronicles, Jeremiah, and Daniel. His campaigns against Jerusalem were pivotal events that fulfilled prophetic warnings given to the people of Judah due to their persistent idolatry and disobedience to God.

First Siege and Captivity (605 BC)

Nebuchadnezzar's first siege of Jerusalem occurred in 605 BC, during the reign of Jehoiakim, king of Judah. This initial encounter is noted in 2 Kings 24:1: "During Jehoiakim’s reign, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon invaded the land, and Jehoiakim became his vassal for three years." This event marked the beginning of the Babylonian captivity, as some of the nobility, including Daniel and his companions, were taken to Babylon (Daniel 1:1-6).

Second Siege and Captivity (597 BC)

Following Jehoiakim's rebellion against Babylonian rule, Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem again in 597 BC. Jehoiakim's son, Jehoiachin, surrendered to Nebuchadnezzar, who then took him, along with the treasures of the temple and many of the city's inhabitants, into exile. 2 Kings 24:14-16 records, "He carried into exile all Jerusalem: all the officers and fighting men, and all the skilled workers and artisans—a total of ten thousand. Only the poorest people of the land were left."

Final Siege and Destruction (586 BC)

The most devastating siege occurred in 586 BC, under the reign of Zedekiah, whom Nebuchadnezzar had installed as a puppet king. Zedekiah's rebellion prompted Nebuchadnezzar to lay siege to Jerusalem once more. The city endured severe famine and hardship before it fell. The Babylonians destroyed the city and the temple, as described in 2 Kings 25:9-10: "He set fire to the temple of the LORD, the royal palace, and all the houses of Jerusalem. Every important building he burned down."

Theological Significance

Nebuchadnezzar's conquest of Jerusalem is seen as a divine judgment upon Judah for its covenant unfaithfulness. The prophets, particularly Jeremiah, had warned of impending doom if the people did not repent. Jeremiah 25:9 states, "I will summon all the peoples of the north and My servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon," indicating that Nebuchadnezzar, though a pagan king, was used by God to execute His judgment.

Nebuchadnezzar in Prophecy and Legacy

Nebuchadnezzar's role in biblical prophecy extends beyond his military conquests. The book of Daniel provides insight into his character and God's sovereignty over earthly kingdoms. Daniel 4 recounts Nebuchadnezzar's humbling experience and subsequent acknowledgment of God's supreme authority: "Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven" (Daniel 4:37).

Nebuchadnezzar's legacy is multifaceted, encompassing his contributions to Babylonian culture and his significant impact on Jewish history. His reign is a testament to the fulfillment of divine prophecy and the unfolding of God's redemptive plan through the history of Israel.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

2 Kings 25:1-4
And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came, he, and all his host, against Jerusalem, and pitched against it; and they built forts against it round about.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

An Enumeration of the High Priests.
... the days of king Solomon, until Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon ... of Persia, sent the
Jews from Babylon to their ... Antigonus, the son of Aristobulus, king; and when ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 10 an enumeration of.htm

The Four Captive Children.
... Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, came with his armies and besieged Jerusalem, just
as Jeremiah the prophet had foretold. He took the king and the princes of ...
/.../lathbury/childs story of the bible/chapter xxxi the four captive.htm

'As Sodom'
... tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon
came, he ... But the army of the Chaldeans pursued after the king, and overtook ...
//christianbookshelf.org/maclaren/expositions of holy scripture h/as sodom.htm

The End
... of the month, which is the nineteenth year of king Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon ...
adan, captain of the guard, a servant of the king of Babylon, unto Jerusalem ...
//christianbookshelf.org/maclaren/expositions of holy scripture g/the end.htm

Palestine under Pagan Kings.
... Palestine and conquered it, killing Josiah, the king. A few years later, Nebuchadnezzar,
the Babylonian monarch ... Those of Babylon, according to the old Roman ...
/.../headley/half hours in bible lands volume 2/palestine under pagan kings.htm

Concerning Nebuchadnezzar and his Successors and How their ...
... king of Persia, and Darius, the king of Media ... and when he was besieged in Babylon,
there happened a ... that those vessels of God which Nebuchadnezzar had plundered ...
/.../the antiquities of the jews/chapter 11 concerning nebuchadnezzar and.htm

The Antiquities of the Jews
... Concerning Daniel And What Befell Him At Babylon. ... Concerning Nebuchadnezzar And His
Successors And How Their ... Concerning The Death Of King Demetrius And ...
//christianbookshelf.org/josephus/the antiquities of the jews/

The Restoration of the Jews.
... King Zedekiah was the last of this oppressed and ... had already been taken captive to
Babylon should return ... was broken, God would make for Nebuchadnezzar a yoke ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/abbott/cyrus the great/chapter ix the restoration of.htm

On the Sunday Called "Episozomenes," to those who had Come to ...
... to pass," we are told, "in the ninth year of the reign of Zedekiah, on the tenth
day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon came, and all ...
/.../chrysostom/on the priesthood/homily xix on the sunday.htm

The Unseen Watcher
... Babylon was besieged by Cyrus ... Then the queen mother remembered Daniel, who, over
half a century before, had made known to King Nebuchadnezzar the dream of ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 43 the unseen watcher.htm