King Nebuchadnezzar and the Destruction of Jerusalem

Depicted in chapters 24 and 25 of the Old Testament book 2 Kings is the role that Babylon and King Nebuchadnezzar played in events leading to and culminating in the destruction of Jerusalem and the Kingdom of Judah as well as the exile of Jews to Babylon. Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar leads his army against Jerusalem, governed at that time by King Jehoiachin. Verse 9 says this about Jehoiachin:

9 He did evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father had done. (New American Standard Bible)

Note that a familiar biblical pattern is evident. Prior to the judgement delivered by Nebuchadnezzar, the commission of evil over a long period of time is evident. The reigning king Jehoiachin and his forefathers were described as having done evil. Chapter 24, verses 10 through 16 describe the dreadful consequences of the cumulative evil:

10 At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon went up to Jerusalem, and the city came under siege.

11 And Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon came to the city, while his servants were besieging it.

12 Jehoiachin the king of Judah went out to the king of Babylon, he and his mother and his servants and his captains and his officials So the king of Babylon took him captive in the eighth year of his reign.

13 He carried out from there all the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king's house, and cut in pieces all the vessels of gold which Solomon king of Israel had made in the temple of the LORD, just as the LORD had said.

14 Then he led away into exile all Jerusalem and all the captains and all the mighty men of valor, ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and the smiths None remained except the poorest people of the land.

15 So he led Jehoiachin away into exile to Babylon; also the king's mother and the king's wives and his officials and the leading men of the land, he led away into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon.

16 All the men of valor, seven thousand, and the craftsmen and the smiths, one thousand, all strong and fit for war, and these the king of Babylon brought into exile to Babylon.

Nebuchadnezzar made Jehoiachin's uncle, Zedekiah, the new King of Judah. Unfortunately verse 19 records that "He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, just as Jehoiakim had done" (NIV). Jehoiakim was the brother of Zedekiah and the father of Jehoiachin. Zedekiah rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar.

King Nebuchadnezzar led his entire army and laid seige to Jerusalem. The seige led to an exhaustion of food and when this happened Zedekiah and his army fled the city at night. The Babylonian army overtook them and scattered Zedekiah's soldiers. Nebuchadnezzar pronounced Zedekiah's sentence. Zedekiah witnessed the killing of his sons before he was blinded, shackled and taken to Babylon.

Years later, while Nebuchadnezzar was still king, Nebuzaradan, the commander of the Babylonian imperial guard, went to Jerusalem and burned the temple, the royal palace and houses of Jerusalem. All important buildings were burned down. The walls of the city were broken up and residents taken into exile. Some of the poorest people were left to tend the vineyards and fields.

The Babylonians took bronze from temple pillars and other parts of the temple in addition to items made of pure gold and silver. Pots, dishes bowls and more from the temple were confiscated. The chief priest and the priest next in rank, the officer in charge of fighting men and city officials were taken to the Babylonian king who had them executed. Judah suffered catatrophic defeat at the hands of the Babylonians.