Chronology: Jerusalem destroyed - 4th Attack & Siege ends
BC586 BC Event: Jerusalem destroyed - 4th Attack & Siege ends
Name of the Period: Neo Babylonian Period
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Event Details
Previously, the second attack and siege of Jerusalem took place in 598 BC and King Nebuchadnezzar took the King of Judah, Jehoiakim, captive to Babylon. Bible says in 2 Chronicles 36:6,7 that, "Then King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came to Jerusalem and captured it, and he bound Jehoiakim in bronze chains and led him away to Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar also took some of the treasures from the Temple of the Lord, and he placed them in his palace in Babylon." And Jehoiakim's son Jehoiachin became the next King.
Following this, Jehoiakim's son, Jehoiachin became the next King. But probably fearing that Jehiachin may not remain loyal to him, King Nebuchadnezzar II led a third attack and siege against Jerusalem in 597 BC. The book of 2 Kings 24:12 says that this occurred in the 8th year of Nebuchadnezzar II's reign. At this time, King Nebuchadnezzar II dethroned King Jehoiachin after his short rule of just 3 months and 10 days. King Nebuchadnezzar II then installed Jehioachin's uncle, Zedekiah, on the throne as king. This is recorded in 2 Chronicles 36:10 as "In the spring of the year King Nebuchadnezzar took Jehoiachin to Babylon. Many treasures from the Temple of the Lord were also taken to Babylon at that time. And Nebuchadnezzar installed Jehoiachin’s uncle, Zedekiah, as the next king in Judah and Jerusalem."
At the time of being made King of Judah, King Zedekiah swore an oath of allegiance in God's name to serve Nebuchadnezzar II faithfully. The bible says in 2 Chronicles 36:13 that, "He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, even though he had taken an oath of loyalty in God’s name. Zedekiah was a hard and stubborn man, refusing to turn to the Lord, the God of Israel." He did evil in God's eyes and during his reign, the leaders, priests, & people became more and more disobedient, sinful, unfaithful, and engaged in pagan worship.
Zedekiah rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar II and in the ninth year of King Zedekiah's reign, Nebuchadnezzar started the fourth attack and siege to Jerusalem on 15 January 588 BC, exactly as God told Ezekiel who was in exile in Babylon which is 2700 kilometers away from Jerusalem (Refer Ezekiel 24:1). This is a same-day prophecy because it was fulfilled on the same day it was issued. The event of Nebuchadnezzar II's fourth attack and siege of Jerusalem proclaimed by Ezekiel 24:1 is recorded and validated in Jeremiah 39:1 and also again in Jeremiah 52:4.
The fourth attack and siege of Jerusalem which started on 15 January 588 BC finally ended on July 18, 586 BC with the destruction of Jerusalem and God's temple constructed by King Solomon, as per God's prophecies through Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel. Refer to 2nd Chronicles 36:17-21, Jeremiah 39, and Jeremiah 52 for the full details of this event. Bible says in Jeremiah 39:2-10, "
2Two and a half years later, on July 18 in the eleventh year of Zedekiah’s reign, a section of the city wall was broken down. 3 All the officers of the Babylonian army came in and sat in triumph at the Middle Gate: Nergal-sharezer of Samgar, and Nebo-sarsekim, a chief officer, and Nergal-sharezer, the king’s adviser, and all the other officers of the king of Babylon.
4 When King Zedekiah of Judah and all the soldiers saw that the Babylonians had broken into the city, they fled. They waited for nightfall and then slipped through the gate between the two walls behind the king’s garden and headed toward the Jordan Valley.
5 But the Babylonian troops chased them and overtook Zedekiah on the plains of Jericho. They captured him and took him to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, who was at Riblah in the land of Hamath. There the king of Babylon pronounced judgment upon Zedekiah. 6 The king of Babylon made Zedekiah watch as he slaughtered his sons at Riblah. The king of Babylon also slaughtered all the nobles of Judah. 7 Then he gouged out Zedekiah’s eyes and bound him in bronze chains to lead him away to Babylon.
8 Meanwhile, the Babylonians burned Jerusalem, including the royal palace and the houses of the people, and they tore down the walls of the city. 9 Then Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, took as exiles to Babylon the rest of the people who remained in the city, those who had defected to him, and everyone else who remained. 10 But Nebuzaradan allowed some of the poorest people to stay behind in the land of Judah, and he assigned them to care for the vineyards and fields.
After this, they embarked on the destruction of the Temple of God built by Solomon by taking away all articles of value and demolishing costly parts of the temple that could be salvaged, and finally burning the temple of God. The ark of God stored in the temple by King Josiah also must have been destroyed in this fire. For full details please refer to Jeremiah 52.
5 But the Babylonian troops chased them and overtook Zedekiah on the plains of Jericho. They captured him and took him to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, who was at Riblah in the land of Hamath. There the king of Babylon pronounced judgment upon Zedekiah. 6 The king of Babylon made Zedekiah watch as he slaughtered his sons at Riblah. The king of Babylon also slaughtered all the nobles of Judah. 7 Then he gouged out Zedekiah’s eyes and bound him in bronze chains to lead him away to Babylon.