Jewish–Babylonian war

Jewish–Babylonian war
Zedekiah is chained and brought before Nebuchadnezzar, from Petrus Comestor's "Bible Historiale," 1670
Date 601–586 BC Location Judah, mostly Jerusalem Result Babylonian victory, destruction of the First Temple, destruction of the Kingdom of Judah, Babylonian Exile
Belligerents
Kingdom of Judah	Neo-Babylonian Empire Supported by: Moab Ammon Chaldea
Commanders and leaders
Jehoiakim Jehoiachin Zedekiah Pashur Ben-Amar Jehuchal Ben-Shelamiah Gedaliah Ben-Pashur Sefaniah Ben-Masiah Shefatiah Ben-Matan Pashur Ben-Malkiah	Nebuchadnezzar II Nebuzaradan
Strength
Much fewer	Unknown
Casualties and losses
More than 4,200 captive, many slain	Unknown
Based on Kings 2:24 and 25

The Jewish–Babylonian war was a military conflict between the Kingdom of Judah and Babylonia that lasted from 601 to 586 BC. The conflict marked the end of the Kingdom of Judah and Jewish independence until the Hasmonean revolt. After Babylonia invaded Jerusalem it destroyed the First Temple, and started the Babylonian exile.

Background

Egypt was the regional power until Battle of Charchameshin 606BC.^[1] Later, Babylonia came and ended the Egyptian rule, and established its own rule, and made Judah its vassal.

Jewish revolt

For three years, Judah paid taxes to Babylonia, until King Jehoiakim decided to stop giving taxes to Babylonia and went to war with Babylonia.^[2] Unfortunately for Judah, Moab, Ammon and Chaldea went to war against Judah alongside Babylonia.^[3]

First siege of Jerusalem

Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem in 597 BC, and managed to capture the city and king Jehoiachin,^[4][5][6] along with all of the aristocracy of Jerusalem.^[7] He also looted the treasures of the temple, including the golden implements.^[8] Then Nebuchadnezzar exiled 10,000 of the officers, and the craftsmen, and 7,000 soldiers.^[9] Then, he appointed Jehoiachin's uncle, Mattaniah as king of Judah. Later, Mattaniah changed his name to Zedekiah.^[10][11]

Second siege of Jerusalem and a Battle at Jericho

In July 587 BC,^[12] Zedekiah rebelled against Babylonia, making an alliance with Egypt, and Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem again, starving the people.^[13] Later, the Babylonian troops managed to get inside the walls and conquer the city, yet Zedekiah and some of his troops managed to escape to Jericho, where they fought against the Babylonians (called Chaldeans by the Bible), who captured Zedekiah and his sons and brought them in chains to Babylonia, where Zedekiah's children were executed in front of him. On the seventh of Av, Nebuzaradan, a Babylonian executioner, burned down Solomon's Temple, destroyed the walls of Jerusalem, and exiled the rest of the Jews to Babylonia. He appointed Gedalia as the administor of the Jews that weren't exiled from Judah. Judah ceased to exist a year later, in 586 BC. Gedalia was later murdered in 582 BC.

See also

• List of conflicts in the Near East

Bibliography

• The Bible: 2 Kings 24-25, Book of Jeremiah, Book of Ezekiel, 2 Chronicles 36
• Nebuchadnezzar Chronicle

References