Page 58 - Biblical Backgrounds student textbook

lamentation for him. Neco was delayed by this battle, and the last Assyrian effort to repulse the
Babylonians was defeated.

With the extinguishing of Assyrian power, Neco took over control of Syria-Palestine. Jehoahaz (609),
who succeeded Josiah, probably tried to follow an independent policy; Neco deposed him and took him
captive to Egypt. Neco put his brother Eliakim in his place and gave him the throne name Jehoiakim
(609-598).

After Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon
defeated Neco at Carchemish in
northern Syria in 606 BCE, Jehoiakim
became a vassal of Nebuchadnezzar,
and some of the Judean nobility,
including Daniel, were taken to
Babylon. After the Egyptian army
repulsed the Babylonians in 601,
Jehoiakim revolted against Babylon,
contrary to the advice of Jeremiah. The
Babylonians besieged Jerusalem, and
Jehoiakim was taken captive and died.

Jehoiachin (598-597) succeeded to the
throne of Judah during the siege of
Jerusalem. In 597 the Babylonians
finally took the city and seized treasures from the palace and Temple. Jehoiachin was carried captive to
Babylon with thousands of Jewish leaders, soldiers, and artisans.

Nebuchadnezzar placed Jehoiachin’s uncle Mattaniah on the throne of Judah, giving him the throne
name Zedekiah (597-586). After some years Zedekiah, disregarding the warnings of Jeremiah, revolted
against Babylonia, relying on possible Egyptian help.

The fall of Jerusalem (586 BCE)
Again Nebuchadnezzar invaded
rebellious Judah. Letters on potsherds
sent to the Jewish commander at Lachish
illustrate the advance of the Babylonians
as they captured town after town.
Lachish itself was taken and burned.
Jerusalem withstood the Babylonian
siege for eighteen months. In July, 586
BCE, the Babylonians broke through the
walls. Zedekiah tried to escape, but he
was captured, blinded, and taken to
Babylon. In August the Babylonians
burned the city, including the Temple,
and broke down the walls. Some of the
Jewish leaders were executed, others were taken to Babylonia. Only the poor were left to till the soil.

57