Page 70 - Biblical Backgrounds

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, and others were taken to Babylonia. Only the poor
were left to till the soil.

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