A WARRIOR KING BUILDS AN EMPIRE

BABYLON'S crown prince and his army shatter the Egyptian forces of Pharaoh Necho at Carchemish, in Syria.  The defeated Egyptians flee south toward Egypt, and the Babylons pursue them.  But a message from Babylon compels the victorious  prince to abandon his pursuit.  The news is that his father, Nabopolassar, has died.  Charging his generals the responsibility  of bringing back the captives and the plunder, Nebuchadnezzar quickly returns home and takes the throne vacated by his father.

Nebuchadnezzar thus ascended the throne of Babylon in the year 624 B.C.E. and became the second ruler of the Neo-Babylonian Empire.  During his reign of 43 years he took possession of the territories once occupied by the Assyrian World Power and extended his domain, taking in Syria to the north and Palestine to the west down to the border of Egypt. 

In the fourth year of his reign (620 B.C.E.), Nebuchadnezzar made Judah his vassal kingdom. (2 Kings 24:1)  Three years later, a Judean rebellion brought Jerusalem under Babylonian siege. Nebuchadnezzar took Jehoiachin, Daniel and others captive to Babylon.  The king also carried along some of the utensils of Jehovah's temple.  He made Jehoiachin's uncle, Zedekiah, vassal king of Judah. -2 Kings 24:2-17; Daniel 1:6, 7. 

Sometime later,  Zedekiah too rebelled, allying himself with Egypt.  Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem again, and in 607 B.C.E., he breached  its wall, burned the temple , and destroyed the city.  He slaughtered all of Zedekiah's sons and then blinded Zedekiah and bound him,  in order to take him as prisoner to Babylon.  Nebuchadnezzar took most of the people captive and transported the remaining temple utensils to Babylon.  "Thus Judah went in to exile from off its soil." -2 Kings 24:18-25:21.

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From the book: PAY ATTENTION TO DANIEL'S PROPHECY! 1999