NEBUCHADNEZZAR IN JERUSALEM

The expression "for three years" is of a special interest to us, for the opening words of Daniel read: "In the third year of the kingship of Jehoiakim the king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and proceeded to lay siege to it." (Daniel 1:1) In the third year of the complete kingship of Jehoiakim, who reigned  from 628 to 618 B.C.E, Nebuchadnezzar was not yet"the king of Babylon" but was the crowned prince.  In 620  B.C.E., Nebuchadnezzar compelled Jehoiakim revolted. Thus, it was in 618 B.C.E, or during the third year of the kingship of Jehoiakim as a vassal of Babylon, that King Nebuchadnezzar came to Jerusalem, a second time, to punish the rebellious Jehoiakim.  

The outcome of this siege was that "in time Jehovah gave into his hand Jehoiakim the king of Judah and a part of the utensils of the house of the true God." (Daniel 1:2) Jehoiakim probably died, either by assassination or in a revolt, during the early stages of the siege.  (Jeremiah 22:18, 19) In 618 B.C.E., his 18-year old son, Jehoiachin, succeeded him as king. But Jehoiachin's  rule lasted only three months and ten days, and he surrendered in 617  B.C.E. -Compare 2 Kings 24:10-15. 

Nebuchadnezzar took as spoils sacred utensils of the temple in Jerusalem and "brought them to the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and the utensils he brought to the treasure-house of his god," Marduk, or Merodach in Hebrew.  (Daniel 1:2; Jeremiah 50:2) A Babylonian inscription was discovered in which Nebuchadnezzar is represented as saying about the temple of Marduk:  "I stored up inside silver and gold and precious stones . . .and placed there the treasure house of my kingdom." We will red about these sacred utensils once again in the days of King Belshazzar. -Daniel 5:1-4.  

Next time: THE ELITE OF JERUSALEM'S YOUTH

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