The ancient Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II is remembered by everyone who read the Bible. It was under him that the Jews were enslaved and taken into Babylonian slavery, and the shrine of the Jews - the Temple of Solomon - was desecrated and destroyed …
Until the 19th century, the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II was just a mythological character for scholars skeptical of the Bible. Skeptics believed that it never existed. However, after excavating the ruins of Babylon, scientists were surprised to find that such a king did exist. Moreover, he lived exactly at the time that the Bible calls “the time of Babylonian captivity.” For Babylon, the era of Nebuchadnezzar's reign was marked by an extraordinary flourishing of science, art and crafts.
On handwritten tablets and stone slabs, King Nebuchadnezzar speaks of himself “modestly”: “I am Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, a pious prince who reigns according to the will and favor of Marduk, the supreme ruler of the City, beloved by Heaven, cunning and indefatigable … always concerned about welfare Babylon, the wise firstborn son of Nabopalasar, the king of Babylon … "It is known that this ancient" modest "ruled in Babylon from September 605 to October 562 BC, which perfectly correlates with the texts of the Bible. In his royal family, he was the firstborn, and therefore received the following name: Nabu-kudurri-utsur - that is, "God of Naboo, save the firstborn." There was even a portrait of the young prince - a handsome face, his head crowned with a military helmet, big eyes and a strong, firmly compressed mouth.
For the Jews, the name Nebuchadnezzar became synonymous with war and trouble. His whole life was associated with wars. He led them against their western neighbors - Jews, Phoenicians and Syrians. He began fighting with his father and continued after his death. The first mention of the prince dates back to 605 BC, when he defeated enemies at the Battle of Karkemish and began a systematic seizure of the western lands. True, having crossed the Euphrates, he was forced to leave the victorious army and, with a small detachment of loyal soldiers, go to Babylon - his father died at home. Nebuchadnezzar, in order to save time, was able to cross the desert, bowed down to his father's ashes, took over the orphaned kingdom and returned to the army. From this time on, the countdown of military campaigns against the Jews can begin. In 604 BC, Nebuchadnezzar took Ascalon, who opposed his will,the city of the Philistines, waiting in vain for Egyptian support, and took it by storm. When, a year later, the young king moved to Judea, the Jews hastened to get rid of him with tribute. And a year later, the entire west, up to the possessions of Egypt, was already Babylonian land! The Egyptians were dumbfounded and outraged. And when Nebuchadnezzar decided to capture Egypt as well, Pharaoh put up a huge army against him. In 601, a terrible battle took place on the border with Egypt. Nebuchadnezzar did not calculate his strength and was crushed - almost all of his army was killed. With the remnants of the army, he withdrew to Babylon to mourn the dead. But Pharaoh Necho was no better. His army, too, was killed in that battle almost in full strength. And a year later, the entire west, up to the possessions of Egypt, was already Babylonian land! The Egyptians were dumbfounded and outraged. And when Nebuchadnezzar decided to capture Egypt as well, Pharaoh put up a huge army against him. In 601, a terrible battle took place on the border with Egypt. Nebuchadnezzar did not calculate his strength and was crushed - almost all of his army was killed. With the remnants of the army, he withdrew to Babylon to mourn the dead. But Pharaoh Necho was no better. His army, too, was killed in that battle almost in full strength. And a year later, the entire west, up to the possessions of Egypt, was already Babylonian land! The Egyptians were dumbfounded and outraged. And when Nebuchadnezzar decided to capture Egypt, Pharaoh put up a huge army against him. In 601, a terrible battle took place on the border with Egypt. Nebuchadnezzar did not calculate his strength and was crushed - almost all of his army was killed. With the remnants of the army, he withdrew to Babylon to mourn the dead. But Pharaoh Necho was no better. His army, too, was killed in that battle almost in full strength. With the remnants of the army, he withdrew to Babylon to mourn the dead. But Pharaoh Necho was no better. His army, too, was killed in that battle almost in full strength. With the remnants of the army, he withdrew to Babylon to mourn the dead. But Pharaoh Necho was no better. His army, too, was killed in that battle almost in full strength.
Coin with the image of a young Novukhudonosor: a confident look, a firm chin, tightly compressed lips testify to the domineering nature of the young king
War spoils were sent to their native Babylon. The Jewish king did not know what to do, and began to conduct secret negotiations with Egypt. When Nebuchadnezzar learned about this, he moved an army to Jerusalem. And in 597 the city opened the gates for him, hoping to pay off, as for the first time, with rich gifts and apparent obedience. But the king was adamant. He ordered the execution of the Jewish ruler Joachim, who had betrayed his trust, and placed the executed son Jechonias on the Jewish throne. The son continued his father's policy. The Jews had old scores with Egypt, but they were less afraid of the Egyptians than they were of this young and brave predator. And Jeconiah, just like his father, sent and sent his messengers to the Egyptians, and the soldiers of Nebuchadnezzar systematically intercepted them. When the Babylonian king was finally tired of this, he approached Jerusalem and took it under siege. Jeconiah had no choice but to surrender Jerusalem without a fight. He hoped for mercy. However, Nebuchadnezzar was not going to be merciful with the traitor (and that is how he viewed Jeconiah's actions). Nebuchadnezzar entered Jerusalem and allowed to plunder it without any mercy. Inhabitants in the amount of 10,000 people ordered to send prisoners to his Babylon. The royal family of Jeconiah was also sent there. And a heavy tribute was imposed on the entire land of the Jews. It is this event in the Bible for the Babylonian Jews. Why did Nebuchadnezzar take up arms against the Jews? Isn't it clear? The Babylonian king did not tolerate breaking the oath, but the Jewish king did. And thus doomed his people to captivity. However, Nebuchadnezzar was not going to be merciful with the traitor (and that is how he viewed Jeconiah's actions). Nebuchadnezzar entered Jerusalem and allowed to plunder it without any mercy. Inhabitants in the amount of 10,000 people ordered to be sent into captivity in his Babylon. The royal family of Jeconiah was also sent there. And a heavy tribute was imposed on the entire land of the Jews. It is this event in the Bible for the Babylonian Jews. Why did Nebuchadnezzar take up arms against the Jews? Isn't it clear? The Babylonian king did not tolerate breaking the oath, but the Jewish king did. And thus doomed his people to captivity. However, Nebuchadnezzar was not going to be merciful with the traitor (and that is how he viewed Jeconiah's actions). Nebuchadnezzar entered Jerusalem and allowed to plunder it without any mercy. Inhabitants in the amount of 10,000 people ordered to send prisoners to his Babylon. The royal family of Jeconiah was also sent there. And a heavy tribute was imposed on the entire land of the Jews. It is this event in the Bible for the Babylonian Jews. Why did Nebuchadnezzar take up arms against the Jews? Isn't it clear? The Babylonian king did not tolerate breaking the oath, but the Jewish king did. And thus doomed his people to captivity. And a heavy tribute was imposed on the entire land of the Jews. It is this event in the Bible for the Babylonian Jews. Why did Nebuchadnezzar take up arms against the Jews? Isn't it clear? The Babylonian king did not tolerate breaking the oath, but the Jewish king did. And thus doomed his people to captivity. And a heavy tribute was imposed on the entire land of the Jews. It is this event in the Bible for the Babylonian Jews. Why did Nebuchadnezzar take up arms against the Jews? Isn't it clear? The Babylonian king did not tolerate breaking the oath, but the Jewish king did. And thus doomed his people to captivity.
The Babylonian king had a difficult relationship with Egypt. The Egyptian pharaoh, who succeeded Necho on the throne, began to rebel and revolted his former provinces of Phenicia and Judea, turning them against the Babylonians. Nebuchadnezzar destroyed both Phenicia and Judea; both Jerusalem and Tire fell. And in order to secure his own lands, his native Babylon, the king ordered to build a two-kilometer Median wall on the outskirts of the city - a line of fortifications on the isthmus between the Euphrates and the Tigris, a deep moat and powerful protective walls in three rows and 30 meters thick. This fortification was supposed to stop the ally of the Egyptians and the enemy of Babylon - the Medes. Although the Babylonian king plundered Jerusalem several times and an entire generation of Jews grew up in Babylonian captivity, the Bible holds Nebuchadnezzar in high esteem. Why such mercy? To other neighboring kings, the Jews are completely ruthless and promise them unheard-of misfortunes, they call them derogatory names. And this murderer, this enemy uses the privileges of the tsar in the holy book and you will not find a single offensive word about him there! On the contrary, the king of Babylon is put into the mouth of the word that he recognizes the Hebrew god "God of the gods."
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Biblical tradition says that the prophet Daniel convinced the king of Babylon to convert to Judaism. In fact, Nebuchadnezzar could not imagine even in a nightmare
It is clear that the historical Nebuchadnezzar, dedicated to the god Naboo, would never have said anything like this in his life. A worthy son of his people, he would never have accepted the faith of the Jews, although in the Bible he is assigned precisely this utter role. Presumably, the authors of the biblical texts did not know how to deal with such a shameful thing as capturing an entire people and taking them into slavery, and in order to wash off the seal of a slave, they came up with a beautiful legend about the Babylonian king who converted to Judaism. What else do you want to do? It's a shame if you look at it! This is how they turned the conqueror of Judea into a “king of the Jews” in order to hide the shameful acts of their own kings, Jehoiakim, Jeconiah, and Zedekiah, who followed them, during which the temple of Solomon was plundered, and all the gold and silver was taken to Babylon. And if what the Bible says with pain and reproach,so it is about these lost gold and silver vessels. But not about the king of Babylon. And what could the Jews reproach him for? Didn't he give and break his oaths? Apparently Nebuchadnezzar was an honest warrior. Ruthless? Yes. Persistent? Yes. Inflexible? Yes. But the king did not break his word. It was unshakable. That's why the Bible is so merciful to him.
Source: "Mysteries of History"