Nebuchadnezzar

Nebuchadnezzar (nĕb'əkədnĕz`ər), d. 562 B.C., king of Babylonia (c.605–562 B.C.), son and successor of Nabopolassar. In his father's reign he was sent to oppose the Egyptians, who were occupying W Syria and Palestine. At Carchemish he met and defeated (605 B.C.) Pharaoh Necho, thus becoming the undisputed master of Western Asia. The sudden death of his father caused Nebuchadnezzar to return home to safeguard his inheritance, permitting Necho to escape to Egypt with part of his army. Three years later (601 B.C.) Necho defeated Nebuchadnezzar in battle. This event may have encouraged the Judaean revolt under Jehoiakim. Jehoiakim died shortly after the siege began and was succeeded by his son, Jehoiachin. In Mar., 597 B.C., Nebuchadnezzar crushed the revolt and carried off the young Jehoiachin and many of his nobles to Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar then placed the puppet king Zedekiah on the throne of Judaea. A new revolt occurred (588–587 B.C.) in Judaea. After a siege of about a year, Jerusalem was finally destroyed in 586 B.C. Nebuchadnezzar was a splendid builder, and Babylon with its hanging gardens was then the greatest city of the ancient world. However, Babylon was shortly to fall under conquest when Nabonidus was king. The book of Daniel depicts Nebuchadnezzar as a conceited and domineering king and tells of his going mad and eating grass. He is also called Nebuchadrezzar or Nebuchodonosor.

Bibliography

See G. R. Tabouis, Nebuchadnezzar (1977).

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Nebuchadrezzar II

 or Nebuchadnezzar

(born c. 630—died c. 561BC) Second and greatest king of the Chaldean dynasty of Babylonia. He began his military career as an administrator (c. 610 BC) and ascended the throne on his father's death, just after winning Syria from the Egyptians (605 BC). He attacked Judah, capturing Jerusalem in 597 and recapturing it in 587/586, and deporting prominent citizens to Babylon. He devoted time and energy to restoring Babylon, by paving roads, rebuilding temples, and digging canals. At least in folk tradition, he is credited with building the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.

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Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadrezzar

Old Testament a king of Babylon, 605--562 bc, who conquered and destroyed Jerusalem and exiled the Jews to Babylon (II Kings 24--25)

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Nebuchadnezzar

(d. 562 B.C.) subjugated Jews, initiating Babylonian captivity (597–5 B.C.). [O.T.: Daniel 1:1–2]

See : Conquerors

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Nebuchadnezzar

Babylonian king, plunders Jerusalem; carries people into exile. [O.T.: II Kings 24:10–16]

See : Subjugation

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Nebuchadnezzar

(Nabu-kudurri-usur). In Babylon:

Nebuchadnezzar I. King from 1124 to 1103 B.C.

Near the city of Der, Nebuchadnezzar I won a major victory over the Elamites, who had been carrying out raids on Babylon. Babylon flourished for a short time during his reign.

Nebuchadnezzar II. King from 605 to 562 B.C. Son of Nabopolassar.

Nebuchadnezzar II took command of Babylon’s army in 607. After ascending the throne in 605, he soundly defeated the Egyptians near Carchemish (Syria), capturing Syria and Palestine. In 601 he led his forces to the borders of Egypt, and in the ensuing battle both sides suffered heavy losses. In 599 he reorganized the army, and in 598 led a campaign into northern Arabia. In 597 he seized Jerusalem and took more than 3,000 Jewish captives. In 587 (or according to other sources, 586) he again seized and destroyed Jerusalem, which had revolted; he abolished the Kingdom of Judah, which he turned into a Babylonian province, and took more than 9,000 of the country’s inhabitants into captivity.

Babylon flourished economically and culturally during the reign of Nebuchadnezzar II. There was a good deal of construction (including, in particular, the Tower of Babel and the famous Hanging Gardens of Babylon), and strong fortifications were erected around the city.

M. A. DANDAMAEV