Biblical references
Text: World English Bible (public domain). The ESV and NKJV are the preferred study translations and are referenced, not reproduced.
10 At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up to Jerusalem, and the city was besieged. 11 Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to the city while his servants were besieging it, 12 and Jehoiachin the king of Judah went out to the king of Babylon—he, his mother, his servants, his princes, and his officers; and the king of Babylon captured him in the eighth year of his reign. 13 He carried out from there all the treasures of the LORD’s house and the treasures of the king’s house, and cut in pieces all the vessels of gold which Solomon king of Israel had made in the LORD’s temple, as the LORD had said. 14 He carried away all Jerusalem, and all the princes, and all the mighty men of valor, even ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and the smiths. No one remained except the poorest people of the land. 15 He carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon, with the king’s mother, the king’s wives, his officers, and the chief men of the land. He carried them into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon. 16 All the men of might, even seven thousand, and the craftsmen and the smiths one thousand, all of them strong and fit for war, even them the king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon.
10 At the return of the year, King Nebuchadnezzar sent and brought him to Babylon, with the valuable vessels of the LORD’s house, and made Zedekiah his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem.
28 This is the number of the people whom Nebuchadnezzar carried away captive: in the seventh year, three thousand twenty-three Jews;
"In the seventh year, three thousand twenty-three Jews."
2 In the fifth of the month, which was the fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity,
Ezekiel dates by "King Jehoiachin's captivity".
9 Jehoiachin was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem. He did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight. 10 At the return of the year, King Nebuchadnezzar sent and brought him to Babylon, with the valuable vessels of the LORD’s house, and made Zedekiah his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem.
Biblical account
Layer: Biblical text
Nebuchadnezzar's servants besieged Jerusalem; the king came; Jehoiachin with his mother, servants and officials surrendered in Nebuchadnezzar's eighth year; the Temple and palace treasures and Solomon's gold vessels were taken; ten thousand captives including craftsmen and smiths, the mighty men seven thousand and craftsmen one thousand.
Historical overview
Layer: Historical reconstruction · Period: Spring 597 BC
ABC 5: in year 7, in Kislev, the king of Akkad marched to Ḫatti, encamped against the city of Judah and on 2 Adar seized the city and captured the king; he appointed a king of his own choice and took heavy tribute to Babylon. 2 Adar of year 7 = 15/16 March 597 (Parker & Dubberstein).[1, 2]
- Nebuchadnezzar II: Besieger[1]
- Jehoiachin: Surrendered[1]
Kingdoms: Neo-Babylonian Empire, Kingdom of Judah
Date and chronology derivation
Ranges are computed by the project's deterministic chronology engine from the biblical statements and each model's reign anchors. They are reconstructions, not independent dates.
597 BC
Model-independent (applies under every chronology model) · precision: day
How this range was derived
Earliest bound
- Synchronism: Capture of "the city of Judah" on 2 Addaru, Nebuchadnezzar year 7 (ABC 5) = Jehoiachin's surrender (2 Kgs 24:10–15) — independently dated between 15 Mar 597 BC and 16 Mar 597 BC (Babylonian date 2 Addaru, year 7 of Nebuchadnezzar = 15/16 March 597 BC (Parker & Dubberstein)) (2 Kings 24:10–15)[1, 3, 4]Assumption: 2 Addaru year 7 (ABC 5) = 15/16 March 597 BC. "City of Judah" = Jerusalem; the unnamed king = Jehoiachin (identifications by the editors).
Latest bound
- Synchronism: Capture of "the city of Judah" on 2 Addaru, Nebuchadnezzar year 7 (ABC 5) = Jehoiachin's surrender (2 Kgs 24:10–15) — independently dated between 15 Mar 597 BC and 16 Mar 597 BC (Babylonian date 2 Addaru, year 7 of Nebuchadnezzar = 15/16 March 597 BC (Parker & Dubberstein)) (2 Kings 24:10–15)[1, 3, 4]Assumption: 2 Addaru year 7 (ABC 5) = 15/16 March 597 BC. "City of Judah" = Jerusalem; the unnamed king = Jehoiachin (identifications by the editors).
What else was happening? (model-independent)
- Jehoiakim (reign): 609 BC – 597 BC
- Daniel's refusal of the king's food and the ten-day test (Dan 1:8–16): 606 BC – ?
- Nebuchadnezzar II (reign): 605 BC – 562 BC
- Nebuchadnezzar's golden image on the plain of Dura (Dan 3:1–7): 603 BC – ?
- Nebuchadnezzar's decree honouring the God of the three Judeans (Dan 3:28–30): 603 BC – ?
- The refusal of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and the fiery furnace (Dan 3:8–27): 603 BC – ?
- Nebuchadnezzar's dream of the great tree and Daniel's interpretation (Dan 4:4–27): 605 BC – 563 BC
- Nebuchadnezzar's boast, madness and restoration (Dan 4:28–37): 604 BC – 562 BC
- Daniel's night vision of the four beasts and its interpretation (Dan 7): ? – 539 BC
- Daniel's vision of the ram and the goat at Susa (Dan 8): ? – 539 BC
- Nebuchadnezzar installs Mattaniah as King Zedekiah (2 Kgs 24:17–20): 597 BC
- Jehoiakim submits to Nebuchadnezzar for three years, then rebels (2 Kgs 24:1–4): 605 BC – 597 BC
- Zedekiah (reign): 597 BC – 586 BC
- Jehoiachin (reign): 598 BC – 597 BC
Ancient and modern geography
Location confidence assumes the event as described. Whether it occurred is assessed in the claims below.
| Place | Connection to this event | Location identification |
|---|---|---|
| JerusalemJerusalem (Old City / City of David) | Captured cityLocation confidence: certain | Pleiades representative point: certain[5] |
| BabylonBabil (ruins near Hillah) | Destination of the deporteesLocation confidence: certain | Babylon (Pleiades 893951): certain[6] |
Claims, evidence and classifications
Each claim is classified on its own. A classification describes the evidence for that specific claim, not for the event as a whole.
Nebuchadnezzar captured Jerusalem and its king on 2 Adar of his seventh year (15/16 March 597 BC) and installed a king of his choice.
The Babylonian Chronicle gives the date and the appointment; 2 Kings narrates the same capture and Zedekiah's installation; the date conversion is Parker & Dubberstein's.
Supporting
- Year 7, Kislev: marched to Ḫatti, encamped against the city of Judah; on 2 Adar seized the city, captured the king, appointed a king of his own choice.[1]Strength: direct·rev. 11′–13′·Claim checked
Context
- Julian conversion of Addaru, year 7.[2]Strength: direct·Nebuchadnezzar table, year 7·Claim checked
Research date 2026-10-13
Jehoiachin and his sons were maintained at the Babylonian court in Nebuchadnezzar's thirteenth year.
Babylonian ration lists name Ya'u-kīnu, king of Yahudu, and five sons (592/1 BC), consistent with 2 Kgs 24:15 and 25:27–30.
Supporting
- Ya'u-kīnu, king of the land of Yahudu, with his five sons, among ration recipients.[7]Strength: direct·ration list, year 13·Claim checked
Limitations of this classification: Weidner's edition not read; COJS does not name its translation.
Research date 2026-10-13
The "eighth year" of 2 Kgs 24:12 and the "seventh year" of the chronicle and Jer 52:28 date the same capture by different counting conventions.
Young argues that 2 Kings counts Nebuchadnezzar's years without an accession year, so its eighth year includes March 597; Jer 52:28 uses the Babylonian count. The chronology model "587 (non-accession)" encodes this and solves consistently.
Supporting
- 2 Kings uses non-accession years for Nebuchadnezzar.[8]Strength: indirect·pp. 24–29, 38·Claim checked
Research date 2026-10-13
Evidence by type
The same evidence regrouped by kind of source. Each item names the claims it bears on.
Archaeological evidence
- Ya'u-kīnu, king of the land of Yahudu, with his five sons, among ration recipients.[7]Bears on: supporting — “Jehoiachin and his sons were maintained at the Babylonian court in Neb…”
Scientific findings
None recorded for this event.
Ancient documents
- Year 7, Kislev: marched to Ḫatti, encamped against the city of Judah; on 2 Adar seized the city, captured the king, appointed a king of his own choice.[1]Bears on: supporting — “Nebuchadnezzar captured Jerusalem and its king on 2 Adar of his sevent…”
Modern news and announcements
None recorded for this event.
Reference works and summaries
- Julian conversion of Addaru, year 7.[2]Bears on: context — “Nebuchadnezzar captured Jerusalem and its king on 2 Adar of his sevent…”
- 2 Kings uses non-accession years for Nebuchadnezzar.[8]Bears on: supporting — “The "eighth year" of 2 Kgs 24:12 and the "seventh year" of the chronic…”
Historical disputes and competing reconstructions
"Eighth year" (2 Kgs 24:12) vs "seventh year" (ABC 5; Jer 52:28)
R. C. Young (2004): 2 Kings counts Nebuchadnezzar's years without an accession year
The same event, counted from Nebuchadnezzar's accession year (Kings) or from his first full year (chronicle; Jer 52:28).[1, 8]
Numbers deported
2 Kgs 24:14 (10,000); 2 Kgs 24:16 (7,000 + 1,000); Jer 52:28 (3,023, "in the seventh year"); Josephus, Ant. 10.6.3 (3,000, under Jehoiakim)
The figures may count different groups (all captives; soldiers and craftsmen; adult males of Judah); none is confirmed externally.[9, 10]
Related passages and events
| From | Relationship | To | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| this event | Same eventhigh · Biblical text | 2 Chronicles 36:10 | Parallel: "at the turn of the year" Nebuchadnezzar brought Jehoiachin to Babylon. |
| this event | Same eventmedium · Biblical text | Jeremiah 52:28 | The deportation of "the seventh year" (3,023 Jews) — the same event counted differently (Young). |
| this event | Artifact associationhigh · External evidence | Jehoiachin's ration tablets (Babylon) | Ration lists for the captive king Ya'u-kīnu at Babylon.[7] |
| this event | Source attestationhigh · External evidence | Babylonian Chronicle ABC 5 (Jerusalem Chronicle) | ABC 5 records the capture of "the city of Judah" on 2 Adar year 7.[1] |
| this event | Thematic parallelmedium · Biblical text | Training of Judean youths at the Babylonian court (Dan 1:3–7, 17–20) | Dan 1:3 has royal and noble youths at the Babylonian court; the ration lists attest Judean royals there from 592. |
| this event | Thematic parallelmedium · Biblical text | Daniel 1:2 | Temple vessels taken to Babylon (cf. Dan 5:2–3; Ezra 1:7). |
| this event | Followed byhigh · Biblical text | Nebuchadnezzar installs Mattaniah as King Zedekiah (2 Kgs 24:17–20) | Nebuchadnezzar installed Zedekiah after the capture. |
Prophetic relationships
No prophecy or proposed-fulfillment relationships have been recorded for this event.
Synchronisms with external chronology
Capture of "the city of Judah" on 2 Addaru, Nebuchadnezzar year 7 (ABC 5) = Jehoiachin's surrender (2 Kgs 24:10–15)
Documentary correlation · direct · evidence strength: strong · independent date: 597 BC (Babylonian date 2 Addaru, year 7 of Nebuchadnezzar = 15/16 March 597 BC (Parker & Dubberstein))
The chronicle's capture of the city of Judah and its king, and the installation of a king of Nebuchadnezzar's choice, correspond to Jehoiachin's surrender and Zedekiah's appointment.[1, 3]
Assumptions: "City of Judah" = Jerusalem; the unnamed king = Jehoiachin (identifications by the editors).
Commentary references
Layer: Interpretation. This is commentary, not historical evidence.
Guzik counts 597 as Nebuchadnezzar's second major strike, lists the 10,000 and 7,000 + 1,000 figures, and places Ezekiel among the captives.[10]
Unanswered questions and research gaps
- Weidner (1939) edition of the ration tablets not read.
- The number of deportees is not confirmed externally.
Research process
4 logged searches
| Date | Query | Where | Useful |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-13 | ABC 5 (Livius) re-read | local text | 1 |
| 2026-10-13 | Young 2004 (JETS) | web fetch | 1 |
| 2026-10-13 | Josephus Ant. 10.6.3 | local text | 1 |
| 2026-10-13 | COJS ration list | local text | 1 |
Sources
- 1.Lendering, Jona (ed.). ABC 5 (Jerusalem Chronicle / Chronicle of the early years of Nebuchadnezzar) — English translation on Livius.org. Livius.org. www.livius.orgClaim checkedAncient primary textFull translation page read (obverse 1–27, reverse 1′–13′). Cuneiform and the printed editions (Wiseman 1956; Grayson 1975; Glassner 2004) were not consulted directly. Julian equivalents on the page follow Parker & Dubberstein.Verification log
- 2.Parker, Richard A., Dubberstein, Waldo H.. Babylonian Chronology 626 B.C.–A.D. 45 (SAOC 24). University of Chicago Press (Oriental Institute). archive.orgClaim checkedAcademic monographRead through the Internet Archive OCR text of the Oriental Institute PDF; OCR has digit errors (e.g. "589" for 539) checked against context. The 1956 revised edition was not consulted.Verification log
- 3.Wikipedia contributors. Nebuchadnezzar Chronicle — Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. en.wikipedia.orgClaim checkedPopular summaryUsed for museum/acquisition details of BM 21946.Verification log
- 4.Wikipedia contributors. Jehoiakim — Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. en.wikipedia.orgClaim checkedPopular summaryVerification log
- 5.Pleiades contributors. Ierusalem/Hierosolyma — Pleiades place 687928. Pleiades (pleiades.stoa.org). pleiades.stoa.orgClaim checkedInstitutional databaseRepresentative point read from the Pleiades JSON record: lon 35.234978, lat 31.7771895.Verification log
- 6.Pleiades contributors. Babylon — Pleiades place 893951. Pleiades (pleiades.stoa.org). pleiades.stoa.orgClaim checkedInstitutional databaseRepresentative point read from the Pleiades JSON record: lon 44.42497815, lat 32.53729695.Verification log
- 7.Center for Online Judaic Studies. Babylonian Ration List: King Jehoiakhin in Exile, 592/1 BCE — Center for Online Judaic Studies. cojs.org. cojs.orgClaim checkedMuseum catalogEducational presentation of the tablet (Staatliche Museen zu Berlin); does not name the translation used; Weidner's 1939 edition not read.Verification log
- 8.Young, Rodger C.. When Did Jerusalem Fall?. Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 47/1 (2004) 21–38. etsjets.orgClaim checkedScholarly commentaryVerification log
- 9.Josephus, Whiston, William (trans.). Josephus, Antiquities 10.6.3, 10.8.2–5, 10.11.2 (trans. W. Whiston). Project Gutenberg #2848. www.gutenberg.orgClaim checkedAncient primary textVerification log
- 10.Guzik, David. 2 Kings 24 — Enduring Word Bible Commentary. Enduring Word. enduringword.comClaim checkedTheological commentaryInterpretive resource — not historical corroboration.Verification log