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Biblical History Atlas

Historical event dossier · Military, Destruction

The breach of Jerusalem and Zedekiah's capture at Riblah (9/IV of Zedekiah's 11th year)

Researched — not human reviewedRevision 1Last reviewed: not reviewed

Human review pending. 2 items from this dossier are awaiting the project owner's review: “Disputed: Jerusalem fell in 587 or 586 BC” (queued 2026-10-13, status open). “Critical-priority finding: The breach of Jerusalem and Zedekiah's capture at Riblah (9/IV of Zedekiah's 11th year)” (queued 2026-10-13, status open). All classifications on this page are machine-proposed unless marked otherwise. Review happens offline. This site has no review controls.

Biblical references

Text: World English Bible (public domain). The ESV and NKJV are the preferred study translations and are referenced, not reproduced.

2 Kings 25:3–7Narration
3 On the ninth day of the fourth month, the famine was severe in the city, so that there was no bread for the people of the land. 4 Then a breach was made in the city, and all the men of war fled by night by the way of the gate between the two walls, which was by the king’s garden (now the Chaldeans were against the city around it); and the king went by the way of the Arabah. 5 But the Chaldean army pursued the king, and overtook him in the plains of Jericho; and all his army was scattered from him. 6 Then they captured the king and carried him up to the king of Babylon to Riblah; and they passed judgment on him. 7 They killed Zedekiah’s sons before his eyes, then put out Zedekiah’s eyes, bound him in fetters, and carried him to Babylon.
Jeremiah 52:6–11Parallel account
6 In the fourth month, in the ninth day of the month, the famine was severe in the city, so that there was no bread for the people of the land. 7 Then a breach was made in the city, and all the men of war fled, and went out of the city by night by the way of the gate between the two walls, which was by the king’s garden. Now the Chaldeans were against the city all around. The men of war went toward the Arabah, 8 but the army of the Chaldeans pursued the king, and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho; and all his army was scattered from him. 9 Then they took the king, and carried him up to the king of Babylon to Riblah in the land of Hamath; and he pronounced judgment on him. 10 The king of Babylon killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes. He also killed all the princes of Judah in Riblah. 11 He put out the eyes of Zedekiah; and the king of Babylon bound him in fetters, and carried him to Babylon, and put him in prison until the day of his death.
Jeremiah 39:2–7Parallel account
2 In the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, the ninth day of the month, a breach was made in the city. 3 All the princes of the king of Babylon came in, and sat in the middle gate: Nergal Sharezer, Samgarnebo, Sarsechim the Rabsaris, Nergal Sharezer the Rabmag, with all the rest of the princes of the king of Babylon. 4 When Zedekiah the king of Judah and all the men of war saw them, then they fled and went out of the city by night, by the way of the king’s garden, through the gate between the two walls; and he went out toward the Arabah. 5 But the army of the Chaldeans pursued them, and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho. When they had taken him, they brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to Riblah in the land of Hamath; and he pronounced judgment on him. 6 Then the king of Babylon killed Zedekiah’s sons in Riblah before his eyes. The king of Babylon also killed all the nobles of Judah. 7 Moreover he put out Zedekiah’s eyes and bound him in fetters, to carry him to Babylon.

Connection: News of the city's fall reaches Ezekiel in the twelfth year of the captivity (Young's key synchronism). (confidence: high)

Biblical account

Layer: Biblical text

On 9/IV of the eleventh year, with famine severe, a breach was made; Zedekiah fled toward the Arabah, was overtaken in the plains of Jericho, judged at Riblah, his sons killed and his eyes put out, and he was taken to Babylon in bronze fetters.

Historical overview

Layer: Historical reconstruction · Period: Summer 587 or 586 BC

Babylonian records of the destruction have not been found; the year depends on how the biblical regnal years are counted (Young 2004). Riblah, south of Homs, was Nebuchadnezzar's base in Syria.[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.

589 BC – 585 BC

Model-independent (applies under every chronology model) · precision: regnal year

How this range was derived

Earliest bound

  1. reign of Zedekiah began between 15 Mar 597 BC and 30 Apr 597 BC (model-independent) (2 Kings 24:18)[1, 2]Assumption: ABC 5: after capturing the city on 2 Adar year 7 (15/16 Mar 597) Nebuchadnezzar "appointed there a king of his own choice"; 2 Kgs 24:17. Upper bound (end of April 597) is an operator margin covering Nisan 597. End in summer 587 or 586 BC depending on reckoning (see the two chronology models).
  2. “In the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month” — The final siege of Jerusalem begins (10/X of Zedekiah's ninth year) years later reign of Zedekiah (2 Kings 25:1)Assumption: Zedekiah's ninth year counted from his installation in spring 597 by either Nisan or Tishri reckoning; margin 7–9 years after the start (operator).
  3. “So the city was besieged until the eleventh year … On the ninth day of the fourth month” — The breach of Jerusalem and Zedekiah's capture at Riblah (9/IV of Zedekiah's 11th year) months later The final siege of Jerusalem begins (10/X of Zedekiah's ninth year) (2 Kings 25:2–3)[1]Assumption: From 10/X of year 9 to 9/IV of year 11 is about 18 months with Nisan years and about 30 months with Tishri years; both are allowed (Young 2004 discusses the options).

Latest bound

  1. reign of Zedekiah began between 15 Mar 597 BC and 30 Apr 597 BC (model-independent) (2 Kings 24:18)[1, 2]Assumption: ABC 5: after capturing the city on 2 Adar year 7 (15/16 Mar 597) Nebuchadnezzar "appointed there a king of his own choice"; 2 Kgs 24:17. Upper bound (end of April 597) is an operator margin covering Nisan 597. End in summer 587 or 586 BC depending on reckoning (see the two chronology models).
  2. “In the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month” — The final siege of Jerusalem begins (10/X of Zedekiah's ninth year) years later reign of Zedekiah (2 Kings 25:1)Assumption: Zedekiah's ninth year counted from his installation in spring 597 by either Nisan or Tishri reckoning; margin 7–9 years after the start (operator).
  3. “So the city was besieged until the eleventh year … On the ninth day of the fourth month” — The breach of Jerusalem and Zedekiah's capture at Riblah (9/IV of Zedekiah's 11th year) months later The final siege of Jerusalem begins (10/X of Zedekiah's ninth year) (2 Kings 25:2–3)[1]Assumption: From 10/X of year 9 to 9/IV of year 11 is about 18 months with Nisan years and about 30 months with Tishri years; both are allowed (Young 2004 discusses the options).

586 BC – 585 BC

Fall of Jerusalem in 586 BC (accession-year count of Nebuchadnezzar's years) · precision: regnal year

How this range was derived

Earliest bound

  1. “which was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar” — Nebuzaradan burns the Temple and Jerusalem (5th month of Nebuchadnezzar's 19th year) in regnal year reign of Nebuchadnezzar II (year 19) [reckoned accession, nisan new year] (2 Kings 25:8)[1, 3]Assumption: Babylonian accession-year counting: year 19 = Nisan 586 – Nisan 585.
  2. “Now in the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month” — Nebuzaradan burns the Temple and Jerusalem (5th month of Nebuchadnezzar's 19th year) days later The breach of Jerusalem and Zedekiah's capture at Riblah (9/IV of Zedekiah's 11th year) (2 Kings 25:8)Assumption: From 9/IV to 7/V (Kings) or 10/V (Jer 52:12): 27–31 days with 29/30-day months.

Latest bound

  1. “which was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar” — Nebuzaradan burns the Temple and Jerusalem (5th month of Nebuchadnezzar's 19th year) in regnal year reign of Nebuchadnezzar II (year 19) [reckoned accession, nisan new year] (2 Kings 25:8)[1, 3]Assumption: Babylonian accession-year counting: year 19 = Nisan 586 – Nisan 585.
  2. “Now in the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month” — Nebuzaradan burns the Temple and Jerusalem (5th month of Nebuchadnezzar's 19th year) days later The breach of Jerusalem and Zedekiah's capture at Riblah (9/IV of Zedekiah's 11th year) (2 Kings 25:8)Assumption: From 9/IV to 7/V (Kings) or 10/V (Jer 52:12): 27–31 days with 29/30-day months.

587 BC – 586 BC

Fall of Jerusalem in 587 BC (non-accession count of Nebuchadnezzar's years in 2 Kings) · precision: regnal year

How this range was derived

Earliest bound

  1. “which was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar” — Nebuzaradan burns the Temple and Jerusalem (5th month of Nebuchadnezzar's 19th year) in regnal year reign of Nebuchadnezzar II (year 19) [reckoned non-accession, nisan new year] (2 Kings 25:8)[1]Assumption: Non-accession counting in 2 Kings (Young 2004): year 19 = Nisan 587 – Nisan 586.
  2. “Now in the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month” — Nebuzaradan burns the Temple and Jerusalem (5th month of Nebuchadnezzar's 19th year) days later The breach of Jerusalem and Zedekiah's capture at Riblah (9/IV of Zedekiah's 11th year) (2 Kings 25:8)Assumption: From 9/IV to 7/V (Kings) or 10/V (Jer 52:12): 27–31 days with 29/30-day months.

Latest bound

  1. “which was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar” — Nebuzaradan burns the Temple and Jerusalem (5th month of Nebuchadnezzar's 19th year) in regnal year reign of Nebuchadnezzar II (year 19) [reckoned non-accession, nisan new year] (2 Kings 25:8)[1]Assumption: Non-accession counting in 2 Kings (Young 2004): year 19 = Nisan 587 – Nisan 586.
  2. “Now in the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month” — Nebuzaradan burns the Temple and Jerusalem (5th month of Nebuchadnezzar's 19th year) days later The breach of Jerusalem and Zedekiah's capture at Riblah (9/IV of Zedekiah's 11th year) (2 Kings 25:8)Assumption: From 9/IV to 7/V (Kings) or 10/V (Jer 52:12): 27–31 days with 29/30-day months.

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What else was happening? (model-independent)

  • 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
  • Gedaliah governs from Mizpah and is assassinated (2 Kgs 25:22–26): 589 BC – ?
  • Nebuzaradan burns the Temple and Jerusalem (5th month of Nebuchadnezzar's 19th year): 589 BC – 584 BC
  • The final siege of Jerusalem begins (10/X of Zedekiah's ninth year): 590 BC – 587 BC
  • Zedekiah (reign): 597 BC – 586 BC

What else was happening? (Fall of Jerusalem in 586 BC (accession-year count of Nebuchadnezzar's years))

  • 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
  • Gedaliah governs from Mizpah and is assassinated (2 Kgs 25:22–26): 586 BC – ?
  • Nebuzaradan burns the Temple and Jerusalem (5th month of Nebuchadnezzar's 19th year): 586 BC – 585 BC
  • Zedekiah (reign): 597 BC – 586 BC

What else was happening? (Fall of Jerusalem in 587 BC (non-accession count of Nebuchadnezzar's years in 2 Kings))

  • 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
  • Gedaliah governs from Mizpah and is assassinated (2 Kgs 25:22–26): 587 BC – ?
  • Nebuzaradan burns the Temple and Jerusalem (5th month of Nebuchadnezzar's 19th year): 587 BC – 586 BC
  • Zedekiah (reign): 597 BC – 586 BC

Ancient and modern geography

Location confidence assumes the event as described. Whether it occurred is assessed in the claims below.

PlaceConnection to this eventLocation identification
JerusalemJerusalem (Old City / City of David)Breached cityLocation confidence: certainPleiades representative point: certain[4]
JerichoTell es-Sultan (ancient site), near ArihaWhere Zedekiah was overtaken (its plains)Location confidence: certainJericho (Pleiades 687917): certain[5]
RiblahRiblaBabylonian headquarters; judgment of ZedekiahLocation confidence: certainRiblah (Pleiades 431124909): certain[6]

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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.

Jerusalem fell in the summer of 587 BC (rather than 586).

DisputedOwner review pendingHistorical reconstructionIn owner review queue

Babylonian records of the destruction are lost. Young argues from Ezekiel's dates and the reckoning of 2 Kings that the city fell in Tammuz 587, listing Wiseman and Kitchen with him; Thiele and the popular literature give 586. Hughes counted eleven scholars on each side (as reported by Young). Both chronology models are kept.

Supporting

  • Conclusion: Jerusalem fell in Tammuz 587; Wiseman and Kitchen also favour 587.[1]Strength: indirect·pp. 21–22, 38·Claim checked

Challenging

  • Thiele preferred 586, "the date most widely used in the popular literature"; Hughes lists eleven scholars for each date.[1]Strength: indirect·p. 21·Claim checked
  • Guzik dates the final destruction to 586.[7]Strength: indirect·on 24 (overview)·Claim checked

Context

  • City taken 9/IV of Zedekiah's 11th year.[8]Strength: direct·Ant. 10.8.2·Claim checked

Limitations of this classification: Thiele (1983) known here only through Young.

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

None recorded for this event.

Scientific findings

None recorded for this event.

Ancient documents

Modern news and announcements

None recorded for this event.

Reference works and summaries

Historical disputes and competing reconstructions

Disputed claims: Jerusalem fell in the summer of 587 BC (rather than 586).

  • Tammuz 587 BC

    R. C. Young (2004); D. J. Wiseman and K. A. Kitchen (as listed by Young)

    Ezekiel and 2 Kings use Tishri years; 2 Kings counts Nebuchadnezzar's years without an accession year.[1]

  • Tammuz 586 BC

    E. R. Thiele (as reported by Young); D. Guzik (586)

    Nebuchadnezzar's nineteenth year counted Babylonian-style; "the date most widely used in the popular literature" (Young).[1, 7]

Related passages and events

FromRelationshipToBasis
this eventSame eventhigh · Biblical textJeremiah 52:6–11Parallel account.
this eventSame eventhigh · Biblical textJeremiah 39:2–7Parallel in Jeremiah 39.
this eventThematic parallelmedium · InterpretationEzekiel 12:13"He will not see it, though he will die there" — read by Guzik as fulfilled in Zedekiah's blinding.[9]
this eventDirect referencehigh · Biblical textEzekiel 33:21News of the city's fall reaches Ezekiel in the twelfth year of the captivity (Young's key synchronism).[1]
this eventFollowed byhigh · Biblical textNebuzaradan burns the Temple and Jerusalem (5th month of Nebuchadnezzar's 19th year)About a month later the Temple was burned.

Prophetic relationships

No prophecy or proposed-fulfillment relationships have been recorded for this event.

Commentary references

Layer: Interpretation. This is commentary, not historical evidence.

Guzik follows the narrative to Riblah and links Zedekiah's blinding with Ezek 12:13.[9]

Unanswered questions and research gaps

  • Thiele (1983) not read directly; Hughes (1990) not read.

Research process

3 logged searches
DateQueryWhereUseful
2026-10-13Young 2004 (JETS)web fetch1
2026-10-13Josephus Ant. 10.8.2local text1
2026-10-13Enduring Word 2 Kings 25web fetch1

Sources

  1. 1.
    Young, Rodger C.. When Did Jerusalem Fall?. Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 47/1 (2004) 21–38. etsjets.orgClaim checkedScholarly commentaryVerification log
  2. 2.
    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
  3. 3.
    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
  4. 4.
    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
  5. 5.
    Pleiades contributors. Jericho — Pleiades place 687917. Pleiades (pleiades.stoa.org). pleiades.stoa.orgClaim checkedInstitutional databaseRepresentative point read from the Pleiades JSON record: lon 35.44414173292347, lat 31.871016814381463.Verification log
  6. 6.
    Pleiades contributors. Rablê (Riblah) — Pleiades place 431124909. Pleiades (pleiades.stoa.org). pleiades.stoa.orgClaim checkedInstitutional databaseRepresentative point read from the Pleiades JSON record: lon 36.5491417, lat 34.4321487.Verification log
  7. 7.
    Guzik, David. 2 Kings 24 — Enduring Word Bible Commentary. Enduring Word. enduringword.comClaim checkedTheological commentaryInterpretive resource — not historical corroboration.Verification log
  8. 8.
    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
  9. 9.
    Guzik, David. 2 Kings 25 — Enduring Word Bible Commentary. Enduring Word. enduringword.comClaim checkedTheological commentaryInterpretive resource — not historical corroboration.Verification log