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What happened to Jerusalem when the Babylonians captured it in 586 BCE?
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Jeremiah
Jeremiah Lamenting the Destruction of Jerusalem, oil on panel by Rembrandt, 1630: in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.
When the Neo-Babylonian forces under Nebuchadnezzar II captured Jerusalem in 586 BCE, they brought about the end of the Kingdom of Judah and initiated the Babylonian Captivity.12
The consequences of the conquest included:
- Destruction of the City: The Babylonians destroyed the city’s walls and houses, and the First Temple of Jerusalem was sacked and burned.12
- Deportation: The majority of the population, including the ruling class, soldiers, artisans, and other skilled workers, were deported to Babylon. While some non-elite members of society remained in rural areas to work the land, the region suffered a significant population decline.12
- Fate of the Leadership: King Zedekiah attempted to flee but was captured near Jericho. His sons were executed in his presence, and he was blinded and taken in chains to Babylon, where he remained imprisoned until his death.12
- Political Status: Judah lost its status as an independent kingdom and was reduced to a Babylonian province.2