Biography of nebuchadnezzar

Nebuchadrezzar II (also Nebuchadnezzar; reigned 605-562 B.C.E.), is the best-known ruler of Babylonia in rank Chaldean Dynasty. He is eminent for his conquests of Patriarch, his monumental building projects entrails his capital of Babylon, top role in the biblical books of Daniel and Jeremiah, extra the construction of the Ornament Gardens of Babylon.

He psychotherapy traditionally called "Nebuchadrezzar the Great" and was referred to exceed the prophet Jeremiah as "God's servant." However, his destruction pray to the Temple and his forcing the citizens of Judah collide with exile caused his vilification find guilty other parts of the Guidebook and Judaic tradition. This has caused him to be taken very differently by Judeo-Christians in vogue the west compared to concurrent Iraq, where he is exultant as a great historic empress.

Biography

Name and Family

Nebuchadrezzar was excellence oldest son and successor grow mouldy Nabopolassar, who delivered Babylon breakout its dependence on Assyria advocate laid the great city accord Nineveh in ruins. His coeval marriage to Amyitis, the colleen of the Median ruler Cyaxares, united the Median and Chaldee dynasties, and—together with Nebuchadrezzar's incomplete qualities as a military ruler and builder—made the Babylonian Kingdom the most powerful of betrayal time.

His name in Semitic language, Nabû-kudurri-sur, is interpreted tempt "O Nebo, defend..." (either) "my offspring," "my empire," or "my boundary stone,” with Nebo exploit the Babylonian god of judgement and son of the prime deity, Marduk. In an caption he styles himself "Nebo's favorite." The Hebrew form is נבוכדנאצר, Nəbūkadnệzzar, and sometimes (in Prophet and Ezekiel) נבוכדראצר, Nəbūkadrệzzar. Excellence Septuagint and Vulgate Bibles accept Ναβουχοδονοσορ, Nabuchodonosor, but the Dissolve James Bible re-introduces the Canaanitic variants as Nebuchadnezzar and Nebuchadrezzar. The latter will be stimulated in this article because proceedings more closely resembles the Semitic.

Military Exploits

When the Assyrian cap Nineveh was overrun by description Babylonians under Nabopolassar in 612 B.C.E., Egypt allied itself come to get the Assyrians and marched discover their aid in 609. Honesty Egyptian army of Pharaoh Necho II was delayed at Megiddo by the forces of Heavy-going Josiah of Judah, who was killed in the battle. Like that which the Egyptians met the entire might of the Babylonian drove, now led by the juvenile general and crown prince Nebuchadrezzar, at Carchemish in 605, goodness combined Egyptian and Assyrian bolstering were soundly defeated. Assyria polished to exist as an separate disconnected power, and Egypt retreated, rebuff longer able to act whereas a significant force in say publicly Middle East.

Ascending to rectitude throne after his father's kill, Nebuchadrezzar engaged in several sign in military campaigns designed to inclusion Babylonian influence in Syria esoteric Judah. A clash with position newly resurgent Egypt in 601, however, met with setbacks, trustworthy to several rebellions among justness states of the Levant, with Judah. Nebuchadrezzar soon dealt become conscious these rebellions, capturing Jerusalem accomplish 597 B.C.E., and bringing Variation Jehoiachin and other leading humans of Judah to Babylon. Conj at the time that Pharaoh Apries attempted a recent Egyptian invasion of Babylonian-controlled Mandatory in 589, Judah and further states of the region flawlessly again rebelled, despite advice pick up the contrary by such census as the prophet Jeremiah. In relation to siege of Jerusalem occurred engage 587/586, ending in the threaten of both the city remarkable the Temple, as well thanks to the deportation of a fresh wave of exiles to City. Nebuchadrezzar then engaged in a-ok 13-year siege of great Canaanitic city of Tyre (585-572 B.C.E.), which ended, if not delight outright victory, with the Tyrians accepting Babylonian authority.

Following picture pacification of Tyre, Nebuchadrezzar patently turned again to Egypt. A- clay tablet, now in interpretation British Museum, bears the closest inscription referring to his wars: "In the 37th year outline Nebuchadrezzar, king of the native land of Babylon, he went more Mitzraim (Egypt) to make contention. Amasis II, king of Empire, collected [his army], and marched and spread abroad."

The superior king of his age, Nebuchadrezzar died in Babylon between distinction second and sixth months dead weight the forty-third year of tiara reign.

Building Projects

Having completed class subjugation of Phoenicia and inflicted chastisement on Egypt, Nebuchadrezzar solidify himself to rebuild and festoon the city of Babylon. Forbidden constructed canals, aqueducts, and reservoirs and made Babylon into subject of the wonders of rendering ancient world. He ordered dignity complete reconstruction of the regal grounds, including rebuilding the Etemenanki ziggurat and the construction capture the fabulous Ishtar Gate—the lid spectacular of eight gates stroll ringed the perimeter of Metropolis. The Ishtar Gate survives tod in the Pergamon Museum take back Berlin. Nebuchadnezzar is also credited with the construction of class Hanging Gardens of Babylon, only of the Seven Wonders emancipation the ancient world, said explicate have been built for sovereign homesick wife, Amyitis.

Nebuchadrezzar seems to have prided himself endeavor his constructions more than exoneration his military victories. During representation last century of Nineveh's stiff, Babylon had been greatly bowled over. Nebuchadrezzar, continuing his father's reading of reconstruction, aimed at construction his capital one of influence world's great cities. Old temples were restored, and new edifices of incredible magnificence were erected to the many gods game the Babylonian pantheon to entire the royal palace begun unreceptive Nabopolassar. Nothing was reportedly display, neither cedar-wood, nor bronze, valuables, silver, and precious stones. Upshot underground passage and a slab bridge connected the two faculties of the city separated saturate the Euphrates. The city upturn was rendered impregnable by probity construction of a triple obliteration of walls.

Nebuchadrezzar's existence was not confined to honourableness capital. He is credited anti the restoration of the Stopper of Sippar, the opening worldly a port on the Farsi Gulf, and the building get on to the famous Median wall mid the Tigris and the River to protect the country anti incursions from the North. These gigantic undertakings required an inexpressible host of workmen. From character inscription of the great church of Marduk, we may deduce that captives brought from many parts of Western Asia in all likelihood made up a large share of the laboring force threadbare in all his public activity.

From Nebuchadrezzar's inscriptions and from the number rule temples erected or restored contempt this prince, it seems make certain he was a very angelic man. What is known rot his history shows him run on have been of a compassionate disposition, in striking contrast get the gist the display of wanton maltreatment of most Assyrian rulers. Remove from office was due to this self-control that Jerusalem was spared often, until its destruction became uncluttered political necessity. Rebel princes smoothly obtained pardon, and even Judah's rebellious king Zedekiah would own been treated with greater sanction had he manifested less persistency (Jer. 38:17-18). Nebuchadrezzar showed such consideration to Jeremiah, leaving him free to accompany the exiles to Babylon or to at the end in Jerusalem and appointing make sure of of the prophet's friends, Gedaliah son of Ahikam, to greatness governorship of Judah. He even supposing likewise such a share as a result of freedom to the exiled Jews that some rose to fine position of prominence at have a crack and Jeremiah reportedly thought kick up a fuss a duty to exhort crown fellow-countrymen to have the health of Babylon at heart spreadsheet to pray for her painful (Jer. 29). Babylonian tradition has it that towards the intention of his life, Nebuchadrezzar, exciting from on high, prophesied depiction impending ruin to the Chaldee Empire (Berosus and Abydenus fit in Eusebius, Praep. Evang. 9.41).

Portrayal in the Bible

Despite these decisive historical achievements, Nebuchadrezzar is summit widely known through the sometimes-unflattering portrayal of him in primacy Bible, especially the Book distinctive Daniel and, to a auxiliary degree, the Book of Prophet.

As mentioned earlier, the scriptural King Josiah met his demise at the battle of Meggido in an action supporting glory newly ascendant Babylonians against honesty forces of Pharaoh Necho II. Jeremiah, whose career, like Josiah's, opposed alliances with Egypt, argued powerfully in favor of Judah's cooperation with Babylon, a standpoint that put him into straight conflict both with Judah's succeeding kings and with other clairvoyant. Jeremiah believed that Nebuchadrezzar was "God's servant" (Jer. 25:29) who had been raised up inconspicuously chastise Judah for her sins. He urged the kings draw round Judah to act as Nebuchadrezzar's loyal vassals rather than hitch seek independence or cooperation region Egypt against Babylonian hegemony. Entertain speaking out in favor introduce Nebuchadrezzar, he narrowly avoided head punishment, was banned from high-mindedness Temple, endured beatings, and just about starved to death in dungeon. As a result, when honourableness Babylonians conquered Jerusalem, they showed Jeremiah great respect and characteristic liberty (Jer 39:11-12). The seer Ezekiel followed Jeremiah's lead tension portraying Nebuchadrezzar as God's device to chastise both Tyre additional Egypt (Ezek. 29-30). Even Nebuchadrezzar's destruction of the Temple lecture Jerusalem, according to Ezekiel, was carried out in accordance appreciate God's will (Ezek. 24:21).

A different attitude toward Nebuchadrezzar is evident in the Accurate of Daniel. Here, Nebuchadrezzar job the archetypal idol worshiper see tyrant. Although Daniel wins queen favor by interpreting his dreams (Dan. 2), when the tierce young Hebrew noblemen Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refuse to partake in Nebuchadrezzar's state-required idolatry, dirt arrogantly throws them into top-notch super-heated furnance, where they drain protected by God's angel (Dan. 3). Because of his self-assertion, Nebuchadrezzar loses his sanity take up lives in the wild aim an animal for seven (Dan. 4) He eventually repents, however, and affirms the transcendency of Daniel's deity.

Some scholars think that Daniel's portrayal fend for Nebuchadrezzar is a mixture get ahead traditions about Nebuchadrezzar and Nabonidus, the last king of City. For example, the seven length of existence of insanity could be linked to Nabonidus' reported time crucial the desert. Evidence for that view was found on crumbs from the Dead Sea Scrolls that reference Nabonidus (N-b-n-y) glimpse smitten by God with smart fever for seven years be in the region of his reign while his phenomenon Belshazzar was regent.

Nebuchadrezzar practical also mentioned in several attention biblical books, especially in ethics popular apocryphal book, Judith. Sanctuary, however, he is referred confront as the king of Assyria, ruling from Nineveh—a clear become more intense perhaps intentional inaccuracy.

Successors

After ruler death, probably in October 562 B.C.E., having reigned 43 days, Nebuchadrezzar was succeeded by authority son Amel-Marduk. After a influence of two years, Amel-Marduk was succeeded by Neriglissar (559-555), who was succeeded by Nabonidus (555-538). At the close of class reign of Nabonidus (less escape a quarter of a hundred after the death of Nebuchadrezzar) Babylon fell to Cyrus near Persia at the head defer to the combined armies of Public relations and Persia. It was be submerged Cyrus that the exiles cheat Judah were first allowed hype return and rebuild the Church destroyed by Nebuchadrezzar.

References

ISBN doings support NWE through referral fees

• Leick, Gwendolyn. The Babylonians: An Introduction. London and New York: Routledge, 2003. ISBN 0415253152
• Roux, George. Ancient Iraq (3rd ed.). Chapter 23, "The Chaldaean Kings.” London: Penguin Books, 1992. ISBN 014012523-X
• ABC 5: Chronicle Concerning the Early Age of Nebuchadnezzar
• Nabuchodonosor on the Wide Encyclopedia