Nebuchadnezzar נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּר, נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר
Emperor of Babylon who conquered Judah
Who is Nebuchadnezzar in the Bible?
Nebuchadnezzar II was the powerful Emperor of the Neo-Babylonian Empire (605-562 BC) who conquered Judah and destroyed Jerusalem. He first invaded Judah during King Jehoiakim's reign, making it a vassal state, and later besieged Jerusalem, deporting King Jehoiachin and installing Zedekiah as a puppet king (Jeremiah 21:2, 24:1). When Zedekiah rebelled, Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the temple and deported most of Judah's population to Babylon, including the prophet Daniel (Jeremiah 39:1, Daniel 1:1-6). His reign marks a pivotal moment in biblical history, as the Babylonian exile became central to Israel's understanding of divine judgment and the promise of future restoration through the prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel.
Biography
Nebuchadnezzar II was the Emperor of the Neo-Babylonian Empire from 605-562 BC. He first invaded Judah during the reign of Jehoiakim, making the kingdom a vassal state (2Ki.24.1). When Judah later rebelled, Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem, deposed King Jehoiachin, and installed Zedekiah as a puppet king (2Ki.24.10-17). He also deported many Jews to Babylon, including the prophet Daniel (Dan.1.1-6).
When Zedekiah rebelled, Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem and the temple, deporting most of the remaining population (2Ki.25.1-21). He appointed Gedaliah as governor over the remnant (2Ki.25.22-24). The biblical books of Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel contain extensive material about Nebuchadnezzar's reign and conquests. Daniel records Nebuchadnezzar's dreams, his temporary insanity, and his ultimate acknowledgment of God's sovereignty (Daniel 2-4).
Nebuchadnezzar also besieged the Phoenician city of Tyre (Ezk.26.7-14) and invaded Egypt (Jer.46.13-26). He is portrayed as God's instrument of judgment against the nations while also being condemned for his pride and idolatry (Jer.25.9; 50.17-18). His Babylonian name, Nabu-kudurri-usur, means "Nabu, protect my firstborn son.
Family
In Scripture
8 biblical books ; 5 with study contentJeremiah 5 verses
- Jeremiah 21:2
"“Please inquire of the LORD on our behalf, since Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon is waging war against us. Perhaps the LORD will perform for us something like all His past wonders, so that Nebuchadnezzar will withdraw from us.”"
Study Jeremiah → - Jeremiah 21:7
"‘After that,’ declares the LORD, ‘I will hand over Zedekiah king of Judah, his officers, and the people in this city who survive the plague and sword and famine, to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and to their enemies who seek their lives. He will put them to the sword; he will..."
Study Jeremiah → - Jeremiah 22:25
"In fact, I will hand you over to those you dread, who want to take your life—to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and to the Chaldeans."
Study Jeremiah → - Jeremiah 24:1
"After Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried away Jeconiah son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, as well as the officials of Judah and the craftsmen and metalsmiths from Jerusalem, and had brought them to Babylon, the LORD showed me two baskets of figs placed in front of the..."
Study Jeremiah → - Jeremiah 25:1
"This is the word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the people of Judah in the fourth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah, which was the first year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon."
Study Jeremiah →
2 Kings 5 verses
- 2 Kings 24:1
"During Jehoiakim’s reign, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon invaded. So Jehoiakim became his vassal for three years, until he turned and rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar."
- 2 Kings 24:10
"At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched up to Jerusalem, and the city came under siege."
- 2 Kings 24:11
"And Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to the city while his servants were besieging it."
- 2 Kings 25:1
"So in the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign, on the tenth day of the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his entire army. They encamped outside the city and built a siege wall all around it."
- 2 Kings 25:8
"On the seventh day of the fifth month, in the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign over Babylon, Nebuzaradan captain of the guard, a servant of the king of Babylon, entered Jerusalem."
1 Chronicles 1 verse
- 1 Chronicles 6:15
"Jehozadak went into captivity when the LORD sent Judah and Jerusalem into exile by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar."
2 Chronicles 4 verses
- 2 Chronicles 36:6
"Then Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against Jehoiakim and bound him with bronze shackles to take him to Babylon."
- 2 Chronicles 36:7
"Nebuchadnezzar also took to Babylon some of the articles from the house of the LORD, and he put them in his temple in Babylon."
- 2 Chronicles 36:10
"In the spring, King Nebuchadnezzar summoned Jehoiachin and brought him to Babylon, along with the articles of value from the house of the LORD. And he made Jehoiachin’s relative Zedekiah king over Judah and Jerusalem."
- 2 Chronicles 36:13
"He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God. But Zedekiah stiffened his neck and hardened his heart against turning to the LORD, the God of Israel."
Ezra 1 verse
- Ezra 1:7
"King Cyrus also brought out the articles belonging to the house of the LORD that Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and placed in the temple of his gods."
Study Ezra →
Nehemiah 1 verse
- Nehemiah 7:6
"These are the people of the province who came up from the captivity of the exiles carried away to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar its king. They returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own town,"
Study Nehemiah →
Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּר, נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר | nĕbûkadĕneʾṣar | Nebukadnetstsar (or - retstsar , or - retstsor ), king of Babylon |
| (same form as previous) | Hebrew | נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּר, נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר | nĕbûkadĕneʾṣar | Nebukadnetstsar (or - retstsar , or - retstsor ), king of Babylon |
| Aramaic | Hebrew | נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּר, נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר | — | Nebuchadnezzar. |
| (same form as previous) | Hebrew | נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּר, נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר | — | Nebuchadnezzar. |