The Final Days of Judah

During the final years of its history, Judah was again caught in the struggle between two dominating powers, Egypt and Babylon. The rise of Babylon reached a high point in 605 B.C. with Nebuchadnezzar's first campaign to Canaan against the city of Carchemish. In that year, he defeated the Egyptian king Necho II. Coming to Judah, he captured nobles and young men for training in his service in Babylon in order to thwart any further rebellion in Jerusalem. Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were carried into captivity under his first campaign.

Despite Jeremiah's strong warnings against aligning the nation with Egypt, Zedekiah ignored these warnings. As a reprisal, Nebuchadnezzar campaigned against Judah in 588 B.C. After a two-year siege, Jerusalem fell and the temple was destroyed. An era had come to an end.