Exile, in Babylon

The southern kingdom of Judah was conquered by Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar. Before and after the destruction of Jerusalem in 587 B.C. the population was taken into exile in three stages.

The entire episode was within the purposes of God and under his control

The reason for the captivity

2 Kings 21:11–15 See also 1 Chronicles 9:1; Ezra 9:7

“Since Manasseh king of Judah has committed all these abominations, acting more wickedly than the Amorites who preceded him, and with his idols has caused Judah to sin, this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Behold, I am bringing such calamity upon Jerusalem and Judah that the news will reverberate in the ears of all who hear it. I will stretch out over Jerusalem the measuring line used against Samaria and the plumb line used against the house of Ahab, and I will wipe out Jerusalem as one wipes out a bowl— wiping it and turning it upside down. So I will forsake the remnant of My inheritance and deliver them into the hands of their enemies. And they will become plunder and spoil to all their enemies, because they have done evil in My sight and have provoked Me to anger from the day their fathers came out of Egypt until this day.’”

The captivity foretold by the prophets

Isaiah 39:5–7 See also Jeremiah 1:14–16, Jeremiah 13:17, Jeremiah 13:19; Ezekiel 12:11, Ezekiel 21:24

Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the LORD of Hosts: The time will surely come when everything in your palace and all that your fathers have stored up until this day will be carried off to Babylon. Nothing will be left, says the LORD. And some of your descendants, your own flesh and blood, will be taken away to be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.”

Babylon the instrument of God's chastisement of Judah

Jeremiah 22:25, Jeremiah 25:8–11

A remnant would be spared

Ezekiel 12:16

The historical details

Nebuchadnezzar marches against Jerusalem

Daniel 1:1–2 See also 2 Kings 25:1–21 parallel 2 Chronicles 36:17–20; Jeremiah 39:1–10, Jeremiah 52:4–27

In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. And the Lord delivered into his hand Jehoiakim king of Judah, along with some of the articles from the house of God. He carried these off to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, where he put them in the treasury of his god.

The people of Judah are taken into exile in three stages

Jeremiah 52:27–30

There at Riblah in the land of Hamath, the king of Babylon struck them down and put them to death. So Judah was taken into exile, away from its own land. These are the people Nebuchadnezzar carried away: in the seventh year, 3,023 Jews; in Nebuchadnezzar’s eighteenth year, 832 people from Jerusalem; in Nebuchadnezzar’s twenty-third year, Nebuzaradan captain of the guard carried away 745 Jews. So in all, 4,600 people were taken away.

God watches over his people during their captivity

The LORD hears and answers the prayers of his people in captivity

See also Psalm 69:33; Daniel 9:17–23, Daniel 10:12–14

Babylon spares certain captives, and gives them some freedom and dignity

2 Kings 25:27–30; Daniel 1:12–20, Daniel 2:48–49, Daniel 3:30, Daniel 6:28

God encourages his people during their captivity

Psalm 69:33; Jeremiah 29:11; Ezekiel 36:37–38

Promises of eventual restoration

Ezekiel 36:8

The promise of return from exile

Jeremiah 33:7–8 See also Jeremiah 16:15, Jeremiah 23:3, Jeremiah 24:5–7, Jeremiah 27:22, Jeremiah 29:14, Jeremiah 30:3, Jeremiah 31:27–28; Lamentations 4:22; Ezekiel 34:12–13; Zephaniah 3:20

I will restore Judah and Israel from captivity and will rebuild them as in former times. And I will cleanse them from all the iniquity they have committed against Me, and will forgive all their sins of rebellion against Me.

Restoration to be a demonstration of God's grace

Ezekiel 36:22

Therefore tell the house of Israel that this is what the Lord GOD says: It is not for your sake that I will act, O house of Israel, but for My holy name, which you profaned among the nations to which you went.

The promise of covenant renewal

See also Jeremiah 31:31–34; Ezekiel 34:25, Ezekiel 36:26–27

The promise of return fulfilled

2 Chronicles 36:22–23 parallel Ezra 1:1–3; Nehemiah 7:6

Babylonian oppressors to be punished

Jeremiah 25:12–14 See also Jeremiah 30:16, Jeremiah 50:18, Jeremiah 51:49, Jeremiah 51:55–56, Jeremiah 51:64; Ezekiel 36:7

But when seventy years are complete, I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation, the land of the Chaldeans, for their guilt, declares the LORD, and I will make it an everlasting desolation. I will bring upon that land all the words I have pronounced against it, all that is written in this book, which Jeremiah has prophesied against all the nations. For many nations and great kings will enslave them, and I will repay them according to their deeds and according to the work of their hands.’”