Nebuchadnezzar was the king who led the Neo-Babylonian Empire (see Babylon) to its golden age. His official title was 'Nebuchadnezzar II'. He defeated the remaining forces of Assyria and also repelled Egypt, which had attempted to advance during Assyria's weakened state, thereby establishing an empire in the region of Asia Minor.
2 Kings 24:7Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem) three months. His mother’s name was Nehushta the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem.
Jeremiah 46:2“Prepare the buckler and shield, and draw near to battle!Jeremiah 46:3Harness the horses, and get up, you horsemen, and stand up with your helmets. Polish the spears, put on the coats of mail.Jeremiah 46:4Why have I seen it? They are dismayed and are turned backward. Their mighty ones are beaten down, have fled in haste, and don’t look back. Terror is on every side,” says Yahweh.Jeremiah 46:5“Don’t let the swift flee away, nor the mighty man escape. In the north by the river Euphrates they have stumbled and fallen. Jeremiah 46:6“Who is this who rises up like the Nile, whose waters toss themselves like the rivers?Jeremiah 46:7Egypt rises up like the Nile, and his waters toss themselves like the rivers. He says, ‘I will rise up. I will cover the earth. I will destroy cities and its inhabitants.’Jeremiah 46:8Go up, you horses! Rage, you chariots! Let the mighty men go out: Cush and Put, who handle the shield; and the Ludim, who handle and bend the bow.Jeremiah 46:9For that day is of the Lord, Yahweh of Armies, a day of vengeance, that he may avenge himself of his adversaries. The sword will devour and be satiated, and will drink its fill of their blood; for the Lord, Yahweh of Armies, has a sacrifice in the north country by the river Euphrates.Jeremiah 46:10Go up into Gilead, and take balm, virgin daughter of Egypt. You use many medicines in vain. There is no healing for you.Jeremiah 46:11The nations have heard of your shame, and the earth is full of your cry; for the mighty man has stumbled against the mighty, they both fall together.”Jeremiah 46:12The word that Yahweh spoke to Jeremiah the prophet, how that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon should come and strike the land of Egypt.
그리고 이 시기에 이집트와 동맹을 맺었던 유다 왕국의 마지막 왕 시드기야를 사로잡아 그가 보는 앞에서 두 아들을 죽인 후, 두 눈을 뽑은 뒤 사슬에 묶어 끌고 갔다.
죽은 뒤 아들 에윌므로닥에게 왕위를 물려줬다.
2 Kings 25:27and he spoke kindly to him, and set his throne above the throne of the kings who were with him in Babylon,
느부갓네살 왕은 총 3차례에 걸쳐 유다 왕국을 침공하여 약탈하고 많은 백성들을 잡아갔다.
처음에는 속국으로 만들어 조공을 받았으나 여호야김왕이 친애굽정책을 별치자 이스라엘을 침략하여 여호야김왕과 귀족들을 잡아갔다.
2 Kings 24:1Yahweh sent against him bands of the Chaldeans, and bands of the Syrians, and bands of the Moabites, and bands of the children of Ammon, and sent them against Judah to destroy it, according to Yahweh’s word, which he spoke by his servants the prophets.
Daniel 1:1The Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God; and he carried them into the land of Shinar to the house of his god. He brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god.Daniel 1:2The king spoke to Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring in some of the children of Israel, even of the royal offspring and of the nobles;Daniel 1:3youths in whom was no defect, but well-favored, and skillful in all wisdom, and endowed with knowledge, and understanding science, and who had the ability to stand in the king’s palace; and that he should teach them the learning and the language of the Chaldeans.Daniel 1:4The king appointed for them a daily portion of the king’s dainties, and of the wine which he drank, and that they should be nourished three years; that at its end they should stand before the king.
이 때 여호야김의 뒤를 이은 여호야긴왕이 즉위한지 석달만에 다시 침략하여 여호야긴왕과 귀족들을 포로로 잡아갔다. 이때 수많은 보물과 백성들 1만명을 끌고가며 공장과 대장장이도 잡아갔다.
2 Kings 24:8He did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight, according to all that his father had done.2 Kings 24:9At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up to Jerusalem, and the city was besieged.2 Kings 24:10Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to the city while his servants were besieging it,2 Kings 24:11and Jehoiachin the king of Judah went out to the king of Babylon), he, and his mother, and his servants, and his princes, and his officers; and the king of Babylon captured him in the eighth year of his reign.2 Kings 24:12He carried out from there all the treasures of Yahweh’s house, and the treasures of the king’s house, and cut in pieces all the vessels of gold, which Solomon king of Israel had made in Yahweh’s temple, as Yahweh had said.2 Kings 24:13He carried away all Jerusalem, and all the princes, and all the mighty men of valor, even ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and the smiths. No one remained, except the poorest people of the land.2 Kings 24:14He carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon), with the king’s mother, the king’s wives, his officers, and the chief men of the land. He carried them into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon.
남아있던 유대 땅에는 여호야긴을 대신하여 그의 숙부 맛다니야를 왕으로 삼고 시드기야로 개명을 하였다.
2 Kings 24:17Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.
그러나 예레미야(선지자)의 경고를 무시하고 친애굽정책을 펼치자, 느부갓네살은 마지막으로 예루살렘을 공격하여 함락시켰다.
2 Kings 24:20For through the anger of Yahweh, this happened in Jerusalem and Judah, until he had cast them out from his presence. Then Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.
이 시기에 다니엘이 그 친구 사드락, 메삭, 아벳느고와 함께 잡혀갔다. 그곳에서 다니엘의 세 친구가 금신상에 절하지 않자 이들을 풀무불에 던져넣었으나 살아있는 것을 보고 풀어주며, 하나님을 찬송하였다.
Daniel 3:24He answered, “Look, I see four men loose, walking in the middle of the fire, and they are unharmed. The appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.”Daniel 3:25Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace. He spoke and said, “Shadrach), Meshach, and Abednego), you servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of the middle of the fire.Daniel 3:26The local governors, the deputies, and the governors, and the king’s counselors, being gathered together, saw these men, that the fire had no power on their bodies. The hair of their head wasn’t singed. Their pants weren’t changed, the smell of fire wasn’t even on them.Daniel 3:27Nebuchadnezzar spoke and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel, and delivered his servants who trusted in him, and have changed the king’s word, and have yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.Daniel 3:28Therefore I make a decree, that every people, nation, and language, which speak anything evil against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill; because there is no other god who is able to deliver like this.”Daniel 3:29Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.Daniel 3:30Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.
이후, 느부갓네살은 꿈를 꾸었는데, 다니엘에게 해몽하게 하였다.
Daniel 4:4I saw a dream which made me afraid; and the thoughts on my bed and the visions of my head troubled me.Daniel 4:5Therefore made I a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream.Daniel 4:6Then the magicians, the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers came in; and I told the dream before them; but they didn’t make known to me its interpretation.Daniel 4:7But at the last Daniel came in before me, whose name was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods. I told the dream before him, saying,Daniel 4:8“Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you, and no secret troubles you, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and its interpretation.Daniel 4:9Thus were the visions of my head on my bed: I saw, and behold, a tree in the middle of the earth; and its height was great.Daniel 4:10The tree grew, and was strong, and its height reached to the sky, and its sight to the end of all the earth.Daniel 4:11The leaves of it were beautiful, and it had much fruit, and in it was food for all. The animals of the field had shade under it, and the birds of the sky lived in its branches, and all flesh was fed from it.Daniel 4:12“I saw in the visions of my head on my bed, and behold, a watcher and a holy one came down from the sky.Daniel 4:13He cried aloud, and said this, ‘Cut down the tree, and cut off its branches! Shake off its leaves, and scatter its fruit! Let the animals get away from under it, and the fowls from its branches.Daniel 4:14Nevertheless leave the stump of its roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of the sky. Let his portion be with the animals in the grass of the earth.Daniel 4:15Let his heart be changed from man’s, and let an animal’s heart be given to him. Then let seven times pass over him.Daniel 4:16“ ‘The sentence is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones; to the intent that the living may know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever he will, and sets up over it the lowest of men.’Daniel 4:17“This dream I, king Nebuchadnezzar, have seen; and you, Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation, because all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known to me the interpretation; but you are able; for the spirit of the holy gods is in you.”Daniel 4:18Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was stricken mute for a while, and his thoughts troubled him. The king answered, “Belteshazzar, don’t let the dream, or the interpretation, trouble you.” Belteshazzar answered, “My lord, may the dream be for those who hate you, and its interpretation to your adversaries.Daniel 4:19The tree that you saw, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached to the sky, and its sight to all the earth;Daniel 4:20whose leaves were beautiful, and its fruit plentiful, and in it was food for all; under which the animals of the field lived, and on whose branches the birds of the sky had their habitation:Daniel 4:21it is you, O king, that have grown and become strong; for your greatness has grown, and reaches to the sky, and your dominion to the end of the earth.Daniel 4:22“Whereas the king saw a watcher and a holy one coming down from the sky, and saying, ‘Cut down the tree, and destroy it; nevertheless leave the stump of its roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field, and let it be wet with the dew of the sky. Let his portion be with the animals of the field, until seven times pass over him.Daniel 4:23“This is the interpretation, O king, and it is the decree of the Most High, which has come on my lord the king:Daniel 4:24that you shall be driven from men, and your dwelling shall be with the animals of the field. You shall be made to eat grass as oxen, and shall be wet with the dew of the sky, and seven times shall pass over you; until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever he will.Daniel 4:25Whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the roots of the tree; your kingdom shall be sure to you, after that you will have known that the heavens do rule.Daniel 4:26Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you, and break off your sins by righteousness, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor. Perhaps there may be a lengthening of your tranquility.”Daniel 4:27All this came on the king Nebuchadnezzar.
Daniel 4:28At the end of twelve months he was walking in the royal palace of Babylon.Daniel 4:29The king spoke and said, “Is not this great Babylon, which I have built for the royal dwelling place, by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?”Daniel 4:30While the word was in the king’s mouth, a voice came from the sky, saying, “O king Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: ‘The kingdom has departed from you.Daniel 4:31You shall be driven from men; and your dwelling shall be with the animals of the field. You shall be made to eat grass as oxen. Seven times shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever he will.’ ”Daniel 4:32This was fulfilled the same hour on Nebuchadnezzar. He was driven from men, and ate grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of the sky, until his hair had grown like eagles’ feathers, and his nails like birds’ claws.Daniel 4:33At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and I praised and honored him who lives forever; for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom from generation to generation.Daniel 4:34All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; and he does according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth; and no one can stop his hand, or ask him, “What are you doing?”