Seraiah son of Neriah, Jer 51:59

Seal of Baruch (Berekyahu) son of Neriah the scribe = Jeremiah's secretary

Ketef Hinnom Silver Scroll with Aaronic benediction (ca. 600) COS 2.83, p. 221

Neo-Babylonian Empire 626-539

Babylon:  Nabopolassar 625-605  ANET 303-305; COS 2.121, p.307-308
Nabopolassar ascends throne (Nabopolassar Chronicle);
Reference to Nabopolassar-Nebuchadnezzar succession in Babylonian Chronicle

Babylonian Empire

Records Nabopolassar's repair of the
city wall of Babylon

Discovery of Book of the Law (Deuteronomy) 622

Mesad Hashavyahu letter 7 c ANET 568; ANEP 808; COS 3.41, pp.  77-78 asks district governor to reverse a sentence

Mesad Hashavyahu--Yavneh Yam Ostracon

Seal of Azariah the son of Hilkiah [the high priest?] 2 Kgs 22:4-14; 23:4; 1 Chr 5:39 (6:13); 9:11; Ezra 7:1

Seal of Hanan the son of Hilkiah the priest

Nahum

Sin-sharra-ishkun Assyrian king

Cyrus I, king of Persia 620-590

Egypt and Assyria unsuccessfully attack Babylon 616

Ashur sacked 614 by Medes under Cyaxeres (625-585).  Cyaxeres forms alliance with Nabopolassar (Nabopolassar Chronicle)

Nineveh fell to Median-Babylonian coalition 612

Fall of Nineveh Chronicle

Neco II 610-595  killed Josiah when he met him at Megiddo. Tried to prop up Assyrian empire as buffer against Babylon

Death of Josiah at Megiddo 609

Jehoahaz (or Shallum; son of Josiah) 609 2 Kgs 23:31-34//2 Chr 36:1-4; deposed by Egyptians

Jehoahaz the son of the king

Jehoiakim (son of Josiah) 609-598 2 Kgs 23:35-24:7//2 Chr 36:5-8; paid heavy tribute to Egypt

Ashur-uballit II 612-609 (A) tried to establish exile government at Harran (Nabopolassar Chronicle)

Haran destroyed 609

Babylonian Chronicle:  reference to Ashur-uballit

Babylonian Chronicle

Battle of Carchemish 605--Babylon, under Nebuchadnezzar, defeated Egypt and Neco II (Babylonian Chronicle)

Babylonian Chronicle COS 1.137, pp.  467-468; ANET 301-307

Gemariah son of Shaphan, who
urged Jehoiakim not to burn the scroll Jer 36:10-12

Jerahmeel son of the king,
who arrested Jeremiah Jer 36:26

Nebuchadrezzar campaigns in Syria and Ashkelon; Judah pays tribute 2 Kgs 24:1; Jer 36:9 604  Babylonian Chronicle

Indecisive campaign of Nebuchadrezzar against Egypt; Judah revolts 601. Nebuchadnezzar's campaigns to Palestine in 4th-7th years (Babylonian Chronicle)

Ophel ostracon COS 3.86, pp. 203-204:  lists of names; administrative purpose
 

Nebuchadrezzar II 605-562 ANET 307-308; COS 2.122, pp. 308-310
Nebuchadnezzar succeeds his father (Berossus, in Josephus)

Ishtar Gate Inscription

Ishtar gate--Pergamon Museum Berlin

Nebuchadnezzar's capture of Jerusalem

Nebuchadnezzar's campaigns to Palestine in 4th-7th years (Babylonian Chronicle)

Deportation of Jehoiachin in Babylonian Chronicle

Psammetichus II 595-589 involved in disputes of Palestinian kingdoms

Psammetichus II

Seriah the son of Neriah, who carried
Jeremiah's letter to Babylon 51:29

his daughter Ankhesneferibre controlled Thebes for family.

 
Jehucal son of Shelemiah son of Shovi
Jer 37:3; 38:1

Apries (Hophra) 589-570 intervened on behalf of Judah 2 Kgs 24:7; killed in battle vs. Amasis.  

Jehoiakim died during Babylonian siege of Jerusalem

Jehoiachin (son of Jehoiakim)  598 2 Kgs 24:8-16//2 Chr 36:9-10a ANET 308; ruled for three months 

Edomite letter from Horvat Uza:  "I bless you by Qaus."

Rations for Jehoiachin
and his children in Babylon
Rations for Jehoiachin, ANET 308

Pedaiah the son of the king 1 Chr 3:18

Arad Ostraca ANET 568-569; COS 3.43A-43L, pp.  81-85

First capture of Jerusalem March 16, 597 ANET 563-564

Mattaniah/Zedekiah (son of Josiah) 597-586 2 Kgs 24:17-25:7//2 Chr 36:10b-21

Coalition in Jerusalem against Babylon (Jeremiah 27) 594

Lachish Letters 589 BCE; ANET 321-322; COS 3.42A-F, pp.  78-81

Final siege of Jerusalem begins 588

Baal II, king of Tyre, 587-572

Fall of Jerusalem July 19, 586 ANET 563-564 Babylonian Chronicle

Babylonian exile

"The king of Akkad moved his army into Hatti land, laid siege to the city of Judah and the king took the city on the second day of the month Addaru [March 16, 597 BCE].  He appointed a new king of his liking, took heavy booty from it and brought it to Babylon." ANET 564

Map of Babylon 7/6 c

Tell Siran Bottle Ammonite 7/6 c  COS 2.25, pp. 139-140 Amminadab king of the Ammonites

Ammonite ostraca COS 3.84-85, pp.  202-203

Ruins of e-temen-anki, Ziggurat completed at Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar

Esagila left and Etemenank right

Lachish Letter # 3 Hoshiah defends himself against the charge that he cannot read

Lachish Letter 4

We are watching the fire-signals of Lachish...because we cannot see Azekah

Arad letter 24:  Reinforcements are being sent to Ramoth-Negeb to fight off the Edomites.

Seal of Baalis (Jer 40:14), Ammonite king involved
in murder of Gedaliah

Gedaliah governor; assassinated by Ishmael;  seal below and on left is of Baalis, Ammonite king, who was responsible for Gedaliah's murder:

Baalyisha king of the [Ammonites]

Gedaliah, who is over the house (Lachish), and Gedaliah, servant of the king

Jaazniah servant of the king--found at Mizpah.  Cf. Jaazaniah son of the Maachite 2 Kgs 25:23

Astyages, king of Medes 585-550 His daughter Mandane, was married to Cambyses I.

Amasis  (Ahmose II) 570-526 Philhellenic policy (Herodotus). 

Release of Jehoiachin from prison by Amel-Marduk in 561, but Amel-Marduk ruled for only two years. 

Amel-Marduk (Evil-Merodach in Jer 52:31; 2 Kgs 25:27) 562-560

Neriglissar (Nergal-sharezer in Jer 39:3, 13) 560-556 deposed his predecessor, Amel-Marduk, who was his brother-in-law.  Neriglissar was married to Kashaya, daughter of Nebuchadnezzar

Hecataeus of Miletus 550-476 Greek geographer

Map of Hecataeus

Nabonidus stela

Cyrus II 559-530 Persian COS 2.124; pp.  314-316; ANET 315-316.  Cyrus was son of Cambyses I, the grandson of Astyages, and great-grandson of the Lydian Alyattes.

Nabonidus 556-539 Last Neo-Babylonian King.  Unrelated to the royal house; seized throne as an older man.  Elevated Sin, the moon god. Stayed ten years in Tema during which New Year's festival could not be celebrated. His stay at Tema may be the story behind the exile of  Nebuchadrezzar in Dan 4:28-37.  His mother was a devotee of the moon god Sin in Harran

Nabonidus Chronicle ANET 305-307 1st through 17th year, includes stay in Tema and fall of Babylon

Nabonidus Chronicle above and text
Text of Chronicle of Nabonidus

Nabonidus' Rise to Power, ANET 308-311 "I am the real executor of the wills of Nebuchadnezzar and Neriglissar"

Memorial for the Mother or Grandmother of Nabonidus, ANET 311-312 Nabonidus, the king of Babylon, the son of my womb.  Cf. Mother of Nabonidus, ANET 560-562 =  The Adad-Guppi Autobiography COS 1.147, pp. 477-478

Verse Account of Nabonidus, ANET 312-315:  an arrogant, unjust king, who had neglected the chief cults of Babylon.  The king was in Teama; the crown prince was in Akkad.  Cyrus restored the rites of the Babylonian gods

Nabonidus and his god, ANET 562-563  Sin called me to kingship

The Sippar Cylinder of Nabonidus COS 2.123A, pp. 310-313 describes restoration of three temples

Nabonidus' Rebuilding of the Ziggurat of Ur  COS 2.123B, pp.  313-314

Uruk King List ANET 566 Nabonidus ruled x + 15 years

Babylonian Chronicle COS 1.137, p. 468 Nabonidus fled when Babylon fell

Prayer of Nabonidus from Qumran COS 1.89, pp. 285-286   Prayer of Nabonidus

Belshazzar become regent in the third year of Nabonidus