Bible Archeology Discoveries

Nebuchadnezzar Chronicle
Discovered: Babylon
From: (c. 597 BC)
Current Home: British Museum

The Nebuchadnezzar Chronicle, also known as Jerusalem Chronicle, is one of the series of Babylonian Chronicles, and contains a description of the first eleven years of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar II. The tablet details Nebuchadnezzar's military campaigns in the west and has been interpreted to refer to both the Battle of Carchemish and the Siege of Jerusalem (597 BC).

This is a continuation of Babylonian Chronicle labelled ABC4 (The Late Years of Nabopolassar), in which Nebuchadnezzar is called the Crown Prince. Since the Nebuchadnezzar Chronicle only provides a record through Nebuchadnezzar's eleventh year, the subsequent destruction and exile recorded in the Hebrew Bible are not covered in the chronicles as they took place ten years later.

The Chronicle is understood to confirm the date of the First Siege of Jerusalem. It states:

" In the seventh year of Nebuchadnezzar in the month Chislev (Nov/Dec) the king of Babylon assembled his army, and after he had invaded the land of Hatti he laid siege to the city of Judah. On the second day of the month of Adar he conquered the city and took the king (Jeconiah) prisoner. He installed in his place a king (Zedekiah) of his own choice, and after he had received rich tribute, he sent forth to Babylon."

"At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up to Jerusalem, and the city was besieged.
And Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came unto the city, while his servants were besieging it;"
2 Kings 24:10-11

Select Pages

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Notable Finds

Much of what is described in Bible text is lost to history, requiring readers to assume the historicity of the scriptures.

However, many of the places and events described in the Old and New Testaments are periodically corroborated by archeological finds.

Some finds simply help us to better understand things from the ancient world. However, others provide important evidence as to the truth of scripture regarding things about which there had previously been skepticism.

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