21. Exile

*History 8 Mesopotamia Vocabulary

Nebuchadnezzar II was a great Mesopotamian conqueror who lived from 605-562 BC. In 586 BC, Nebuchadnezzar conquered the state of Judah, the southern Jewish kingdom. Nebuchadnezzar, in order to secure his reign over Judah, captured two kings of Judah and held them captive in the capital of Babylon. Since the New Babylonians were keeping the Assyrian practice, they forced about 10,000 Jews to relocate. Most of these people were upper class men and craftspeople. This deportation represent the Exile in Jewish history. These people who were exiled established a community that lasted even until modern times, a period of more than 2,500 years.

Sources:

Manual page 97

http://www.jewishhistory.org/babylon-and-beyond/

By: Sinclair Seeligson