Changes

Nabopolassar's first orders to his son was to head westward and recapture certain lands near [[Lebanon]], including the western provinces of [[Syria]], from the [[Egypt]]ians. This occurred after [[Pharaoh]] [[Necho II]] had met and vanquished an Assyrian army at [[Carchemish]] three years earlier, thus establishing Egyptian hegemony in the region.<ref name=WebBible/><ref name=ColumbiaH/><ref name=Gill/> (This was the campaign in which King [[Josiah]] of Judah unwisely tried to thwart Necho and was killed in action.)

Nabopolassar's first orders to his son was to head westward and recapture certain lands near [[Lebanon]], including the western provinces of [[Syria]], from the [[Egypt]]ians. This occurred after [[Pharaoh]] [[Necho II]] had met and vanquished an Assyrian army at [[Carchemish]] three years earlier, thus establishing Egyptian hegemony in the region.<ref name=WebBible/><ref name=ColumbiaH/><ref name=Gill/> (This was the campaign in which King [[Josiah]] of Judah unwisely tried to thwart Necho and was killed in action.)

Nebuchadnezzar moved swiftly, met Necho and his forces at Carchemish, and routed them.<ref name=Nisbett><ref name=WebBible/><ref name=ColumbiaH/><ref name=Lexicorient/> Nebuchadnezzar marched on into Judea, and accepted the surrender of [[Jerusalem]] and the pledge of vassalage of [[Jehoiakim]].<ref name=Lexicorient/> This happened in the fourth year of Jehoiakim's reign.<ref>{{Bible ref|book=Daniel|chap=1|verses=1-2}}, {{Bible ref|book=II_Chronicles|chap=36|verses=6}}</ref> The prophet [[Daniel]] and three of his friends ([[Shadrach]], [[Meschach]], and [[Abednego]]) were taken hostage and sent back to [[Babylon]] at this time.<ref name=Nisbett/><ref name=keyway/> This is the beginning of the seventy-year exile, or "captivity," of Israel, also called the "desolation."

Nebuchadnezzar moved swiftly, met Necho and his forces at Carchemish, and routed them.<ref name=Nisbett/><ref name=WebBible/><ref name=ColumbiaH/><ref name=Lexicorient/> Nebuchadnezzar marched on into Judea, and accepted the surrender of [[Jerusalem]] and the pledge of vassalage of [[Jehoiakim]].<ref name=Lexicorient/> This happened in the fourth year of Jehoiakim's reign.<ref>{{Bible ref|book=Daniel|chap=1|verses=1-2}}, {{Bible ref|book=II_Chronicles|chap=36|verses=6}}</ref> The prophet [[Daniel]] and three of his friends ([[Shadrach]], [[Meschach]], and [[Abednego]]) were taken hostage and sent back to [[Babylon]] at this time.<ref name=Nisbett/><ref name=keyway/> This is the beginning of the seventy-year exile, or "captivity," of Israel, also called the "desolation."

=== Lone Reign ===

=== Lone Reign ===