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In 607 BC, Nebuchadnezzar became [[viceroy]] of Babylonia and also became a major military theater commander (the equivalent of a [[Commander-in-chief]] in the joint-command structure of the [[United States]] armed services). The [[Babylonian Chronicle]] states that this occurred in the nineteenth year of the reign of Nabopolassar, and backs this with an [[astronomical dating|astronomical reference]].

In 607 BC, Nebuchadnezzar became [[viceroy]] of Babylonia and also became a major military theater commander (the equivalent of a [[Commander-in-chief]] in the joint-command structure of the [[United States]] armed services). The [[Babylonian Chronicle]] states that this occurred in the nineteenth year of the reign of Nabopolassar, and backs this with an [[astronomical dating|astronomical reference]].

The new viceroy's first mission was to head westward and recapture certain lands near [[Lebanon]], including the western provinces of [[Syria]], from the [[Egypt|Egyptians]]. Three years earlier, [[Pharaoh]] [[Necho II]] had met and vanquished an Assyrian army at [[Carchemish]] (and also met and killed King [[Josiah]] of Judah in action.) Nebuchadnezzar met Necho and his forces at Carchemish and routed them. Nebuchadnezzar marched on into Judea, and solidified Babylonian hegemony over the [[Mediterranean]] region. Pharaoh Necho would never venture out of Egypt again ({{Bible ref|book=II_Kings|chap=24|verses=7|version=KJV}}).

The new viceroy's first mission was to head westward and recapture certain lands near [[Lebanon]], including the western provinces of [[Syria]], from the [[Egypt|Egyptians]]. Three years earlier, [[Pharaoh]] [[Necho II]] had met and vanquished an Assyrian army at [[Carchemish]] (and also met and killed King [[Josiah]] of Judah in action.) Nebuchadnezzar met Necho and his forces at Carchemish and routed them. Nebuchadnezzar marched on into [[Judea]], and solidified Babylonian hegemony over the [[Mediterranean]] region. Pharaoh Necho would never venture out of Egypt again ({{Bible ref|book=II_Kings|chap=24|verses=7|version=KJV}}).

In 605 BC, which was the fourth year of the reign of King [[Jehoiakim]], Nebuchadnezzar accepted the surrender of [[Jerusalem]] and the pledge of vassalage of Jehoiakim. ({{Bible ref|book=Daniel|chap=1|verses=1-2|version=KJV}}; see also {{Bible ref|book=II_Chronicles|chap=36|verses=6|version=KJV}}). This is the beginning of the seventy-year exile, or "captivity," of Israel, also called the "desolation."

In 605 BC, which was the fourth year of the reign of King [[Jehoiakim]], Nebuchadnezzar accepted the surrender of [[Jerusalem]] and the pledge of vassalage of Jehoiakim. ({{Bible ref|book=Daniel|chap=1|verses=1-2|version=KJV}}; see also {{Bible ref|book=II_Chronicles|chap=36|verses=6|version=KJV}}). This is the beginning of the seventy-year exile, or "captivity," of Israel, also called the "desolation."