According to the Babylonian Chronicles, the Babylonian army of King Nebuchadnezzar captured Jerusalem on this day 2605 years ago: 16 March 597 BC. Jeconiah, also known as Jehoiachin, the grandson of King Josiah, had been king of Judah for just three months and ten days. He was led off into captivity in Babylon, where he remained in prison until he was released some 36 years later in the first year of the reign of Amel-Marduk.
Jeconiah’s father Jehoiakim had reigned for some 11 years, but throughout that period was a vassal either of Egypt or Babylon, depending on which power he considered greater at the time, the Babylonians and Egyptians being at war with each other. Jehoiakim’s final bet was with the wrong side – Egypt – and this resulted in the Babylonians laying seige to Jerusalem. Jehoiakim died early in the siege, and Jeconiah was under siege for the entire length of his short reign.
After capturing Jerusalem, Nebuchadnezzar appointed Jeconiah’s 21-year-old uncle Zedekiah as caretaker king. Zedekiah remained king for a number of years, but he rebelled against Babylon and Nebuchadnezzar returned to beseige Jerusalem in January 589 BC. The siege lasted for more than two years, and this time once the city had fallen it was completely destroyed in order to prevent future rebellion.