ar hastened westward and scattered
the raiders before him. Jehoiakim died, and his son Jehoiachan, a
youth of eighteen years, succeeded him. Nebuchadrezzar laid siege to
Jerusalem, and the young king submitted to him and was carried off to
Babylon, with "all the princes, and all the mighty men of valour, even
ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and smiths: none remained
save the poorest sort of the people of the land".[558] Nebuchadrezzar
had need of warriors and workmen.

Zedekiah was placed on the throne of Judah as an Assyrian vassal. He
remained faithful for a few years, but at length began to conspire
with Tyre and Sidon, Moab, Edom, and Ammon in favour of Egyptian
suzerainty. Pharaoh Hophra (Apries), the fourth king of the
Twenty-sixth Dynasty, took active steps to assist the conspirators,
and "Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon[559]".

Nebuchadrezzar led a strong army through Mesopotamia, and divided it
at Riblah, on the Orontes River. One part of it descended upon Judah
and captured Lachish and Azekah. Jerusalem was able to hold out for
about eighteen months. Then "the famine was sore in the city, so that
there was no bread for the people of the land. Then the city was
broken up, and all the men of war fled, and went forth out of the city
by night by way of the gate between the two walls, which was by the
king's garden." Zedekiah attempted to escape, but was captured and
carried before Nebuchadrezzar, who was at Riblah, in the land of
Hamath.

And the king of Babylon slew the sons of Zedekiah before his
eyes.... Then he put out the eyes of Zedekiah; and the king of
Babylon bound him in chains and carried him to Babylon and put him
in prison till the day of his death[560].

The majority of the Jews were deported to Babylonia, where they were
employed as farm labourers. Some rose to occupy important official
positions. A remnant escaped to Egypt with Jeremiah.

Jerusalem was plundered and desolated. The Assyrians "burned the house
of the Lord and the king's house, and all the houses of Jerusalem",
and "brake down all the walls of Jerusalem round about". Jeremiah
lamented:

How doth the city sit solitary, that was full of people! how is
she become as a widow! she that was great among the nations, and
princess among the provinces, how is she become tributary! She
weepeth sore in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks: among
all her lovers she hath n