Nebuchadnezzar
Nebuchadnezzar, or Nebuchadrezzar, the name of two kings of Babylonia.
Nebuchadnezzar I(1146–1123 B.C.) was king of Babylonia in the Isin Dynasty. He fought successful wars against the Elamites, but was defeated by the Assyrians.
Nebuchadnezzar II(?–562 B.C.) was a Chaldean king of the Neo-Babylonian empire. He succeeded his father, Nabopolassar, in 605 B.C. During his reign, Nebuchadnezzar recovered the long-lost provinces of the empire and restored Babylonia to greatness. Before becoming king, he defeated the Egyptians under Pharaoh Necho, and conquered Palestine and Syria. In 597 he captured Jerusalem and placed Zedekiah on the throne. When Zedekiah rebelled in 588, Jerusalem was besieged and, in 586, destroyed. Captured Jews were exiled to Baby-lonia, and there they remained many years. ( )
Nebuchadnezzar fortified and beautified the city of Babylon. He walled it to guard against invasions, dug canals, and erected a huge reservoir on the Euphrates. He built palaces and temples as well as the Hanging Gardens, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. According to the Old Testament, Daniel 4, he later became mentally ill.