Given the adamant stance of the Society on the fall of Jerusalem and the incongruencies regarding the length of Jewish captivity and the fall of Babylon, in seeking a more complete and accurate understanding of these things, I had the following conversion with AI which I found both interesting and logical.
When was Jerusalem destroyed by the Babylonians?
ChatGPT said:
Jerusalem was destroyed by the Babylonians in either 587 or 586 BCE, marking the end of the Kingdom of Judah and the beginning ... moreGiven the adamant stance of the Society on the fall of Jerusalem and the incongruencies regarding the length of Jewish captivity and the fall of Babylon, in seeking a more complete and accurate understanding of these things, I had the following conversion with AI which I found both interesting and logical.
When was Jerusalem destroyed by the Babylonians?
ChatGPT said:
Jerusalem was destroyed by the Babylonians in either 587 or 586 BCE, marking the end of the Kingdom of Judah and the beginning of the Babylonian exile. This event followed a prolonged siege by King Nebuchadnezzar II of the Neo-Babylonian Empire. After breaching the city’s defenses, the Babylonians burned Jerusalem, demolished Solomon’s Temple (the First Temple), and exiled much of the population to Babylon. This destruction is commemorated annually in Jewish tradition on Tisha B’Av, a day of mourning.
The exact year—587 or 586 BCE—is debated among scholars due to variations in ancient calendrical systems and historical records. However, both dates are widely accepted as marking this pivotal event in Jewish history.
As of 2025, this occurred approximately 2,612 years ago.
Sources
You said:
When was Babylon destroyed by Cyrus?
ChatGPT said:
Here’s when Cyrus the Great captured Babylon and effectively brought the Neo-Babylonian Empire to an end:
The Fall of Babylon occurred in 539 BCE when Cyrus, following a decisive victory at the Battle of Opis in September 539 BCE, advanced toward the city.
Ancient sources like Herodotus and Livius emphasize that Cyrus entered Babylon in October 539 BCE, during a festival when the defenses were lax
Cuneiform records (Nabonidus Chronicle, Cyrus Cylinder) note that on 29 October 539 BCE, Cyrus was formally proclaimed king inside Babylon after his general Gobryas entered the city earlier
ancient-origins.net
In short, Babylon fell to Cyrus in October 539 BCE, marking the end of Babylon as an independent empire and the beginning of Persian control.
Historical Significance:
Cyrus portrayed his conquest not as brutal conquest but as restoration and liberation, as detailed in the Cyrus Cylinder, which claims he was welcomed and protected local temples
He honored Babylonian traditions and deities, including Marduk, a tactic that fostered acceptance and stability.
This act ushered in a new era under the Achaemenid Empire and earned Cyrus renown for his relatively tolerant and strategic approach to empire-building
Summary:
Cyrus’s conquest culminated in October 539 BCE, with the formal takeover celebrated on 29 October 539 BCE. This peaceful—but strategically executed—transition laid the foundation for Persian governance in Mesopotamia.
Sources
You said:
If Jerusalem fell about 587 BC and Babylon fell in 537 BC, how does the 70 years of Jewish exile in Babylon come into play?
ChatGPT said:
The “70 years” of Jewish exile is best understood not as a simple span from Jerusalem’s destruction in 587/586 BCE to Babylon’s fall in 539 BCE, but rather as a theological and literary period that overlaps several phases:
📅 Chronological Breakdown
Exile Began: First Deportation (605 BCE)
In 605 BCE, Nebuchadnezzar deported about 7,000 Jews—including Daniel—to Babylon
Jeremiah 25:11 and 2 Chronicles 36:20–21 refer to “seventy years” of service to Babylon, and Chronicles seems to date this from the start of captivity, about 605 BCE
Final Destruction of Babylon (587/586 BCE).
Jerusalem fell to Nebuchadnezzar in 587 or 586 BCE, with the First Temple destroyed. This marked the full desolation of the land.
End of Exile: Cyrus’s Decree and Return (539–538 BCE+).
Cyrus conquered Babylon in October 539 BCE and issued his decree early in his first regnal year (538 BCE), allowing exiles to return.
The actual return journey likely occurred later in 538 BCE or early 537 BCE
Frances Greist
I firmly believe the elusive "generation" the Society fails to capture is none other than Israel itself. In 1948 Israel again became a nation and given the time period of 77 years fulfills all prophesy, including what is happening there today. Ezekiel 38, 39
