Whilst _Nebuchadnezzar_ was acting in _Syria_, [384] his father _Nabopolassar_ died, having Reigned 21 years; and _Nebuchadnezzar_ upon the news thereof, having ordered his affairs in _Syria_ returned to _Babylon_, leaving the captives and his army with his servants to follow him: and from henceforward he applied himself sometimes to war, conquering _Sittacene_, _Susiana_, _Arabia_, _Edom_, _Egypt_, and some other countries; and sometimes to peace, adorning the Temple of _Belus_ with the spoils that he had taken; and the city of _Babylon_ with magnificent walls and gates, and stately palaces and pensile gardens, as _Berosus_ relates; and amongst other things he cut the new rivers _Naarmalcha_ and _Pallacopas_ above _Babylon_ and built the city of _Teredon_. _Judæa_ was now in servitude under the King of _Babylon_, being invaded and subdued in the third and fourth years of _Jehoiakim_, _and _Jehoiakim_ served him three years, and then turned and rebelled_, 2 _King._ xxiv. 1. While _Nebuchadnezzar_ and the army of the _Chaldæans_ continued in _Syria_, _Jehojakim_ was under compulsion; after they returned to _Babylon_, _Jehojakim_ continued in fidelity three years, that is, during the 7th, 8th and 9th years of his Reign, and rebelled in the tenth: whereupon in the return or end of the year, that is in spring, he sent [385] and besieged _Jerusalem_, captivated _Jeconiah_ the son and successor of _Jehoiakim_, spoiled the Temple, and carried away to _Babylon_ the Princes, craftsmen, smiths, and all that were fit for war: and, when none remained but the poorest of the people, made [386] _Zedekiah_ their King, and bound him upon oath to serve the King of _Babylon_: this was in spring in the end of the eleventh year of _Jehoiakim_, and beginning of the year of _Nabonassar_ 150. _Zedekiah_ notwithstanding his oath [387] revolted, and made a covenant with the King of _Egypt_, and therefore _Nebuchadnezzar_ in the ninth year of _Zedekiah_ [388] invaded _Judæa_ and the cities thereof, and in the tenth _Jewish_ month of that year besieged _Jerusalem_ again, and in the eleventh year of _Zedekiah_, in the 4th and 5th months, after a siege of one year and an half, took and burnt the City and Temple.