In brief
Nebuzaradan is the captain of the guard of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. In that king's nineteenth year, he enters Jerusalem, burns the house of the LORD, the palace and all the great houses, and leads the people into captivity. On Nebuchadnezzar's orders, he also looks after the prophet Jeremiah, frees him from his chains and lets him choose his own path. The lesson to keep is that God fulfills his word, even through foreigners.
What does the name Nebuzaradan mean?
Nebuzaradan is a Babylonian name, generally understood as Nebo has given offspring, after the god Nebo. The Bible does not comment on the name; it always gives him his title of captain of the guard, servant of the king of Babylon (2 Kings 25:8).
The story of Nebuzaradan
Entering Jerusalem
2 Kings 25:8-10In the fifth month of Nebuchadnezzar's nineteenth year, Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, enters Jerusalem. He burns the house of the LORD, the king's house and every great house. The army of the Chaldeans with him tears down the walls of the city. The temple built by Solomon is destroyed.
The exile of the people
2 Kings 25:11-12Nebuzaradan carries into captivity those who were left in the city, those who had surrendered to the king of Babylon and the rest of the multitude. He leaves behind only some of the poorest of the land as vinedressers and farmers. Jeremiah 39:10 specifies that he then gives them vineyards and fields.
The looting of the temple
2 Kings 25:13-17The Chaldeans break up the bronze pillars, the bases and the bronze sea of the house of the LORD, and carry the bronze to Babylon. The captain of the guard also takes the fire pans and the bowls of gold and silver. The objects Solomon had made for worship leave Jerusalem forever.
Leaders taken to Riblah
2 Kings 25:18-21Nebuzaradan takes Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah the second priest, the three keepers of the threshold, officers and sixty men of the people. He brings them to the king of Babylon at Riblah, where they are put to death. The text concludes that Judah was carried away captive out of its land.
Jeremiah entrusted to Gedaliah
Jeremiah 39:11-14Nebuchadnezzar had given an order about Jeremiah through Nebuzaradan: take him, look after him, and do him no harm. With the officers of the king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan has the prophet brought from the court of the guard and hands him over to Gedaliah, son of Ahikam. Jeremiah stays among the people.
A foreigner's testimony
Jeremiah 40:1-6At Ramah, Nebuzaradan finds Jeremiah in chains among the captives. He tells him that the LORD his God has done what he announced, because the people did not listen to his voice. Then he frees him from his chains, lets him choose between going to Babylon and staying, and gives him provisions and gifts.
A last deportation
Jeremiah 52:28-30The book of Jeremiah mentions Nebuzaradan once more in Nebuchadnezzar's twenty-third year: he carries away seven hundred forty-five Jews. The text then gives the total of the deportations, four thousand six hundred people. From beginning to end, the captain of the guard remains linked to the exile of Judah announced by the prophets.
What Nebuzaradan teaches us
- God carries out his warnings when his people persistently refuse to listen to his voice.
- God can use even a foreign officer to protect his servant.
- Even a foreigner recognized that Jerusalem's misfortunes came from the people's sin.
- The poorest are not forgotten: some receive vineyards and fields.
- The destruction of the temple is a reminder that buildings pass away, but the word of God remains.
Key verses
The account of the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple by Nebuzaradan marks the end of the kingdom of Judah and the fulfillment of the prophets' warnings.
The king of Babylon entrusts Jeremiah to Nebuzaradan with orders to look after him. In the midst of judgment, God protects the prophet who stayed faithful.
A Babylonian officer acknowledges that the LORD carried out his word against Jerusalem. He frees Jeremiah from his chains and lets him choose his own path.
Frequently asked questions
Who was Nebuzaradan in the Bible?
Nebuzaradan was the captain of the guard of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. He led the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, the deportation of the people and the taking of several leaders to Riblah (2 Kings 25:8-21). He also freed the prophet Jeremiah on the king's order (Jeremiah 39:11-14).
Why did Nebuzaradan spare Jeremiah?
Nebuchadnezzar had ordered him to look after Jeremiah and do him no harm (Jeremiah 39:11-12). The Bible does not give the reason for this order. Nebuzaradan himself acknowledged that Jerusalem's misfortunes came from the people's refusal to listen to the voice of the LORD (Jeremiah 40:2-3).
Where can I find the story of Nebuzaradan in the Bible?
Nebuzaradan appears in 2 Kings 25:8-21, in Jeremiah 39:9-14, in Jeremiah 40:1-6 and in Jeremiah 52:12-30. Jeremiah 41:10 and 43:6 also mention the people he had entrusted to Gedaliah, son of Ahikam, after the capture of Jerusalem.