The great king of Babylon (604-561 B.C.), son of Nabopolassar, the founder of the empire (see Assyria); defeats Necho, king of Egypt, at Carchemish and drives the Egyptians from Syria (Jer. 46: 2-12); subdues Judah (2 Kgs. 24: 1); besieges Jerusalem (2 Kgs. 24: 10-11), and takes it, carrying away the king and the people (2 Kgs. 25: 1, 8, 22; 1 Chr. 6: 15; 2 Chr. 36; Ezra 1: 7; Ezra 2: 1; Ezra 5: 12, 14; Ezra 6: 5; Neh. 7: 6; Esth. 2: 6; Jer. 27: 6, 8, 20; Jer. 28: 3, 11, 14; Jer. 29: 1, 3; Jer. 34: 1; Jer. 39: 5). For his relations with Daniel, by whom his dreams were interpreted, see Dan. 1 - 5. He was for a time smitten with madness, and on his recovery acknowledged God's power and goodness.