597, 586, 582 b.c.
It appears that three separate deportations of Judeans to Babylon took place under the rule of Nebuchadnezzar (see also Jer. 52:28–30). The first came during the reign of Jehoiachin, when Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem and carried away many of the treasures of the temple and the royal palace. The second occurred after the fall of Jerusalem in 586 b.c., when the walls of the city were leveled and the temple was completely destroyed. The third appears to have occurred around 582 b.c. while King Nebuchadnezzar was reasserting his control over the general region of Palestine (see note on Jer. 52:28–30).
