Nebuchadnezzar, the Babylonian king, destroyed Jerusalem and the First Temple and carried away most of the Jews into slavery in 586 BCE. He left behind a few farmers and families under the supervision of a Jewish governor named Gedaliah ben Ahikam to administer affairs in the devastated land. A few traitors, who accused Gedaliah of collaborating with the enemy, murdered him and the small garrison of soldiers Nebuchadnezzar had stationed there. Many of the farmers fled to Egypt; the rest were either killed or taken to Babylon, bringing about Judah‘s final collapse. Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary