Babylon
Where Judah spent seventy years in exile; Daniel served here.
First mentioned in the Bible
By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat. We wept when we remembered Zion.— Psalm 137:1
Background
Babylon was the most splendid imperial capital of the ancient Near East, famed for its hanging gardens and ziggurat. King Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem and carried Judah's elite into captivity. Daniel and his three friends kept the faith in the royal court; after seventy years, King Cyrus of Persia decreed the Jews' return.
Related Scriptures (New World Translation)
By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat.— Psalm 137:1
Now among them were some from the tribe of Judah: Daniel, Han·a·niʹah, Mishʹa·el, and Az·a·riʹah.— Daniel 1:6Explore Babylon on the interactive map →
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