BC 586 Israelites’ Deportation
1 Nephi 1:4; “For it came to pass in the commencement of the first year of the reign of Zedekiah, king of Judah, (my father, Lehi, having dwelt at Jerusalem in all his days); and in that same year there came many prophets, prophesying unto the people that they must repent, or the great city Jerusalem must be destroyed.”
2 Kings 24:8, 10,12, 14,16-17; “Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months… 10 ¶ At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against Jerusalem, and the city was besieged. 12 And Jehoiachin the king of Judah went out to the king of Babylon…and the king of Babylon took him in the eighth year of his reign. 14 And he carried away all Jerusalem, and all the princes, and all the mighty men of valour, even ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and smiths: none remained, save the poorest sort of the people of the land. 16 And all the men of might, even seven thousand, and craftsmen and smiths a thousand, all that were strong and apt for war, even them the king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon. 17 ¶ And the king of Babylon made Mattaniah his father’s brother king in his stead, and changed his name to Zedekiah.”
BC 575 – The end of Zedekiah
2 Kings 25:2, 7; “And the city was besieged unto the eleventh year of king Zedekiah. 7 And they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him with fetters of brass, and carried him to Babylon.”
You’ll encounter some serious problems trying to fit the claims of the Book of Mormon into the historical events of Israel.
Zedekiah’s rein began during the time of the Babylonian takeover which took place in BC 586. Nephi claims his family left Jerusalem circa BC 600.
How did they leave Jerusalem when everyone was taken captive and only the poor people were left in the city? From all indications Nephi’s family wasn’t poor, neither was Laban for that matter. Remember Nephi beheaded Laban. Poor people weren’t left in charge at the temple where the scrolls were kept. So why wasn’t Laban carried off as well?
Why didn’t Nephi mention being taken captive? If no one had been taken captive yet, Zedekiah couldn’t have been king.
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