Original Word: נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Nbuwkadnetstsar
Pronunciation: neh-boo-kad-nets-tsar
Phonetic Spelling: (neb-oo-kad-nets-tsar')
NASB: Nebuchadnezzar
Word Origin: [(Aramaic) corresponding to H5019 (נְבוּכַדנֶאצַּר נֶבוּכַדרֶאצַּר נֶבוּכַדרֶאצּוֹר - Nebuchadnezzar)]

1. Nebuchadnezzar

Nebuchadnezzar

(Aramaic) corresponding to Nbuwkadne'tstsar -- Nebuchadnezzar.

see HEBREW Nbuwkadne'tstsar

Word Origin
(Aramaic) corresponding to Nebukadnetstsar
Definition
a Bab. king
NASB Translation
Nebuchadnezzar (31).

Name and Historical Setting

Nebuchadnezzar, son of Nabopolassar, ascended the Babylonian throne in 605 B.C. and ruled until 562 B.C. He stands as the most prominent monarch of the Neo-Babylonian Empire, presiding over its zenith in power, architectural splendor, and territorial expansion. His name appears about thirty-three times in Hebrew narrative and prophetic texts and twice in Aramaic passages (Daniel 2–4), making him the most frequently mentioned pagan ruler in the Old Testament.

Rise to Power

Fresh from victory over Egypt at Carchemish (Jeremiah 46:2), Nebuchadnezzar swiftly asserted dominance across the Fertile Crescent. Scripture records his first contact with Judah when he besieged Jerusalem in the third year of Jehoiakim (Daniel 1:1). From that initial encounter he deported temple vessels and members of the royal seed—including Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah—ushering in the period commonly called the Babylonian exile.

Nebuchadnezzar as Divine Instrument of Judgment

Repeatedly the prophets present Nebuchadnezzar as the LORD’s chosen rod to chastise nations:
• “Therefore thus says the LORD of Hosts: ‘Because you have not heard My words, I will send for all the families of the north… and for Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, My servant’” (Jeremiah 25:8-9).
• “Now I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, My servant, and I have even given him the beasts of the field” (Jeremiah 27:6).

The title “My servant,” ordinarily reserved for faithful leaders, underscores God’s sovereign prerogative to employ even pagan kings to accomplish His purposes.

Confrontations with Judah and Jerusalem

Three Babylonian incursions culminated in the fall of Jerusalem (2 Kings 24–25):

1. 605 B.C. – Jehoiakim became vassal; select captives taken (Daniel 1:3-4).
2. 597 B.C. – Jehoiachin surrendered; ten-thousand captives, including Ezekiel, deported (2 Kings 24:10-16).
3. 586 B.C. – Zedekiah’s rebellion provoked a prolonged siege that razed the temple and city (Jeremiah 52:12-14).

Nebuchadnezzar placed Gedaliah over the remnant but further rebellion led to additional reprisals (Jeremiah 40–43).

Encounters with Daniel and His Companions

• Training in Babylon (Daniel 1)

Nebuchadnezzar instituted a program to educate chosen Judean youths “in the language and literature of the Chaldeans” (Daniel 1:4). Daniel’s resolve not to defile himself with royal provisions resulted in divine favor and wisdom that quickly surpassed the king’s own counselors (Daniel 1:20).

• The Image of Gold and the Fiery Furnace (Daniel 3)

Erecting a ninety-foot image on the plain of Dura, Nebuchadnezzar demanded worship under penalty of death. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego’s refusal prompted the furnace ordeal, after which the astonished monarch confessed, “No other god can save in this way” (Daniel 3:29).

• Dreams and Interpretations (Daniel 2; 4)

— Statue Dream (Daniel 2)

Nebuchadnezzar’s perplexing vision of a multi-metal image foretold successive kingdoms. Daniel declared, “You are the head of gold” (Daniel 2:38), revealing Babylon’s place in God’s historical blueprint.

— Tree Dream and Humbling (Daniel 4)

A dream of a colossal tree, hewn down for seven “times,” warned of impending judgment for pride. Struck with a malady that reduced him to bestial behavior, Nebuchadnezzar later testified, “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt, and glorify the King of heaven, because all His works are true and His ways are just; and He is able to humble those who walk in pride” (Daniel 4:37). This first-person doxology forms one of Scripture’s most remarkable pagan confessions.

Prophetic Framework

Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Habakkuk each integrate Nebuchadnezzar into broader oracle cycles:
• Jeremiah 29:1-23 records a letter instructing exiles to submit to Babylonian rule, promising eventual restoration after seventy years (Jeremiah 29:10).
• Ezekiel 26–29 depicts Nebuchadnezzar’s siege of Tyre and foretells Egypt’s subjugation: “I will give Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and he will carry off its wealth” (Ezekiel 29:19).
• Habakkuk grapples with the theological tension of God’s use of Babylon as a corrective instrument (Habakkuk 1:5-11).

Later Campaigns and Imperial Achievements

Extra-biblical records corroborate Scriptural references to Nebuchadnezzar’s colossal building program, notably the Ishtar Gate and Processional Way, foreshadowed in the boast, “Is this not Babylon I have built as the royal residence by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?” (Daniel 4:30). Military annals confirm campaigns in Phoenicia, Arabia, and Egypt, aligning with Ezekiel’s prophecies.

Spiritual Lessons

1. Divine Sovereignty over Nations: God directs history, raising and removing kings at will (Daniel 2:21).
2. Pride and Humility: Nebuchadnezzar’s downfall warns against self-exaltation; his subsequent acknowledgement affirms God’s mercy toward repentant hearts.
3. Faithfulness in Exile: Daniel and his friends demonstrate that uncompromising devotion can flourish under hostile regimes, influencing rulers and empires.

Frequency of Old Testament References

Occurrences center in Jeremiah (over twenty times, often under the alternate spelling “Nebuchadrezzar”), 2 Kings, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Ezekiel, and Daniel. Collectively these attest to Nebuchadnezzar’s pivotal role in the redemptive storyline, marking the transition from the Davidic monarchy to the times of the Gentiles foreseen by the prophets.

וּנְבוּכַדְנֶצַּ֣ר ונבוכדנצר לִנְבֻכַדְנֶצַּ֥ר לִנְבוּכַדְנֶצַּ֖ר לנבוכדנצר לנבכדנצר נְבֻֽכַדְנֶצַּר֙ נְבֽוּכַדְנֶצַּ֔ר נְבֽוּכַדְנֶצַּ֗ר נְבֽוּכַדְנֶצַּ֜ר נְבֽוּכַדְנֶצַּר֙ נְבֽוּכַדְרֶאצַּ֣ר נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּ֑ר נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּ֖ר נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּ֗ר נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּ֜ר נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּ֣ר נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּ֥ר נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּֽר׃ נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר֒ נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר֙ נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּ֥ר נבוכדנצר נבוכדנצר׃ נבוכדראצר נבכדנצר lin·ḇu·ḵaḏ·neṣ·ṣar lin·ḇū·ḵaḏ·neṣ·ṣar linḇuḵaḏneṣṣar linḇūḵaḏneṣṣar linvuchadnetzTzar nə·ḇu·ḵaḏ·neṣ·ṣar nə·ḇū·ḵaḏ·neṣ·ṣar nə·ḇū·ḵaḏ·reṣ·ṣar nəḇuḵaḏneṣṣar nəḇūḵaḏneṣṣar nəḇūḵaḏreṣṣar nevuchadnetzTzar nevuchadretzTzar ū·nə·ḇū·ḵaḏ·neṣ·ṣar ūnəḇūḵaḏneṣṣar unevuchadnetzTzarInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts