Jehovah’s Witnesses SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT Home | Contents “But we think it proper to hear from you what your thoughts are, for truly as regards this sect it is known to us that everywhere it is spoken against.”—Acts 28:22

From 607 B.C.E. to return from exile Insight on the Scriptures, Volume 1, p. 463 Copyright © 1988 Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc. The length of this period is fixed by God’s own decree concerning Judah, that "all this land must become a devastated place, an object of astonishment, and these nations will have to serve the king of Babylon seventy years."—Jer 25:8-11. The Bible prophecy does not allow for the application of the 70-year period to any time other than that between the desolation of Judah, accompanying Jerusalem’s destruction, and the return of the Jewish exiles to their homeland as a result of Cyrus’ decree. It clearly specifies that the 70 years would be years of devastation of the land of Judah. The prophet Daniel so understood the prophecy, for he states: "I myself, Daniel, discerned by the books the number of the years concerning which the word of Jehovah had occurred to Jeremiah the prophet, for fulfilling the devastations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years." (Da 9:2) After describing the conquest of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, 2 Chronicles 36:20, 21 states: "Furthermore, he carried off those remaining from the sword captive to Babylon, and they came to be servants to him and his sons until the royalty of Persia began to reign; to fulfill Jehovah’s word by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had paid off its sabbaths. All the days of lying desolated it kept sabbath, to fulfill seventy years." Jerusalem came under final siege in Zedekiah’s 9th year (609 B.C.E.), and the city fell in his 11th year (607 B.C.E.), corresponding to Nebuchadnezzar’s 19th year of actual rule (counting from his accession year in 625 B.C.E.). (2Ki 25:1-8) In the fifth month of that year (the month of Ab, corresponding to parts of July and August) the city was set afire, the walls were pulled down, and the majority of the people were led off into exile. However, "some of the lowly people of the land" were allowed to remain, and these did so until the assassination of Gedaliah, Nebuchadnezzar’s appointee, whereupon they fled into Egypt, finally leaving Judah completely desolate. (2Ki 25:9-12, 22-26) This was in the seventh month, Ethanim (or Tishri, corresponding to parts of September and October). Hence the count of the 70 years of desolation must have begun about October 1, 607 B.C.E., ending in 537 B.C.E. It was in the seventh month of this latter year that the first repatriated Jews arrived back in Judah, exactly 70 years from the start of the full desolation of the land.—2Ch 36:21-23; Ezr 3:1. Appendix to Chapter 14 ("Let Your Kingdom Come," pp. 186-9) When Did Babylon Desolate Jerusalem? (Awake!, May 8, 1972, pp. 27-8) Babylonian Chronology - How Reliable? (The Watchtower, February 1, 1969, pp. 88-92) The Book of Truthful Historical Dates (The Watchtower, August 15, 1968, pp. 488-494) From 607 B.C.E. to return from exile (Insight on the Scriptures, Volume 1, p. 463) Jehovah, Enforcer of Prophecy (The Watchtower, December 1, 1964, pp. 732-6) Astronomical Calculations and the Count of Time (The Watchtower, March 15, 1969, pp. 184-7) Exiles Return From Babylon (Insight on the Scriptures, Volume 2, p. 332) Mercy to the Persecuted But Judgment to the Persecutors (Paradise Restored To Mankind – By Theocracy!, pp. 130-3) Back to main article