{"id":58326,"date":"2026-04-12T06:18:04","date_gmt":"2026-04-12T10:18:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/world\/clay-cylinders-found-in-iraq-bear-writings-of-babylonian-king-who-besieged-jerusalem\/12\/04\/2026\/"},"modified":"2026-04-12T06:18:04","modified_gmt":"2026-04-12T10:18:04","slug":"clay-cylinders-found-in-iraq-bear-writings-of-babylonian-king-who-besieged-jerusalem","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/world\/clay-cylinders-found-in-iraq-bear-writings-of-babylonian-king-who-besieged-jerusalem\/12\/04\/2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Clay cylinders found in Iraq bear writings of Babylonian king who besieged Jerusalem"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\n<\/p>\n<div data-article-body=\"true\">\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The translation appears to align with a description of Nebuchadnezzar from the Book of Daniel, which depicts him walking on his palace roof in Babylon while boasting of his construction projects.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Two inscribed clay cylinders found in the ancient city of Kish in central <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jpost.com\/tags\/iraq\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Iraq;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;Iraq&quot;}\" class=\"link \">Iraq<\/a> bear the writings of Nebuchadnezzar II, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jpost.com\/tags\/babylonian-talmud\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Babylonian;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;Babylonian&quot;}\" class=\"link \">Babylonian<\/a> king who besieged Jerusalem in 589\u2013587 BCE, according to a study published in December 2025 in the journal <em>Iraq<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The two cylinders were first discovered by two locals in 2013 near the ruins of Kish\u2019s ziggurat (a stepped temple tower). The locals handed the artifacts over to Iraq\u2019s State Board of Antiquities and Heritage (SBAH), and have since been housed in the Iraq Museum in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/news\/articles\/foreign-journalist-holding-us-passport-200243702.html\" data-ylk=\"slk:Baghdad;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;Baghdad&quot;}\" class=\"link  yahoo-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Baghdad<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">According to the study, the text is written in contemporary Neo-Babylonian cuneiform and is a first-person account of Nebuchadnezzar\u2019s restoration of two temples dedicated to the Babylonian gods Zababa and Ishtar.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">As with many royal inscriptions, the study explained that the cylinders are undated and that the text \u201cdoes not help to establish an approximate date for its composition.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Per the translation, the account states that two previous kings had begun construction on the temples, and that Nebuchadnezzar had continued to keep \u201cthe shrines of the great gods in good order.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><button aria-label=\"View larger image\" class=\"group absolute bottom-0 size-full\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\"><span class=\"absolute bottom-3 right-3 rounded-full bg-white p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-white\/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none\"><svg viewbox=\"0 0 22 22\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"size-4 lg:size-6\" width=\"22\" height=\"22\"><path d=\"M12.372.92c0-.506.41-.916.915-.916L21 0l-.004 7.712a.917.917 0 0 1-1.832 0V3.183l-6.827 6.828-1.349-1.348 6.828-6.828h-4.529a.915.915 0 0 1-.915-.915M1.835 17.816l6.828-6.828 1.349 1.349-6.829 6.827h4.529a.915.915 0 0 1 0 1.831L0 21l.004-7.713a.916.916 0 0 1 1.831 0z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><dialog aria-label=\"Modal Dialog\" aria-modal=\"true\" class=\"fixed bottom-0 left-0 right-0 top-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-white hidden\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\">\n<p>Walls of Kish, Iraq,1977; file photo. (credit: Vivienne Sharp\/Heritage Images\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">However, the text does not include details of the reconstruction, the study noted, instead focusing on the solidity of the walls and the decoration of the Ziggurat\u2019s external facade.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">\u201cI put its brickwork in good order,\u201d the study translated. \u201cI built its collapsed section(s) anew, (and) I completed (it) and raised its superstructure. I embellished its outward appearance and made (it shine) like the daylight for Zababa and Ishtar [sic].\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The cylinders end with a prayer from the king to the gods, asking them for long life and help in conquering his enemies: \u201cMay I attain very old age, may I conquer my enemies, (and) may I kill my opponents, with your fierce weapons, cut down (and) bind my enemies [sic].\u201d<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"mb-4 text-lg font-bold\">Text seems to align with Book of Daniel<\/h3>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The translation appears to align with a description of Nebuchadnezzar in the Book of Daniel, which depicts him walking on the roof of his palace in Babylon while boasting of his vast construction projects.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Chapter four, verses 25-27 read: \u201cAll this befell King Nebuchadnezzar. At the end of twelve months, he was walking atop the royal palace of Babylon. The king exclaimed and said, \u2018Is this not the great Babylon, which I have built up into a royal house with my powerful strength for glorification of my splendor!\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">In the Tanach, Nebuchadnezzar is portrayed as the \u201cdestroyer of nations,\u201d having besieged Jerusalem, exiled the prophet Ezekiel, and ended the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/news\/articles\/stone-seal-biblical-kingdom-judea-174123085.html\" data-ylk=\"slk:Kingdom of Judah's independence;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;Kingdom of Judah's independence&quot;}\" class=\"link  yahoo-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Kingdom of Judah&#8217;s independence<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The cylinders, however, seem to present a different view of Nebuchadnezzar: A powerful king who saw restoring the crumbling temples of his gods as a religious duty.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><em>Translation of the Book of Daniel was taken from ArtScroll\u2019s Stone Edition of the Tanach.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/news\/articles\/clay-cylinders-found-iraq-bear-084241643.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The translation appears to align with a description of Nebuchadnezzar from the Book of Daniel, which depicts him walking on his palace<br \/><button class=\"read-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/world\/clay-cylinders-found-in-iraq-bear-writings-of-babylonian-king-who-besieged-jerusalem\/12\/04\/2026\/\">Read More &rsaquo;<\/a><\/button><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":58327,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/os\/en\/jerusalem_post_articles_818\/6d1460164d8130c8969ed3456d536f63","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/58326"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=58326"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/58326\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/58327"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=58326"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=58326"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=58326"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}