God ultimately had to take harsh action against the people of Judah for their persistent sinfulness and rebellion across generations. He sent the Babylonians, also known as the Chaldeans, to conquer them, enslave them, and destroy their beloved city of Jerusalem, along with the magnificent Temple of Solomon. This devastating act of total war, famine, pestilence, and destruction captured their attention in a way that warnings and prophets could not. The Babylonians besieged the city, starved the people, forced the army to flee, killed and scattered Judah's warriors, plundered and burned the city, and took the few remaining survivors into captivity in Babylon. Historical records indicate that over time, a total of 4,600 captives were taken, with only 832 taken immediately after the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BC, and an additional 745 taken five years later, leaving the land nearly depopulated after centuries of presence. This catastrophic event left a pitiful remnant, highlighting the depth of loss and grief experienced by the survivors.

The Babylonian Empire, also known as the Neo-Babylonians, practiced the Policy of Enforced Resettlement, a common strategy in Mesopotamian history where conquered peoples were forcibly relocated to distant parts of the empire to serve as laborers or to build cities and monuments. This policy, in place for about 2,000 years across various empires in the region, was often portrayed by Babylonian scribes as beneficial, likening the displaced captives to precious trees being replanted under ideal conditions. Under Nebuchadnezzar, the Babylonians exerted dominance over Judah, leading to multiple deportations of the Jews. The first deportation occurred in 604 BC, followed by others in 597 BC, 586 BC, and a smaller one around 582 or 581 BC, in retaliation for the assassination of Gedeliah, the appointed governor. Over roughly twenty years, tens of thousands of Jews were slain in battle, many died from famine and disease during sieges, and the remaining survivors were taken captive to Babylon, where they served as slaves until the rise of the Persian Empire. The Babylonians refused to allow the Jews to return to their homeland, maintaining strict control over the displaced population. Additionally, during the fall of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple, killed King Zedekiah and his sons, and ensured the land lay desolate for seventy years to fulfill the neglected Sabbath rests commanded by God.

God revealed to the prophet Habakkuk that He would send the Babylonians, also known as the Chaldeans, against the kingdom of Judah as the rod of His anger due to the people's sinfulness and unfaithfulness. The Babylonians, a Semitic people related to the Israelites and closely tied to the Arameans, originated from a hardy and independent lineage in southern Mesopotamia near the northwest end of the Persian Gulf. They transformed the swampy, undesirable land into the breadbasket of the Fertile Crescent through ingenious canal systems, demonstrating their resourcefulness and determination. Emerging as a formidable force during the decline of the Assyrian Empire, the Babylonians, under leaders like Nebuchadnezzar and his father, rose against their oppressors. With the Medes as allies, they captured key Assyrian cities, establishing dominance over the Near East by defeating Egypt at the battle of Carchemish. In that same period, Judah became a vassal kingdom to Babylon under King Joachim, and Daniel was taken into captivity. Subsequent revolts by the Jews led to further invasions, with Jerusalem captured under King Jehoiachin, and Ezekiel taken to Babylon. Under Zedekiah, a final revolt prompted Nebuchadnezzar to destroy Jerusalem and the Temple, killing many and taking most survivors into captivity. The Babylonians were feared for their ruthless and impetuous nature, known for cruelty, speed, and a take-no-prisoners approach in warfare. Within two decades, they transitioned from subjugation to mastery over the Middle East, driven by an insatiable thirst for power and plunder. Habakkuk describes them as a bitter and hasty nation, merciless, hot-headed, and greedy, marching to possess lands not their own. They were terrible, dreadful, arrogant, and lawless, with judgment and dignity proceeding from themselves alone. Their speed and fierceness likened them to predators such as leopards, wolves, and eagles, while their violence, resoluteness, and haughtiness made them unstoppable, scoffing at kings and strongholds, worshiping power as their god. Jeremiah echoes this portrayal, emphasizing their predatory nature, likening them to lions and wolves ready to strike with great speed and insatiable greed for plunder. They employed total war, tearing their enemies apart and provoking terror with unrelenting viciousness. Ezekiel records a prophecy against Tyre, noting that the Babylonians, described as the most terrible of nations, would bring destruction upon them before advancing to Judah, living up to their cruel reputation. The aftermath of the Babylonian invasion left Jerusalem desolate, a once-bustling city reduced to ruin with its walls broken, Temple burned, and treasures taken. The few remaining people were in despair, enslaved and humiliated, their allies having failed them. The Babylonians' defilement of the Temple, entering the Holy Place and polluting God's house, was both an abomination and a humiliation to Judah, a direct consequence of the people's sins opening the door to such desecration.