Babylonian Empire

BABYLON was indeed an impressive city​—with towering walls, its Processional Way, the famous Hanging Gardens, and upwards of 50 temples.

Very early in man’s history, Babel (later named Babylon) became a prominent center of worship that defied the true God, Jehovah. (Ge 10:9, 10) Jehovah thwarted the purpose of its builders by confusing the people’s language and scattering them from there throughout the earth. (Ge 11:4-9) Thus it came about that false worship spread from Babylon to other lands.

Babylon’s defiance of Jehovah eventually led to its downfall. In prophecy, Jehovah depicted Babylon as a lion having eagle’s wings; he also foretold its fall and its eventual desolation. On October 5, 539 B.C.E., in one night, Babylon was taken by Cyrus the Great, whom Jehovah had foretold by name. Babylon fell in the very manner foretold. Eventually the city became “piles of stones,” never to be rebuilt.​—Jer 51:37; see Isa 44:27–45:2.