How Did Judah Lose Its Sovereignty?

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Before we come to the study of the Book of Daniel and how Judah went down to Babylon in captivity, we need to understand how it lost its sovereignty and became a tributary nation, first to Egypt and then to the four succeeding empires, beginning with Babylon. In the days of Josiah, king of Judah, Pharoah-nechoh went out against the King of Assyria and had come to the Euphrates River. At that time, Assyria and Babylon were one empire (2Kings 19:36; 2Chronicles 33:11). Pharoah-nechoh came up against the new king, Nabopolassar, seeking to take the lands away from him, which extend from the Euphrates River to Egypt (2Kings 23:29). King Josiah, who preferred good relations with Assyria or Babylon, came out against Pharoah-nechoh at Meggiddo and was slain in battle.