Israel eventually conquered and obtained the Promised Land of Canaan. Over the years, the new nation of Israel moved through different systems of government, a period of judges followed by a monarchy. The era of monarchy began in a United Kingdom, but through sin, ended up in a Divided Kingdom; the northern half was called Israel with Samaria as its capital and the Southern half called Judah with Jerusalem as its capital. The Northern Kingdom was ruled by a succession of evil kings and God allowed them to be conquered by pagan Assyria in 722 BC. The Southern Kingdom had some godly kings and God allowed them to outlast the North for another 136 years. During that time, Babylon conquered Assyria and then Judah, the Southern Kingdom, in 586 BC.
“4 “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the god of Israel, to all the captives I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon, 5 ‘Build houses and live. [in them;] and plant gardens and eat their produce. 6 ‘Take husbands and be fathers of sons and daughters, and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, that they may have children men and women; and multiply there and do not go down.” (Jer 29:4-6 NAS95)
While the Southern Kingdom of Judah was in the midst of falling and being taken into captivity to live in Babylon, God commanded His people to build homes, plant gardens, marry, and have children; In the midst of such trying circumstances, God specifically commanded them to be fruitful and multiply.
