Destruction of the First Temple

The destruction of the Temple can refer to the destruction of either of the two Temples that stood in Jerusalem in the ancient period. The First Temple, built by King Solomon, was destroyed in 586 BCE by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. The Second Temple, built 70 years after the destruction of the first, was destroyed in 70 CE by the Roman empire. The fast day of Tisha B'Av commemorates the destruction of both Temples, among other historical tragedies.

Sources

On the tenth day of the fifth month—that was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadrezzar, the king of Babylon—Nebuzaradan, the chief of the guards, came to represent the king of Babylon in Jerusalem. He burned the House of GOD, the king’s palace, and all the houses of Jerusalem; he burned down the house of every notable person. The entire Chaldean force that was with the chief of the guards tore down all the walls of Jerusalem on every side. The remnant of the people left in the city, the defectors who had gone over to the king of Babylon…

Jeremiah 52:12-16

And in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, on the ninth day of the fourth month, the [walls of] the city were breached. All the officers of the king of Babylon entered, and took up quarters at the middle gate—Nergal-sarezer, Samgar-nebo, Sarsechim the Rab-saris, Nergal-sarezer the Rab-mag, and all the rest of the officers of the king of Babylon. When King Zedekiah of Judah saw them, he and all the soldiers fled. They left the city at night, by way of the king’s garden, through the gate between the double walls; and he set out toward the Arabah. …

Jeremiah 39:2-12

Now the Presence of the God of Israel had moved from the cherub on which it had rested to the platform of the House. The figure clothed in linen with the writing case at his waist was summoned;

Ezekiel 9:3

Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin began in the name of Rabbi Levi: “Remember your Creator in the days of your youth [beḥurotekha]” (Ecclesiastes 12:1). Solomon said to Israel: “Remember your Creator” – remember your Creator while your chosenness is intact. While the covenant of priesthood is intact, as it is stated: “And I choose him from all the tribes of Israel for Me as a priest” (I Samuel 2:28). While the Levite covenant is intact, as it is stated: “For the Lord your God has chosen him from all the tribes” (Deuteronomy 18:5)…

Eikhah Rabbah, Petichta 23-25

He was proceeding and killing until he reached the Sanctuary. When he reached the Sanctuary, he ignited a fire in it. The Sanctuary rose, seeking to enter Heaven so that it would not burn. They trod upon it from Heaven and returned it to its place, as it is stated: “The Lord has trodden the virgin, the daughter of Judah, as in a winepress” (Lamentations 1:15). Nebuzaradan became haughty, taking pride in his conquest. A Divine Voice emerged and said to him: Your haughtiness is unwarranted, as you killed a nation that was already dead…

Sanhedrin 96b:4

On the seventh day of the fifth month—that was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon—Nebuzaradan, the chief of the guards, an officer of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. He burned the House of GOD, the king’s palace, and all the houses of Jerusalem; he burned down the house of every notable person. The entire Chaldean force that was with the chief of the guard tore down the walls of Jerusalem on every side. The remnant of the people that was left in the city…