NERGAL-SHAREZER nûr’ găl shə rē’ zər (נֵרְגַ֣ל שַׂר־֠אֶצֶר, protect the king!). Name of a senior official with the Babylonian army at Jerusalem in 587 b.c. (Jer 39:3, 13). When a breach was made in the city’s defenses, he, with other princes, occupied the Middle Gate (Jer 39:3). With other officers he had Jeremiah taken out of prison and entrusted to Gedaliah (39:14).

He has sometimes been equated with Neriglissar who was according to Berosus a son-in-law of Nebuchadrezzar. Neriglissar (559-556) was the son of a private citizen and his campaign into Cilicia is described in a fragment of the Babylonian Chronicle.