DM, Thanks for your exciting and interesting commentary. It is late now and I will have to look up the BIble verses later on.
Here is what the WT has always taught about the destruction of Jerusalem back in the time of the prophets: Jerusalem was invaded two times. The first time it was invaded resulted in Zedekiah being installed as a vassal king. Because king Zedekiah rebelled against Babylon, the king of Babylon invaded Jerusalem a second time and this time the king of Babylon destroyed the temple ((jewish tradition holds that 1st and 2nd temple were destroyed in the month of Av) However, the WT has always taught that Gedaliah was left in Judah as governor after the destruction of the first temple. He was later assassinated by Ismael, resulting in the Babylonians disassembling the Jewish presence in Judah that Babylon allowed at that time. It was then that the 70 year desolation began and not in the 9th of Av.
How does this correspond with your commentary?