The chain that goes back to Saʿīd ibn al-Musayyib is sound. Al-Ḥāfiẓ Ibn ʿAsākir has already cited words suggesting that this was the blood of John son of Zechariah, but that cannot be correct, for John lived well after the time of Nebuchadnezzar. What is more plausible is that the blood belonged to an earlier prophet, or to some righteous servant (1), or to whomever Allah willed—Allah knows best.
Hishām ibn al-Kalbī said: After that, Nebuchadnezzar came to Jerusalem. Its king, a descendant of David, made a treaty with him and purchased safety for the Children of Israel. Nebuchadnezzar took hostages from him and withdrew. When he reached Tiberias, word reached him that the Children of Israel had risen against their king and killed him because he had concluded the treaty. Nebuchadnezzar thereupon beheaded the hostages who were with him, turned back, stormed the city by force, slew the fighting men, and carried the women and children off as captives (2).
He continued: We have been informed that he found the prophet Jeremiah in prison; he released him, and Jeremiah told him what had transpired—how he had warned them of this calamity, yet they belied him and cast him into prison. Nebuchadnezzar exclaimed, “What a wretched people—people who disobey the messenger of Allah!” He set Jeremiah free and treated him kindly.
Those of the Children of Israel who were weak and still alive gathered around Jeremiah and said, “We have sinned and wronged ourselves; we repent to Allah for what we have done. Pray to Allah to accept our repentance.” Jeremiah prayed, and Allah revealed to him that He would not do so; if they were truthful, they should remain with him in this town. Jeremiah conveyed to them what Allah had commanded, but they replied, “How can we stay in a city that has been laid waste and upon whose people Allah’s wrath has fallen?” Thus they refused to stay (3).
Ibn al-Kalbī said: From that time the Children of Israel dispersed throughout the lands. One group settled in the Ḥijāz, another in Yathrib, another in Wādī al-Qurā; a small faction went to Egypt. Nebuchadnezzar wrote to the king of Egypt demanding that he surrender those who had fled to him, but the king refused. Nebuchadnezzar therefore marched with his army, fought him, defeated him, overpowered him, and carried off their children as captives. He then advanced toward the western lands until he reached their farthest edge.
He added: Nebuchadnezzar returned with a vast number of captives from the Maghrib, from Egypt, from the people of Jerusalem, and from the lands of Palestine and the Jordan; among the captives was Daniel.
I say: It appears that this was Daniel the Younger, the son of Ezekiel, not the elder, as Wahb ibn Munabbih mentioned. Allah knows best.