Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible
2 Kings 24:20-7
2). Zedekiah Rebels And Is Brought To Judgment (2 Kings 24:20 to 2 Kings 25:7).
It will be noted that as so often the prophetic author ignores the details of Zedekiah's reign and concentrates on what to him was theologically important. It was Zedekiah's rebellion and its consequences in the arrival of the king of Babylon that highlighted the fact that YHWH's anger was directed against Jerusalem and Judah for it was an indication that He intended to cast them out of His presence, so that was what he concentrated on. What happened to Jerusalem was not to be the act of Nebuchadnezzar, but the act of YHWH.
Analysis.
a For through the anger of YHWH did it come about in Jerusalem and Judah, until he had cast them out from his presence (2 Kings 24:20 a).
b And Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon (2 Kings 24:20 b).
c And it came about in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came, he and all his army, against Jerusalem, and encamped against it, and they built forts against it round about, and the city was besieged to the eleventh year of king Zedekiah (2 Kings 25:1).
d On the ninth day of the fourth month the famine was sore in the city, so that there was no bread for the people of the land, and a breach was made in the city, and all the men of war fled by night by the way of the gate between the two walls, which was by the king's garden (now the Chaldeans were against the city round about), and the king went by the way of the Arabah (2 Kings 25:3).
c But the army of the Chaldeans pursued after the king, and overtook him in the plains of Jericho, and all his army was scattered from him (2 Kings 25:5).
b Then they took the king, and carried him up to the king of Babylon to Riblah, and they gave judgment on him (2 Kings 25:6).
a And they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him in fetters, and carried him to Babylon (2 Kings 25:7).
Note that in ‘a' YHWH would cast them out of His presence, and in the parallel they were carried off to Babylon. In ‘b' Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon, and in the parallel he was brought before the king of Babylon for judgment. In ‘c' the Babylonian army came and the siege of Jerusalem began, and in the parallel the Chaldean army pursued the king and he was taken and all his army scattered. Centrally in ‘d' famine was so intense in the city that they sought to escape.
‘For through the anger of YHWH did it come about in Jerusalem and Judah, until he had cast them out from his presence.'
The fact of YHWH's anger against Judah and Jerusalem, and their removal from His sight has been a theme of these last few Chapter s (2 Kings 21:12; 2 Kings 22:13; 2 Kings 23:26; 2 Kings 24:2). It had been His continual purpose from the time of Manasseh. The warnings of Leviticus 18:25; Leviticus 18:28; Leviticus 26:28; Deuteronomy 29:28 were being fulfilled. And it was being brought about by YHWH Himself.
‘And Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.'
The result of YHWH's anger against Judah and Jerusalem was that Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon. This rebellion appears to have been inspired as a result of news being received of an internal rebellion in Babylon in which many Jews were involved (there was constant contact with Babylon), and was no doubt partly stirred up by the continuing urgings of Egypt, who would indeed at one stage send an army to temporarily relieve Jerusalem (Jeremiah 37:5). Tyre and Sidon, Edom, Moab and Ammon all appear to have been involved (Jeremiah 27:1).
‘And it came about in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came, he and all his army, against Jerusalem, and encamped against it, and they built forts against it round about.'
In the ninth year of Zedekiah's reign Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, came with all his army and encamped against Jerusalem, setting up siege forts around it. Nebuchadnezzar had once and for all lost patience with Jerusalem (as the Book of Daniel makes clear he suffered from a mental illness, and was probably a manic depressive).
‘So the city was besieged to the eleventh year of king Zedekiah.'
The siege continued over a period of nineteen months, although at one stage possibly temporarily suspended as a result of the arrival of an Egyptian army (Jeremiah 37:5). It was clear that the city was doomed.
‘On the ninth day of the fourth month the famine was sore in the city, so that there was no bread for the people of the land.'
As a result of the siege starvation became a problem in the city, for there was no food for ‘the people of the land' who were now sheltering in Jerusalem. The city had been cut off from outside help for many months. (The word ‘fourth' is not in the text but is introduced from Jeremiah 39:2; Jeremiah 52:6).
‘Then a breach was made in the city, and all the men of war fled by night by the way of the gate between the two walls, which was by the king's garden (now the Chaldeans were against the city round about), and the king went by the way of the Arabah.'
A breach being made in the wall by the enemy a desperate attempt was made to escape by night by using a small postern gate (the main gates would be closely guarded) which would have been identifiable at the time, and all the men of war fled from Jerusalem, along with the king who was making for the Jordan Rift Valley.
‘But the army of the Chaldeans pursued after the king, and overtook him in the plains of Jericho, and all his army was scattered from him.'
However, the movement of such a large number of men could hardly fail to be detected, and the escape may well have involved some fighting, so when the Chaldeans realised that there had been an escape they pursued after the king, whose troops had scattered to find refuge where they could. It is possible that the hope was that this would aid the king's escape as the Chaldeans would not know who to follow, but if so it failed, and he was captured in the plains of Jericho in the Arabah.
‘Then they took the king, and carried him up to the king of Babylon to Riblah, and they gave judgment on him.'
He was then taken to Riblah in the region of Hamath on the Orontes where Nebuchadnezzar was stationed, and there given a form of trial. But the result could hardly have been in doubt. He had broken his oath of allegiance and was worthy of death.
‘And they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him in fetters, and carried him to Babylon.'
Nebuchadnezzar's penalty was severe. All his sons were slain before his eyes and he was then blinded, leaving the last sight that he had experienced before becoming blind as that of his sons being killed. Then he was bound in fetters and carried off to Babylon. His rebellion, into which humanly speaking he had been forced by the anti-Assyrian party in Jerusalem, had cost him dear. From the divine point of view his evil behaviour had brought its own reward.