2 Kings 25:1. _in the ninth year of his reign_ i.e. Of Zedekiah's reign. How long before this, the neglect to pay the tribute, which was the usual indication of disaffection, had gone on we are not told. The Babylonian power might overlook the first omission, but perhaps not the second. So we may da... [ Continue Reading ]
_unto the eleventh year_ The natural strength of the position of Jerusalem must have been very considerable, for such a rabble as remained to be able to hold out nearly two years against the forces of Babylon. We know however (Jeremiah 34:7) that Nebuchadnezzar's troops were engaged at the same time... [ Continue Reading ]
_And on the ninth_day _of the_fourth _month_ The words in italic omitted here by the scribe, can be filled up from Jeremiah 39:2; Jeremiah 52:6. _the famine prevailed_ R.V. WAS SORE. The verb is that which is found used of famine in Genesis 41:56-57, though we have a different word for a _sore_fami... [ Continue Reading ]
_And the city was broken up_ R.V. THEN A BREACH WAS MADE IN THE CITY. The old phrase -broken up" was the same in sense as -broken through". See 2 Chronicles 24:7; Jeremiah 39:7; Micah 2:13; Matthew 24:43; Mark 2:4. We have a more full account of the events here alluded to in Jeremiah 39:2-7. There... [ Continue Reading ]
_And_[R.V. BUT] _the army of the Chaldees_ R.V. CHALDEANS. This change in the name of the people of Babylon is made in every place through the chapter. As the troops were all round the city there was very little chance for the king to get away. In his flight he was making for the Jordan, thinking pu... [ Continue Reading ]
_So_[R.V. THEN] _they took the king, and brought him up to_[R.V. UNTO] _the king of Babylon_ Nebuchadnezzar was stationed at some distance, and was awaiting the issue of the campaign. The verb rendered -take" implies seizure as a prisoner. It is used before (2 Kings 10:14) - _Take them_alive". _to... [ Continue Reading ]
_slew the sons of Zedekiah_ This was done to prevent the rise of a new revolt under a successor. To do it in the sight of the father was to break down all his hope of any rightful successor taking his throne. The narrative in Jeremiah adds that Nebuchadnezzar -slew all the nobles of Judah". Not only... [ Continue Reading ]
Burning of Jerusalem, the temple, and all the chief buildings. More captives taken. The brass work of the temple carried off. Captives slain at Riblah (2 Chronicles 36:17-23; Jeremiah 52:12-29) 8. _on the seventh_day] Jeremiah says _the tenth day_. The slight differences in numbers are easily accou... [ Continue Reading ]
_every great_man's _house burnt he with fire_ R.V. omits -man's". The expression in 2 Chronicles is -he burnt all the palaces thereof with fire".... [ Continue Reading ]
_Now the rest_[R.V. AND THE RESIDUE] _of the people_ The change is in accordance with Jeremiah 52:15 where the same people are spoken of. _and the fugitives that fell away to the king of Babylon_ R.V. AND THOSE THAT FELL AWAY, THAT FELL TO THE KING OF BABYLON. This alteration is also from A.V. in t... [ Continue Reading ]
_left of the poor_[R.V. POOREST] _of the land_ The word was so rendered above in 2 Kings 24:14. Now that the great houses and their inhabitants were gone and the craftsmen also, the life became no better than that of the nomads, and the people left behind could only turn to keeping the land in culti... [ Continue Reading ]
_and the pillars of brass_ These were the pillars, Jachin and Boaz, the two masterpieces of Hiram mentioned in 1 Kings 7:15. Their position was not within the house, but in the porch (see 1 Kings 7:21 and all the notes there). _and the bases_ See 1 Kings 7:27. These were richly wrought stands to su... [ Continue Reading ]
_and the bowls_ R.V. BASONS. All these vessels are enumerated among the things provided for the temple services in the account of Solomon's temple referred to above. and _such_things _as_were of _gold_in _gold, and_of _silver_in _silver_ R.V. THAT WHICH WAS OF GOLD, IN GOLD, AND THAT WHICH WAS OF S... [ Continue Reading ]
_the brass … was without weight_ This is said before in the account of their casting, 1 Kings 7:47.... [ Continue Reading ]
_and the chapiter upon it_was _brass_ R.V. AND A CHAPITER OF BRASS WAS UPON IT. The sentence is not meant to state of what material the chapiter was, but that it was there on the top of the pillar. _wreathen work_ R.V. NETWORK. Twice over the change is needed in this verse, to correspond with the r... [ Continue Reading ]
_Seraiah, the chief priest_ Probably the son of Azariah and grandson of Hilkiah (1 Chronicles 6:14). His name is not found except in the parallel narratives. _Zephaniah the second priest_ This was the son of Maaseiah (Jeremiah 21:1). He was the successor in office of Jehoiada (Jeremiah 29:25-26). Th... [ Continue Reading ]
_five men of them that were in the king's presence_ R.V. THAT SAW THE KING'S FACE. For the expression, cf. Esther 1:14. The officer over the men of war, and the five persons admitted to closest intimacy with the king, together with the scribe, represented the remaining conspicuous persons in the cit... [ Continue Reading ]
_and slew them_[R.V. PUT THEM TO DEATH] _at Riblah_ The word is not the same as in verse 7, and the R.V. follows A.V. of Jeremiah 52:27. _So Judah was carried away out of their_[R.V. HIS] _land_ The A.V. has -his own" in Jeremiah 52. Jeremiah gives the totals of this captivity thus. In the seventh... [ Continue Reading ]
Gedaliah is made governor of the people remaining in Jerusalem. He is slain, and the people flee to Egypt (Not in Chronicles. Cf. Jeremiah, chaps. 40. and 41) 22. _And_as for _the people that remained_ R.V. WERE LEFT. The change is in accordance with A.V. in verse 11 above. _made Gedaliah … ruler_... [ Continue Reading ]
_And_[R.V. NOW] _when all the captains … heard_ The governorship of Gedaliah appears to have found much favour. We are told (Jeremiah 41) that when Jeremiah was set at liberty by Nebuzar-adan at Ramah he at once made his way to Gedaliah; beside that the captains of the forces gathered to him, and so... [ Continue Reading ]
_Gedaliah sware to them_ He gave them a most solemn promise that they should enjoy the security which he expected under the rule of the Chaldæans. _Fear not to be_[R.V. BECAUSE OF] _the servants of the Chaldees_ R.V. CHALDÆANS. The alarm of the returning fugitives would be lest another Chaldæan for... [ Continue Reading ]
_in the seventh month_ Jerusalem was overthrown in the fifth month (see above verse 8), so that but two months had elapsed, and Gedaliah's influence had begun, even in that brief period, to inspire much confidence. _that he died, and the Jews and the Chaldees_[R.V. CHALDÆANS] _that were with him_ S... [ Continue Reading ]
_all the people … and the captains of the armies_[R.V. FORCES] _arose and came_to _Egypt_ Feeling now sure that there would be reason to fear because of the servants of the Chaldæans. They were in a panic, and fled away in spite of the exhortations of Jeremiah, and they carried Jeremiah with them in... [ Continue Reading ]
Jehoiachin king of Judah kindly treated by Evil-merodach king of Babylon (Jeremiah 52:31-34) 27. _the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin_ Thus twenty-six years had elapsed since Jerusalem was overthrown. _on the seven and twentieth_day _of the month_ In Jeremiah it is put down... [ Continue Reading ]
_and set his throne above the throne_, &c. i.e. He gave him precedence, perhaps by causing him to sit at the table in a place nearer to himself, and also by manifesting special regard for him. That other kings were in the same condition as Jehoiachin, and had been brought to Babylon because they wer... [ Continue Reading ]
_And changed_[R.V. HE CHANGED] _his prison garments_ For the subject is Jehoiachin, not Evil-merodach. So R.V. omits -he" in the next clause. _did eat bread continually before him_ R.V. BEFORE HIM CONTINUALLY. i.e. He himself was a constant guest at the royal table.... [ Continue Reading ]
_And his_[R.V. FOR HIS] _allowance_ i.e. He was assigned a regular amount in money or in kind for the keeping of such attendants as a captive king might be supposed to require. _a daily rate for every day_ R.V. EVERY DAY A PORTION. This is the A.V. rendering in Jeremiah 52:34, where the history say... [ Continue Reading ]