2 Kings 25:18

Zephaniah, the second priest— The Jews call their second priest their סגן Segan, whose business it was to supply the function of the high-priest, in case he was sick, or under any other incapacity. We find no such particular institution under the law; but Eleazar, the son of Aaron, who is styled the chief over the chief of the Levites, and who had the oversight of them who kept the charge of the sanctuary, Numbers 3:32., and whose authority was not much inferior to that of the high-priest, may not improperly be deemed one of that order. It is most probable that Nebuchadnezzar put to death the persons mentioned in this and the following verse, because he looked upon them as Zedekiah's principal counsellors in the advising him to rebel.

REFLECTIONS.—Near two months were spent in plundering the city, or given of God as a reprieve to the people, and then the decree went forth.

1. The temple, and all the palaces in Zion, are laid in ashes, the walls dismantled, and the whole city laid in ruins. Note; (1.) The temple is no longer precious in God's sight, when the people are apostate. (2.) God's patience with sinners by and by will end, and then judgment will overtake them to the uttermost.

2. The few vessels of silver and gold which remained in the temple, were now carried away, with all the brass, the pillars, the sea, the bases, and all the vessels belonging to the service, which for its vast quantity is said to be without weight. Thus a period was put to their worship. They who had so abused the house of God, and these consecrated vessels, deserved to be deprived of them.

3. Many of the great men are seized and executed, as being the supporters of the rebellion, and the rest carried away captive, Jeremiah 52:29.; only the poor of the land were left to till the ground for their proud conquerors. Thus the same iniquities cast the Jews out of Judea, which had been so fatal to the Canaanites, on whom their ancestors had executed the judgments of God.