2 Kings 25:1-30
THE FALL OF JERUSALEM This chapter relates the siege and destruction of Jerusalem, the capture of king Zedekiah, and the deportation of most of the Jewish people.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE FALL OF JERUSALEM This chapter relates the siege and destruction of Jerusalem, the capture of king Zedekiah, and the deportation of most of the Jewish people.... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE TENTH _day_] The successive stages in the overthrow of the city are carefully marked by the historian: cp. 2 Kings 25:3; 2 Kings 25:8. FORTS] perhaps movable towers for throwing troops upon the walls.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE FAMINE] the sufferings of the besieged are described in Jeremiah 21:7; Lamentations 4:8; Lamentations 5:10.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE CITY WAS BROKEN UP] RV 'a breach was made in the city.' Before this happened an Egyptian force had advanced to the relief of Jerusalem, and the Babylonians in consequence retired (Jeremiah 37:5), but the relief was only temporary (as Jeremiah had predicted) and the siege was resumed. THE KING'S... [ Continue Reading ]
PUT OUT THE EYES] Zedekiah was taken to Babylon, but he did not _see_ it, just as Ezekiel had predicted (2 Kings 12:13). An Assyrian king is represented on one of his monuments as blinding a captive with the point of his own spear.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE REST OF THE PEOPLE] i.e. those that remained in the country after the deportation related in 2 Kings 24:14; 2 Kings 24:15. OF THE MULTITUDE] better, 'of the artificers.' In addition to this deportation in Nebuchadnezzar's 19th year Jeremiah (Jeremiah 52:29) mentions one that occurred in his 18th... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PILLARS OF BRASS, etc.] see 1 Kings 7:15.; Jeremiah 52:17, where some of the details are given differently.... [ Continue Reading ]
_In_ GOLD.. _in_ SILVER] better, 'as so much gold.. as so much silver.'... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SECOND PRIEST] i.e. the high priest's deputy. For ZEPHANIAH cp. Jeremiah 29:25; Jeremiah 29:29. KEEPERS OF THE DOOR] i.e. of the entrance of the Temple.... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT.. PRESENCE] i.e. those of the king's ministers who enjoyed freedom of access to him. THE PRINCIPAL SCRIBE, etc.] RM 'the scribe of the captain of the host': i.e. the official who superintended the conscription. Nebuchadnezzar, instead of consigning the citizens to indiscriminate massacre, selec... [ Continue Reading ]
SO JUDAH WAS CARRIED AWAY] The destruction of Jerusalem and the final deportation of its chief inhabitants took place in 586 b.c. The kingdom of Judah, like the kingdom of the ten tribes, now came to an end, as Jeremiah (Jeremiah 20:4) had predicted; and its historian here brings his record to a clo... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SON OF AHIKAM] Ahikam had befriended Jeremiah when the people sought to put him to death (Jeremiah 26:24).... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN ALL THE CAPTAINS, etc.] For a fuller account of the events recounted in 2 Kings 25:23 see Jeremiah 40:7 to Jeremiah 43:13, from which it appears that Ishmael was instigated by Baalis the king of Ammon, and murdered Gedaliah treacherously. MIZPAH] perhaps Mizpah in Benjamin (1 Kings 15:22).... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE SEVENTH MONTH] subsequently observed as a fast (Zechariah 7:5).... [ Continue Reading ]
CAME TO EGYPT] In doing this the people acted in defiance of the counsel of Jeremiah, whom they took with them: see Jeremiah 42, 43.... [ Continue Reading ]
EVIL-MERODACH] son of Nebuchadnezzar, succeeding to his throne in 561 b.c. It was in the first year of his reign that he manifested to Jehoiachin the leniency here recorded. DID LIFT UP THE HEAD] i.e. showed favour to: cp. Genesis 40:13.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE KINGS THAT _were_ WITH HIM] possibly other captive sovereigns.... [ Continue Reading ]
DID EAT BREAD.. BEFORE HIM] i.e. was a guest at the royal table. For a like privilege see 2 Samuel 19:3; 1 Kings 2:7.... [ Continue Reading ]