THE SECOND BOOK OF
THE KINGS,

2 Kings 24

1Jehoiakim first submitteth to, and afterward rebelleth against Nebuchadnezzar: God hasteneth the ruin of Judah, as foretold by the prophets. 5Jehoiakim dieth: Jehoiachin succeedeth him. 7The king of Egypt is vanquished by the king of Babylon. 8Jehoiachin's wicked reign. 10Jerusalem is besieged and taken; Jehoiachin with his family and the chief persons of Judah are carried captive to Babylon. 17Zedekiah is made king, and reigneth wickedly: he rebelleth to the utter destruction of Judah.


1IN 1hisa days Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up, and Jehoiakim became 2his servant three years: then he turned and rebelled against him.

1 Namely, in the fourth year of his reign: which was the first year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, Jer. 25:1.

a 2 Chron. 36:6.

2 That is, his vassal, subject to his power and command, tributary, bound to pay him tax. Also 2 Sam. 8:2, 6.

2And the LORD sent against him 3bands of the 4Chaldees, and bands of the Syrians, and bands of the Moabites, and bands of the children of Ammon, and sent them against Judah to destroy it, accordingb to the word of the LORD, which he spake 5by his servants 6the prophets.

3 That is, heaps of soldiers. See 2 Kings 5 on verse 2. These were in the service of the king of Babel, making up all together his army.

4 A people inhabiting the land of Chaldea, of which Babel was the capital. Compare Ezek. 23:15.

b 2 Kings 20:17; 23:27.

5 Hebr. by the hand.

6 Namely, not only in general by Moses, Lev. 26:17; Deut. 28:25, 36, 68, etc., but also specially by Huldah the prophetess, 2 Kings 22:16, and by Jeremiah the prophet, Jer. 25:9, etc.

3Surely at the 7commandment of the LORD came this upon Judah, to remove them 8out of his sight, for the 9sins of Manasseh, according to all that he did;

7 Hebr. mouth.

8 Compare 2 Kings 17 on verse 18.

9 See of these sins 2 Kings 21; amongst which the most important one was indeed idolatry, which the people so imitated, that they could not be driven from it, neither by the repentance and conversion of Manasseh, nor by the good example of Josiah, and the good reformation wrought by him. Wherefore it is also said of him, namely, of Manasseh, that he made Judah to sin, 2 Kings 21:16.

4And also for the 10innocent blood that he shed: for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood; which the LORD would not pardon.

10 See 2 Kings 21:16 and the annotation.

5¶Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

6So Jehoiakim 11slept with his fathers: and 12Jehoiachin his son reigned in his stead.

11 Namely, in Babel, or on the way, as he was carried bound to Babel, 2 Chron. 36:6, and without receiving burial, as was foretold by Jeremiah, Jer. 22:18, 19.

12 Called also Jeconiah, 1 Chron. 3:16, and by way of contempt Coniah, Jer. 22:24.

713And the king of Egypt came not again any more out of his land: for the king of Babylon had taken from the 14river of Egypt unto the river 15Euphrates all that pertained to the king of Egypt.

13 This account is made to show, that the king of Judah could not expect any aid from Egypt against the king of Babel. It is true indeed, that in Zedekiah’s time he attempted to do something, but in vain, being stopped by the Chaldeans, Jer. 37:6, 7.

14 Called Sihor; see Joshua 13:3.

15 Or, Frath. See Gen. 2 on verse 14.

8¶Jehoiachin was 16eighteen years old when he began 17to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem 18three months. And his mother's name was Nehushta, the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem.

16 Hebr. A son of eighteen years.

17 Namely, only (as some of the learned judge) king in full and absolute power after the death of his father. Other, when he was about the age of 8 years, his father made him king, in the midst of so many troubles, to settle and confirm the kingdom in his own house, and he continued so king for ten years together, that is, until his father died; for which cause it is said, that he was eight years old when he became king, 2 Chron. 36:9.

18 And ten days, 2 Chron. 36:9. Thus oftentimes an even number is put for an odd. See Gen. 15:13:1 Kings 16:8, with the annotation.

9And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father had done.

10¶At 19thatc time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against Jerusalem, and the city 20was besieged.

19 Namely, at the return of the year, 2 Chron. 36:10, that is, at the arrival of summer. See 1 Kings 20 on verse 22.

c Dan. 1:1.

20 Hebr. came in siege, that is, came to be besieged or was besieged. Also 2 Kings 25:2.

11And Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came against the city, and his servants did besiege it.

12And Jehoiachin the king of Judah 21went out to the king of Babylon, he, and his mother, and his servants, and his princes, and his officers: and the king of Babylon 22took him in the eighth year 23of his reign.

21 It is perceived that he did this by the prophet Jeremiah’s advice, that the temple and the people might not be utterly destroyed.

22 Namely, to keep him prisoner. See 2 Kings 25:27.

23 Namely, of king Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, not of Jehoiachin’s; for, Jehoiachin reigned but three months and ten days, in full and absolute power. See on verse 8. Compare also 2 Kings 25:8.

13Andd24he carried out 25thence all the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king's house, and 26cut in pieces 27all the vessels of gold which Solomon king of Israel had made in the temple of the LORD, 28as the LORD had said.

d 2 Kings 20:17; Isa. 39:6.

24 Namely, Nebuchadnezzar.

25 From Jerusalem.

26 The word rendered here cut, signifies properly casting off, or, shortening off; but is also further taken for taking away. The meaning is: that he took away those vessels, and robbed the temple of them. That he left some in their entirety appears by Dan. 5:2, 3.

27 That is, of all kinds, of almost all, a great part; as appears from 2 Kings 25:15.

28 See 2 Kings 20:17; Jer. 20:5.

14And he carried away 29all Jerusalem, and all the princes, and all the 30mighty men of valour, even 31ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and 32smiths: none remained, save the 33poorest sort of the people of the land.

29 That is, the most part of the inhabitants, and of the most important ones. Compare Mat. 3:5.

30 Also Judges 6:12; 2 Kings 5:1. The Hebrew words may be also understood of those who are wealthy, or of a great and mighty estate, as Ruth 2:1.

31 That is, the total sum of the prisoners, who, hereafter in verse 16, is set down distinctly.

32 Or, locksmiths. See further Jer. 24 on verse 1.

33 Hebr. the thinness of the people of the land. So 2 Kings 25:12; Jer. 40:7; 52:16; that is, of the poorest, lowest, basest, and most wasted people of the land.

15Ande he carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon, and the king's mother, and the king's wives, and his officers, and the mighty of the land, those carried he into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon.

e 2 Chron. 36:10; Esther 2:6.

16And allf the men of might, even seven thousand, and craftsmen and smiths a thousand, all that were strong and apt 34for war, even them the king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon.

f Jer. 52:28.

34 Hebr. that did the war, that is, who followed the war. See 1 Kings 12 on verse 21.

17¶And the kingg of Babylon made Mattaniah 35his father’s brother king in his stead, and 36changed his name to 37Zedekiah.

g Jer. 37:1; 52:1.

35 Namely, his uncle.

36 Hebr. turned about. Also 2 Kings 23:34; 2 Chron. 36:4.

37 Hebr. Tsidkiahu.

18Zedekiah was twenty and one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was 38Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.

38 As 2 Kings 23:31. Other, Hamital; the mother of Jehoahaz. so that Zedekiah and Jehoahaz were full brothers, both by the same father and mother.

19And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that 39Jehoiakim had done.

39 This was Zedekiah’s half-brother, being both of one father, but not of the same mother. See 2 Kings 23:36.

2040For through the anger of the LORD it came to pass in Jerusalem and Judah, until he had cast them out 41from his presence, that Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.

40 The Lord, intending to punish the sins of the people of the Jews, gave not to Zedekiah the spirit of true repentance, but suffered him to fall so far, that through evil counsel and his own willfulness, he became perjured, and revolted from king Nebuchadnezzar.

41 Compare 2 Kings 17 on verse 18.