5 Now the rest H3499 of the acts H1697 of Jehoiakim, H3079 and all that he did, H6213 are they not written H3789 in the book H5612 of the chronicles H1697 H3117 of the kings H4428 of Judah? H3063
Now the rest H3499 of the acts H1697 of Jehoiakim, H3079 and his abominations H8441 which he did, H6213 and that which was found H4672 in him, behold, they are written H3789 in the book H5612 of the kings H4428 of Israel H3478 and Judah: H3063 and Jehoiachin H3078 his son H1121 reigned H4427 in his stead.
Woe H1945 unto him that buildeth H1129 his house H1004 by H3808 unrighteousness, H6664 and his chambers H5944 by wrong; H4941 that useth his neighbour's H7453 service H5647 without wages, H2600 and giveth H5414 him not for his work; H6467 That saith, H559 I will build H1129 me a wide H4060 house H1004 and large H7304 chambers, H5944 and cutteth him out H7167 windows; H2474 and it is cieled H5603 with cedar, H730 and painted H4886 with vermilion. H8350 Shalt thou reign, H4427 because thou closest H8474 thyself in cedar? H730 did not thy father H1 eat H398 and drink, H8354 and do H6213 judgment H4941 and justice, H6666 and then it was well H2896 with him? He judged H1777 the cause H1779 of the poor H6041 and needy; H34 then it was well H2896 with him: was not this to know H1847 me? saith H5002 the LORD. H3068 But thine eyes H5869 and thine heart H3820 are not but for thy covetousness, H1215 and for to shed H8210 innocent H5355 blood, H1818 and for oppression, H6233 and for violence, H4835 to do H6213 it.
In the beginning H7225 of the reign H4468 of Jehoiakim H3079 the son H1121 of Josiah H2977 king H4428 of Judah H3063 came this word H1697 from the LORD, H3068 saying, H559 Thus saith H559 the LORD; H3068 Stand H5975 in the court H2691 of the LORD'S H3068 house, H1004 and speak H1696 unto all the cities H5892 of Judah, H3063 which come H935 to worship H7812 in the LORD'S H3068 house, H1004 all the words H1697 that I command H6680 thee to speak H1696 unto them; diminish H1639 not a word: H1697 If so be they will hearken, H8085 and turn H7725 every man H376 from his evil H7451 way, H1870 that I may repent H5162 me of the evil, H7451 which I purpose H2803 to do H6213 unto them because H6440 of the evil H7455 of their doings. H4611 And thou shalt say H559 unto them, Thus saith H559 the LORD; H3068 If ye will not hearken H8085 to me, to walk H3212 in my law, H8451 which I have set H5414 before H6440 you, To hearken H8085 to the words H1697 of my servants H5650 the prophets, H5030 whom I sent H7971 unto you, both rising up early, H7925 and sending H7971 them, but ye have not hearkened; H8085 Then will I make H5414 this house H1004 like Shiloh, H7887 and will make H5414 this city H5892 a curse H7045 to all the nations H1471 of the earth. H776 So the priests H3548 and the prophets H5030 and all the people H5971 heard H8085 Jeremiah H3414 speaking H1696 these words H1697 in the house H1004 of the LORD. H3068 Now it came to pass, when Jeremiah H3414 had made an end H3615 of speaking H1696 all that the LORD H3068 had commanded H6680 him to speak H1696 unto all the people, H5971 that the priests H3548 and the prophets H5030 and all the people H5971 took H8610 him, saying, H559 Thou shalt surely H4191 die. H4191 Why hast thou prophesied H5012 in the name H8034 of the LORD, H3068 saying, H559 This house H1004 shall be like Shiloh, H7887 and this city H5892 shall be desolate H2717 without an inhabitant? H3427 And all the people H5971 were gathered H6950 against Jeremiah H3414 in the house H1004 of the LORD. H3068 When the princes H8269 of Judah H3063 heard H8085 these things, H1697 then they came up H5927 from the king's H4428 house H1004 unto the house H1004 of the LORD, H3068 and sat down H3427 in the entry H6607 of the new H2319 gate H8179 of the LORD'S H3068 house. Then spake H559 the priests H3548 and the prophets H5030 unto the princes H8269 and to all the people, H5971 saying, H559 This man H376 is worthy H4941 to die; H4194 for he hath prophesied H5012 against this city, H5892 as ye have heard H8085 with your ears. H241 Then spake H559 Jeremiah H3414 unto all the princes H8269 and to all the people, H5971 saying, H559 The LORD H3068 sent H7971 me to prophesy H5012 against this house H1004 and against this city H5892 all the words H1697 that ye have heard. H8085 Therefore now amend H3190 your ways H1870 and your doings, H4611 and obey H8085 the voice H6963 of the LORD H3068 your God; H430 and the LORD H3068 will repent H5162 him of the evil H7451 that he hath pronounced H1696 against you. As for me, behold, I am in your hand: H3027 do H6213 with me as seemeth H5869 good H2896 and meet H3477 unto you. But know H3045 ye for certain, H3045 that if ye put me to death, H4191 ye shall surely bring H5414 innocent H5355 blood H1818 upon yourselves, and upon this city, H5892 and upon the inhabitants H3427 thereof: for of a truth H571 the LORD H3068 hath sent H7971 me unto you to speak H1696 all these words H1697 in your ears. H241 Then said H559 the princes H8269 and all the people H5971 unto the priests H3548 and to the prophets; H5030 This man H376 is not worthy H4941 to die: H4194 for he hath spoken H1696 to us in the name H8034 of the LORD H3068 our God. H430 Then rose up H6965 certain H582 of the elders H2205 of the land, H776 and spake H559 to all the assembly H6951 of the people, H5971 saying, H559 Micah H4320 the Morasthite H4183 prophesied H5012 in the days H3117 of Hezekiah H2396 king H4428 of Judah, H3063 and spake H559 to all the people H5971 of Judah, H3063 saying, H559 Thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts; H6635 Zion H6726 shall be plowed H2790 like a field, H7704 and Jerusalem H3389 shall become heaps, H5856 and the mountain H2022 of the house H1004 as the high places H1116 of a forest. H3293 Did Hezekiah H2396 king H4428 of Judah H3063 and all Judah H3063 put him at all H4191 to death? H4191 did he not fear H3373 the LORD, H3068 and besought H2470 the LORD, H3068 H6440 and the LORD H3068 repented H5162 him of the evil H7451 which he had pronounced H1696 against them? Thus H587 might we procure H6213 great H1419 evil H7451 against our souls. H5315 And there was also a man H376 that prophesied H5012 in the name H8034 of the LORD, H3068 Urijah H223 the son H1121 of Shemaiah H8098 of Kirjathjearim, H7157 who prophesied H5012 against this city H5892 and against this land H776 according to all the words H1697 of Jeremiah: H3414 And when Jehoiakim H3079 the king, H4428 with all his mighty men, H1368 and all the princes, H8269 heard H8085 his words, H1697 the king H4428 sought H1245 to put him to death: H4191 but when Urijah H223 heard H8085 it, he was afraid, H3372 and fled, H1272 and went H935 into Egypt; H4714 And Jehoiakim H3079 the king H4428 sent H7971 men H582 into Egypt, H4714 namely, Elnathan H494 the son H1121 of Achbor, H5907 and certain men H582 with him into Egypt. H4714 And they fetched forth H3318 Urijah H223 out of Egypt, H4714 and brought H935 him unto Jehoiakim H3079 the king; H4428 who slew H5221 him with the sword, H2719 and cast H7993 his dead body H5038 into the graves H6913 of the common H1121 people. H5971 Nevertheless the hand H3027 of Ahikam H296 the son H1121 of Shaphan H8227 was with Jeremiah, H3414 that they should not give H5414 him into the hand H3027 of the people H5971 to put him to death. H4191
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 2 Kings 24
Commentary on 2 Kings 24 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 24
2Ki 24:1-7. Jehoiakim Procures His Own Ruin.
1, 2. Nebuchadnezzar—the son of Nabopolassar, the founder of the Chaldee monarchy. This invasion took place in the fourth year of Jehoiakim's, and the first of Nebuchadnezzar's reign (Jer 25:1; compare Jer 46:2). The young king of Assyria being probably detained at home on account of his father's demise, despatched, along with the Chaldean troops on his border, an army composed of the tributary nations that were contiguous to Judea, to chastise Jehoiakim's revolt from his yoke. But this hostile band was only an instrument in executing the divine judgment (2Ki 24:2) denounced by the prophets against Judah for the sins of the people; and hence, though marching by the orders of the Assyrian monarch, they are described as sent by the Lord (2Ki 24:3).
4. the Lord would not pardon—(see on 2Ki 23:26; Jer 15:1).
6. Jehoiakim slept with his fathers—This phraseology can mean nothing more than that he died; for he was not buried with his royal ancestors; and whether he fell in battle, or his body was subjected to posthumous insults, he was, according to the prediction (Jer 22:19), not honored with the rites of sepulture (Jer 36:30).
Jehoiachin his son reigned in his stead—The very brief reign of this prince, which lasted only three months, during which he was a humble vassal of the Assyrians, is scarcely deserving to be taken into account, and therefore is in no way contradictory to the prophetic menace denounced against his father (Jer 36:30).
7. the king of Egypt—that is, Pharaoh-nechoh.
2Ki 24:8, 9. Jehoiachin Succeeds Him.
8. Jehoiachin—that is, "God-appointed," contracted into Jeconiah and Coniah (Jer 22:24).
eighteen years old when he began to reign—At the age of eight his father took him into partnership in the government (2Ch 36:9). He began to reign alone at eighteen.
9. he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord—Untaught by experience, and deaf to the prophetic warnings, he pursued the evil courses which had brought so many disasters upon the royal family as well as the people of Judah. This bad character is figuratively but strongly depicted (Eze 19:5-7).
2Ki 24:10-16. Jerusalem Taken.
10-13. At that time—within three months after his accession to the throne. It was the spring of the year (2Ch 36:10); so early did he indicate a feeling hostile to the interests of his Assyrian liege lord, by forming a league with Egypt. Nebuchadnezzar sent his generals to besiege Jerusalem, as Jeremiah had foretold (Jer 22:28; 34:20), and soon after he followed in person. Convinced of the hopelessness of making any effectual resistance, Jehoiachin, going to the camp of the besiegers, surrendered (2Ki 24:12), in the expectation, probably, of being allowed to retain his throne as a vassal of the Assyrian empire. But Nebuchadnezzar's clemency towards the kings of Judah was now exhausted, so that Jehoiachin was sent as a captive to Babylon, according to Jeremiah's prediction (Jer 22:24), accompanied by the queen mother (the same who had held that dignity under Jehoahaz) (2Ki 23:31), his generals, and officers. This happened in the eighth year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign, computing from the time when he was associated with his father in the government. Those that were left consisted chiefly of the poorer sort of people and the unskilled workmen. The palace and the temple were ransacked. The smaller golden vessels had been taken on the first capture of Jerusalem and placed by Nebuchadnezzar in the temple of his god as tokens of victory. They were used by Belshazzar at his impious feast [Da 5:2], for the purpose of rewarding his army with these trophies, among which were probably the golden candlesticks, the ark, &c. (compare 2Ch 36:7; Da 1:2). Now the gold plating was torn off all the larger temple furniture.
13-16. as the Lord had said—(compare 2Ki 20:17; Isa 39:6; Jer 15:13; 17:3). The elite of the nation for rank, usefulness, and moral worth, all who might be useful in Babylon or dangerous in Palestine, were carried off to Babylon, to the number of ten thousand (2Ki 24:14). These are specified (2Ki 24:15, 16), warriors, seven thousand; craftsmen and smiths, one thousand; king's wives, officers, and princes, also priests and prophets (Jer 29:1; Eze 1:1), two thousand; equal to ten thousand captives in all.
2Ki 24:17-20. Zedekiah's Evil Reign.
17-19. the king of Babylon made Mattaniah, his father's brother, king in his stead—Adhering to his former policy of maintaining a show of monarchy, Nebuchadnezzar appointed the third and youngest son of Josiah (1Ch 3:15), full brother of Jehoahaz, and uncle of the captive Jehoiachin. But, according to the custom of conquerors, who changed the names of the great men they took captives in war, in token of their supremacy, he gave him the new name of
Zedekiah—that is, "The righteous of God." This being a purely Hebrew name, it seems that he allowed the puppet king to choose his own name, which was confirmed. His heart towards God was the same as that of Jehoiakim, impenitent and heedless of God's word.
20. through the anger of the Lord … he cast them out from his presence—that is, in the course of God's righteous providence, his policy as king would prove ruinous to his country.
Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon—instigated by ambassadors from the neighboring states who came to congratulate him on his ascension to the throne (compare Jer 17:3, with Jer 28:1), and at the same time get him to join them in a common league to throw off the Assyrian yoke. Though warned by Jeremiah against this step, the infatuated and perjured (Eze 17:13) Zedekiah persisted in his revolt.