7 And they slew H7819 the sons H1121 of Zedekiah H6667 before his eyes, H5869 and put out H5786 the eyes H5869 of Zedekiah, H6667 and bound H631 him with fetters H5178 of brass, H5178 and carried H935 him to Babylon. H894
And Zedekiah H6667 king H4428 of Judah H3063 shall not escape H4422 out of the hand H3027 of the Chaldeans, H3778 but shall surely H5414 be delivered H5414 into the hand H3027 of the king H4428 of Babylon, H894 and shall speak H1696 with him mouth H6310 to mouth, H6310 and his eyes H5869 shall behold H7200 his eyes; H5869 And he shall lead H3212 Zedekiah H6667 to Babylon, H894 and there shall he be until I visit H6485 him, saith H5002 the LORD: H3068 though ye fight H3898 with the Chaldeans, H3778 ye shall not prosper. H6743
Then the king H4428 of Babylon H894 slew H7819 the sons H1121 of Zedekiah H6667 in Riblah H7247 before his eyes: H5869 also the king H4428 of Babylon H894 slew H7819 all the nobles H2715 of Judah. H3063 Moreover he put out H5786 Zedekiah's H6667 eyes, H5869 and bound H631 him with chains, H5178 to carry H935 him to Babylon. H894
And the king H4428 of Babylon H894 slew H7819 the sons H1121 of Zedekiah H6667 before his eyes: H5869 he slew H7819 also all the princes H8269 of Judah H3063 in Riblah. H7247 Then he put out H5786 the eyes H5869 of Zedekiah; H6667 and the king H4428 of Babylon H894 bound H631 him in chains, H5178 and carried H935 him to Babylon, H894 and put H5414 him in prison H1004 H6486 till the day H3117 of his death. H4194
My net H7568 also will I spread H6566 upon him, and he shall be taken H8610 in my snare: H4686 and I will bring H935 him to Babylon H894 to the land H776 of the Chaldeans; H3778 yet shall he not see H7200 it, though he shall die H4191 there. And I will scatter H2219 toward every wind H7307 all that are about H5439 him to help H5828 him, and all his bands; H102 and I will draw out H7324 the sword H2719 after H310 them. And they shall know H3045 that I am the LORD, H3068 when I shall scatter H6327 them among the nations, H1471 and disperse H2219 them in the countries. H776 But I will leave H3498 a few H4557 men H582 of them from the sword, H2719 from the famine, H7458 and from the pestilence; H1698 that they may declare H5608 all their abominations H8441 among the heathen H1471 whither they come; H935 and they shall know H3045 that I am the LORD. H3068
As I live, H2416 saith H5002 the Lord H136 GOD, H3069 surely in the place H4725 where the king H4428 dwelleth that made him king, H4427 whose oath H423 he despised, H959 and whose covenant H1285 he brake, H6565 even with him in the midst H8432 of Babylon H894 he shall die. H4191 Neither shall Pharaoh H6547 with his mighty H1419 army H2428 and great H7227 company H6951 make H6213 for him in the war, H4421 by casting up H8210 mounts, H5550 and building H1129 forts, H1785 to cut off H3772 many H7227 persons: H5315 Seeing he despised H959 the oath H423 by breaking H6565 the covenant, H1285 when, lo, he had given H5414 his hand, H3027 and hath done H6213 all these things, he shall not escape. H4422 Therefore thus saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD; H3069 As I live, H2416 surely mine oath H423 that he hath despised, H959 and my covenant H1285 that he hath broken, H6331 even it will I recompense H5414 upon his own head. H7218 And I will spread H6566 my net H7568 upon him, and he shall be taken H8610 in my snare, H4686 and I will bring H935 him to Babylon, H894 and will plead H8199 with him there for his trespass H4603 that he hath trespassed H4604 against me.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » John Gill's Exposition of the Bible » Commentary on 2 Kings 25
Commentary on 2 Kings 25 John Gill's Exposition of the Bible
INTRODUCTION TO 2 KINGS 25
In this chapter is an account of the siege, taking, and burning of the city of Jerusalem, and of the carrying captive the king and the inhabitants to Babylon, 2 Kings 25:1, as also of the pillars and vessels of the temple brought thither, 2 Kings 25:13 and of the putting to death several of the principal persons of the land, 2 Kings 25:18, and of the miserable condition of the rest under Gedaliah, whom Ishmael slew, 2 Kings 25:23, and the chapter, and so the history, is concluded with the kindness Jehoiachin met with from the king of Babylon, after thirty seven years' captivity, 2 Kings 25:27.
And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign,.... Of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah. From hence to the end of 2 Kings 25:7, the account exactly agrees with Jeremiah 52:4.
And in the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month,.... In Jeremiah 52:12 it is the tenth day of the month; which, how to be reconciled; see Gill on Jeremiah 52:12.
which is the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar; who, according to Ptolemy's canon, reigned forty three years; MetasthenesF21De Judicio Temp. & Annal. Pers. fol. 221. 2. says forty five; and from hence, to the end of 2 Kings 25:12 facts are related as in Jeremiah 52:12 whither the reader is referred.
And the pillars of brass that were in the house of the Lord,.... The two pillars in the temple, Jachin and Boaz. Benjamin of Tudela saysF23Itinerar. p. 13. , that in the church of St. Stephen in Rome these pillars now are with the name of Solomon engraved on each; and the Jews at Rome told him, when there, (in the twelfth century,) that on the ninth of Ab (the day the temple was destroyed) every year sweat was found upon them like water; the one, I suppose, will equally be believed as the other, since it is here expressly said that the Chaldeans broke them in pieces. From hence, to the end of 2 Kings 25:17 is the same with Jeremiah 52:7, where it is rather more largely and fully expressed; only there is this difference here in 2 Kings 25:17 the height of the chapiter of a pillar is said to be three cubits, there five cubits; for the reconciliation of which; see Gill on Jeremiah 52:22.
And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest,.... The sagan, or deputy priest, who officiated for the high priest, when by any means he was rendered unfit and incapable; so Joseph, the son of Ellem, as JosephusF24Antiqu. l. 17. c. 6. sect. 4. relates, officiated for Matthias, when defiled with a nocturnal pollution; and seven days before the day of atonement they always substituted one under the high priest, lest anything of this kind should happen to himF25Misn. Yoma, c. 1. sect. 1. . From hence, to the end of 2 Kings 25:21 the account is the same as in Jeremiah 52:25, only here in 2 Kings 25:19 it is said, that five men that were in the king's presence were taken, there seven men; to account for which; see Gill on Jeremiah 52:25.
And as for the people that remained,.... That were left in the land to be vinedressers and husbandmen; over these the king of Babylon made Gedaliah governor, to whom the captains, with their scattered troops, came, and submitted for a time; of whom; see Gill on Jeremiah 40:7; see Gill on Jeremiah 40:8; see Gill on Jeremiah 40:9.
And it came to pass in the seventh month,.... Not of Gedaliah's government, but of the year, the month Tisri or September, near two months after the destruction of Jerusalem; the Jews say fifty two days after it; of the death of Gedaliah, and the man that slew him, as here related; see Gill on Jeremiah 41:1, Jeremiah 41:2, Jeremiah 41:3.
And all the people, both small and great,.... High and low, rich and poor, among whom were the king's daughters, committed to the care of Gedaliah, and also the prophets Jeremiah and Baruch, see Jeremiah 41:16.
and the captains of the armies rose, and came to Egypt; contrary to the express command of God; these were Johanan, and the captain of the forces with him, Jeremiah 43:4.
for they were afraid of the Chaldees; lest they should come and avenge the death of Gedaliah, appointed governor of Judea, see Jeremiah 41:17.
And it came to pass in the thirty and seventh year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah,.... Who must then be fifty five years of age:
in the twelfth month, on the twenty and seventh day of the month; in Jeremiah 52:31 it is said to be the twenty fifth day; of the reason of which difference; see Gill on Jeremiah 52:31,
that Evilmerodach king of Babylon; who is supposed, by someF26Vid. Lampe, Eccles. Hist. l. 1. c. 7. sect. 18. ", to be the same with Belshazzar, and his successor Neriglissar, the same with Darius the Mede in Daniel. From hence, to the end of the chapter, the same account is given of the kindness of this king to Jehoiachin, as in Jeremiah 52:31. See Gill on Jeremiah 52:31; see Gill on Jeremiah 52:32; see Gill on Jeremiah 52:33; see Gill on Jeremiah 52:34.MetasthenesF1Ut supra. (De Judicio Temp. & Annal. Pers. fol. 221. 2.) calls him Amilinus Evilmerodach, and says he reigned thirty years, and makes Belshazzar, or Baltassar, as he calls him, his third son.