2 Kings25
New King James Version
1Now it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army came against Jerusalem and encamped against it; and they built a siege wall against it all around.
2So the city was besieged until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah.
3By the ninth day of the fourth month the famine had become so severe in the city that there was no food for the people of the land.
4Then the city wall was broken through, and all the men of war fled at night by way of the gate between two walls, which was by the king’s garden, even though the Chaldeans were still encamped all around against the city. And the king went by way of the plain.
5But the army of the Chaldeans pursued the king, and they overtook him in the plains of Jericho. All his army was scattered from him.
6So they took the king and brought him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah, and they pronounced judgment on him.
7Then they killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, put out the eyes of Zedekiah, bound him with bronze fetters, and took him to Babylon.
8And in the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month (which was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon), Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, a servant of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem.
9He burned the house of the Lord and the king’s house; all the houses of Jerusalem, that is, all the houses of the great, he burned with fire.
10And all the army of the Chaldeans who were with the captain of the guard broke down the walls of Jerusalem all around.
11Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive the rest of the people who remained in the city and the defectors who had deserted to the king of Babylon, with the rest of the multitude.
12But the captain of the guard left some of the poor of the land as vinedressers and farmers.
13The bronze pillars that were in the house of the Lord, and the carts and the bronze Sea that were in the house of the Lord, the Chaldeans broke in pieces, and carried their bronze to Babylon.
14They also took away the pots, the shovels, the trimmers, the spoons, and all the bronze utensils with which the priests ministered.
15The firepans and the basins, the things of solid gold and solid silver, the captain of the guard took away.
16The two pillars, one Sea, and the carts, which Solomon had made for the house of the Lord, the bronze of all these articles was beyond measure.
17The height of one pillar was eighteen cubits, and the capital on it was of bronze. The height of the capital was three cubits, and the network and pomegranates all around the capital were all of bronze. The second pillar was the same, with a network.
18And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah the second priest, and the three doorkeepers.
19He also took out of the city an officer who had charge of the men of war, five men of the king’s close associates who were found in the city, the chief recruiting officer of the army, who mustered the people of the land, and sixty men of the people of the land who were found in the city.
20So Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, took these and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah.
21Then the king of Babylon struck them and put them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. Thus Judah was carried away captive from its own land.
22Then he made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, governor over the people who remained in the land of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had left.
23Now when all the captains of the armies, they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah governor, they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah—Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, Johanan the son of Careah, Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah the son of a Maachathite, they and their men.
24And Gedaliah took an oath before them and their men, and said to them, “Do not be afraid of the servants of the Chaldeans. Dwell in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it shall be well with you.”
25But it happened in the seventh month that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, of the royal family, came with ten men and struck and killed Gedaliah, the Jews, as well as the Chaldeans who were with him at Mizpah.
26And all the people, small and great, and the captains of the armies, arose and went to Egypt; for they were afraid of the Chaldeans.
27Now it came to pass in the thirty-seventh year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, that Evil-Merodach king of Babylon, in the year that he began to reign, released Jehoiachin king of Judah from prison.
28He spoke kindly to him, and gave him a more prominent seat than those of the kings who were with him in Babylon.
29So Jehoiachin changed from his prison garments, and he ate bread regularly before the king all the days of his life.
30And as for his provisions, there was a regular ration given him by the king, a portion for each day, all the days of his life.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for 2 Kings 25.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Jerusalem besieged, Zedekiah taken. (1–7). The temple burnt, The people carried into captivity. (8–21). The rest of the Jews flee into Egypt, Evil-merodach relieves the captivity of Jehoiachin. (22–30).
vv1-7
Jerusalem was so fortified, that it could not be taken till famine rendered the besieged unable to resist. In the prophecy and Lamentations of Jeremiah, we find more of this event; here it suffices to say, that the impiety and misery of the besieged were very great. At length the city was taken by storm. The king, his family, and his great men escaped in the night, by secret passages. But those deceive themselves who think to escape God's judgments, as much as those who think to brave them. By what befell Zedekiah, two prophecies, which seemed to contradict each other, were both fulfilled. Jeremiah prophesied that Zedekiah should be brought to Babylon, Jer 32:5; 34:3; Ezekiel, that he should not see Babylon, Eze 12:13. He was brought thither, but his eyes being put out, he did not see it.
vv8-21
The city and temple were burnt, and, it is probable, the ark in it. By this, God showed how little he cares for the outward pomp of his worship, when the life and power of religion are neglected. The walls of Jerusalem were thrown down, and the people carried captive to Babylon. The vessels of the temple were carried away. When the things signified were sinned away, what should the signs stand there for? It was righteous with God to deprive those of the benefit of his worship, who had preferred false worships before it; those that would have many altars, now shall have none. As the Lord spared not the angels that sinned, as he doomed the whole race of fallen men to the grave, and all unbelievers to hell, and as he spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, we need not wonder at any miseries he may bring upon guilty nations, churches, or persons.
vv22-30
The king of Babylon appointed Gedaliah to be the governor and protector of the Jews left their land. But the things of their peace were so hidden from their eyes, that they knew not when they were well off. Ishmael basely slew him and all his friends, and, against the counsel of Jeremiah, the rest went to Egypt. Thus was a full end made of them by their own folly and disobedience; see Jeremiah chap. 40 to 45 Jehoiachin was released out of prison, where he had been kept 37 years. Let none say that they shall never see good again, because they have long seen little but evil: the most miserable know not what turn Providence may yet give to their affairs, nor what comforts they are reserved for, according to the days wherein they have been afflicted. Even in this world the Saviour brings a release from bondage to the distressed sinner who seeks him, bestowing foretastes of the pleasures which are at his right hand for evermore. Sin alone can hurt us; Jesus alone can do good to sinners.
Key Words
תְּשִׁיעִי: ninth
שָׁנֶה: a year (as a revolution of time)
מָלַךְ: to reign; inceptively, to ascend the throne; causatively, to induct into royalty; hence (by implication) to take counsel
עֲשִׂירִי: tenth; by abbreviation, tenth month or (feminine) part
חֹדֶשׁ: the new moon; by implication, a month
עָשׂוֹר: ten; by abbreviated form ten strings, and so a decachord
נְבוּכַדְנֶאצַּר: Nebukadnetstsar (or -retstsar, or -retstsor), king of Babylon
מֶלֶךְ: a king
בָּבֶל: Babel (i.e. Babylon), including Babylonia and the Babylonian empire
בּוֹא: to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)
Cross References
2 Kings 25Prophesied Zedekiah would be brought to Babylon but not see it; fulfilled when his eyes were put out.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB
Prophesied Zedekiah would be taken to Babylon, seemingly contradicting Ezekiel 12:13 but precisely fulfilled.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB
Parallel account of the temple destruction, with chronological details reconciling the seventh and tenth days.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Parallel details of the deportation by Nebuzaradan and the sparing of the poor.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Explicitly prophesied the carrying away of the remaining brass pillars and temple vessels to Babylon.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Ezekiel in Babylon receives the exact date of the start of the siege of Jerusalem.
Supported by JFB
Famine conditions so severe that women boiled their own children, as foretold by Moses.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Parallel historical account of Evil-merodach releasing Jehoiachin from prison in Babylon.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Gedaliah appointed as governor, opening the narrative of the remnant left behind.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Detailed account of Ishmael's conspiracy, murder of Gedaliah, and the tragic dispersion.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The remnant flees to Egypt in fear of the Chaldeans, disobeying Jeremiah's warnings.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Mosaic covenant curse of extreme famine and cannibalism during sieges is fulfilled.
Supported by JFB
Riblah established as the military headquarters where Judean kings face judgment.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Detailed description of the construction of the two bronze pillars (Jachin and Boaz) now destroyed.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Confirms the execution of Judean leadership at Riblah and the finality of Judah's exile.
Supported by Matthew Poole