2 Kings 24)
1 In his days Nebuchadnezzar (= may prophet protect the crown. Or Nebuchadrezzar [Jer. 25:1,2,7; 22:25], or Nebuchadonosor in Josephus and Berosus, Sept., and Vulg. This is the first occ. of his name in Scripture) king of Babylon came up (in the 4th year of Jehoiakim [Jer.25:1; 46:2]. Daniel says in 3rd year [1:1]; but he writes from Babylon, from which place Nebuchanezzar set out, and here [cp. Jer. 46:2], it refers to the actual coming. The Babylonian Servitude begins here [496 to 426 B.C]), and Jehoiakim became his servant three years: then he turned and rebelled against him.
2 And the Lord (Yehovah) sent against him marauding bands of the Chaldees, and bands of the Syrians, and bands of the Moabites, and bands of the sons of Ammon, and sent them against Judah to destroy it, according to the word of the Lord, which He spoke through His servants the prophets.
3 Surely at the commandment of the Lord came [this] upon Judah, to remove [them] out of His sight, for the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he did;
4 And also for the innocent blood that he shed (put by fig. for murder, and the guilt of it): for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood; which the Lord would not pardon.
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? (see 2 Chron. 36:6-8)
6 So Jehoiakim slept with his fathers (only the fact referred to here. Not the manner of his death and burial, for which we see Jer. 22:18,19; 36:29,30. It was as foretold. The expression "slept with his fathers" is used even of Ahab; and every king of Judah whose death is recorded is said also to have been buried, except Jehoiakim. See Deut. 31:16): and Jehoiachin his son reigned in his stead.
7 And the king of Egypt came not again any more out of his land:
for the king of Babylon had taken from the river of Egypt to the river Euphrates all that pertained to the king of Egypt.
R7 J 8. Event. Internal. Accession.
K 9. Personal character.
J 10-17. Events. External. Supercession.489 B.C.
8 Jehoiachin (= whom the Lord has appointed. Called also Coniah and Jeconiah [Jer.22:24; 2:1]) [was] eighteen years old when he began to reign (this was his age. In 2 Chron. 36:9 he is said to be 8. See note there. #18 = bondage), and he reigned in Jerusalem three months (is put by fig., for 3 months and 10 days. Cp. 2 Chron.36:9). And his mother's name [was] Nehushta, the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem.
9 And he did [that which was] evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father had done.
J y 10,11. Nebuchadnezzar besieges Jerusalem.
z 12-. Jehoiachin surrenders.
z -12-16. Jehoiachin made captive.
y 17. Nebuchadnezzar makes Mattaniah king.
10 At that time the servants of (some codices omit these words and read, "came up" ) Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against Jerusalem, and the city was besieged.
11 And Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came against the city, and his servants were besieging it.
12 And Jehoiachin the king of Judah went out to the king of Babylon, he, and his mother, and his servants, and his princes, and his officers (i.e. eunuchs or chamberlains):
and the king of Babylon took him in the eighth year of his reign (computed from the time that his father entrusted him with regal authority. This was the 4th year of Jehoiakim [Jer. 25:1, cp.32:1]).
13 And he carried out from that place all the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king's house, and cut in pieces all the vessels of gold which Solomon king of Israel had made in the temple of the Lord, according as the Lord had said (cp. 20:17).
14 And he carried away all Jerusalem (this deportation was 11 years before that of Zedekiah [25:18]. Mordecai was in this deportation. See 2 Chron. 36:6. The Captivity begun in 489 B.C.), and all the princes, and all the mighty men of valor, [even] ten thousand captives, and all the artificers and smiths: none remained, save the poorest sort of the People of the land (cp. 23:6).
15 And he carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon (where he was captive for 37 years), and the king's mother, and the king's wives, and his officers, and the mighty of the land (princes and potentates, priests and prophets [Jer.29:1]. Among them Ezekiel [1:12], Daniel, and Nehemiah), [those] carried he into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon.
16 And all the men of might, [even] seven thousand, and artificers and armorers a thousand, all [that were] strong [and] apt for war, even them the king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon.
17 And the king of Babylon made Mattaniah (= gift of Yahaveh) his father's brother king in his stead, and changed his name to Zedekiah (= justice of Yahaveh).
R8 a 18. Accession.
b 19. Personal. Evil-doing.
a 20. Rebellion.488 to 477 B.C.
18 Zedekiah [was] twenty and one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name [was] Hamutal (therefore only half-brother to Jehoiakim, but full brother to Jehoahaz), the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.
19 And he did [that which was] evil in the sight of the Lord (see 2 Chron.36:12-16. Jer.24:8; 37:2; 38:2,5), according to all that Jehoiakim had done.
20 For through the anger of the Lord it came to pass in Jerusalem and Judah, until he had cast them out from his presence, that Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon (though bound by oath [2 Chron.36:13. Ezek.17:13).