2 Kings 25
25
Destruction of Jerusalem
1Now it came to pass in the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign, on the tenth day of the tenth month, that King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and his entire army advanced against Jerusalem, set up camp by it, and built a siege wall all around it.
2So the city was under siege until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah.
3On the ninth day of the fourth month the famine became so severe in the city that there was no bread for the common people.
4Then the city was broken into, and all the warriors fled by night by the way of the gate between the double walls near the king’s garden—though the Chaldeans were all around the city—and they went by the way to the Arabah.
5But the Chaldean army pursued the king and overtook him in the plains of Jericho. All his army was scattered from him.
6So they captured the king and brought him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah, and passed sentence on him.
7They slaughtered Zedekiah’s sons before his eyes, then put out Zedekiah’s eyes, bound him in bronze chains and took him to Babylon.
8Now on the seventh day of the fifth month—which was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon—Nebuzaradan, the captain of the imperial guard, officer of the Babylonian king, came to Jerusalem.
9He burned down the House of Adonai, the royal palace and all the houses of Jerusalem—every notable building he burned with fire.
10Then the whole Chaldean army that was with the captain of the guard demolished the walls of Jerusalem on every side.
11Then the remnant of the people who were left in the city—the deserters who had defected to the Babylonian king and the rest of the populace—Nebuzaradan captain of the guard exiled them.
12But the captain of the guard left some of the poorest of the land to be vinedressers and field hands.
13Now the Chaldeans broke into pieces the bronze pillars that were in the House of Adonai, the stands and the bronze sea that were in the House of Adonai, and carried their bronze away to Babylon.
14They also took away the pots, the shovels, the snuffers, the pans and all the bronze vessels that were used in Temple service.
15The captain of the guard took away the fire pans and the basins—whatever was gold or silver.
16The two pillars, the one sea, and the stands which Solomon had made for the House of Adonai—the bronze of all these vessels was beyond weight.
17The height of each pillar was eighteen cubits, with a bronze capital on top. The height of the capital was three cubits, with a netting of copper pomegranates encircling the capital. The same was true of the second pillar with its netting.
18Then the captain of the guard took away Seraiah the chief kohen, Zephaniah the deputy kohen, and the three doorkeepers.
19From the city he took an official who had been overseeing the soldiers and five of the royal advisers who were found in the city, and the scribe of the army captain who mustered the people of the land, and 60 men of the common people that were found in the city.
20Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard took them and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah.
21The king of Babylon struck them down and put them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. Thus Judah was exiled from its land.
22Now as for the people that were left in the land of Judah, whom King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had left, he appointed over them Gedaliah son of Ahikam son of Shaphan.
23Now when all the captains of the troops, they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah as governor, they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah—Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan son of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah son of the Maacathite—they and their men.
24Gedaliah swore to them and to their men and said to them, “Don’t be afraid of the Chaldean officials. Stay in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will go well for you.”
25But it came to pass in the seventh month that Ishmael son of Nethaniah son of Elishama, of royal descent, came with ten men and assassinated Gedaliah, so he died along with the Judeans and Chaldeans who were with him at Mizpah.
26So all the people, young and old, and the captains of the troops, got up and fled to Egypt, for they were afraid of the Chaldeans.
27Now it came to pass in the thirty-seventh year of the exile of King Jehoiachin of Judah, on the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth month, that King Evil-merodach of Babylon, in the year he became king, released King Jehoiachin of Judah from Prison.
28He spoke kindly to him and set his throne above the throne of the other kings who were with him in Babylon.
29So he changed his prison garments, and regularly ate bread in the king’s presence all the days of his life.
30As for his allowance, a regular allowance was granted to him by the king, an allotment for each day, all the days of his life.
Currently Selected:
2 Kings 25: TLV
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Copyright © 2014 - Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society
2 Kings 25
25
Jerusalem Is Captured and Destroyed
(2 Chronicles 36.17-21; Jeremiah 52.3-30)
1 #
Jr 21.1-10; 34.1-5; Ez 24.2. In Zedekiah's ninth year as king, on the tenth day of the tenth month,#25.1 tenth month: Tebeth, the tenth month of the Hebrew calendar, from about mid-December to mid-January. King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia led his entire army to attack Jerusalem. The troops set up camp outside the city and built ramps up to the city walls.
2-3After a year and a half, all the food in Jerusalem was gone. Then on the ninth day of the fourth#25.2,3 fourth: This word is not in the Hebrew text here, but see the parallel in Jeremiah 52.5,6. month, 4#Ez 33.21. the Babylonian troops broke through the city wall.#25.4 wall: Jerusalem was destroyed in 586 b.c. That same night, Zedekiah and his soldiers tried to escape through the gate near the royal garden, even though they knew the enemy had the city surrounded. They headed toward the desert, 5but the Babylonian troops caught up with them near Jericho. They arrested Zedekiah, but his soldiers scattered in every direction.
6Zedekiah was taken to Riblah, where Nebuchadnezzar put him on trial and found him guilty. 7#Ez 12.13. Zedekiah's sons were killed right in front of him. His eyes were then poked out, and he was put in chains and dragged off to Babylon.
8About a month later,#25.8 About a month later: Hebrew “On the seventh day of the fifth month.” in Nebuchadnezzar's nineteenth year as king, Nebuzaradan, who was his official in charge of the guards, arrived in Jerusalem. 9#1 K 9.8. Nebuzaradan burned down the Lord's temple, the king's palace, and every important building in the city, as well as all the houses. 10Then he ordered the Babylonian soldiers to break down the walls around Jerusalem. 11He led away as prisoners the people left in the city, including those who had become loyal to Nebuchadnezzar. 12Only some of the poorest people were left behind to work the vineyards and the fields.
13 #
1 K 7.15-26; 2 Ch 3.15-17;
1 K 7.23-26; 2 Ch 4.2-5. The Babylonian soldiers took the two bronze columns that stood in front of the temple, the ten movable bronze stands, and the large bronze bowl called the Sea. They broke them into pieces so they could take the bronze to Babylonia. 14#1 K 7.45; 2 Ch 4.16. They carried off the bronze things used for worship at the temple, including the pans for hot ashes, and the shovels, snuffers, and also the dishes for incense, 15as well as the fire pans and the sprinkling bowls. Nebuzaradan ordered his soldiers to take everything made of gold or silver.
16The pile of bronze from the columns, the stands, and the large bowl that Solomon had made for the temple was too large to be weighed. 17Each column had been eight meters tall with a bronze cap over one meter high. These caps were decorated with bronze designs—some of them like chains and others like pomegranates.#25.17 pomegranates: A bright red fruit that looks like an apple.
18Next, Nebuzaradan arrested Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah his assistant, and three temple officials. 19Then he arrested one of the army commanders, the king's five personal advisors, and the officer in charge of gathering the troops for battle. He also found 60 more soldiers who were still in Jerusalem. 20Nebuzaradan led them all to Riblah 21near Hamath, where Nebuchadnezzar had them killed.
Most of the people of Judah had been carried away as captives from their own country.
Gedaliah Is Made Ruler of the People Left in Judah
(Jeremiah 40.7-9; 41.1-3)
22 #
Jr 40.7-9. King Nebuchadnezzar appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam#25.22 Ahikam: Hebrew “Ahikam son of Shaphan.” to rule the few people still living in Judah. 23When the army officers and troops heard that Gedaliah was their ruler, the officers met with him at Mizpah. These men were Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan son of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth from Netophah, and Jaazaniah from Maacah.
24Gedaliah said to them, “Everything will be fine, I promise. We don't need to be afraid of the Babylonian rulers, if we live here peacefully and do what Nebuchadnezzar says.”
25 #
Jr 41.1. Ishmael#25.25 Ishmael: Hebrew “Ishmael son of Nethaniah son of Elishama.” was from the royal family. And about two months after Gedaliah began his rule,#25.25 about two months … his rule: Hebrew “in the seventh month.” Ishmael and ten other men went to Mizpah. They killed Gedaliah and his officials, including those from Judah and those from Babylonia. 26#Jr 43.5-7. After that, the army officers and all the people in Mizpah, whether important or not, were afraid of what the Babylonians might do. So they left Judah and went to Egypt.
Jehoiachin Is Set Free
(Jeremiah 52.31-34)
27Jehoiachin was a prisoner in Babylon for 37 years. Then Evil-Merodach became king of Babylonia,#25.27 Evil-Merodach … Babylonia: The son of Nebuchadnezzar, who ruled Babylonia from 562 to 560 b.c. and in the first year of his rule, on the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth month,#25.27 twelfth month: Adar, the twelfth month of the Hebrew calendar, from about mid-February to mid-March. he let Jehoiachin out of prison. 28Evil-Merodach was kind to Jehoiachin and honored him more than any of the other kings held prisoner there. 29Jehoiachin was even allowed to wear regular clothes, and he ate at the king's table every day. 30As long as Jehoiachin lived, he was paid a daily allowance to buy whatever he needed.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)
© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.