Ver. 18-21. 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 Josephus F24 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 him F25. From hence, to the end of ( 2 Kings 25:21 ) the account is the same as in ( Jeremiah 52:25-27 ) , 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).
FOOTNOTES:
F24 Antiqu. l. 17. c. 6. sect. 4. F25 Misn. Yoma, c. 1. sect. 1.
16
The 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.
17
The 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.
18
And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah the second priest, and the three doorkeepers.
19
He 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.
20
So Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, took these and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah.