2 Kings 25:18

Captives Carried to Babylon

18 The captain of the guard also took away Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah the priest of second rank, and the three doorkeepers. ¹

2 Kings 25:18 Meaning and Commentary

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.

2 Kings 25:18 In-Context

16 As for the two pillars, the Sea, and the movable stands that Solomon had made for the house of the LORD, the weight of the bronze from all these articles was beyond measure.

17 Each pillar was eighteen cubits tall. The bronze capital atop one pillar was three cubits high, with a network of bronze pomegranates all around. The second pillar, with its network, was similar.

18 The captain of the guard also took away Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah the priest of second rank, and the three doorkeepers.

19 Of those still in the city, he took a court official who had been appointed over the men of war, as well as five royal advisors. He also took the scribe of the captain of the army, who had enlisted the people of the land, and sixty men who were found in the city.

20 Nebuzaradan captain of the guard took them and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah.

Cross References

• 1. (Jeremiah 52:24–30)