2 Chronicles 36

9, 10. Jehoiachin was eight years old--called also Jeconiah or Coniah ( Jeremiah 22:24 )--"eight" should have been "eighteen," as appears from 2 Kings 24:8 , and also from the full development of his ungodly principles and habits (see Ezekiel 19:5-7 ). His reign being of so short duration cannot be considered at variance with the prophetic denunciation against his father ( Jeremiah 36:30 ). But his appointment by the people gave umbrage to Nebuchadnezzar, who, "when the year was expired" ( 2 Chronicles 36:10 )--that is, in the spring when campaigns usually began--came in person against Jerusalem, captured the city, and sent Jehoiachin in chains to Babylon, removing at the same time all the nobles and most skilful artisans, and pillaging all the remaining treasures both of the temple and palace

2 Chronicles 36:11-21 . ZEDEKIAH'S REIGN.

11. Zedekiah--Nebuchadnezzar appointed him. His name, originally Mattaniah, was, according to the custom of Oriental conquerors, changed into Zedekiah. Though the son of Josiah ( 1 Chronicles 3:15 , Jeremiah 1:2 Jeremiah 1:3 , 37:1 ), he is called the brother of Jehoiachin ( 2 Chronicles 36:10 ), that is, according to the latitude of Hebrew style in words expressing affinity, his relative or kinsman (see 2 Kings 24:18 , 25:1-21 ).

13. who had made him swear by God--Zedekiah received his crown on the express condition of taking a solemn oath of fealty to the king of Babylon ( Ezekiel 17:13 ); so that his revolt by joining in a league with Pharaoh-hophra, king of Egypt, involved the crime of perjury. His own pride and obdurate impiety, the incurable idolatry of the nation, and their reckless disregard of prophetic warnings, brought down on his already sadly reduced kingdom the long threatened judgments of God. Nebuchadnezzar, the executioner of the divine vengeance, commenced a third siege of Jerusalem, which, after holding out for a year and a half, was taken in the eleventh year of the reign of Zedekiah. It resulted in the burning of the temple, with, most probably, the ark, and in the overthrow of the kingdom of Judah

21. until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths--The return of every seventh was to be held as a sabbatic year, a season of rest to all classes, even to the land itself, which was to be fallow. This divine institution, however, was neglected--how soon and how long, appears from the prophecy of Moses and of Jeremiah in this passage (see Jeremiah 25:9-12 ), which told that for divine retribution it was now to remain desolate seventy years. As the Assyrian conquerors usually colonized their conquered provinces, so remarkable a deviation in Palestine from their customary policy must be ascribed to the overruling providence of God.

2 Chronicles 36:22 2 Chronicles 36:23 . CYRUS' PROCLAMATION.

22. the Lord stirred up the spirit of