2 Kings 25

18. the three keepers of the door--not mere porters, but officers of high trust among the Levites ( 2 Kings 22:4 , 1 Chronicles 9:26 ).

19. five men of them that were in the king's presence--that is, who belonged to the royal retinue. It is probable that there were five at first, and that other two were found afterwards ( Jeremiah 52:25 ).

22-26. Nebuchadnezzar . . . Gedaliah . . . ruler--The people permitted to remain were, besides the king's daughters, a few court attendants and others ( Jeremiah 40:7 ) too insignificant to be removed, only the peasantry who could till the land and dress the vineyards. Gedaliah was Jeremiah's friend ( Jeremiah 26:24 ), and having, by the prophet's counsel, probably fled from the city as abandoned of God, he surrendered himself to the conqueror ( Jeremiah 38:2 Jeremiah 38:17 ), and being promoted to the government of Judea, fixed his provincial court at Mizpeh. He was well qualified to surmount the difficulties of ruling at such a crisis. Many of the fugitive Jews, as well as the soldiers of Zedekiah who had accompanied the king in his flight to the plains of Jericho, left their retreats ( Jeremiah 40:11 Jeremiah 40:12 ) and flocked around the governor; who having counselled them to submit, promised them on complying with this condition, security on oath that they would retain their possessions and enjoy the produce of their land ( Jeremiah 40:9 ).

25. Ishmael . . . of the seed royal, came, and ten men with him, and smote Gedaliah--He had found refuge with Baalis, king of the Ammonites, and he returned with a bad design, being either instigated by envy of a governor not descended from the house of David, or bribed by Baalis to murder Gedaliah. The generous governor, though apprised of his intentions, refused to credit the report, much less to sanction the proposal made by an attached friend to cut off Ishmael. The consequence was, that he was murdered by this same Ishmael, when entertaining him in his own house ( Jeremiah 41:1 ).

26. and all the people . . . came to Egypt--In spite of Jeremiah's dissuasions ( Jeremiah 43:7 Jeremiah 43:8 ) they settled in various cities of that country ( Jeremiah 44:1 ).

27. seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin--corresponding with the year of Nebuchadnezzar's death, and his son Evil-merodach's ascension to the throne.
Evil-merodach . . . did lift up the head of Jehoiachin . . . and spake kindly--gave him liberty upon parole. This kindly feeling is said to have originated in a familiar acquaintance formed in prison, in which Evil-merodach had lain till his father's death, on account of some malversation while acting as regent during Nebuchadnezzar's seven years' illness ( Daniel 4:32 Daniel 4:33 ). But doubtless the improvement in Zedekiah's condition is to be traced to the overruling providence and grace of Him who still cherished purposes of love to the house of David ( 2 Samuel 7:14 2 Samuel 7:15 ).

29. Jehoiachin . . . did eat . . . continually before him--According to an ancient usage in Eastern courts, had a seat at the royal table on great days, and had a stated provision granted him for the maintenance of his exiled court.