2 Kings 24

1 In his days Nevukhadnetztzar king of Bavel came up, and Yehoiakim became his servant three years: then he turned and rebelled against him.

2 The LORD sent against him bands of the Kasdim, and bands of the Aram, and bands of the Mo`avim, and bands of the children of `Ammon, and sent them against Yehudah to destroy it, according to the word of the LORD, which he spoke by his servants the prophets.

3 Surely at the mitzvah of the LORD came this on Yehudah, to remove them out of his sight, for the sins of Menashsheh, according to all that he did,

4 and also for the innocent blood that he shed; for he filled Yerushalayim with innocent blood: and the LORD would not pardon.

5 Now the rest of the acts of Yehoiakim, and all that he did, aren't they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Yehudah?

6 So Yehoiakim slept with his fathers; and Yehoiakim his son reigned in his place.

7 The king of Mitzrayim didn't come again out of his land any more; for the king of Bavel had taken, from the brook of Mitzrayim to the river Perat, all that pertained to the king of Mitzrayim.

8 Yehoiakim was eighteen years old when he began to reign; and he reigned in Yerushalayim three months: and his mother's name was Nechushta the daughter of Elnatan of Yerushalayim.

9 He did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father had done.

10 At that time the servants of Nevukhadnetztzar king of Bavel came up to Yerushalayim, and the city was besieged.

11 Nevukhadnetztzar king of Bavel came to the city, while his servants were besieging it;

12 and Yehoiakim the king of Yehudah went out to the king of Bavel, he, and his mother, and his servants, and his princes, and his officers: and the king of Bavel took him in the eighth year of his reign.

13 He carried out there all the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king's house, and cut in pieces all the vessels of gold, which Shlomo king of Yisra'el had made in the temple of the LORD, as the LORD had said.

14 He carried away all Yerushalayim, and all the princes, and all the mighty men of valor, even ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and the smiths; none remained, save the poorest sort of the people of the land.

15 He carried away Yehoiakim to Bavel; and the king's mother, and the king's wives, and his officers, and the chief men of the land, carried he into captivity from Yerushalayim to Bavel.

16 All the men of might, even seven thousand, and the craftsmen and the smiths one thousand, all of them strong and apt for war, even them the king of Bavel brought captive to Bavel.

17 The king of Bavel made Mattanyah, [Yehoiakim's] father's brother, king is his place, and changed his name to Tzidkiyahu.

18 Tzidkiyahu was twenty-one years old when he began to reign; and he reigned eleven years in Yerushalayim: and his mother's name was Hamutal the daughter of Yirmeyahu of Livna.

19 He did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that Yehoiakim had done.

20 For through the anger of the LORD did it happen in Yerushalayim and Yehudah, until he had cast them out from his presence. Tzidkiyahu rebelled against the king of Bavel.

2 Kings 24 Commentary

Chapter 24

Jehoiakim subdued by Nebuchadnezzar. (1-7) Jehoiachim captive in Babylon. (8-20)

Verses 1-7 If Jehoiakim had served the Lord, he had not been servant to Nebuchadnezzar. If he had been content with his servitude, and true to his word, his condition had been no worse; but, rebelling against Babylon, he plunged himself into more trouble. See what need nations have to lament the sins of their fathers, lest they smart for them. Threatenings will be fulfilled as certainly as promises, if the sinner's repentance prevent not.

Verses 8-20 Jehoiachin reigned but three months, yet long enough to show that he justly smarted for his fathers' sins, for he trod in their steps. His uncle was intrusted with the government. This Zedekiah was the last of the kings of Judah. Though the judgments of God upon the three kings before him might have warned him, he did that which was evil, like them. When those intrusted with the counsels of a nation act unwisely, and against their true interest, we ought to notice the displeasure of God in it. It is for the sins of a people that God hides from them the things that belong to the public peace. And in fulfilling the secret purposes of his justice, the Lord needs only leave men to the blindness of their own minds, or to the lusts of their own hearts. The gradual approach of Divine judgments affords sinners space for repentance, and believers leisure to prepare for meeting the calamity, while it shows the obstinacy of those who will not forsake their sins.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO 2 KINGS 24

This chapter relates the rebellion of Jehoiakim against the king of Babylon, which prepared the way for the ruin of the kingdom of Judah, according to the decree of God, and also the death of Jehoiakim, and the conquest the king of Babylon made of part of the land of the king of Egypt, 2Ki 24:1-7 and the short and wicked reign of Jehoiachin his son, when he and the royal family, with great numbers of the inhabitants of the land, were carried captive to Babylon, 2Ki 24:8-16, and his uncle was made king in his room, 2Ki 24:17-20.