2 Kings 24

1 In his time Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, came up, and Jehoiakim became his slave three years; then he turned and rebelled against him.

2 And the LORD sent against him armies of the Chaldees and armies of the Syrians and armies of the Moabites and armies of the sons of Ammon and sent them against Judah to destroy it, according to the word of the LORD, which he spoke by his slaves the prophets.

3 Surely at the commandment of the LORD this came upon Judah, to remove them out of his sight, for the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he did

4 and also for the innocent blood that he shed, for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, which the LORD would not pardon.

5 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

6 So Jehoiakim slept with his fathers, and Jehoiachin, his son, reigned in his stead.

7 And the king of Egypt never came out of his land again, for the king of Babylon had taken all that pertained to the king of Egypt from the river of Egypt unto the river Euphrates.

8 Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. His mother’s name was Nehushta, the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem.

9 And 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 slaves of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, came up against Jerusalem, and the city was besieged.

11 Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, also came against the city when his slaves had besieged it.

12 So Jehoiachin, the king of Judah, went out to the king of Babylon, he and his mother and his slaves and his princes and his eunuchs; and the king of Babylon took him in the eighth year of his reign.

13 And he carried out of 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 Solomon, king of Israel, had made in the temple of the LORD, as the LORD had said.

14 And he carried away all Jerusalem and all the princes and all the mighty men of valour, ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and smiths; none remained except the poorest sort of the people of the land.

15 He likewise carried Jehoiachin away to Babylon and the king’s mother and the king’s wives and his officers, and the mighty of the land; he carried them all into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon.

16 All the men of might, which were seven thousand, and craftsmen and smiths which were one thousand, all that were strong and apt for war, the king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon.

17 And the king of Babylon made Mattaniah, his father’s brother, king in his stead and changed his name to Zedekiah.

18 Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.

19 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that Jehoiakim had done.

20 For the anger of the LORD was against Jerusalem and Judah until he cast them out from his presence. And Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.

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.