2 Kings 25:22-30

22 Soothly Nebuchadnezzar made Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, sovereign to the people, that was left in the land of Judah; which people Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, had left in Judah. (And Nebuchadnezzar made Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, to be the ruler of the people, who were left in the land of Judah; which people Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, had left there in Judah.)
23 And when all the dukes of knights had heard these things, they, and all the men that were with them, that is, that the king of Babylon had ordained Gedaliah to be their sovereign in Judah, they came to Gedaliah, in Mizpah, (that is,) Ishmael, son of Nethaniah, and Johanan, son of Careah, and Seraiah, son of Tanhumeth of Netophah, and Jaazaniah, son of (a) Maachathite, they, and the fellows of them. (And when all the leaders of the horsemen, they and all the men who were with them, had heard these things, that is, that the king of Babylon had ordained Gedaliah to be their ruler in Judah, they came to Gedaliah in Mizpah; that is, Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan, the son of Careah, and Seraiah, the son of Tanhumeth of Netophah, and Jaazaniah, the son of a Maachathite, they, and all their fellows came.)
24 And Gedaliah swore to them, and to the fellows of them, and said, Do not ye dread to serve the Chaldees; dwell ye in the land, and serve ye the king of Babylon, and it shall be well to you. (And Gedaliah swore to them, and to their fellows, and said, Do not ye fear to serve the Chaldeans; live ye in the land, and serve ye the king of Babylon, and it shall be well with you.)
25 Forsooth it was done in the seventh month, that is, since Gedaliah was made sovereign, (that) Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, of the king's seed, came, and ten men with him, and they smote Gedaliah, which died; but also they smited [the] Jews and [the] Chaldees, that were with him in Mizpah. (And it was done in the seventh month, that is, since Gedaliah was made the ruler, that Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, of the king's descendants, came, and ten men with him, and they struck down Gedaliah, and he died; and they also struck down the Jews and the Chaldeans, who were with him in Mizpah.)
26 And all the people rose, from the little unto the great, and the princes of knights, and they came, or fled, into Egypt, and dreaded the Chaldees. (And all the people, from the little unto the great, and the leaders of the horsemen, rose up, and they fled to Egypt, for they feared the Chaldeans.)
27 Therefore it was done in the seven and thirtieth year of the transmigration, either passing over, of Jehoiachin, king of Judah, in the twelfth month, in the seven and twentieth day of the month, Evilmerodach, king of Babylon, in the year in which he began to reign, raised [up] the head of Jehoiachin, king of Judah, from prison, (And so it was done in the thirty-seventh year of the captivity of Jehoiachin, the king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, that Evilmerodach, the king of Babylon, in the year in which he began to reign, raised up the head of Jehoiachin, the king of Judah, and released him from prison,)
28 and spake to him benignly; and he set the throne of Jehoiachin above the throne of (the) kings, that were with him in Babylon. (and spoke kindly to him; and he put Jehoiachin's seat above the seats of the other kings, who were with him for meals in Babylon.)
29 And Evilmerodach changed the clothes of Jehoiachin that he had (worn) in prison; and he ate bread ever[more] in the sight of Evilmerodach, in all the days of his life.
30 Also Evilmerodach ordained sustenance for Jehoiachin without ceasing; which sustenance also was given of the king to him by all days, in all the days of his life. (And Evilmerodach ordered a regular allowance for Jehoiachin; yea, each day this allowance was given to him by the king, for all the remaining days of his life.)

2 Kings 25:22-30 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 2 KINGS 25

In this chapter is an account of the siege, taking, and burning of the city of Jerusalem, and of the carrying captive the king and the inhabitants to Babylon, 2Ki 25:1-12, as also of the pillars and vessels of the temple brought thither, 2Ki 25:13-17 and of the putting to death several of the principal persons of the land, 2Ki 25:18-22, and of the miserable condition of the rest under Gedaliah, whom Ishmael slew, 2Ki 25:23-26, and the chapter, and so the history, is concluded with the kindness Jehoiachin met with from the king of Babylon, after thirty seven years' captivity, 2Ki 25:27-30.

&c.] Of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah. From hence to the end of 2Ki 25:7, the account exactly agrees with Jer 52:4-11. 18182-941226-1348-2Ki25.2

Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.