And spake kindly unto him
Used him with great familiarity, treated him with great respect: or, "spake good things to him" F19; comforted him in his captive state, and promised him many favours; and was as good as his word: and set his throne above the throne of the kings that [were] with him
in Babylon;
these kings were either petty kings over the several provinces that belonged to the Chaldean monarchy, that were occasionally at Babylon; or rather the kings Nebuchadnezzar had conquered, and taken captive, as Jehoiachin; such as the kings of Moab, Ammon, Edom these, notwithstanding they were captives, had thrones of state, partly in consideration of their former dignity, and partly for the glory of the Babylonish monarch; now Jehoiachin's throne was higher and more grand and stately than the rest, to show the particular respect the king of Babylon had for him.