2 Kings 25
25
1 So King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came against Jerusalem with his whole army and set up camp outside#tn Or “against.” it. They built siege ramps all around it. He arrived on the tenth day of the tenth month in the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign.#sn This would have been Jan 15, 588 b.c. The reckoning is based on the calendar that begins the year in the spring (Nisan = March/April). 2 The city remained under siege until King Zedekiah’s eleventh year. 3 By the ninth day of the fourth month#tn The MT has simply “of the month,” but the parallel passage in Jer 52:6 has “fourth month,” and this is followed by almost all English translations. The word “fourth,” however, is not actually present in the MT of 2 Kgs 25:3.sn According to modern reckoning that would have been July 18, 586 b.c. The siege thus lasted almost a full eighteen months. the famine in the city was so severe the residents#tn Heb “the people of the land.” had no food. 4 The enemy broke through the city walls,#tn Heb “the city was breached.” and all the soldiers tried to escape. They left the city during the night.#tn The Hebrew text is abrupt here: “And all the men of war by the night.” The translation attempts to capture the sense. They went through the gate between the two walls that is near the king’s garden.#sn The king’s garden is mentioned again in Neh 3:15 in conjunction with the pool of Siloam and the stairs that go down from the city of David. This would have been in the southern part of the city near the Tyropean Valley which agrees with the reference to the “two walls” which were probably the walls on the eastern and western hills. (The Babylonians were all around the city.) Then they headed for the Jordan Valley.#sn Heb “toward the Arabah.” The Arabah was the rift valley north and south of the Dead Sea. Here the intention was undoubtedly to escape across the Jordan to Moab or Ammon. It appears from Jer 40:14; 41:15 that the Ammonites were known to harbor fugitives from the Babylonians. 5 But the Babylonian army chased after the king. They caught up with him in the plains of Jericho,#map For location see Map5-B2; Map6-E1; Map7-E1; Map8-E3; Map10-A2; Map11-A1. and his entire army deserted him. 6 They captured the king and brought him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah,#sn Riblah was a strategic town on the Orontes River in Syria. It was at a crossing of the major roads between Egypt and Mesopotamia. Pharaoh Necho had earlier received Jehoahaz there and put him in chains (2 Kgs 23:33) prior to taking him captive to Egypt. Nebuchadnezzar had set up his base camp for conducting his campaigns against the Palestinian states there and was now sitting in judgment on prisoners brought to him. where he#tn The Hebrew text has the plural form of the verb, but the parallel passage in Jer 52:9 has the singular. passed sentence on him. 7 Zedekiah’s sons were executed while Zedekiah was forced to watch.#tn Heb “were killed before his eyes.” The king of Babylon#tn Heb “he”; the referent (the king of Babylon) has been specified in the translation for clarity. then had Zedekiah’s eyes put out, bound him in bronze chains, and carried him off to Babylon.
Nebuchadnezzar Destroys Jerusalem
8 On the seventh#tn The parallel account in Jer 52:12 has “tenth.” day of the fifth month,#sn The seventh day of the month would have been August 14, 586 b.c. in modern reckoning. in the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, Nebuzaradan, the captain of the royal guard#tn For the meaning of this phrase see BDB 371 s.v. טַבָּח 2, and compare the usage in Gen 39:1. who served the king of Babylon, arrived in Jerusalem.#map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4. 9 He burned down the Lord’s temple, the royal palace, and all the houses in Jerusalem, including every large house.#tn Heb “and every large house he burned down with fire.” 10 The whole Babylonian army that came with the captain of the royal guard tore down the walls that surrounded Jerusalem. 11 Nebuzaradan, the captain of the royal guard, deported the rest of the people who were left in the city, those who had deserted to the king of Babylon, and the rest of the craftsmen.#tc The MT has “the multitude.” But הֶהָמוֹן (hehamon) should probably be emended to הֶאָמוֹן (he’amon). 12 But he#tn Heb “the captain of the royal guard.” However, the subject is clear from the preceding and contemporary English style would normally avoid repeating the proper name and title. left behind some of the poor of the land and gave them fields and vineyards.
13 The Babylonians broke the two bronze pillars in the Lord’s temple, as well as the movable stands and the big bronze basin called the “The Sea.”#sn See the note at 1 Kgs 7:23. They took the bronze to Babylon. 14 They also took the pots, shovels,#sn These shovels were used to clean the altar. trimming shears,#sn These were used to trim the wicks. pans, and all the bronze utensils used by the priests.#tn Heb “with which they served [or, ‘fulfilled their duty’].” 15 The captain of the royal guard took the golden and silver censers#sn These held the embers used for the incense offerings. and basins. 16 The bronze of the items that King Solomon made for the Lord’s temple – including the two pillars, the big bronze basin called “The Sea,” the twelve bronze bulls under “The Sea,”#tc The MT lacks “the twelve bronze bulls under ‘the Sea,’” but these words have probably been accidentally omitted by homoioarcton. The scribe’s eye may have jumped from the וְהָ (vÿha-) on וְהַבָּקָר (vÿhabbaqar), “and the bulls,” to the וְהָ on וְהַמְּכֹנוֹת (vÿhammÿkhonot), “and the movable stands,” causing him to leave out the intervening words. See the parallel passage in Jer 52:20. and the movable stands – was too heavy to be weighed. 17 Each of the pillars was about twenty-seven feet#tn Heb “eighteen cubits.” The standard cubit in the OT is assumed by most authorities to be about eighteen inches (45 cm) long. high. The bronze top of one pillar was about four and a half feet#tn Heb “three cubits.” The parallel passage in Jer 52:22 has “five.” high and had bronze latticework and pomegranate shaped ornaments all around it. The second pillar with its latticework was like it.
18 The captain of the royal guard took Seraiah the chief priest and Zephaniah, the priest who was second in rank, and the three doorkeepers. 19 From the city he took a eunuch who was in charge of the soldiers, five#tn The parallel passage in Jer 52:25 has “seven.” of the king’s advisers#tn Heb “five seers of the king’s face.” who were discovered in the city, an official army secretary who drafted citizens#tn Heb “the people of the land.” for military service, and sixty citizens from the people of the land who were discovered in the city. 20 Nebuzaradan, captain of the royal guard, took them and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah. 21 The king of Babylon ordered them to be executed#tn Heb “struck them down and killed them.” at Riblah in the territory#tn Heb “land.” of Hamath. So Judah was deported from its land.
Gedaliah Appointed Governor
22 Now King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, as governor over the people whom he allowed to remain in the land of Judah.#tn Heb “And the people who were left in the land of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon left, he appointed over them Gedaliah son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan.” 23 All of the officers of the Judahite army#tn Heb “of the army.” The word “Judahite” has been supplied in the translation for clarity. and their troops heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah to govern. So they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah. The officers who came were Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan son of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah son of the Maacathite. 24 Gedaliah took an oath so as to give them and their troops some assurance of safety.#tn The words “so as to give them…some assurance of safety” are supplied in the translation for clarification. He said, “You don’t need to be afraid to submit to the Babylonian officials. Settle down in the land and submit to the king of Babylon. Then things will go well for you.” 25 But in the seventh month#sn It is not altogether clear whether this is in the same year that Jerusalem fell or not. The wall was breached in the fourth month (= early July; Jer 39:2) and Nebuzaradan came and burned the palace, the temple, and many of the houses and tore down the wall in the fifth month (= early August; Jer 52:12). That would have left time between the fifth month and the seventh month (October) to gather in the harvest of grapes, dates and figs, and olives (Jer 40:12). However, many commentators feel that too much activity takes place in too short a time for this to have been in the same year and posit that it happened the following year or even five years later when a further deportation took place, possibly in retaliation for the murder of Gedaliah and the Babylonian garrison at Mizpah (Jer 52:30). The assassination of Gedaliah had momentous consequences and was commemorated in one of the post exilic fast days lamenting the fall of Jerusalem (Zech 8:19). Ishmael son of Nethaniah, son of Elishama, who was a member of the royal family,#tn Heb “[was] from the seed of the kingdom.” came with ten of his men and murdered Gedaliah,#tn Heb “and they struck down Gedaliah and he died.” as well as the Judeans and Babylonians who were with him at Mizpah. 26 Then all the people, from the youngest to the oldest, as well as the army officers, left for#tn Heb “arose and went to.” Egypt, because they were afraid of what the Babylonians might do.
Jehoiachin in Babylon
27 In the thirty-seventh year of the exile of King Jehoiachin of Judah, on the twenty-seventh#sn The parallel account in Jer 52:31 has “twenty-fifth.” day of the twelfth month,#sn The twenty-seventh day would be March 22, 561 b.c. in modern reckoning. King Evil-Merodach of Babylon, in the first year of his reign, pardoned#tn Heb “lifted up the head of.” King Jehoiachin of Judah and released him#tn The words “released him” are supplied in the translation on the basis of Jer 52:31. from prison. 28 He spoke kindly to him and gave him a more prestigious position than#tn Heb “made his throne above the throne of.” the other kings who were with him in Babylon. 29 Jehoiachin#tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jehoiachin) has been specified in the translation for clarity. took off his prison clothes and ate daily in the king’s presence for the rest of his life. 30 He was given daily provisions by the king for the rest of his life until the day he died.#tc The words “until the day he died” do not appear in the MT, but they are included in the parallel passage in Jer 52:34. Probably they have been accidentally omitted by homoioteleuton. A scribe’s eye jumped from the final vav (ו) on בְּיוֹמוֹ (bÿyomo), “in his day,” to the final vav (ו) on מוֹתוֹ (moto), “his death,” leaving out the intervening words.
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2 Kings 25
25
1And in the ninth yeere of his reigne, the tenth moneth and tenth day of the moneth Nebuchad-nezzar King of Babel came, he, and all his hoste against Ierusalem, and pitched against it, and they built fortes against it round about it. 2So the citie was besieged vnto the eleueth yeere of King Zedekiah. 3And the ninth day of the moneth the famine was sore in the citie, so that there was no bread for the people of the lande. 4Then the citie was broken vp, and all the men of warre fled by night, by the way of the gate, which is betweene two walles that was by the Kings garden: nowe the Caldees were by the citie round about: and the King went by the way of the wildernesse. 5But the armie of the Caldees pursued after the King, and tooke him in the desertes of Iericho, and all his hoste was scattered from him. 6Then they tooke the King, and caried him vp to the King of Babel to Riblah, where they gaue iudgement vpon him. 7And they slew the sonnes of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bounde him in chaines, and caried him to Babel. 8And in the fift moneth, and seuenth day of the moneth, which was the nineteenth yere of King Nebuchad-nezzar King of Babel, came Nebuzar-adan chiefe stewarde and seruaunt of the King of Babel, to Ierusalem, 9And burnt the house of the Lord, and the Kings house, and all the houses of Ierusalem, and all the great houses burnt he with fire. 10And all the armie of the Caldees that were with the chiefe stewarde, brake downe the walles of Ierusalem round about. 11And the rest of the people that were left in the citie, and those that were fled and fallen to the King of Babel, with the remnant of the multitude, did Nebuzar-adan chiefe steward carie away captiue. 12But the chiefe steward left of the poore of the land to dresse the vines, and to till the land. 13Also the pillars of brasse that were in the house of the Lord, and the bases, and the brasen Sea that was in the house of the Lord, did the Caldees breake, and caried the brasse of them to Babel. 14The pots also and the besomes, and the instruments of musike, and the incense dishes, and al the vessels of brasse that they ministred in, tooke they away. 15And the asshe pannes, and the basens, and all that was of gold, and that was of siluer, tooke the chiefe steward away, 16With the two pillars, one Sea and the bases, which Salomon had made for the house of the Lord: the brasse of all these vessels was without weight. 17The height of the one pillar was eighteene cubits, and the chapiter thereon was brasse, and the height of the chapiter was with networke three cubites, and pomegranates vpon the chapiter rounde about, all of brasse: and likewise was the second pillar with the networke. 18And the chiefe steward tooke Seraiah the chiefe Priest, and Zephaniah the second Priest, and the three keepers of the doore. 19And out of the citie hee tooke an Eunuch that had the ouersight of the men of warre, and fiue men of them that were in the Kinges presence, which were founde in the citie, and Sopher captaine of the hoste, who mustred the people of the lande, and threescore men of the people of the lande, that were founde in the citie. 20And Nebuzar-adan the chiefe stewarde tooke them, and brought them to the King of Babel to Riblah. 21And the King of Babel smote them, and slew them at Riblah in the land of Hamath. So Iudah was caried away captiue out of his owne land. 22Howbeit there remained people in the land of Iudah, whom Nebuchad-nezzar King of Babel left, and made Gedaliah the sonne of Ahikam the sonne of Shaphan ruler ouer them. 23Then when all the captaines of the host and their men heard, that the king of Babel had made Gedaliah gouernour, they came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, to wit, Ishmael the sonne of Nethaniah, and Iohanan the sonne of Kareah, and Seraiah the sonne of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Iaazaniah the sonne of Maachathi, they and their men. 24And Gedaliah sware to them, and to their men, and sayd vnto them, Feare not to be the seruants of the Caldees: dwell in the land, and serue the King of Babel, and ye shalbe well. 25But in the seuenth moneth Ishmael the sonne of Nethaniah the sonne of Elishama of the Kings seede, came, and ten men with him, and smote Gedaliah, and he died, and so did he the Iewes, and the Caldees that were with him at Mizpah. 26Then all ye people both small and great, and the captaines of the armie arose, and came to Egypt: for they were afraide of the Caldees. 27Notwithstanding in the seuen and thirtieth yeere after Iehoiachin King of Iudah was caried away, in the twelft moneth and the seuen and twentieth day of the moneth, Euil-merodach King of Babel in the yeere that hee began to reigne, did lift vp the head of Iehoiachin King of Iudah out of the prison, 28And spake kindly to him, and set his throne aboue the throne of the Kings that were with him in Babel, 29And changed his prison garments: and he did continually eate bread before him, all the dayes of his life. 30And his portion was a continual portion giuen him by the King, euery day a certaine, all the dayes of his life.
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