2 Kings 25
25
The Fall of Jerusalem
(Jeremiah 39.1-7; 52.4-11)
1 #
Jer 21.1-10; 34.1-5; Ezek 24.2. And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnez´zar king of Babylon came, he, and all his host, against Jerusalem, and pitched against it; and they built forts against it round about. 2And the city was besieged unto the eleventh year of king Zedeki´ah. 3And on the ninth day of the fourth month the famine prevailed in the city, and there was no bread for the people of the land. 4#Ezek 33.21. And the city was broken up, and all the men of war fled by night by the way of the gate between two walls, which is by the king's garden: (now the Chaldees were against the city round about:) and the king went the way toward the plain. 5And the army of the Chaldees pursued after the king, and overtook him in the plains of Jericho: and all his army were scattered from him. 6So they took the king, and brought him up to the king of Babylon to Riblah; and they gave judgment upon him. 7#Ezek 12.13. And they slew the sons of Zedeki´ah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedeki´ah, and bound him with fetters of brass, and carried him to Babylon.
The Captivity of Judah
(2 Chronicles 36.17-21; Jeremiah 39.8-10; 52.12-30)
8And in the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month, which is the nineteenth year of king Nebuchadnez´zar king of Babylon, came Neb´uzar–a´dan, captain of the guard, a servant of the king of Babylon, unto Jerusalem: 9#1 Kgs 9.8. and he burnt the house of the Lord, and the king's house, and all the houses of Jerusalem, and every great man's house burnt he with fire. 10And all the army of the Chaldees, that were with the captain of the guard, brake down the walls of Jerusalem round about. 11Now the rest of the people that were left in the city, and the fugitives that fell away to the king of Babylon, with the remnant of the multitude, did Neb´uzar–a´dan the captain of the guard carry away. 12But the captain of the guard left of the poor of the land to be vinedressers and husbandmen.
13 #
1 Kgs 7.15-22; 2 Chr 3.15-17;
1 Kgs 7.23-26; 2 Chr 4.2-5. And the pillars of brass that were in the house of the Lord, and the bases, and the brazen sea that was in the house of the Lord, did the Chaldees break in pieces, and carried the brass of them to Babylon. 14#1 Kgs 7.45; 2 Chr 4.16. And the pots, and the shovels, and the snuffers, and the spoons, and all the vessels of brass wherewith they ministered, took they away. 15And the firepans, and the bowls, and such things as were of gold, in gold, and of silver, in silver, the captain of the guard took away. 16The two pillars, one sea, and the bases which Solomon had made for the house of the Lord; the brass of all these vessels was without weight. 17The height of the one pillar was eighteen cubits, and the chapiter upon it was brass: and the height of the chapiter three cubits; and the wreathed work, and pomegranates upon the chapiter round about, all of brass: and like unto these had the second pillar with wreathed work.
18And the captain of the guard took Serai´ah the chief priest, and Zephani´ah the second priest, and the three keepers of the door: 19and out of the city he took an officer that was set over the men of war, and five men of them that were in the king's presence, which were found in the city, and the principal scribe of the host, which mustered the people of the land, and threescore men of the people of the land that were found in the city: 20and Neb´uzar–a´dan captain of the guard took these, and brought them to the king of Babylon to Riblah: 21and the king of Babylon smote them, and slew them at Riblah in the land of Hamath. So Judah was carried away out of their land.
The Remnant Flee to Egypt
22 #
Jer 40.7-9. And as for the people that remained in the land of Judah, whom Nebuchadnez´zar king of Babylon had left, even over them he made Gedali´ah the son of Ahi´kam, the son of Shaphan, ruler. 23And when all the captains of the armies, they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedali´ah governor, there came to Gedali´ah to Mizpah, even Ish´ma-el the son of Nethani´ah, and Jo´hanan the son of Care´ah, and Serai´ah the son of Tan´humeth the Netoph´athite, and Ja-azani´ah the son of a Ma-ach´athite, they and their men. 24And Gedali´ah sware to them, and to their men, and said unto them, Fear not to be the servants of the Chaldees: dwell in the land, and serve the king of Babylon; and it shall be well with you. 25#Jer 41.1-3. But it came to pass in the seventh month, that Ish´ma-el the son of Nethani´ah, the son of Elish´ama, of the seed royal, came, and ten men with him, and smote Gedali´ah, that he died, and the Jews and the Chaldees that were with him at Mizpah. 26#Jer 43.5-7. And all the people, both small and great, and the captains of the armies, arose, and came to Egypt: for they were afraid of the Chaldees.
Jehoiachin Released and Honored in Babylon
(Jeremiah 52.31-34)
27And it came to pass in the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoi´achin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month, that Evil–mer´odach king of Babylon in the year that he began to reign did lift up the head of Jehoi´achin king of Judah out of prison; 28and he spake kindly to him, and set his throne above the throne of the kings that were with him in Babylon; 29and changed his prison garments: and he did eat bread continually before him all the days of his life. 30And his allowance was a continual allowance given him of the king, a daily rate for every day, all the days of his life.
Currently Selected:
2 Kings 25: KJVAAE
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
King James Version 1611, spelling, punctuation and text formatting modernized by ABS in 1962; typesetting © 2010 American Bible Society.
2 Kings 25
25
Jerusalem Is Captured and Destroyed
(2 Chronicles 36.17-21; Jeremiah 52.3-30)
1 #
Jr 21.1-10; 34.1-5; Ez 24.2. In Zedekiah's ninth year as king, on the tenth day of the tenth month,#25.1 tenth month: Tebeth, the tenth month of the Hebrew calendar, from about mid-December to mid-January. King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia led his entire army to attack Jerusalem. The troops set up camp outside the city and built ramps up to the city walls.
2-3After a year and a half, all the food in Jerusalem was gone. Then on the ninth day of the fourth#25.2,3 fourth: This word is not in the Hebrew text here, but see the parallel in Jeremiah 52.5,6. month, 4#Ez 33.21. the Babylonian troops broke through the city wall.#25.4 wall: Jerusalem was destroyed in 586 b.c. That same night, Zedekiah and his soldiers tried to escape through the gate near the royal garden, even though they knew the enemy had the city surrounded. They headed toward the desert, 5but the Babylonian troops caught up with them near Jericho. They arrested Zedekiah, but his soldiers scattered in every direction.
6Zedekiah was taken to Riblah, where Nebuchadnezzar put him on trial and found him guilty. 7#Ez 12.13. Zedekiah's sons were killed right in front of him. His eyes were then poked out, and he was put in chains and dragged off to Babylon.
8About a month later,#25.8 About a month later: Hebrew “On the seventh day of the fifth month.” in Nebuchadnezzar's nineteenth year as king, Nebuzaradan, who was his official in charge of the guards, arrived in Jerusalem. 9#1 K 9.8. Nebuzaradan burned down the Lord's temple, the king's palace, and every important building in the city, as well as all the houses. 10Then he ordered the Babylonian soldiers to break down the walls around Jerusalem. 11He led away as prisoners the people left in the city, including those who had become loyal to Nebuchadnezzar. 12Only some of the poorest people were left behind to work the vineyards and the fields.
13 #
1 K 7.15-26; 2 Ch 3.15-17;
1 K 7.23-26; 2 Ch 4.2-5. The Babylonian soldiers took the two bronze columns that stood in front of the temple, the ten movable bronze stands, and the large bronze bowl called the Sea. They broke them into pieces so they could take the bronze to Babylonia. 14#1 K 7.45; 2 Ch 4.16. They carried off the bronze things used for worship at the temple, including the pans for hot ashes, and the shovels, snuffers, and also the dishes for incense, 15as well as the fire pans and the sprinkling bowls. Nebuzaradan ordered his soldiers to take everything made of gold or silver.
16The pile of bronze from the columns, the stands, and the large bowl that Solomon had made for the temple was too large to be weighed. 17Each column had been eight meters tall with a bronze cap over one meter high. These caps were decorated with bronze designs—some of them like chains and others like pomegranates.#25.17 pomegranates: A bright red fruit that looks like an apple.
18Next, Nebuzaradan arrested Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah his assistant, and three temple officials. 19Then he arrested one of the army commanders, the king's five personal advisors, and the officer in charge of gathering the troops for battle. He also found 60 more soldiers who were still in Jerusalem. 20Nebuzaradan led them all to Riblah 21near Hamath, where Nebuchadnezzar had them killed.
Most of the people of Judah had been carried away as captives from their own country.
Gedaliah Is Made Ruler of the People Left in Judah
(Jeremiah 40.7-9; 41.1-3)
22 #
Jr 40.7-9. King Nebuchadnezzar appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam#25.22 Ahikam: Hebrew “Ahikam son of Shaphan.” to rule the few people still living in Judah. 23When the army officers and troops heard that Gedaliah was their ruler, the officers met with him at Mizpah. These men were Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan son of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth from Netophah, and Jaazaniah from Maacah.
24Gedaliah said to them, “Everything will be fine, I promise. We don't need to be afraid of the Babylonian rulers, if we live here peacefully and do what Nebuchadnezzar says.”
25 #
Jr 41.1. Ishmael#25.25 Ishmael: Hebrew “Ishmael son of Nethaniah son of Elishama.” was from the royal family. And about two months after Gedaliah began his rule,#25.25 about two months … his rule: Hebrew “in the seventh month.” Ishmael and ten other men went to Mizpah. They killed Gedaliah and his officials, including those from Judah and those from Babylonia. 26#Jr 43.5-7. After that, the army officers and all the people in Mizpah, whether important or not, were afraid of what the Babylonians might do. So they left Judah and went to Egypt.
Jehoiachin Is Set Free
(Jeremiah 52.31-34)
27Jehoiachin was a prisoner in Babylon for 37 years. Then Evil-Merodach became king of Babylonia,#25.27 Evil-Merodach … Babylonia: The son of Nebuchadnezzar, who ruled Babylonia from 562 to 560 b.c. and in the first year of his rule, on the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth month,#25.27 twelfth month: Adar, the twelfth month of the Hebrew calendar, from about mid-February to mid-March. he let Jehoiachin out of prison. 28Evil-Merodach was kind to Jehoiachin and honored him more than any of the other kings held prisoner there. 29Jehoiachin was even allowed to wear regular clothes, and he ate at the king's table every day. 30As long as Jehoiachin lived, he was paid a daily allowance to buy whatever he needed.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)
© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.