Online Resource Library
Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadPaul Kretzmann Commentary - 2 King 24:8 - 24:16
(Show All Books | Show All Chapters)
This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
The Reign of Jehoiachin
v. 8. Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. His name is also given as Jeconiah, 1Ch_3:16; Jer_24:1, and as Coniah, Jer_22:24-28. And his mother's name was Nehushta, the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem, Elnathan having been one of the chief officers at court, Jer_26:22; Jer_36:12-25.
v. 9. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father had done.
v. 10. At that time, in the spring of the year, when military operations were opened, the servants of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, came up against Jerusalem, and the city was besieged, his officers being in general charge of the siege.
v. 11. And Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, came against the city, taking personal charge of the campaign as the fall of the city seemed imminent, and his servants did besiege it.
v. 12. And Jehoiachin, the king of Judah, realizing the uselessness of further resistance, went out to the king of Babylon, he, and his mother, and his servants, and his princes, and his officers, all the most influential men of the nation; and the king of Babylon took him in the eighth year of his reign, he dethroned him, made him captive.
v. 13. And he carried out thence all the treasures of the house of the Lord and the treasures of the king's house, whatever money and gifts had been deposited there in about the last decade, and cut in pieces, rather, tore loose from their fastenings, all the vessels of gold which Solomon, king of Israel, had made in the Temple of the Lord, as the Lord had said, Jer_20:5.
v. 14. And he carried away all Jerusalem, all the most representative citizens, and all the princes, and all the mighty men of valor, even ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and smiths, such as might provide the people of Judah with weapons; none remained save the poorest sort of the people of the land, such as would not be dangerous to his rule.
v. 15. And he carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon, and the king's mother, and the king's wives, for he also had a harem according to Oriental style, and his officers, and the mighty of the land; those carried he into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon, their number being some two thousand.
v. 16. And all the men of might, the able-bodied men, those fit for military duty, even seven thousand, and craftsmen and smiths a thousand, all that were strong and apt for war, even them the king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon, to the country in which his capital was situated, where they were colonized, Jeremiah 29. Any corruption of morals usually proceeds from the leaders of a nation, and therefore the Lord's punishment strikes these first. God is righteous in all His judgments and rewards every one according to his deeds.