2 Kings 25:7
2 Kings 25:7 in Multiple Translations
And they slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes. Then they put out his eyes, bound him with bronze shackles, and took him to Babylon.
And they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him with fetters of brass, and carried him to Babylon.
And they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him in fetters, and carried him to Babylon.
And they put the sons of Zedekiah to death before his eyes, and then they put out his eyes, and chaining him with iron bands, took him to Babylon.
They slaughtered Zedekiah's sons while he watched, and then gouged out his eyes, bound him in bronze shackles, and took him to Babylon.
And 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.
And the sons of Zedekiah they have slaughtered before his eyes, and the eyes of Zedekiah he hath blinded, and bindeth him with brazen fetters, and they bring him to Babylon.
They killed Zedekiah’s sons before his eyes, then put out Zedekiah’s eyes, bound him in fetters, and carried him to Babylon.
And they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him with fetters of brass, and carried him to Babylon.
And he slew the sons of Sedecias before his face, and he put out his eyes, and bound him with chains, and brought him to Babylon.
There the king of Babylon forced Zedekiah to watch as the Babylonian soldiers killed all of Zedekiah’s sons. Then they gouged out Zedekiah’s eyes. They put bronze chains on his hands and feet and then they took him to Babylon.
Berean Amplified Bible — 2 Kings 25:7
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
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2 Kings 25:7 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
וְ/אֶת
בְּנֵי֙
צִדְקִיָּ֔הוּ
שָׁחֲט֖וּ
לְ/עֵינָ֑י/ו
וְ/אֶת
עֵינֵ֤י
צִדְקִיָּ֨הוּ֙
עִוֵּ֔ר
וַ/יַּאַסְרֵ֨/הוּ֙
בַֽ/נְחֻשְׁתַּ֔יִם
וַ/יְבִאֵ֖/הוּ
בָּבֶֽל
וְ/אֶת
ʼêth
H853
Obj.
Conj | DirObjM
בְּנֵי֙
bên
H1121
son
N-mp
צִדְקִיָּ֔הוּ
Tsidqîyâh
H6667
Zedekiah
N-proper
שָׁחֲט֖וּ
shâchaṭ
H7819
to slaughter
V-Qal-Perf-3cp
לְ/עֵינָ֑י/ו
ʻayin
H5869
eye
Prep | N-cd | Suff
וְ/אֶת
ʼêth
H853
Obj.
Conj | DirObjM
עֵינֵ֤י
ʻayin
H5869
eye
N-cd
צִדְקִיָּ֨הוּ֙
Tsidqîyâh
H6667
Zedekiah
N-proper
עִוֵּ֔ר
ʻâvar
H5786
to blind
V-Piel-Perf-3ms
וַ/יַּאַסְרֵ֨/הוּ֙
ʼâçar
H631
to bind
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms | Suff
בַֽ/נְחֻשְׁתַּ֔יִם
nᵉchôsheth
H5178
bronze
Prep | N-fd
וַ/יְבִאֵ֖/הוּ
bôwʼ
H935
Lebo
Conj | V-Hiphil-ConsecImperf-3ms | Suff
בָּבֶֽל
Bâbel
H894
Babylon
N-proper
Hebrew Word Study
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Hebrew Word Reference — 2 Kings 25:7
וְ/אֶת
ʼêth
H853
"Obj."
Conj | DirObjM
In the original Hebrew, this word points out the object of a verb or preposition, like 'namely' or 'even'. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus. It's not directly translated in English, but helps clarify the meaning of sentences.
Definition: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)
Usage: Occurs in 6782 OT verses. KJV: (as such unrepresented in English). See also: Genesis 1:1; Genesis 10:8; Genesis 19:21.
בְּנֵי֙
bên
H1121
"son"
N-mp
In the Bible, this word means a son or descendant, and can also refer to a grandson, nation, or quality. It appears in 1 Chronicles 24, describing a Levite named Beno. The word is used to show family relationships and inheritance.
Definition: : child/son
Usage: Occurs in 3653 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ([phrase]) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, [phrase] (young) bullock, [phrase] (young) calf, [idiom] came up in, child, colt, [idiom] common, [idiom] corn, daughter, [idiom] of first, [phrase] firstborn, foal, [phrase] very fruitful, [phrase] postage, [idiom] in, [phrase] kid, [phrase] lamb, ([phrase]) man, meet, [phrase] mighty, [phrase] nephew, old, ([phrase]) people, [phrase] rebel, [phrase] robber, [idiom] servant born, [idiom] soldier, son, [phrase] spark, [phrase] steward, [phrase] stranger, [idiom] surely, them of, [phrase] tumultuous one, [phrase] valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth. See also: Genesis 3:16; Genesis 23:3; Genesis 34:18.
צִדְקִיָּ֔הוּ
Tsidqîyâh
H6667
"Zedekiah"
N-proper
Zedekiah means Jehovah is righteous, the name of six Israelites including the last king of Judah, as seen in Jeremiah 36:12. He was renamed by Nebuchadnezzar and son of Josiah. Zedekiah was a significant figure in the Divided Monarchy period.
Definition: A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at Jer.36.12; son of: Hananiah (H2608M) § Zedekiah = "Jehovah is righteous" 1) the last king of Judah renamed from 'Mattaniah' by Nebuchadnezzar; son of Josiah by wife Hamutal; placed on the throne by Nebuchadnezzar when he carried his nephew Jehoiakim in captivity 2) false prophet at the court of king Ahab of the northern kingdom of Israel 3) son of Maaseiah, a false prophet in Babylon 4) son of Hananiah, one of the princes of Judah in the time of Jeremiah 5) a priest who sealed the covenant with Nehemiah 6) son of king Jehoiakim of Judah
Usage: Occurs in 62 OT verses. KJV: Zedekiah, Zidkijah. See also: 1 Kings 22:11; Jeremiah 34:6; Jeremiah 1:3.
שָׁחֲט֖וּ
shâchaṭ
H7819
"to slaughter"
V-Qal-Perf-3cp
This Hebrew word means to slaughter, often used in the context of sacrifice or massacre, as seen in the KJV translations of kill, offer, or slay.
Definition: v 1) to kill, slaughter, beat 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to slaughter 1a1a) beast for food 1a1b) sacrifice 1a1c) person in human sacrifice 1a1d) beaten, hammered (of shekels) 1b) (Niphal) to be slaughtered, be slain (of food or sacrifice) Also means: sha.chat (שָׁחוּט "beaten" H7820)
Usage: Occurs in 70 OT verses. KJV: kill, offer, shoot out, slay, slaughter. See also: Genesis 22:10; Leviticus 16:15; Isaiah 22:13.
לְ/עֵינָ֑י/ו
ʻayin
H5869
"eye"
Prep | N-cd | Suff
This word can mean a spring or fountain, but also refers to the eye or a source of something. It is often translated as affliction, outward appearance, or countenance, and is used in various contexts throughout the Bible.
Definition: : eye 1) eye 1a) eye 1a1) of physical eye 1a2) as showing mental qualities 1a3) of mental and spiritual faculties (fig.)
Usage: Occurs in 828 OT verses. KJV: affliction, outward appearance, [phrase] before, [phrase] think best, colour, conceit, [phrase] be content, countenance, [phrase] displease, eye((-brow), (-d), -sight), face, [phrase] favour, fountain, furrow (from the margin), [idiom] him, [phrase] humble, knowledge, look, ([phrase] well), [idiom] me, open(-ly), [phrase] (not) please, presence, [phrase] regard, resemblance, sight, [idiom] thee, [idiom] them, [phrase] think, [idiom] us, well, [idiom] you(-rselves). See also: Genesis 3:5; Exodus 34:9; Deuteronomy 28:67.
וְ/אֶת
ʼêth
H853
"Obj."
Conj | DirObjM
In the original Hebrew, this word points out the object of a verb or preposition, like 'namely' or 'even'. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus. It's not directly translated in English, but helps clarify the meaning of sentences.
Definition: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)
Usage: Occurs in 6782 OT verses. KJV: (as such unrepresented in English). See also: Genesis 1:1; Genesis 10:8; Genesis 19:21.
עֵינֵ֤י
ʻayin
H5869
"eye"
N-cd
This word can mean a spring or fountain, but also refers to the eye or a source of something. It is often translated as affliction, outward appearance, or countenance, and is used in various contexts throughout the Bible.
Definition: : eye 1) eye 1a) eye 1a1) of physical eye 1a2) as showing mental qualities 1a3) of mental and spiritual faculties (fig.)
Usage: Occurs in 828 OT verses. KJV: affliction, outward appearance, [phrase] before, [phrase] think best, colour, conceit, [phrase] be content, countenance, [phrase] displease, eye((-brow), (-d), -sight), face, [phrase] favour, fountain, furrow (from the margin), [idiom] him, [phrase] humble, knowledge, look, ([phrase] well), [idiom] me, open(-ly), [phrase] (not) please, presence, [phrase] regard, resemblance, sight, [idiom] thee, [idiom] them, [phrase] think, [idiom] us, well, [idiom] you(-rselves). See also: Genesis 3:5; Exodus 34:9; Deuteronomy 28:67.
צִדְקִיָּ֨הוּ֙
Tsidqîyâh
H6667
"Zedekiah"
N-proper
Zedekiah means Jehovah is righteous, the name of six Israelites including the last king of Judah, as seen in Jeremiah 36:12. He was renamed by Nebuchadnezzar and son of Josiah. Zedekiah was a significant figure in the Divided Monarchy period.
Definition: A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at Jer.36.12; son of: Hananiah (H2608M) § Zedekiah = "Jehovah is righteous" 1) the last king of Judah renamed from 'Mattaniah' by Nebuchadnezzar; son of Josiah by wife Hamutal; placed on the throne by Nebuchadnezzar when he carried his nephew Jehoiakim in captivity 2) false prophet at the court of king Ahab of the northern kingdom of Israel 3) son of Maaseiah, a false prophet in Babylon 4) son of Hananiah, one of the princes of Judah in the time of Jeremiah 5) a priest who sealed the covenant with Nehemiah 6) son of king Jehoiakim of Judah
Usage: Occurs in 62 OT verses. KJV: Zedekiah, Zidkijah. See also: 1 Kings 22:11; Jeremiah 34:6; Jeremiah 1:3.
עִוֵּ֔ר
ʻâvar
H5786
"to blind"
V-Piel-Perf-3ms
This verb means to make someone blind, either physically or spiritually. In the Bible, it is used in 1 Samuel 11:2 to describe what the Ammonites did to the people of Jabesh. The word is also used figuratively in Isaiah 6:10 to describe spiritual blindness.
Definition: (Piel) to blind, make blind, put out the eyes of
Usage: Occurs in 5 OT verses. KJV: blind, put out. See also H5895 (עַיִר). See also: Exodus 23:8; 2 Kings 25:7; Jeremiah 39:7.
וַ/יַּאַסְרֵ֨/הוּ֙
ʼâçar
H631
"to bind"
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms | Suff
This word means to bind or tie something, like when God made a covenant with the Israelites. It can also mean to prepare for battle or to be imprisoned. In different contexts, it involves joining or fastening things together, whether physically or metaphorically.
Definition: 1) to tie, bind, imprison 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to tie, bind 1a2) to tie, harness 1a3) to bind (with cords) 1a4) to gird (rare and late) 1a5) to begin the battle, make the attack 1a6) of obligation of oath (figurative) 1b) (Niphal) to be imprisoned, bound 1c) (Pual) to be taken prisoner
Usage: Occurs in 64 OT verses. KJV: bind, fast, gird, harness, hold, keep, make ready, order, prepare, prison(-er), put in bonds, set in array, tie. See also: Genesis 39:20; 1 Samuel 6:7; Psalms 105:22.
בַֽ/נְחֻשְׁתַּ֔יִם
nᵉchôsheth
H5178
"bronze"
Prep | N-fd
This Hebrew word refers to copper or something made of it, like a coin or chain. It can also symbolize something base or impure, as in lust or filthiness. It appears in various KJV translations, including brasen and brass.
Definition: 1) copper, bronze 1a) copper (ore), bronze (as copper alloy) 1b) fetters (of copper or bronze) 1c) copper (as value)
Usage: Occurs in 119 OT verses. KJV: brasen, brass, chain, copper, fetter (of brass), filthiness, steel. See also: Genesis 4:22; 1 Kings 7:38; Psalms 107:16.
וַ/יְבִאֵ֖/הוּ
bôwʼ
H935
"Lebo"
Conj | V-Hiphil-ConsecImperf-3ms | Suff
This verb means to go or come, and is used in many contexts, such as entering a place or approaching someone, as seen in the book of Genesis. It can also mean to abide or apply, and is translated in various ways in the KJV Bible. This term is related to the name Lebo Hamath.
Definition: A shortened name of Lebo Hamath complined withcha.mat (חֲמָת "Hamath" H2574) This name means to go in, enter
Usage: Occurs in 2307 OT verses. KJV: abide, apply, attain, [idiom] be, befall, [phrase] besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, [idiom] certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out, upon, to pass), depart, [idiom] doubtless again, [phrase] eat, [phrase] employ, (cause to) enter (in, into, -tering, -trance, -try), be fallen, fetch, [phrase] follow, get, give, go (down, in, to war), grant, [phrase] have, [idiom] indeed, (in-) vade, lead, lift (up), mention, pull in, put, resort, run (down), send, set, [idiom] (well) stricken (in age), [idiom] surely, take (in), way. See also: Genesis 2:19; Genesis 32:7; Exodus 1:19.
בָּבֶֽל
Bâbel
H894
"Babylon"
N-proper
Babel refers to Babylon, a city and empire in the Bible, meaning confusion or mixing. It appears in Genesis 11:9 and is associated with the tower of Babel. The city was situated on the Euphrates River.
Definition: § Babel or Babylon = "confusion (by mixing)" Babel or Babylon, the ancient site and/or capital of Babylonia (modern Hillah) situated on the Euphrates
Usage: Occurs in 233 OT verses. KJV: Babel, Babylon. See also: Genesis 10:10; Jeremiah 29:22; Psalms 87:4.
Study Notes — 2 Kings 25:7
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- 2 Kings 25:7 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on 2 Kings 25:7
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Kings 25:7
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on 2 Kings 25:7
- Trapp's Commentary on 2 Kings 25:7
- Ellicott's Commentary on 2 Kings 25:7
- Cambridge Bible on 2 Kings 25:7
- Barnes' Notes on 2 Kings 25:7
- Whedon's Commentary on 2 Kings 25:7
- Sermons on 2 Kings 25:7
Context — Nebuchadnezzar Besieges Jerusalem
5but the army of the Chaldeans pursued the king and overtook him in the plains of Jericho, and his whole army deserted him.
6The Chaldeans seized the king and brought him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah, where they pronounced judgment on him.
7And they slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes. Then they put out his eyes, bound him with bronze shackles, and took him to Babylon.
8On the seventh day of the fifth month, in the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign over Babylon, Nebuzaradan captain of the guard, a servant of the king of Babylon, entered Jerusalem. 9He burned down the house of the LORD, the royal palace, and all the houses of Jerusalem—every significant building.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jeremiah 32:4–5 | Zedekiah king of Judah will not escape from the hands of the Chaldeans, but he will surely be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon, and will speak with him face to face and see him eye to eye. He will take Zedekiah to Babylon, where he will stay until I attend to him, declares the LORD. If you fight against the Chaldeans, you will not succeed.’” |
| 2 | Judges 16:21 | Then the Philistines seized him, gouged out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, where he was bound with bronze shackles and forced to grind grain in the prison. |
| 3 | Jeremiah 39:6–7 | There at Riblah the king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and he also killed all the nobles of Judah. Then he put out Zedekiah’s eyes and bound him with bronze chains to take him to Babylon. |
| 4 | Genesis 44:34 | For how can I go back to my father without the boy? I could not bear to see the misery that would overwhelm him.” |
| 5 | Ezekiel 17:16–20 | ‘As surely as I live,’ declares the Lord GOD, ‘he will die in Babylon, in the land of the king who enthroned him, whose oath he despised and whose covenant he broke. Pharaoh with his mighty army and vast horde will not help him in battle, when ramps are built and siege walls constructed to destroy many lives. He despised the oath by breaking the covenant. Seeing that he gave his hand in pledge yet did all these things, he will not escape!’ Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘As surely as I live, I will bring down upon his head My oath that he despised and My covenant that he broke. I will spread My net over him and catch him in My snare. I will bring him to Babylon and execute judgment upon him there for the treason he committed against Me. |
| 6 | Jeremiah 22:30 | This is what the LORD says: “Enroll this man as childless, a man who will not prosper in his lifetime. None of his descendants will prosper to sit on the throne of David or to rule again in Judah.” |
| 7 | Ezekiel 7:27 | The king will mourn, the prince will be clothed with despair, and the hands of the people of the land will tremble. I will deal with them according to their conduct, and I will judge them by their own standards. Then they will know that I am the LORD.’” |
| 8 | Psalms 149:8 | to bind their kings with chains and their nobles with shackles of iron, |
| 9 | Jeremiah 52:10–11 | There at Riblah the king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and he also killed all the officials of Judah. Then he put out Zedekiah’s eyes, bound him with bronze shackles, and took him to Babylon, where he kept him in custody until his dying day. |
| 10 | Psalms 107:10–11 | Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, prisoners in affliction and chains, because they rebelled against the words of God and despised the counsel of the Most High. |
2 Kings 25:7 Summary
This verse describes a very sad and violent event, where the sons of King Zedekiah were killed in front of him, and then he was blinded and taken prisoner to Babylon. This was a punishment for the sins of the people of Judah, as seen in Jeremiah 25:4-7, and it shows how seriously God takes disobedience. It also reminds us that our actions have consequences, and that we need to trust in God's plan, even when things seem dark and hopeless, as seen in Psalm 23:4 and Isaiah 43:2.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the Babylonians slaughter the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes?
This act was a brutal display of power and a means to break Zedekiah's spirit, as seen in the context of 2 Kings 25:6, where the king of Babylon pronounced judgment on him, and in Jeremiah 52:10, which also records this event.
What is the significance of putting out Zedekiah's eyes?
Blinding Zedekiah was a way to humiliate and incapacitate him, making him a prisoner and a symbol of the fallen kingdom of Judah, much like the prophecies in Lamentations 4:20 and Ezekiel 12:13.
Why was Zedekiah taken to Babylon?
Zedekiah was taken to Babylon as a captive, a symbol of the Babylonian Empire's dominance over Judah, fulfilling the prophecies of Jeremiah 32:4-5 and Ezekiel 17:16.
How does this event relate to the larger story of the Bible?
The fall of Jerusalem and the exile of Zedekiah are part of the larger narrative of God's judgment on His people for their disobedience, as seen in Deuteronomy 28:15 and Leviticus 26:14-39, and ultimately point to the need for a Savior, as prophesied in Isaiah 53:5 and fulfilled in Jesus Christ, as seen in Romans 5:8.
Reflection Questions
- What does this verse reveal about the nature of God's judgment and the consequences of disobedience?
- How can we apply the lesson of Zedekiah's blindness to our own lives, in terms of spiritual blindness and the need for guidance?
- What role does faith and trust in God play in the midst of suffering and hardship, as seen in the story of Zedekiah?
- How does this event in 2 Kings 25:7 point to the coming Messiah and the redemption He would bring, as seen in the New Testament, such as in Matthew 1:12-13?
Gill's Exposition on 2 Kings 25:7
[See comments on 2 Kings 25:1]
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Kings 25:7
And they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him with fetters of brass, and carried him to Babylon. No JFB commentary on this verse.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on 2 Kings 25:7
Thus two prophecies were fulfilled, which seemed contrary one to the other, that he should go to Babylon, 34:3, and that he should never see Babylon; which seeming contradiction, because Zedekiah the false prophet could not reconcile, he concluded both were false, and that Jeremiah was a false prophet; and it seems Zedekiah the king might stumble at this difficulty.
Trapp's Commentary on 2 Kings 25:7
2 Kings 25:7 And they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him with fetters of brass, and carried him to Babylon.Ver. 7. And they slew the sons of Zedekiah.] Who were, likely, taken with him, and consenting to his rebellion. Before his eyes.] To his greater grief. The like befell Mauricius, the emperor, a better man. And put out the eyes of Zedekiah.] The eyes of whose mind had been put out long before; else he might have foreseen and prevented this evil - as prevision is the best means of prevention, - had he taken warning by what was foretold. The Dutchmen have a proverb, When God intends to destroy a man, he first puts out his eyes. This punishment of putting out the eyes of an enemy, was practised by the Philistines upon Samson; by Irene, the empress, upon her son Constantinus Copronymus; by our Henry I upon his brother Robert, duke of Normandy; by Amidas, king of Tunis, upon his own father Muleasses; by Amurath VI, king of Turks, upon his wife’ s brethren, the two young Servian princes, Gregory and Stephen, whose eyes he cruelly burnt out with a bason made red hot; a common unmerciful practice among the Turks. Josephus Turk. Hist., 262.
Ellicott's Commentary on 2 Kings 25:7
(7) And they slew . . .—The verbs are all singular in Jeremiah 39:6; Jeremiah 52:10-11; so that the acts in question are attributed directly to Nebuchadnezzar, to whose orders they were due. (So the versions, except that the Targum has “they slew.”) The blinding of Zedekiah need not have been done by the conqueror himself, although in the Assyrian sculptures kings are actually represented as blinding and otherwise torturing their captives. It is no argument against the singular, “he carried him to Babylon,” to say with Thenius that Zedekiah was sent to Babylon at once, while Nebuchadnezzar remained at Riblah. “Qui facit per alium, facit per se.” The sons.—Who fled with him (Comp. Jeremiah 41:10). In Jeremiah it is added that all the nobles or princes. of Judah were slain also. Put out the eyes.—A Babylonian punishment (Herod, vii. 18). This was the meaning of Ezekiel’s prediction; “I will bring him to Babylon . . . yet shall he not see it, though he shall die there” (Ezekiel 12:13). With fetters of brass.—Literally, with the double brass (2 Chronicles 33:12); i.e., with manacles and fetters, as represented on the Assyrian monuments. Carried him to Babylon.—Jeremiah 52:11; “and put him in prison till the day of his death.” So the Arabic of Kings.
Cambridge Bible on 2 Kings 25:7
7. slew the sons of Zedekiah] This was done to prevent the rise of a new revolt under a successor. To do it in the sight of the father was to break down all his hope of any rightful successor taking his throne. The narrative in Jeremiah adds that Nebuchadnezzar ‘slew all the nobles of Judah’. Not only was the royal family destroyed, but the men of power and influence were all extinguished. put out the eyes of Zedekiah] This punishment the Philistines inflicted on Samson (Judges 16:21) before they put him in the prison-house. The LXX. had this instance so much in mind that they say Zedekiah was put εἰςοἰκίανμύλωνος. The deprivation of the eyes was not uncommon in the East as a punishment (cf. Herod. 2 Kings 7:18). It is very striking to put side by side the two prophecies concerning Zedekiah uttered the one by Jeremiah, the other by Ezekiel. The former said (Ezekiel 34:3) ‘Thine eyes shall behold the eyes of the king of Babylon, and he shall speak with thee mouth to mouth, and thou shalt go to Babylon (cf. Jeremiah 32:4); the latter (2 Kings 12:13) says of this king ‘I will bring him to Babylon to the land of the Chaldζans, yet shall he not see it though he shall die there’. and bound him with fetters of brass] R.V. in fetters.
There is no need to express the metal of which the fetters were made. In English on the contrary we speak of ‘putting a man in irons’ and omit ‘fetters’. The Hebrew word is dual, and properly signifies ‘double fetters’. His legs as well as his hands were shackled. and carried him to Babylon] The narrative in Jeremiah adds ‘and put him in prison till the day of his death’.
Barnes' Notes on 2 Kings 25:7
Before his eyes - This refinement of cruelty seems to have especially shocked the Jews, whose manners were less barbarous than those of most Orientals. It is noted by Jeremiah in two places Jeremiah 39:6; Jeremiah 52:10.
Whedon's Commentary on 2 Kings 25:7
7. Slew the sons… before his eyes — This was not only to intensify Zedekiah’s woes by making his sons’ execution the last sight of his eyes, but also to end his dynasty.
Sermons on 2 Kings 25:7
| Sermon | Description | |
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Giant Ungainted by J. Glyn Owen | In this sermon, the focus is on the life of Samson, a judge in ancient Israel. The passage being discussed is about Samson being captured by the Philistines, who gouged out his eye |
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Where Is the Secret by Leonard Ravenhill | In this sermon, the preacher discusses the story of Samson and the power he possessed as a Nazirite. The preacher emphasizes that Samson's strength did not come from his physical a |
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The Presence of the Lord With His People, and Its Effect by J.B. Stoney | J.B. Stoney preaches about the presence of the Lord with His people, emphasizing that His presence is often revealed through the exposure of hidden sins and the purification of His |
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Judges 16:21 by Chuck Smith | Chuck Smith discusses the tragic consequences of sin as illustrated in the life of Samson, emphasizing how sin blinds individuals to their true state, binds them in chains, and lea |
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Matthew 15:14 by Chuck Smith | Chuck Smith discusses the theme of misguided men, emphasizing how many are led astray by false precepts, false prophets, their own lusts, and the lies of Satan. He illustrates thes |
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You're Free - Part 1 by Carter Conlon | This sermon emphasizes that the devil has no right to control our lives or minds as believers in Christ. Through Christ's triumph, we are set free from the power of sin and darknes |
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(Through the Bible) Psalms 136-150 by Chuck Smith | In this sermon, the speaker discusses the greatness of God and His infinite understanding. He emphasizes the idea of exalting the meek and encourages singing praises to the Lord wi |