2 Kings 24

2 Kings 24:1

24:1-4 Egypt was defeated by Babylon at Carchemish in 605 B.C., and Judah came under the control of the Babylonians. Jehoiakim put Urijah the prophet to death (Jer_26:23) and burned the Word of God which Jeremiah had written concerning Judah and Israel (Jer_36:23). He tried to arrest Jeremiah and also Baruch, his scribe, but the Lord hid them (Jer_36:26). In the third year of Jehoiakim’s reign, Nebuchadnezzar . . . came against Jerusalem (v. 1), carried some of the inhabitants (including Daniel) to Babylon, and also took some of the vessels from the temple (2Ch_36:7; Dan_1:1-2). He also bound Jehoiakim in chains to bring him to Babylon. Either he changed his mind or returned the king of Judah to Jerusalem because Jehoiakim subsequently rebelled against the Babylonians (24:1). Whitcomb describes the situation as follows: The Chronicler says that Nebuchadnezzar “bound him in fetters to carry him to Babylon” (2Ch_36:6); but before the plan was fulfilled something of urgent importance happened that caused Nebuchadnezzar to change his mind. He received word that his father Nabopolassar had died in Babylon on August 15. Realizing that the throne was now in jeopardy, he forced Jehoiakim to promise loyalty as a vassal, then took the short route across the Arabian desert to Babylon. God sent invasion armies from four nations against Judah because of Manasseh’s sins. 24:5-7 The Lord decreed that the king would have the burial of a donkeythat is, his body would be drawn outside the city and left exposed to the elements and to the creatures of prey (Jer_22:19). No details of his death are given.

2 Kings 24:8

G. King Jehoiachin (24:8-16)Jehoiachin, also called Jeconiah and Coniah, son of Jehoiakim, was king of Judah for three months (598597 B.C.; cf. 2Ki_25:27-30; 2Ch_36:9-10). During the short reign of this wicked king, Nebuchadnezzar . . . besieged the city of Jerusalem and carried away a second group of captives. Ezekiel was taken to Babylon in this deportation. Also included were the royal family, 7000 soldiers, and the trained craftsmen. In fact, only the poorest people of the land were left. Nebuchadnezzar also took treasures from the temple and from the king’s palace. Verse 14 says that there were ten thousand captives in all.

Jeremiah says that 4600 captives were taken (Jer_52:28-30). The number in Kings may include captives taken on other occasions as well. After Jehoiachin had been in captivity for thirty-seven years, Evil-Merodach, the king of Babylon, freed him from prison, set him above the other captive kings, gave him a position of honor in the court, and provided liberally for him (2Ki_25:27-30). The Prophet Ezekiel began his ministry at this period.

2 Kings 24:17

H. King Zedekiah (24:1725:7)Zedekiah, Jehoiachin’s uncle, was king of Judah for eleven years (597586 B.C.; cf. 2Ch_36:11-21; Jer_52:1-30). 24:17-20 The king of Babylon appointed Mattaniah, an uncle of Jehoiachin, as king in his place. The king of Babylon changed Mattaniah’s name to Zedekiah. Zedekiah made a treaty with Nebuchadnezzar, agreeing to serve as his puppet. But then he broke the agreement, rebelled against the king of Babylon, and sought the help of Egypt. Zedekiah’s treachery in breaking his oath and God’s subsequent judgment upon him are recorded in Eze_17:11-21.