2 Chronicles 36
PATAccording to that which was written in the law of the Lord. Which he made his rule in all that he did, Vcr. 27. And his deeds, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of the Kings of Israel and Judah.] It seems the Israelites, who were left in the land of Samaria, continued to keep records of what was done in the land of Judah itself. Ver.l. JL HEN the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son ofJosiah, and made him king in his father s stead in Jerusalem.] Not by right of succession, but by a faction of the people. and there be till the day when God visited them. (See Jer. xxvii. 10, 17. 21, 22.)
2 Chronicles 36:2
Jehoahaz was twenty and three years old when he began to reign; and he reigned three montlis in Jerusalem. See 2 Kings xxiii. 30, 31.
2 Chronicles 36:3
And the king of Egypt put him down at Jerusalem, and condemned the land in a hundred talents of silver, and a talent of gold. Ite heard, it is possible, that he meditated revenge for the death of his father, and therefore deposed him; and also set a great fine upon the people who joined with him. (See 2 Kings xxiii. 33.)
2 Chronicles 36:4
And the king of Egypt made Eliakimjiis brother king over Judah and Jerusalem, and turned his name to Jehoiakim. As a mark he was made king by him, and owed his dignity to his favour. So Pharaoh changed the name of Joseph; and Nebuchadnezzar, the names of Daniel and his three companions. AndNecho took Jehoahaz his brotlter, and carried him to Egypt.] See 2 Kings xxiii. 34.
2 Chronicles 36:5
Jehoiakim was huenty and five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem: and he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord his God. See 2 Kings xxiii. 36, 37… Vcr. 6. Against him came up Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.] The first words against him are emphatical; for when he came up before, he did not come up properly against Jerusalem, but against Pharaoh-Nechoh. And therefore it is said, not that he came up against that city, but merely that he " came up into the land," (Jer. xxxv. 11.) when he made Jehoiakim his servant three years. So that his coming up had no other effect but to make him tributary to Nebuchadnezzar. And bound him in fetters, to carry him to Babylon.] See 2 Kings X3tiv. 1, &c. The Targum expounds it, He put brazen chains upon his hands and fetters upon his legs. But he did not carry him to Babylon, for Nebuchadnezzar altered his mind, and permitted him to reign at Jerusalem as his tributary; though he carried away, as it follows, some of the vessels of the temple, and also certain choice persons, as we read in the first of Daniel.
2 Chronicles 36:7
Nebuchadnezzar also carried of the vessels of the lionse of the Lord to Babylon, and put them in his temple at Babylon. He carried away a great many in the next king’s reign, (2 Kings xxi v. 13, 14.) but it seems he began to do it in this. And they were so hardened, as to believe those false prophets, who assured them these vessels should shortly be brought again from Babylon, and give no credit to Jeremiah, who told them they prophesied a lie; for these vessels should be so far from being brought from Babylon,.that all the remaining vessels should be carried.after thcin,
2 Chronicles 36:8
Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, and his abominations which he did, and that which was found in him, behold, they are written in the book of the Kings of Israel and Judah. There was a book, it is likely, that had this title; but what was said there to be found of him, is not here mentioned. The Targum saitb, the iniquity that teas found in him. But what was that iniquity? To this they answer in the Talmud, that he had the name of an idol in his forehead r or, as others say, there were found in his body certain marks and impressions in honour of idols. So St. Jerome, He had made those marks in his body, which God had forbidden in Lev. xix. 28. (See our learned Dr. Spencer, lib. ii. de Leg. et Bit. Hebr. cap. 14. sect. 2.) But there are those that think it is meant of the innocent blood that he shed, (2 Kings xxiv. 4.) But that was the sin of Manasseh; therefore the plainest meaning is, that he was found guilty of disloyal intentions against the king of Babylon, which he concealed a great while, but at last they were discovered, (2 Kings xxiv. 1.) And Jehoiachin his son reigned in his stead.
2 Chronicles 36:9
Jehoiachin was eight years old when he began to reign. In 2 Kings xxiv. t 8. it is said, that he was eighteen years old when he began to reign. See my annotations on that place:.unto which may be added, that Abarbinel thinks there is no difference between these two places; but that the word for eight is governed by another that is wanting, signifying ten. But the common solution is, that when his father had reigned one year, he made his son joint sovereign with him, that the people might -be settled in their affection to him before he left the throne, which was ten years after. So long he reigned with his father,, and eight years alone, which made eighteen years in all. (See Buxtorf, in his Vindiciae Hebr. Veritatis, par; ii. cap. 2. p. 408.) But there are those who take the meaning to be, that he was eight years old, when he (that is, his father) began to reign: or, as our primate Usher thinks, it was the eighth year, not of his age, but of the captivity of Babylon, to which some principal persons were obnoxious, (Chronologia Sacra, pag. ult.) But some great men think here is an error of the copyist, for he was eighteen years old. And he reigned three montlis and ten days in Jerusalem: and. he did that ivhich was evil in the sight of the Lord.] It seems Nebuchadnezzar repented of his making nim king; being afraid, as Kimchi thinks, that by the evil counsel of his courtiers, he would be persuaded to rebel, after the example of Jehoiakim. Jacobus Capellus thinks the people set him up to be their king; and therefore he resolved to dethrone him, sending his servants against him, and then coming himself and taking Jerusalem. (See 2 Kings xxiv. 10, 11.)
2 Chronicles 36:10
And when the year was expired,king Nebuchadnezzar sent and brought him to Babylon, with the goodly vessels of the house of the Lord, and made Zedekiah his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem.] See 2 Kings xxiv. 11, 12. For God had threatened none of Jehoiakim’s seed should sit upon the throne of David. They might be set upon his throne, as the same Capellus observes, but not remain or continue possessed of it. " Sedcre enim dicuntur, non transitoria, sed qua) aliquamdiu pedem figunt,"* ad A. M. 3399.. •. CHAP. XXXVI.] THE SECOND BOOK OF THE CHRONICLES.
2 Chronicles 36:11
Zedekiah was one-and-twenty years old when he began to reign; and reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. See 2 Kings xxiv. 18. *
2 Chronicles 36:12
And he did that which teas evil in the sight of the Lord Ms God, and humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet, speaking from the mouth of the, Lord. From the mouth of the Word of the Lord, saith the Targum: which shews, that by the Word here he meant a Divine person. It is a wonderful thing, that having seen so many of the people carried away captive, together with their king Jehoiakim, they should not at all relent, but go on in those ways which had led others to destruction. But so incorrigible were this people, that Ezekiel tells us, they who were carried away captive (among whom he was one) persisted in their rebellion, and were not at all amended. His whole book is full of complaints of their impenitence. And in the thirteenth chapter he tells us, they still entertaiped false prophets (unto whom they hearkened rather than to Ezekiel), who saw visions of peace for Jerusalem, when there was no peace; as he there speaks, ver. 16. that is,.made the people.believe Jerusalem should not be taken; and so hardened their hearts in their obstinate wickedndss.
2 Chronicles 36:13
And he also rebelled against king Nebuchadnezzar, who made him swear by God. That he would be true and faithful to him. But he stiffened his neck, and hardened his heart from turning unto the Lord God of Israel.] His wickedness was so great, that God gave him up to commit this further crime of perjury, to his utter ruin, (2 Kings xxiv. 20.)
2 Chronicles 36:14
Moreover, all the chief of the priests and the people transgressed very much, after all the abominations of the heathen; and polluted the house of the Lord, which he had hallowed in Jerusalem.] There was such an universal corruption, and that to such an abominable height, that there was no hope of their growing better, they being perfectly ripe for utter destruction.
2 Chronicles 36:15
And the Lord God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising tip betimes, and sending. To rise betimes signifies in Scripture to do a thing with care, diligence, and affection: for good husbands, especially fathers of families (from whom this expression is borrowed), were wont to get up early to look after their business, and to quicken and encourage their servants to their duty. Such was the compassion and care of God for his people, that lie gave them seasonable, timely, and early admonitions to their duty, and notice of their danger, before it was too late. Because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling-place.] To this compassion they owed a succession of prophets in every king’s reign, as I have before noted; who most earnestly called upon them to reform. Yet, if they did in a good king’s reign grow something better, they immediately revolted as soon as he was dead, and a bad one came in his place. Such a strange propension they had to idolatry: which is the more wonderful, when wc consider, that this nation, which was so prone to idolatry, when they had so many prophets among them to admonish them against it, were not at all inclined to it, when they had no more any prophets to instruct them, nor any miracles wrought among them; that is, after their return from the captivity of Babylon, when prophecy in a little time ceased; and yet they were steadfast in the service of God, according to the law of Moses.’ -The best account that I am able to give of this is, that before the captivity sufficient care was not taken for the building of synagogues for’ the teaching of the law, if there were any at all; for we find no mention of them. in these books: whereas they abounded in everyplace after the captivity; insomuch, that the Jews say, there were several hundreds in Jerusalem alone, wherein the law was read and taught, which was a most powerful means to keep them constant to the religion they professed: for, as Josephus reports, by this means the people came to be so acquainted with their laws, that if any person asked any of them concerning them, pqov av tiiroi nama, y rovvofia tov rnvrov, he would more readily tell every thing, than his own name. >Ver. 16. But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets.] As the corruption was universal, so they were incorrigible; not only rejecting, but despising, and setting at nought, the means of their cure. Until the wrath of the Lord arose against his people, till there was no remedy.] Till the implacable wrath of God came upon them; there being no hope they would repent, and be healed, but they must die and perish.
2 Chronicles 36:17
- Therefore he brought upon them the king of the Chaldees, who slew their young men with the sivord in the house of their sanctuary J. Unto which, it is likely, they fled for safety, after the manner of all nations, who took their holy places to be inviolable: but they found no protection there; the Chaldees being a rough nation, and having no regard to/them. And had no compassion upon young man or maiden, old man, or him that stooped for age; he gave them all into his hand.] To kill them, or sell them for slaves; as he thought good.
2 Chronicles 36:18
And all the vessels of the house of God, great and small. Which are numbered in the next book, Ezra i. And the treasures of the house of the Lord, and th$ treasures of the king, and of his princes; all these he brought to Babylon.] The former treasures, by a special providence of God, were preserved, and restored in the reign of Cyrus to the house of the Lord: but, the other, it is likely, were looked upon as spoil, and spent by the king and his great men.
2 Chronicles 36:19
And they burnt the house of God, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem, and burnt all the palaces thereof with fire, and destroyed all the goodly vessels thereof. See 2 Kings xxv.9,10. But it is a very absurd supposition of some, who think that all the sacred books were now also burnt, and restored again by Ezra after the captivity out of his memory. For who can believe, that among all the priests, and prophets too, that were carried captive, none of them should take care to carry a Bible with them? Jeremiah also remaining in the land, we may be confident was not without it." It is plain also, that Daniel had his prophecy, and the books of Moses, in Babylon, (Dan. ix. 2, 3.) And Josephus says that Cyrus was shewn the prophecy of Isaiah, wherein his name was expressly mentioned: which shews,* they had copies of these books in their captivity. But this extravagant fable was brought upon the stage by the apocryphal Esdras, (chap, xiv.) and 4Q