WBC-12-From Fall of Samaria to Babylonian Captivity
From Fall of Samaria to Babylonian Captivity THE KINGDOM OF JUDAH FROM THE FALL OF SAMARIA TO THE CAPTIVITY From the fall of Samaria, in the 6th year of Hezekiah, to the capture and destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, in the 11th (and last) year of Zedekiah, was a period of 131 years. The following table shows the principal events of that period.
Events | Kings of Judah | An. Hom. | B.C. |
Fall of Samaria in the 6th year of Hezekiah (2 Kings 18:10) | Hezekiah | 3406 | 640 |
In the 14th year of Hezekiah Judah was invaded by Assyrians under Sennacherib, fortified cities were taken (2 Kings 18:13); and Jerusalem besieged. But the Assyrian army was overthrown by the angel of the Lord (II Kings18:17-19: 36) | " | 3415 | 631 |
In the same year occurred Hezekiah’s illness and recovery; and also the visit of the ambassadors of Merodach Baladan, king of Babylon (2 Kings 20:1-20). | " | " | " |
Sargon sent Tartan to Ashdod and took it (Isaiah 20:1, 2 Kings 18:17). All this was in the 14th year of Hezekiah. | " | " | " |
God, in answer to prayer, added 15 years to the life of Hezekiah, who died and was succeeded by Manasseh (2 Kings 20:21) after reigning 29 years) | Manasseh | 3429 | 617 |
Isaiah had prophesied (Isaiah 7:8) in the days of Ahaz, that in 65 years Ephraim should be broken, that he should be no more a people~ Sixty-five years from Ahaz’s accession brings us to the days of Esar-haddon, and it is recorded in Ezra 4:2 that the "adversaries" had been transported into Palestine by Esar-haddon. Sixty-five years from Ahaz’s first year would be… | " | 3452 | 594 |
Manasseh reigned 55 years, and was succeeded by his son Amon (2 Kings 21:1; 2 Kings 21:18). | Amon | 3484 | 562 |
Amon reigned 2 years, and was slain by servants who conspired against him, and succeeded by Josiah (2 Kings 21:23-26) | Josiah | 3486 | 560 |
Josiah, in the 8th year of his reign, "while he was yet young" (16 years old) "began to seek after the God of David, his father" (2 Chronicles 34:3). | " | 3494 | 552 |
In the 12th year of his reign he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem by destroying the places of idol worship. | " | 3498 | 548 |
The prophet Jeremiah began to prophesy in the 13th year of Josiah. He prophesied for 23 years to the 4th of Zedekiah (Jeremiah 1:2; Jeremiah 25:3). This establishes the chronology of that period. The beginning of Jeremiah’s prophecy. | " | 3499 | 547 |
The purifying of Judah and Jerusalem (which occupied 6 years) completed. | " | 3504 | 542 |
In the same year (Josiah’s 18th), the repairing of the Temple was begun, and the Book of the Law was found and read to Josiah, whose conscience was smitten upon hearing the words of the Law, because of the departures of the people therefrom. Josiah inquires of the Lord concerning this (2 Chronicles 34:8-21). | " | 3504 | 542 |
In the same yea (Josiah’s 18th) was observed the great Passover, concerning which it is recorded that "there was no Passover like that kept in Israel, from the days of Samuel, the prophet; neither did all the kings of Israel keep such a Passover as Josiah kept" (2 Chronicles 35:18-19). | " | " | " |
Josiah, after reigning 31 years, was killed in battle with Pharaoh Necho, king of Egypt, and was succeeded by his son Jehoahaz (2 Chronicles 36:1), who reigned three months | Jehoahaz | 3517 | 529 |
Jehoahaz was carried captive into Egypt, his brother Eliakim put on the throne by Pharaoh Necho, and his name changed to Jehoiakim (2 Chronicles 36:2-4). | Jehoiakim | 3517 | 529 |
In Jehoiakim’s 3rd year, Nebuchadnezzar began to reign as co-regent (Daniel 1:1). This was the year of the captivity of Daniel and his three companions, the starting point of the 70 years’ captivity foretold by Jeremiah (Jeremiah 25:11-12, Daniel 9:2). | " | 3520 | 526 |
Nebuchadnezzar began to reign as sole king in the 4th year of Jehoiakim (Jeremiah 25:1-3). That same year, Jeremiah prophesied that all nations should serve the king of Babylon 70 years, after which he should be punished (Jeremiah 25:11-12). This establishes the date to the overthrow of Babylon by Darius and Cyrus. Other prophecies by Jeremiah that same year are found in Jeremiah 25:1-38; Jeremiah 27:6-7; Jeremiah 36:1-2; Jeremiah 45:1-5; Jeremiah 46:2. | " | 3521 | 525 |
In the 5th year of Jehoiakim (2nd of Nebuchadnezzar as sole king) Daniel interpreted Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of the great image of the gold, silver, brass, iron and clay. | " | 3522 | 524 |
The same year, Jehoiakim rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar, after having served him three years (2 Kings 24:1) | " | " | " |
The same year, Jehoiakim cut the roll of the Book with a pen knife, and burned it in the fire. | " | " | " |
In the 7th year of Nebuchadnezzar, he took captive 3023 Jews (Jeremiah 52:28). | " | 3527 | 519 |
In the 8th year of Nebuchadnezzar Jehoiakim died and was succeeded by Jehoiachin, who reigned only three months, when Nebuchadnezzar sieged Jerusalem, took Jehoiachin to Babylon, with certain other captives, and treasures out of the temple (2 Kings 24:8-16). | Jehoiachin | 3528 | 518 |
He made Mattaniah (Jehoiachin’s uncle) king in his stead, changing his name to Zedekiah (2 Kings 24:17). | Zedekiah | " | " |
Ezekiel was carried away with Jehoiachin, and dates his prophecies from the captivity of Jehoiachin (see Ezekiel 1:2; Ezekiel 40:1). | " | " | " |
Mordecai was also carried away in that captivity (Esther 2:5-6) | " | " | " |
Ezekiel begins to prophesy in the 5th year of Jehoiachin’s captivity (Ezekiel 1:2). | " | 3532 | 514 |
In the same year (which was the fourth of Zedekiah), Hananiah uttered his false prophecy, and died under the hand of God (Jeremiah 28:1-17) | " | " | " |
Ezekiel’s vision of the departure of the glory of God from the Temple (Ezekiel 8:1) | " | 3533 | 513 |
God refuses to be inquired of (Ezekiel 20:1-3) | " | 3534 | 512 |
Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem in the 10th year of Zedekiah, 10th month, 9th day (2 Kings 25:1; Jeremiah 39:1; Jeremiah 52:4) | " | 3537 | 509 |
Jeremiah buys his uncle’s field while Nebuchadnezzar was besieging Jerusalem. Jeremiah imprisoned by Zedekiah (Jeremiah 21:1-13). | " | 3538 | 508 |
The end Jeremiah’s prophecies (Ezekiel’s 40 years – Ezekiel 4:5-6). | " | " | " |
Ezekiel prophecies this same year against Tyre (26:1); against Pharaoh (30:21); and against Egypt (31:1). | " | " | " |
In the 11th year of Zedekiah famine prevailed in Jerusalem, city broken up (2 Kings 25:1-4; Jeremiah 39:2). Same year, Nebuzaradam burnt the Temple and broke down the walls; Jerusamel carried away captive (Jeremiah 1:3). One comes to Ezekiel and tells him "the city is smitten" (Ezekiel 33:21). Ezekiel’s lamentation for Pharaoh and Egypt (Ezekiel 21:1; Ezekiel 32:17) | " | 3539 | 507 |
END OF THE KINGDOM OF JUDAH, 11th year of Zedekiah (2 Kings 24:18) | " | 3539 | 507 |
We will comment briefly upon some of the events of the period covered by the foregoing table: The beginning of Hezekiah’s reign was in bright contrast with that of his father Ahaz. For in the very first year of his reign he opened the doors of the house of the LORD, and charged the priests and Levites to sanctify themselves, and to cleanse the Temple. This was done in eight days; and thereupon Hezekiah gathered the rulers, went into the house of the LORD, and offered many offerings and sacrifices, besides setting the Levites to praise the LORD with the instruments of David, and the priests to praise with the trumpets (2 Chronicles 29). Moreover, Hezekiah sent to all the remnant of Israel which had not been carried away into captivity; and he wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the LORD at Jerusalem to keep the passover unto the Lord God of Israel. But though "they laughed them (Hezekiah’s messengers) to scorn and mocked them, nevertheless, divers of Asher, and Manasseh, and of Zebulun humbled themselves, and came to Jerusalem" (2 Chronicles 30:1-11). Because of this, God had mercy upon Judah at that time, and spared them the fate that had overtaken the northern kingdom at the hands of the Assyrians in the 6th year of Hezekiah. In this connection we should notice the message of Hosea, who also prophesied in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and of Jeroboam II, king of Israel.Hosea had three children, to each of whom had been given a prophetic name. The first was Jezreel, which means the harvest of God, signifying God’s complete judgment upon the house of Jehu (Hosea 1:4, fulfilled 2 K. 15:10). The second was Lo-ruhamah, meaning I will not have mercy. This signified that God would "no more have mercy on the house of Israel," but would "utterly take them away" (Hosea 1:6). "But," God said, "I will have mercy upon the house of Judah, and will save them by the Lord their God, and will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by battle, by horses, nor by horsemen" (Hosea 1:6-7). This remarkable prophecy was fulfilled by the overthrow of the hosts of Sennacherib, which had surrounded the walls of Jerusalem, and whose generals sent defiant and insulting messages to Hezekiah. The latter spread them before the Lord, and both the king and the prophet Isaiah "prayed and cried to heaven. And the Lord sent an angel, which cut off all the mighty men of valour, and the leaders and captains in the camp of the king of Assyria; so he returned with shame of face to his own land "(2 Chronicles 32:1-21). This important incident is more fully described in Isaiah, chapters 36 and 37. There we have also God’s answer to the prayer of Hezekiah, to whom God said: "For I will defend this city to save it for Mine own sake, and for My servant David’s sake. Then the angel of the Lord went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred and fourscore and five thousand" (Isaiah 37:35-36). This was in the 14th year of Hezekiah (Isaiah 36:1). The destruction of Sennacherib’s army by an angel, "a mighty one," had been foretold by Isaiah (Ch. 10:34). The third child of Hosea was named Lo Ammi = not My people, "For ye are not My people and I will not be your God" (Hosea 1-9). Likewise Isaiah prophesied: "Within three-score and five years shall Ephraim be broken that he be not a people" (Isaiah 7:8). In 2 Kings 25:21 is the record: "So Judah was carried away out of their land."
Also in the year of the fall of Samaria occurred Hezekiah’s illness, when he was sick unto death, and God healed him in answer to prayer. This date is known because Hezekiah reigned 29 years (2 Chronicles 29:1), and since God added 15 years to his life (2 K. 20:6), it follows that the illness was in his 14th year. Then followed the unhappy incident of the Babylonian ambassadors, upon which we have already commented.
Manasseh, Hezekiah’s son and successor, was born three years after his father’s recovery, for he was twelve years of age when he began to reign (2 K. 21:1).
Sennacherib’s Third Campaign
Among the tablets which have been recently exhumed in Assyria is a six-sided cylinder containing accounts of Sennacherib’s military campaigns. In the light of Bible history it may be seen that these records are in the main authentic and correct, though written, of course, in such way as to reflect the greatest possible credit upon that proud monarch, and to heighten the lustre of his reign. The account of his third campaign is worth quoting for the purpose of comparison with the inspired narrative of the Bible:
"As for Hezekiah of Judah, who had not submitted to my yoke, 46 of his strong cities, together with innumerable fortresses and small towns dependent on them, by overthrowing the walls and open attack, by battle-engines and battering-rams, I besieged, I captured. I brought out from the midst of them and counted as spoil, 200,150 persons, great and small, male and female; besides mules, asses, camels, oxen, and sheep without number. Hezekiah himself I shut up like a bird in a cage in Jerusalem, his royal city. I built a line of forts against him, and kept his heel from going forth out of the great gate of his city. I cut off his cities which I had spoiled from the midst of his land, and gave them to Mentinti, king of Ashdod; Padi, king of Ekron; and Zil-baal, king of Gaza; and I made his country small. In addition to their former tribute and yearly gifts I added other tribute and the homage due to my majesty, and I laid it upon them. The fear of the greatness of my majesty overwhelmed him, even Hezekiah, and he sent after me to Nineveh, my royal city, by way of gift and tribute, the Arabs and his body guard whom he had brought for the defence of his royal city Jerusalem, and had furnished with pay, along with 30 talents of gold, 800 talents of pure silver, carbuncles, and other precious stones, a couch of ivory, thrones of ivory, an elephant’s hide, an elephant’s tusk, rare woods of all kinds, a vast treasure, as well as the eunuchs of his palace, and dancing men and dancing women, and he sent his ambassador to pay homage (or tribute) and to make submission."
It is true, as stated in 2 Kings 18:13-16, that Hezekiah did at first make submission to Sennacherib; for we read that he "appointed to Hezekiah, king of Judah, 300 talents of silver and 30 talents of gold; and Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the house of the Lord, and in the treasures of the king’s house. And at that time Hezekiah cut off the gold from the doors of the temple of the Lord, and from the pillars which Hezekiah, king of Judah, had overlaid, and gave it to the king of Assyria."
It is easy, however, to read between the lines of the inscription quoted above, that Jerusalem was not taken. But the inscription is significantly silent as to the reason why Sennacherib raised the siege of Jerusalem, and returned to his own land. The inscription makes very interesting reading in the light of 2 Chronicles 32 and Isaiah 36, 37.
These Assyrian inscriptions are not dated.
Manasseh and Amon The reign of Manasseh, though the longest of all the kings (55 years, 3429-3484) calls for but little comment. He began to reign at the age of twelve years, "but did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, like unto the abominations of the heathen." For he built up again the high places which Hezekiah had broken down; he caused his children to pass through the fire; he resorted to enchantments and witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit and with wizards; and he set up a carved image which he had made in the house of God. And the Lord spoke to Manasseh and to his people, but they would not hearken (id. 3-10). Because of this, the Lord brought upon them the host of the Assyrians, who captured Manasseh, and carried him in chains to Babylon. When, however, he was in affliction he humbled himself greatly, and besought the Lord, who was entreated of him, and brought him again to Jerusalem. "Then Manasseh knew that the Lord He is God"; and thereafter he took away the idol out of the house of the Lord, and made other reformations (id. 11-19). His son Amon reigned but two years (3484-3486), during which he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord; and, moreover, he "humbled not himself before the Lord, as Manasseh his father had humbled himself; but Amon trespassed more and more" (2 Chronicles 33:21-23). Wherefore his servants conspired against him, and slew him in his own house (v. 24).
Reign of Josiah
It is recorded of Josiah that in the 8th year of his reign, "while he was yet young" (16 years), he began to seek after the Lord (2 Chronicles 34:3), and he purged Judah and Jerusalem of idol worship. In the 18th year of his reign he repaired the house of the Lord. While this work was in progress Hilkiah the priest found a copy of the Book of the law. Evidently, during the seventy-five years that had elapsed since the death of Hezekiah, the Word of God had been banished from the minds of king, priests, and people. When, however, Josiah heard the words of the Book, he greatly humbled himself, and sent to inquire of the Lord for them that were left of Israel and Judah. "For," said he, "great is the wrath of the Lord that is poured out upon us, because our fathers have not kept the word of the Lord, to do after all that is written in this Book" (2 Chronicles 34:1-21). The reply which came to him through Huldah the prophetess, whom his servants consulted, gave him to know that the Lord would surely bring upon that land, and upon the inhabitants thereof, all the curses written in the Book; but because Josiah’s heart was tender, and he humbled himself when he heard the words of the Lord, the evil was deferred until after his days.
Moreover, Josiah went up to Bethel, where Jeroboam had founded the worship of the golden calf, and there fulfilled a prophecy which had been uttered about 350 years before by a man of God who had come out of Judah to cry against the altar, and who had said (1 K. 13:1-3), "0 altar, altar, thus saith the Lord; behold, a child shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name, and upon thee shall he offer the priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee, and men’s bones shall be burnt upon thee." (For the fulfillment see 2 K. 23:15-18). In the 18th year of his reign (3505) Josiah kept a most solemn passover "according to the word of the Lord by the hand of Moses" (2 Chronicles 35:6), concerning which it is recorded that "there was no passover like that kept in Israel, from the days of Samuel the prophet; neither did all the kings of Israel keep such a passover as Josiah kept, and the priests, and the Levites, and all Judah and Israel that were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. In the eighteenth year of the reign of Josiah was this passover kept" (id. 18, 19).
Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoichin, Zedekiah No sooner was Josiah dead (3517) than the death-throes of the kingdom of Judah began. Jehoahaz (also called Shallum), who succeeded his father, reigned but three months, when he was deposed by Pharoah Necho, the king of Egypt, who placed his brother Eliakim on the throne, changing his name to Jehoiakim. And Necho carried Jehoahaz captive into Egypt.
Jehoiakim reigned 11 years. His evil character and deeds are set forth in the prophecy of Jeremiah. His attitude toward the word of God was rebellious and defiant, just the reverse of that of his father Josiah. This attitude was specially manifested in the incident recorded in Jeremiah 36:9-32, where it is related that, when Jehudi read to Jehoiakim the words of God by Jeremiah, which had been inscribed upon a roll, the king with his penknife cut the leaves as they were read, and cast them into the fire before which he was sitting in his winter house. This was in the fifth year of his reign (v. 9), the same year that Jehoiakim rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar, after having served him three years (2 Kings 24:1).
Jeremiah’s Prophecies The prophecies of Jeremiah uttered during the reign of Jehoiakim are too long to be quoted here, or even described; but they should be read in connection with the study of this part of the chronology of the Bible. We will, however, refer briefly to the important prophecy in Jeremiah 22, where God speaks directly concerning the three kings, Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, and Jehoiachin. Concerning Shallum (Jehoahaz) he said:
"Weep ye not for the dead " "i.e. Josiah, who had just died "" but weep sore for him that goeth away (i.e. Jehoahaz); for he shall return no more, nor see his native country. For thus saith the Lord touching Shalom, the son of Josiah, king of Judah, which reigned instead of Josiah his father; which went forth out of this place, he shall not return thither any more but he shall die in the place whither they have led him captive (i.e. Egypt) and shall see this land no more" (Jet. 22:10-12). By this we know that Jehoahaz died a captive in Egypt. His unrighteousness and covetousness are stated in verses 13-17, in contrast with the godliness of his father, Josiah.
Concerning Jehoiakim, the brother and successor of Jehoahaz, this word was spoken:
"Thereforth thus saith the Lord concerning Jehoiakim, the son of Josiah, king of Judah, They shall not lament for him, saying, Ah my brother ! or Ah sister they shall not lament for him saying, Ah lord or Ah his glory! He shall be buried with the burial of an ass, drawn and cast forth beyond the gates of Jerusalem" (Jet. 22: 18, 19).
Concerning Jehoiachin (also called Jeconiah, and Coniah) this word was spoken:
"As I live, saith the Lord, though Coniah, the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, were the signet upon My right hand yet would I pluck thee hence. And I will give thee into the hand of them that seek thy life and into the hand of them whose face thou fearest, even into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, and into the hand of the Chaldeans. And I will cast thee out, and thy mother that bare thee into another country, where ye were not born; and there shall ye die. But to the land whereunto they desire to return, thither shall they not return. Is this man Coniah a despised broken idol? Is he a vessel wherein is no pleasure ? Wherefore are they cast out, he and his seed, and are cast into a land which they know not? 0 earth, earth, earth (or land, land, land) hear the word of the Lord:Thus saith the Lord, Write this man childless, a man that shall not prosper in his days:for no man of his seed shall prosper sitting upon the throne of David, and ruling any more in Judah" (Jet. 22: 24-30). This is a very notable prophecy. Jehoiachin was the last occupant of the throne of David in the direct line from father to son; for Mattaniah, whom Nebuchadnezzar placed upon the throne as his vassal, changing his name to Zedekiah, was Jehoiachin’s father’s brother (2 Kings 24:17); and Zedekiah is not counted in the genealogy of Matthew 1. Thus the line of David comes to an end, as a ruling line, with the solemn word and oath of the Lord that none of the last occupant’s seed should sit upon the throne of David, or rule any more in Judah. But, in view of this it will be asked, what then becomes of God’s oath which He swore to David, saying, "I have sworn unto David My servant, thy seed will I establish forever, and build up thy throne to all generations" (Psalms 89:3-4; Psalms 89:35-36)? And again: "The Lord hath sworn in truth unto David, He will not turn from it: of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne" (Psalms 132:11)? And again, after Jehoiachin had been carried away to Babylon, the Lord said:
"David shall never want a man to sit upon the throne of the house of Israel; . . . . Thus saith the Lord, If ye can break My covenant of the day, and My covenant of the night, and that there should not be day and night in their season; then may also My covenant be broken with David My servant, that he should not have a son to reign upon his throne" (Jet. 33 :17-21).
It is a matter of the deepest interest to trace the complete fulfillment of both these lines of prophecy concerning David and his house, prophecies which seem on their face to contradict each other. The genealogy of the royal line was carefully preserved and is given in Matthew 1, from Abraham and David (the two Old Testament pillars of the Gospel) to Joseph, the betrothed husband of Mary, of whom Christ was born. This line runs through Jelzoiachin (Jeconias), but, according to the Word of God in Jeremiah 22:30, no man of his seed was to sit upon the throne of David or rule any more in Judah. This word, however, does not bar Jesus Christ, for He was not "of the seed" of Jeconiah, being born of a virgin, the Seed of the woman. But He was born under the roof of Joseph, the son of Jeconiah, the heir to the throne, and of one whom Joseph had betrothed to himself as his wife. Hence, under the law of Israel, He was entitled to the throne. The other prophecy, which pledged the throne to David’s seed forever, is also fulfilled in that Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ, was of the house of David, but her descent (given in Luke 3) does not come through Jeconiah and the other kings of Judah, but through David’s son Nathan, the younger brother of Solomon, Nathan being also a son of Bathsheba (1 Chronicles 3:5).
God’s stern word concerning Coniah, that though he were a signet upon His hand, yet would He pluck him thence (Jeremiah 22:24) should be compared with His gracious word to Coniah’s grandson, Zerubbabel (for the relationship see Matthew 1:12) who rebuilt the Temple, and to whom God said, ’In that day will I take thee, O Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, said the Lord, and shall make thee as a signet, for I have chosen thee, said the Lord " (Haggai 2:23).
Zedekiah’s Reign
Many important events occurred in the eleven years of Zedekiah; but these are set forth with sufficient fulness for our purposes in the table; so we will not comment further upon them. We will refer only to a single prophecy (that in Ezekiel 21) which is of exceptional importance, for it pronounced the doom of Israel at the hands of Nebuchadnezzar, and the downfall of Zedekiah. In it are these words:
"I have set the point of the sword against all their gates, that their heart may faint and their ruins be multiplied. Ah! it is made bright, it is sharpened (marg.) for the slaughter."
"And thou, profane wicked prince of Israel (i.e. Zedekiah), whose day is come, when iniquity shall have an end, Thus saith the Lord God, Remove the diadem, and take off the crown; this shall not be the same. Exalt him that is low, and abase him that is high. I will overturn, overturn, overturn it; and it shall be no more, until He come Whose right it is; and I will give it Him."
Thus it was decreed that the crown should be taken away, and the throne of David overturned, and that none of his line should wear the crown until Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, should be raised from the dead and crowned in heaven, the King of the Kingdom of heaven, "the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, to Whom be honour and glory forever and ever. Amen" (1 Timothy 1:17). The Eighty-ninth Psalm is a prophecy concerning David and his house. It might appropriately be entitled, "The Sure Mercies of David," for it contains a sevenfold promise of the perpetuity of God’s "mercy" to that chosen one.
But, beginning at verse 30, God plainly says: "If his children forsake My law, and walk not in My judgments; if they break My statutes, and keep not My commandments; then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes." This was fulfilled again and again in the experiences of David’s successors. But a still more severe visitation was needed; and in verses 38 to 47 of the Psalm we find a wonderful foretelling of the long period (over five hundred years) during which the house of David was brought low. With bitter grief the prophet says: "But Thou hast cast off, and abhorred, Thou hast been wroth with Thine anointed. Thou hast made void the covenant of Thy servant. ......Thou hast made his glory to cease and cast his throne down to the ground."
Nevertheless, God never forgot that He had made with David "an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and sure" (2 Samuel 23:5).