2 Chronicles 36
OGCSUMMARY QUESTIONS LESSON TWENTY-FOUR 34-36
How old was Josiah when he became king?
Why refer to David as Josiah’s father?
Describe Josiah’s reformation.
Explain the reference to the house of the priests.
How far to the north did Josiah’s reform reach?
What were the Asherim?
According to 2 Chronicles 34:8 what very important project did Josiah undertake?
Carefully identify Hilkiah.
Who contributed to Josiah’s program?
What kind of materials had to be provided?
Which of the tribes had special oversight of the work?
Describe the remarkable discovery made by Hilkiah.
Who was Shaphan?
Why did Josiah tear his garments?
Who was Huldah?
Concerning Jerusalem, what does Jehovah intend to do?
How will Jehovah deal with Josiah?
Explain the phrase, to be gathered to one’s fathers.
For what purpose was a meeting called at the Temple?
How long did Josiah serve Jehovah?
When was the passover kept by Josiah? Relate to the record in Exodus.
Where was the ark to be housed?
How would a priest sanctify himself?
Who supplied the materials for the great passover?
How was the passover lamb actually prepared?
What is a caldron?
Explain the nature of the ministry of the sons of Asaph.
Relate the feast of unleavened bread to the passover.
How is this passover compared with other passovers?
Who was Neco?
Carefully locate Carchemish.
Locate Megiddo.
How did Josiah go into battle?
Who is this Jeremiah of 2 Chronicles 35:25?
Who followed Josiah to the throne?
What finally happened to Joahaz?
Who was Jehoiakim and what finally happened to him?
Who followed Jehoiakim to the throne and what happened to this king?
Name Judah’s last king.
What was the nature of the oath which Nebuchadnezzar required of Judah’s last king?
Describe religion in Jerusalem at this time.
Explain the attitude of the people toward the prophets.
Who were the Chaldeans?
What happened to the Temple?
Describe the overthrow of Jerusalem.
Name the empire that was to follow Babylon in world leadership.
How long did the Babylon captivity last?
How did this captivity relate to the sabbaths?
What was the content of the declaration made by Cyrus, King of Persia?
How did this decree affect the Hebrew people?
What is the date of Cyrus-’ decree?
2 Chronicles 36:1-3
- THE REIGN OF JEHOAHAZ (2 Chronicles 36:1-3)
TEXT
2 Chronicles 36:1. Then the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and made him king in his father’s stead in Jerusalem. 2. Joahaz was twenty and three years old when he began to reign; and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. 3. And the king of Egypt deposed him at Jerusalem, and fined the land a hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold.
PARAPHRASE
2 Chronicles 36:1. Josiah’s son Jehoahaz was selected as the new king. 2. He was twenty-three years old when he began to reign, but lasted only three months. 3. Then he was deposed by the king of Egypt, who demanded an annual tribute from Judah of $250,000.
COMMENTARY
Josiah’s son, Jehoahaz, was put on Judah’s throne during the crisis of Josiah’s death. His name meant Jehovah hath grasped, or He has taken hold of me. The Egyptians asserted power over Jerusalem and took Jehoahaz (Joahaz) captive into Egypt. Eliakim (Jehoiakim) was Jehoahaz-’ brother. After Jehoahaz had reigned only three months, the Egyptians put Eliakim on the throne.
2 Chronicles 36:4-8
- THE REIGN OF ELIAKIM (JEHOIAKIM) (2 Chronicles 36:4-8)
TEXT
2 Chronicles 36:4. And the king of Egypt made Eliakim his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem, and changed his name to Jehoiakim. And Neco took Joahaz his brother, and carried him to Egypt.
- Jehoiakim was twenty 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 Jehovah his God. 6. Against him came up Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and bound him in fetters, to carry him to Babylon. 7. Nebuchadnezzar also carried of the vessels of the house of Jehovah to Babylon, and put them in his temple at Babylon. 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: and Jehoiachin his son reigned in his stead.
PARAPHRASE
2 Chronicles 36:4. The king of Egypt now appointed Aliakim, the brother of Jehoahaz, as the new king of Judah. (Eliakim’s name was changed to Jehoiakim.) Jehoahaz was taken to Egypt as a prisoner.
- Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years, in Jerusalem; but his reign was an evil one. 6. Finally Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon conquered Jerusalem, and took away the king in chains to Babylon. 7. Nebuchadnezzar also took some of the golden bowls and other items from the Temple, placing them in his own temple in Babylon. 8. The rest of the deeds of Jehoiakim, and all the evil he did, are written in The Annals of the Kings of Judah; and his son Jehoiachin became the new king.
COMMENTARY
Jehoiakim became king at the age of twenty-five and ruled uneasily through eleven difficult years. In his time Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians came and took him captive along with other Hebrews (such as Daniel and his brethren). Jehoiakim made no attempt to serve Jehovah. The Babylonians robbed the Temple of many of its treasures in his time. Judah’s light dimmed quickly during Jehoiakim’s reign.
2 Chronicles 36:9-10
- THE REIGN OF JEHOIACHIN (2 Chronicles 36:9-10)
TEXT
2 Chronicles 36:9. Jehoiachin was eight years old when he began to reign; and he reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem: and he did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah. 10. And at the return of the year king Nebuchadnezzar sent, and brought him to Babylon, with the goodly vessels of the house of Jehovah, and made Zedekiah his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem.
PARAPHRASE
2 Chronicles 36:9. Jehoiachin was eight years old when he ascended the throne. But he lasted only three months and ten days, and it was an evil reign as far as the Lord was concerned. 10. The following spring he was summoned to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar. Many treasures from the Temple were taken away to Babylon at that time, and King Nebuchadnezzar appointed Jehoiachin’s brother Zedekiah as the new king of Judah and Jerusalem.
COMMENTARY
Whether Jehoiakim’s son, Jehoiachin, was eight or eighteen years of age (2 Kings 24:8) when he became king, he reigned only three months and served no good purpose while he was on the throne. Once more the Babylonians came at the return of the year (in the springtime) and robbed the Temple taking more captives (like those among whom Ezekiel lived). Jehoiachin was deported to Babylon. Jehovah’s predictions through Moses in Deuteronomy, chapter 28, were being literally fulfilled.
2 Chronicles 36:11-17
- THE REIGN OF ZEDEKIAH (2 Chronicles 36:11-17)
TEXT
2 Chronicles 36:11. Zedekiah was twenty and one years old when he began to reign; and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem: 12. and he did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah his God; he humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet speaking from the mouth of Jehovah. 13. And he also rebelled against king Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God: but he stiffened his neck, and hardened his heart against turning unto Jehovah, the God of Israel. 14. Moreover all the chiefs of the priests, and the people, trespassed very greatly after all the abominations of the nations; and they polluted the house of Jehovah which he had hallowed in Jerusalem. 15. And Jehovah, the God of their fathers, sent to them by his messengers, rising up early and sending, because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling-place: 16. but they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and scoffed at his prophets, until the wrath of Jehovah arose against his people, till there was no remedy.
- Therefore he brought upon them the king of the Chaldeans, who slew their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion upon young man or virgin, old man or hoary-headed: he gave them all into his hand.
PARAPHRASE
2 Chronicles 36:11. Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king and he reigned eleven years, in Jerusalem. 12. His reign, too, was evil so far as the Lord was concerned, for he refused to take the counsel of Jeremiah the prophet, who gave him messages from the Lord. 13. He rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, even though he had taken an oath of loyalty. Zedekiah was a hard and stubborn man so far as obeying the Lord God of Israel was concerned, for he refused to follow him. 14. All the important people of the nation, including the High Priests, worshiped the heathen idols of the surrounding nations, thus polluting the Temple of the Lord in Jerusalem. 15. Jehovah the God of their fathers sent his prophets again and again to warn them, for he had compassion on his people and on his Temple. 16. But the people mocked these messengers of God and despised their words, scoffing at the prophets until the anger of the Lord could no longer be restrained, and there was no longer any remedy.
- Then the Lord brought the king of Babylon against them and killed their young men, even going after them right into the Temple, and had no pity upon them, killing even young girls and old men. The Lord used the king of Babylon to destroy them completely.
COMMENTARY
Jehoiachin’s brother, Zedekiah, was put on the throne in Judah. Whatever he did was subject to Babylonian approval. The twenty-one year old king was to reign over Judah for the last eleven years of her history prior to the Babylonian captivity. Even though the time of judgment was so near, Zedekiah made no real effort to do Jehovah’s will. Jeremiah worked with the king. He tried to strengthen him in the Lord, but Zedekiah’s goodness was anemic. Idolatries increased in Jerusalem and Judah. God’s Temple was desecrated even by the priests who should have consecrated it. Prophets, such as Jeremiah, were ridiculed and thrown into dungeons and cisterns. All hope was gone. There was no remedy (2 Chronicles 36:16).
2 Chronicles 36:18-21
- JERUSALEM OVERTHROWN (2 Chronicles 36:18-21)
TEXT
2 Chronicles 36:18. And all the vessels of the house of God, great and small, and the treasures of the house of Jehovah, and the treasures of the king, and of his princes, all these he brought to Babylon. 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. 20. And them that had escaped from the sword carried he away to Babylon; and they were servants to him and his sons until the reign of the kingdom of Persia: 21. to fulfill the word of Jehovah by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed its sabbaths: for as long as it lay desolate it kept sabbath, to fulfill threescore and ten years.
PARAPHRASE
2 Chronicles 36:18. He also took home with him all the items, great and small, used in the Temple, and treasures from both the Temple and the palace, and took with him all the royal princes. 19. Then his army burned the Temple and broke down the walls of Jerusalem and burned all the palaces and destroyed all the valuable Temple utensils. 20. Those who survived were taken away to Babylon as slaves to the king and his sons until the kingdom of Persia conquered Babylon.
- Thus the word of the Lord spoken through Jeremiah came true, that the land must rest for seventy years to make up for the years when the people refused to observe the Sabbath.
COMMENTARY
Does God mean what he says? Would He really allow the city of David to be destroyed? Certainly He would protect that building of all buildings, Solomon’s Temple![80] It could never be removed! So, many had reasoned. In 587 B.C. the Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar came for the third time against Jerusalem. They besieged the city for eighteen dreary months. During those terrible days the Hebrews were reduced to cannibalism to try to keep a remnant alive. Finally, in desperation, Zedekiah tried to escape. The Babylonians captured him and took him to Riblah far to the north on the Orontes River. There they killed his sons in his presence, gouged out the king’s eyes and led him to Babylon. Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard for Babylon, was specifically assigned the detail of the destruction of the Temple. When they had carried out everything of value in that marvelous building, they burnt the Temple. Jerusalem was left in complete desolation. It was now ready for the jakals, owls, and scorpions of the desert. Many Hebrews died in the siege of Jerusalem. Others of them died at the hands of the Babylonians. A remnant was taken captive and deported to Babylon a thousand miles to the east by way of Damascus and Haran and the Euphrates River. Seventy years were to be spent in this captivity to compensate for the Sabbatical years which God’s people had neglected to keep. For a period of five hundred years the Hebrews disregarded the seventh year. Through many of those years they also treated the Sabbath day as if it were a common day. Jeremiah had predicted that the captivity would extend through seventy years (Jeremiah 29:10). The writer of Chronicles knew that the Persian empire would incorporate and follow the Babylonian empire. So the Hebrews were taken captive by Babylon and those who were born in captivity were given their freedom by Persia.
[80] Clarke, Adam, A Commentary and Critical Notes, Vol. II, p. 708
2 Chronicles 36:22-23
- THE EDICT OF CYRUS (2 Chronicles 36:22-23)
TEXT
2 Chronicles 36:22. Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of Jehovah by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, Jehovah stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, 23. Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, -All the kingdoms of the earth hath Jehovah, the God of heaven, given me; and he hath charged me to build him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whosoever there is among you of all his people. Jehovah his God be with him, and let him go up.-'
PARAPHRASE
2 Chronicles 36:22-23. But in the first year of King Cyrus of Persia, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus to make this proclamation throughout his kingdom, putting it into writing: All the kingdoms of the earth have been given to me by the Lord God of heaven, and he has instructed me to build him a Temple in Jerusalem, in the land of Judah. All among you who are the Lord’s people, return to Israel for this task, and the Lord be with you. This also fulfilled the prediction of Jeremiah the prophet.
COMMENTARY
Isaiah had predicted that Cyrus, king of Persia, would be a deliverer for the Hebrew people (Isaiah 44:28). Two hundred years before Cyrus appeared he was named by Isaiah as a shepherd for Jehovah. In the year 536 B.C. Cyrus came upon the stage of world history.[81] He was a shepherd king. His origin is obscure. All of the evidence in God’s Word points to Cyrus-’ coming as an act of God. Daniel continued until the third year of the reign of Cyrus (Daniel 10:1). Daniel could very well have been Jehovah’s agent who acquainted Cyrus with God’s purpose for His people. The seventy years were fulfilled. The time had come for the Hebrews to be released. Cyrus published his decree and all of the Hebrews who desired to do so were free to go back to Palestine to build Jehovah’s House, Ezra and Nehemiah tell how fifty thousand Jews (most likely a name given in derision of Judah) came back under the leadership of the Davidic prince, Zerubbabel and the priest, Jeshua, and how they finished Zerubbabel’s Temple (the second Temple) about 516 B.C.[82]
[81] Grosvenor, Melville, B., Everyday Life in Bible Times, pp. 278-286. Spence, H. D. M., The Pulpit Commentary, II Chronicles, p. 440
[82] Cook, F. C., The Bible Commentary, I SamuelEsther, pp. 432-433