2 Kings 24

Wlim he had seen him. At the first brunt, as soon as they had joined battle. (See xiv. 8.) was the third year mentioned by Daniel, after he was restored to his kingdom, (Dan. i.l, 2.) when he, Hananiah, Michael, and Azariah, were carried captive to Babylon, (ver. 6.) According to the word of the Lord, which he spake by his servants the prophets.’] By the prophet Isaiah, xx. 17, 18. of this book, and by Huldah, xxii. 16. and Jeremiah, in the fourteenth and fifteenth chapters. A COMMENTARY UPON [chap. xkv. in Mount Nebo is a mere fable; there being no ark in the second temple, as they confess; which there might have been, if it had been only hidden till the templo was restored. * And ad inpieces all the vessels of gold which Solomon the king of Israel had made in the temple of the Lord.] That is, all in a manner, but not absolutely all; for some were remaining, or else renewed again (which is not likely), xxvi. 14, 15. And by cutting in pieces must be meant no more than their being cut off from the temple; which was deprived of a principal part of its treasure; for theso vessels were preserved entire, and not cut in pieces, as appears from Dan. v. 2. As the Lord had said.] By the prophet Isaiah unto Hezckiah, (xx. 17.) As for the pillars, and the sea, and the bases, and the residue of the vessels that were not now taken away,- they were only reserved till the next reign; when Jeremiah prophesied they should ^e carried away also, (Jer. xxvii. 19 — 22.)

2 Kings 24:1

JLN his days Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up. He is called by heathen writers, Nabo-col-assar: and, as primate Usher thinks, Nebopolassar was his father. He begun his reign in the fourth year of Jehoiakim, as Jeremiah tells us; (xxv. 1.) when, having smote the army of Pharaoh-Nechoh, at Carchemish, near Euphrates, (Jer. xlvi. 2.) he came up to make the Jews tributaries to him, as they had been to Pharaoh. And Jehoiakim became his servant three years; and he turned and rebelled against him.] He omits his being bound in chains, and carried to Babylon, which was in the fifth year of king Nebuchadnezzar, and the eighth of Jehoiakim, 2 Chron. xxxvi.G. where, having been kept awhile, and promising fidelity to. Nebuchadnezzar, he restored him to his kingdom, in which he served him three years; and then in his ninth year rebelled against him, by the instigation, it is probable, of Pharaoh, who began to gather strength again. But this proved fatal to him, for Pharaoh was not able to help him, (ver. 7.)

2 Kings 24:2

And the Lord sent against him bands of the Chaldees, and bands of the Syrians, and bands of the Moabites, and bands of the children of Ammon, and sent them against Judah to destroy it.] These were all subject to Nebuchadnezzar, whom he sent to chastise Jehoiakim, before he came himself, and besieged Jerusalem, and carried away part of the vessels of the house of the Lord, &c. Forihis

2 Kings 24:3

Surely at the commandment of the Lord came this upon Judah, to remove them out of his sight, for the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he did.’) By God’s special order those people came up against Judah (therefore, in the verse before he is said to send them), because they were incurable. ForManasseh had so corrupted the whole body of the people, that Josiah’s reformation could not recover them; but immediately upon his death, his son relapsed to the old idolatry.

2 Kings 24:4

And also for the innocent blood that he shed (for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood), which the Lord would not pardon. See xxi. 16. Upon the repentance of Manasseh, and the reformation made by Josiah, God deferred their punishment; but he resolved not to grant them an absolute pardon of their iniquity; which provoked him to decree their extirpation.

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Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Judah?

2 Kings 24:6

So Jehoiakim slept with his fathers. It appears by this, that to sleep with one’s fathers, signifies no more than to die, as they did. For Jehoiakim was not buried with them, nor died in his bed; but being taken by the Chaldeans, he died as they led him out of Jerusalem, and, according to the prophecy of Jeremiah, (xxii. 18, 19.) they cast him out of the gates, and he had the burial of an ass; that is, lay upon the ground unburied. Abarbinel thinks he died in the way to Babylon; and his body was left in the highway, without any care taken to inter it; but it lay exposed to the sun’by day, and to the frost by night. (Jer. xxx vi. 30.) And Jehoiachin Ids son reigned in his stead.] Who is called also Jechoniah, 1 Chron. iii. 16. and more briefly Choniah (by way of contempt, as some think), Jer. xxii. 24.

2 Kings 24:7

And the king of Egypt came not again any more out of his land: for the king of Babylon had taken, from the river of Egypt to the river Euphrates, all that pertained to the king of Egypt.] After the fight at Carchemish, (which I mentioned ver. 1.) Nebuchadnezzar conquered all the places that the king of Egypt held, between that and the river of Egypt; concerning which, see my notes on Geh. xv. 13. So that he durst not stir out of the limits of his own country, which was bounded by that river, till the reign of Zedekiah, when the king of Egypt adventured to come up to help him, but iu vain; for he was forced to return to his own land, (Jer. xxxvii. 7, 8.)

2 Kings 24:8

Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign. That is, when he began to reign alone after his father’s death: but his father when he was but eight years old made him his associate in the kingdom, (2 Chron. xxxvi. 9.) that he might continue the kingdom in his family, and there might be no contention among his sons about it. Thus this account and that in the Chronicles are easily reconciled. When his father had reigned one year, he took him to reign with him; and so he came to reign ten years with his father, and three months alone. Now here Ezra mentions only the time he reigned alone, but there he speaks of all the years he reigned with his father and alone. Abarbinel gives another account of this difficulty, with which I shall not trouble the reader; it seeming to me a little more forced than this solution of it. And the plainest way is to acknowledge an error in the transcriber of the book of Chronicles. And he reigned in Jerusalem three months, &c] And ten days, as it is explained 2 Chron. xxxvi. 9. but such small numbers are wont to be omitted in greater sums. (Sec 1 Kings xvi. 18.)

2 Kings 24:9

And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father had done. A wonderful thing, that he should not be moveid to do better, by the sad example of his father, and his predecessor*

2 Kings 24:10

At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against Jerusalem, and the city was besieged. It is likely that Nebuchadnezzar heard he was entered into a confederacy with the king of Egypt, as his successor did; and therefore sent an army against him in the very beginning of his reign, to lay siege to Jerusalem, against which he intended to come himself. Some of the Jews say, that the counsellors of Nebuchadnezzar represented to him how unadvisedly he had acted in making him king, whose father had been in rebellion against him; using this proverb, " From an ill dog never comes a good whelp." Whereupon he resolved to depose him, and make Zedekiah king.

2 Kings 24:11

And Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came agahxst the city, and his servants did besiege it. He first sent an army under his great commanders, and then came in person, and found they had obeyed his orders, and invested the city.

2 Kings 24:12

And Jehoiachin the king of Judah went out to the king of Babylon, he, and his mother, and his servants, and his princes, and his officers. He made a surrender of the city into the hands of the king of Babylon; by the counsel of Jeremiah, perhaps, who advised the same to his successor more than once. (Jer. xxi. 9. xxvii. 17. xxxviii. 2.) And happy was it for him that he obeyed, and gave up himself to the king of Babylon; for God declared by the figure of good and bad figs, that he had sent them into the land of the Chaldeans for th&ir good; whereas they that remained in. the land should be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth, for their hurt. (See Jer. xxiv. 5—8, &c.). And the king of Babylon took him in the eighth year of his reign.] That is, in the eighth year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign; for he began to reign in the fourth year of Jehoiakim, who reigned seven more after that, which was the eighth year of Nebuchadnezzar.

2 Kings 24:13

And he carried out thence all the treasures of the house of the Lord, and all the treasures of the king’s Jiouse. There being no mention of the carrying away of the ark, either here, or in the book of the Chronicles, or in Jeremiah, among the holy things of the temple, it is probable that it was burnt, together with the temple, in the next reign, when the remaining holy things were carried away, but nothing said of this. For what the Jews say of its being hidden by the prophet Jeremiah in a certain cave *

2 Kings 24:14

And he earned away all Jerusalem. He explains what he means by the following words; which restrain it to the principal persons. And all the princes, and all the mighty men of valour, even ten thousand captives.] Among whom was Ezekiel; who began his prophecy from this captivity, (Ezek. i. 2, 3.) and calls it our captivity, (xl. 1.) Mordecai, of the tribe of Benjamin, was carried away at this time, (Esther ii. 5—7.) if we believe the Jews. And all the craftsmen and smiths.] By craftsmen, some understand carpenters; who were artificers, as the smiths were. None remained, save the poorest people of the land.] Who were so numerous, that Zedekiah was tempted to rebel, and that against his oath of fidelity to the king of Babylon.

2 Kings 24:15

And he carried Jehoiachin to Babylon, and the king’s mother, and the king’s wives, and the officers, and the mighty men of the land; those carried he into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon.] AH that belonged to the court, or that were of any quality, in the country. (See Jer. xxiv. 1. xxix. 1, 2. Ezek. xvii. 12, 13.)

2 Kings 24:16

And all the men of might, even seven thousand,’ and craftsmen and smitlis a thousand; all that were strong and apt for war, even them tlie king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon.] This, and the foregoing verses, Abarbinel explains in this manner: — By the ten thousand mentioned ver. 14. are meant in general the whole number of Judah and Benjamin, that were now earned captive. Then here. he comes to shew how this number was made up; (ver. 15, 1G.) Jehoiachin, and all his court and great men, were seven thousand/ the craftsmen and smiths a thousand. The rest were not mighty men, nor such tradesmen, but ministers and servants of the court, arid other considerable men in the country, who made up 4wo thousand more, and completed the ten thousand. Jeremiah computes them to have been but a little above three thousand that were now carried away to Babylon: but he reckons only those that were carried from Jerusalem; whereas here is an account of those that were carried from other cities,. and out of the tribe of Benjamin, which were seven thousand. There was another captivity before this, in the last year of king Nebupolazzar, (Dan. i. 1— 3.) but then only a few select persons were carrier* away to wait tipon the king of Babylon; and therefore are not mentioned, either by Jeremiah, or by this Divine writer. But a very learned friehd of mine, (in his late Chronology of the Old Testament, p. 49.) thinks that the first captivity was tht> greatest of all; those words, (xxiv. 3.) This came upon Judah to Iremove them out of God’s sight, implying (in his Opinion) that not only some of the seed-royal, with some others, but the body of the people were led into captivity. And therefore he dates the seventy years captivity from that time; viz. the fourth year of Jehoiakim, in the beginning of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar. (See Jer. xxv. 1. 11, 12.)

2 Kings 24:17

And the king of Babylon made Mattaniah his father’s brother king in his stead, and changed his name to Zedekiah. Which signifies the justice of God: and s6etus to have been “given him, to put him in mind of the just judgment of God, which would fall upon him, if he broke the oath of fidelity which he took to the king of Babylon, (2 Chron. xxxvi. 13. Ezek. xvii. 13, 14. 18.)

2 Kings 24:18

And Zedekiah was twenty and one years old when he began to reign; and he reigned eleven year$ in Jerusalem, &c. In the end of which he was carried captive, (Jer. i. 3.)

2 Kings 24:19

And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, according to allthat Jehoiakirz, hed done:. Not regarding what Jeremiah said nnto him, but shut him up in prison, &c. (Jer. xxxiii. 1, 2. 2 Chron. xxxvi. 12.) And his servants, and the people of the land, were as bad as himself, (Jer.xxxvii. 1, 2.)

2 Kings 24:20

For through the anger of the Lord it c(tme to pass in Judah and Jerusalem, until he had cast them out from his presence, that Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon. God was so highly displeased with this wicked people, that he permitted Zedekiah to break his faith with’ Nebuchadnezzar, and to rebel against him, forgetting fof what cause he changed his name. Unto his revolt, it is probable, he was persuaded by the ambassadors which the kings of Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre, and Zidon, sent unto him, to solicit him to throw off the yoke of the.king of Babylon, (Jer. xxvii. 2—4, &c.). Which was the greater crime, because he had made him swear by God he would be triie to him, (Chron. xxxvi. 13.) The king of Egypt also, it is likely, proihised him help, as I noted before, (ver. 7. and see Ezek. xvii. 15.) And Hananiah a false prophet assured him God would in two years’ lime break the yoke of the king of “Babylon, and bring back all the vessels of the house of God, with Jehoiachin and all the captives. (See Jer. xxviii. 1 — 4, &c.) Jeremiah, indeed, proved that he had made them trust in a lie, by predicting his death that* very year, which accordingly fell out, (ver. 15 — 17.) But they still persisted in their vain hopes, there being other deceivers, thai prophesied falsely in God’s name, (Jer. xxix. 8, 9.) And they most of all deceived themselves with proud conceits that they were the true seed of Abraham, who had a right to that land, (Ezek. xxxiii. 24.)

And his servants carried him in a chariot dead from Megiddo. Mortally wounded (as I said before), which befel him, the Jews think, because he did not ask counsel of the Lord, by the prophet Jeremiah. And brought him to Jerusalem, and buried him in his own sepulchre.’] With such lamentations, as we no where read were made for any other king, (2 Chron. xxxv. 25.) which continued so long that it became a proverb, (Zech. xii. 11.) And the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and anointed him, and made him king in his father’s stead.] He is called Shallum, Jer. xxii. 11* and was younger than Jehoiakim, as appears by this, that he was but twenty-three years old when he began to reign, and reigned but three months: after which Jehoiakim being made king, was twenty-five years old, (ver. 31. 3G.) But the people preferred Jehoahaz before him, because perhaps he was the more warlike person. And they anointedhim, as Abarbinel thinks, because, perhaps, he was not the first-born, and his title questionable. For they anointed persons only when there was a controversy about the succession. Ralbag, also, is of opinion, that the people by force made him a king against his will; which he will have to be the import of that phrase, they took Jehoahaz, &c. Jehoiakim was twenty and five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Zebudah, the daughter of Pedaiah of Rumah.] In the very beginning of his reign Jeremiah was sent to him with a message from God, to bring him to repentance, Jer. xxvi. 1 — 3. xxvii. where he seems (ver. 12.) to have told his brother Zedekiah that he should be king, if Jehoiakim was disobedient; and exhorts him not to be so.

Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three montlis in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah ofLibnah. His father Josiah had four sons, and this was the youngest of them, as appears from 2 Chron. iii. 15. where he is called Shallum, as he is by the prophet Jeremiah. Which name our great primate thinks seemed to the people to be of an ill omen (for Shallum king of Israel reigned but one month), which made them change it into Jehoahaz; which proved not much more fortunate to him, for he reigned but three months, ad A. M. 3371.

And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his fathers had done. After the, example of Ahaz, Manasseh, Amon, and such-like wicked kings; his mother, perhaps, having infused ill principles into him. -

And Pharaolt-Nechoh put him in bands at Riblah, in the land ofHamath, that he might not reign in Jerusalem. When he returned from his expedition against the Babylonians, he deposed this prince, as an usurper; or hearing that he intended to be revenged of him for his father’s death; or that he was of a turbulent spirit, and so put it out of his power to give him any disturbance. And put the land to a tribute of a hundred talents of silver, and a talent of gold.] In token of their subjection to him.

And Pharaoh-Nechoh made Eliakim the son of Josiah king in the room of Josiah his father. For the eldest son Johanan, in all likelihood, was dead. And turned his name to Jehoiakim.] As the manner of conquerors was; to change the names of those whom they had subdued, in token of their absolute power over them. (See Dan. i. 7.) And theforenamed primate thinks he gave him this name, that he might testify he ascribed his victory over the Babylonians to Jehovah, the God of Israel; who, he said, excited him to that expedition, (2 Chron. xxxv. And he took Jehoahaz away, and he came to Egypt, and died there.] According to the prophecy of Jeremiah, whom God sent to call this new king and the people to repentance, (xxii. 1—3.) " Weep ye not for tho dead (i. e. for Josiah), neither bemoan Jiim, but weep sorely for him that goeth away (that is, for Shallum), for he shall return no more, nor see his native country, &c. but he shall die in the place whither they shall lead him captive,” &c. (Jer. xxii. 10—12.)

And Jehoiakim gave the silver and the gold to Pharaoh; but he taxed the land to give themoncy, according to the commandment of Pharaoh. For the treasures of the Lord’s house, and of the king’s, it seems were empty. " He exacted tlie silver and the gold of the people of the land, of every one according to his taxation, to give it to Pharaoh-Nechoh.] Proportionable to every man’s estate.

And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his fathers had done. See ver. 32. For he killed the prophet Urijah, and was at the charge to fetch him out of Egypt, whither he fled to save his life, (Jer. xxvi, 20, 21, &c.) And if it had nofbeen for Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, who had been a great man in his father Josiah’s court, he had served Jeremiah in the same manner, ver. 24. -