Bible Commentaries

And. Note the Figure of speech Polysyndeton in verses: 2 Kings 25:1-7, to emphasize every detail.

it came to pass. Compare 2 Chronicles 36:11-13 and Jer 52. The prophecy of 2Ki chapters 39-44 is the Divine comment on the history.

ninth year, &c. The day revealed to Ezekiel in exile (Ezekiel 24:1). Compare Jeremiah 39:1.

fourth. This numeral is supplied from Jeremiah 52:6.

the famine. The ninth recorded in Scripture. See note on Genesis 12:10. Fulfilling Leviticus 26:29. Deuteronomy 28:53-57. Jeremiah 15:2; Jeremiah 27:13. Lamentations 2:20-22. Ezekiel 4:16. Sufferings described in Jeremiah 21:7-9. Lamentations 4:9, Lamentations 4:10; Lamentations 5:10, &c.

broken up = breached. Before this an Egyptian force approached and the Babylonians retired (Jeremiah 37:5-11). The relief was only temporary, as predicted.

fled. Some codices, with Syriac, read "the men of war fled, and went forth by night". Compare Jeremiah 39:4; Jeremiah 62:7.

two = the two.

now. Note Figure of speech Parenthesis.

Riblah. See note on 2 Kings 23:33.

they. Some codices, with Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulg, read "he".

gave judgments = passed sentence. Compare 2 Kings 24:20.

put out the eyes. So that he did not "see" Babylon, though he was to die there (Ezekiel 12:13). But he did "see" the king of Babylon, according to Jeremiah 32:4; Jeremiah 34:3. See note on Genesis 19:11.

seventh day., Jeremiah 52:12 says tenth day. He may have set fire to it on the seventh day, and it burnt until the tenth.

captain of the guard = chief of the royal executioners.

the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4.

great man's house. See note on Proverbs 17:19.

husbandmen. Compare Jeremiah 52:16.

The height of the one pillar. See note on 1 Kings 7:15.

wreathen work = network.

Seraiah. The grandfather or great-grandfather of Ezra (1 Chronicles 6:14. Ezra 7:1).

chief priest. See note on Leviticus 4:3.

second priest. See note on 2 Kings 23:4. Probably a deputy high priest. NO provision for such in the Law.

door = threshold.

principal scribe = scribe of the captain of the host.

So Judah was carried away. Thus ended the kingdom of Judah, as Jeremiah had predicted (Jeremiah 20:4).

their = his.

when all the captains, &c. For fuller account see Jeremiah 40:7, Jeremiah 43:13.

Ishmael. He was of the seed royal (2 Kings 25:25), and laid claim to the throne. Compare Jeremiah 40:8; Jeremiah 41:1-18. Josephus, Antiquities X. 2 9, 2.

it shall be well with you. So God designed it (Jeremiah 27:5, Jeremiah 27:6, Jeremiah 27:11).

seventh month. Afterward observed as a fast. Compare Zechariah 7:5.

came to Egypt. In defiance of the counsel of Jeremiah (whom they took with them). See Jer 42 and 2 Kings 43:8-13, who foretold that Egypt also would be given to the king of Babylon (Jeremiah 44:29, Jeremiah 44:30).

lift up the head. Hebrew idiom = show favour to.

out of prison. Some codices, with Septuagint and Syriac, read "and brought him forth out of his prison". Compare Jeremiah 52:31.

kindly = good words.

throne = seat (Proverbs 9:14).

did eat bread. He was a guest at the royal table, Compare 2 Samuel 19:33. 1 Kings 2:7. This chapter, compared with the last chapter of Jeremiah, points to his authorship. The (one) book of Kings brings the history of Israel and Judah down to the Captivity, and ends there. See the Structure, p. 413. The (one) book of Chronicles begins from Adam, and leads on from the Captivity to the book of Ezra-Nehemiah.