Bible Commentaries

Zedekiah. Compare 2 Kings 24:18-20. Reigned from 489 to 477 B.C.

evil. Hebrew. ra"a". App-44.

the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4.

ninth year. Compare 2 Kings 25:1-21.

the famine. Described in the Lamentations of Jeremiah. See note on Genesis 12:10.

fled, &c. Compare 2 Kings 25:4.

between the two walls . . . king's garden. See App-68.

Biblah. Now Ribleh. On the east bank of the Greekntes, thirty-five miles north-east of Baalbek.

put out the eyes. See note on Jeremiah 32:4. Compare 2 Kings 25:6, 2 Kings 25:7. Ezekiel 12:13. Hence, Zedekiah never saw Babylon, though he was taken thither.

tenth day. In 2 Kings 25:8 it says "seventh day", but that was "[to] Jerusalem". This is "into Jerusalem".

into = in.

the poor of the people. This is supplemental to 2 Kings 25:12. Hebrew. dal = impoverished. See note on "poverty", Proverbs 6:11. Compare Nehemiah 1:3.

pillars of brass. Compare Jeremiah 27:19.

the shovels, &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Exodus 27:3, &c).

bowls = bowls for sprinkling.

firepans = censers.

candlesticks = lamps.

under = beneath.

pillars. Compare 1 Kings 7:15. 2 Kings 25:17.

cubits. See App-51.

chapiter = capital.

ninety and six. There were 100 "round about"; Compare 2 Chronicles 3:16; 2 Chronicles 4:13; with 1 Kings 7:20.

on a side. Hebrew. ruach. See App-9. = towards the air, or open air. The other four being behind, out of sight.

Seraiah. See 2 Kings 25:18. 1 Chronicles 6:14. Compare Jeremiah 51:59.

door = threshold.

seven. In 2 Kings 25:19 "five"; but the greater includes the lesser.

land = soil.

the seventh year. This was at the beginning of Nebuchadrezzar's second siege, the year before Jehoiachin's captivity, 490 B.C.

the eighteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar was the second year of his third and last siege, or 478 B.C.

persons = souls. Hebrew. nephesh.

three and twentieth year. Four years after the fall of Jerusalem. Another contact of Bible and secular chronology, 473 B.C. See App-86.

seven and thirtieth year. Compare 2 Kings 25:27-30. See App-50.

Jehoiachin. Elsewhere in this book called "Jeconiah" (Jeremiah 24:1; Jeremiah 29:2), or "Coniah" (Jeremiah 22:24, Jeremiah 22:28).

five and twentieth. The order given then, but probably not carried out till the "seven and twentieth", according to 2 Kings 25:27.

Evil-merodach. The son of Nebuchadnezzar.

lifted up the head. Hebrew idiom for releasing. Reference to Pentateuch (Genesis 40:13, Genesis 40:20).

kindly unto him = good things with him.

bread Put by Figure of speech Synecdoche (of the Part), for all kinds of food.

until, &c. Note the items above, which are supplemental to 2Ki 25.