2 Kings 25 (King James Version)
1 And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came, he, and all his host, against Jerusalem, and pitched against it; and they built forts against it round about.
Zedekiah reigned 11 years. In the 10 month, 10th day and 9th year of Zedekiah's reign as king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and company came against Jerusalem the capital city of Judah, and seize it.
2 And the city was besieged unto the eleventh year of king Zedekiah.
They stayed there until the 11th year of Zedekiah's reign.
3 And on the ninth day of the fourth month the famine prevailed in the city, and there was no bread for the people of the land.
Judah was seized and to make things worse, a famine prevailed. NO bread could be found in the land.
4 And the city was broken up, and all the men of war fled by night by the way of the gate between two walls, which is by the king's garden: (now the Chaldees were against the city round about:) and the king went the way toward the plain.
The men of war fled by night. The Chaldees were ready to make sure no one left Judah's ground. God knew what was in their heart and prepared when Judah tried to do what they did.
5 And the army of the Chaldees pursued after the king, and overtook him in the plains of Jericho: and all his army were scattered from him.
King Zedekiah was given instructions from God by Jeremiah. Jeremiah was a true prophet of God. Zedekiah did not listen. He instead listened to a prophet that told him peace would be granted in his situation. When we do wrong we will receive the penalty of wrongdoing. Zedekiah ran and God made sure in his endeavor to get away, he was caught.
6 So they took the king, and brought him up to the king of Babylon to Riblah; and they gave judgment upon him.
They caught the king and took him to the king of Babylon and they judged him.
7 And they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him with fetters of brass, and carried him to Babylon.
Zedekiah's sons were killed in front of his face by the king of Babylon. After they killed his sons they took his sight from him. All of this was unnecessary to have happened. God gave preventative measures and Zedekiah rejected God and now he lives with no sons and he is unable to see.
8 And in the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month, which is the nineteenth year of king Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, came Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, a servant of the king of Babylon, unto Jerusalem:
God is given us the exact day of the next move of Nebuchadnezzar's plan to invade Judah. The captain of the Babylons' army went to Jerusalem.
9 And he burnt the house of the LORD, and the king's house, and all the houses of Jerusalem, and every great man's house burnt he with fire.
They burned God's house, the king's house, and the rich men's houses. This could have been avoided had they listen to Jerimiah.
10 And all the army of the Chaldees, that were with the captain of the guard, brake down the walls of Jerusalem round about.
The men of Chaldees, with the captain, tore down Jerusalem's walls after burning what was inside. The wall was their protection from their enemies. God wanted to punish Judah, Judah refused to obey even under arrest. God allowed evil men to make things worse for Judah.
11 Now the rest of the people that were left in the city, and the fugitives that fell away to the king of Babylon, with the remnant of the multitude, did Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carry away.
Nebuzaradan, the captain, carried away the people who were left, the fugitives and all who were still in Jerusalem.
12 But the captain of the guard left of the poor of the land to be vinedressers and husbandmen.
The poor were not counted as people of worth. He left them to take care of Jerusalem yard work. There was no regard for keeping families together. Children were disconnected from parents, husbands from wives, etc.
13 And the pillars of brass that were in the house of the LORD, and the bases, and the brasen sea that was in the house of the LORD, did the Chaldees break in pieces, and carried the brass of them to Babylon.
The Chaldees looted God's house and broke down the brass's pillars, the bases, and the brazen sea of God's house.
14 And the pots, and the shovels, and the snuffers, and the spoons, and all the vessels of brass wherewith they ministered, took they away.
The Chaldees took the vessels out of God's house. The cost of what was taken did not matter. Judah was in a helpless state. When we forget God, the price of stuff means nothing when God allows destruction that could have been avoided.
15 And the firepans, and the bowls, and such things as were of gold, in gold, and of silver, in silver, the captain of the guard took away.
The captain took the more precious items made of gold.
16 The two pillars, one sea, and the bases which Solomon had made for the house of the LORD; the brass of all these vessels was without weight.
The items of brass taken weighed more than they could measure. This was Solomon's design made for the house of the Lord. It was expensive. God does not treasure the things we offer him if we live in sin. God wants us to obey him. Although this was made in honor of God, it did not honor God if the hands that gave him gifts were disobedient.
17 The height of the one pillar was eighteen cubits, and the chapiter upon it was brass: and the height of the chapiter three cubits; and the wreathen work, and pomegranates upon the chapiter round about, all of brass: and like unto these had the second pillar with wreathen work.
27 feet tall plus 5 ft top of the pillar, and all of its splendor was taken away.
18 And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the door:
People were not all taken from Judah at once. The Babylon army removed people and returned to remove people until no one but the poor was left in the land,
19 And out of the city he took an officer that was set over the men of war, and five men of them that were in the king's presence, which were found in the city, and the principal scribe of the host, which mustered the people of the land, and threescore men of the people of the land that were found in the city:
Nobody of rank in Judah was able to keep their jobs; everybody lost because of Judah's behavior.
20 And Nebuzaradan captain of the guard took these and brought them to the king of Babylon to Riblah
The captain of the guard took the priest and government officials away and brought them to the king of Babylon.
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21 And the king of Babylon smote them and slew them at Riblah in the land of Hamath. So Judah was carried away out of their land.
He killed all of them.
22 And as for the people that remained in the land of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had left, even over them he made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, ruler.
He left a ruler whose name was Gedaliah as ruler of the people who were left.
23 And when all the captains of the armies, they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah governor, there came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, even Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan the son of Careah, and Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah the son of a Maachathite, they and their men.
24 And Gedaliah sware to them, and to their men, and said unto them, Fear not to be the servants of the Chaldees: dwell in the land, and serve the king of Babylon; and it shall be well with you.
The men found out the king Nebuchadnezzar left a leader in charge, and some of the men came to him, and he made them feel encouraged and gave them a glimpse of hope; he told them to just do what the king said, and everything will be fine.
25 But it came to pass in the seventh month, that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, of the seed royal, came, and ten men with him, and smote Gedaliah, that he died, and the Jews and the Chaldees that were with him at Mizpah.
Gedaliah was killed. We can learn from Gedaliah, do not to speak swelling words during God's judgment.
26 And all the people, both small and great, and the captains of the armies, arose, and came to Egypt: for they were afraid of the Chaldees.
27 And it came to pass in the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month, that Evilmerodach king of Babylon in the year that he began to reign did lift up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah out of prison;
Jehoiachin was reign in Judah had been imprisoned for 37 years, was finally released. He was still under Babylon's jurisdiction but allowed the freedom to live more freely.
28 And he spake kindly to him, and set his throne above the throne of the kings that were with him in Babylon;
The king was not mean to him and gave him special privileges.
29 And changed his prison garments: he did eat bread continually before him all the days of his life.
Because Jehoiachin, king of Judah, followed the prophet's words 37 years ago, he receives better treatment from the king as a blessing from God. Obedience sets us up for later blessings.
30 And his allowance was a continual allowance given him of the king, a daily rate for every day, all the days of his life.
Any kindness shown to us when we have done wrong is something to be grateful for. Our well-known roles in life cannot grant us special privileges when we disobey God. Everybody must seek to know what God says and do it.
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