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2 Kings Chapter
Twenty-four
2 Kings 24
Chapter Contents
Jehoiakim subdued by Nebuchadnezzar. (1-7) Jehoiachim
captive in Babylon. (8-20)
Commentary on 2 Kings 24:1-7
(Read 2 Kings 24:1-7)
If Jehoiakim had served the Lord
he had not been servant
to Nebuchadnezzar. If he had been content with his servitude
and true to his
word
his condition had been no worse; but
rebelling against Babylon
he
plunged himself into more trouble. See what need nations have to lament the
sins of their fathers
lest they smart for them. Threatenings will be fulfilled
as certainly as promises
if the sinner's repentance prevent not.
Commentary on 2 Kings 24:8-20
(Read 2 Kings 24:8-20)
Jehoiachin reigned but three months
yet long enough to
show that he justly smarted for his fathers' sins
for he trod in their steps.
His uncle was intrusted with the government. This Zedekiah was the last of the
kings of Judah. Though the judgments of God upon the three kings before him
might have warned him
he did that which was evil
like them. When those
intrusted with the counsels of a nation act unwisely
and against their true
interest
we ought to notice the displeasure of God in it. It is for the sins
of a people that God hides from them the things that belong to the public
peace. And in fulfilling the secret purposes of his justice
the Lord needs
only leave men to the blindness of their own minds
or to the lusts of their
own hearts. The gradual approach of Divine judgments affords sinners space for
repentance
and believers leisure to prepare for meeting the calamity
while it
shows the obstinacy of those who will not forsake their sins.
── Matthew Henry《Concise Commentary on 2 Kings》
2 Kings 24
Verse 2
[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
according to the word of the LORD
which he spake
by his servants the prophets.
Bands —
For Nebuchadnezzar's army was made up of several nations
who were willing to
fight under the banner of such a puissant and victorious emperor.
Verse 3
[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;
The sins —
Properly and directly for their own sins
and occasionally for the sins of
Manasseh
which had never been charged upon them
if they had not made them
their own by their repetition of them.
Verse 6
[6] So
Jehoiakim slept with his fathers: and Jehoiachin his son reigned in his stead.
With his fathers —
But it is not said
he was buried with them. No doubt the prophecy of Jeremiah
was fulfilled
that he should not be lamented as his father was
but buried
with the burial of an ass.
Verse 7
[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 unto the river Euphrates all that
pertained to the king of Egypt.
Came not — In
this king's days. He could not now come to protect the king of Judah
being
scarce able to defend his own kingdom.
Verse 8
[8] Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign
and he reigned
in Jerusalem three months. And his mother's name was Nehushta
the daughter of
Elnathan of Jerusalem.
To reign — In
his eighth year he began to reign with his father
who made him king with him
as divers other kings of Israel and Judah had done in times of trouble; and in
his eighteenth year he reigned alone.
Verse 12
[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: and the king of
Babylon took him in the eighth year of his reign.
Went out —
Yielded up himself and the city into his hands; and this by the counsel of
Jeremiah
and to his own good.
His reign — Of
Nebuchadnezzar's reign; as appears by comparing this with chap. 25:8
and because Jehoiachin reigned not half a
year. Had he made his peace with God
and taken the method that Hezekiah did in
the like case
he needed not to have feared the king of Babylon
but might have
held out with courage
honour and success. But wanting the faith and piety of
an Israelite
he had not the resolution of a man.
Verse 13
[13] And
he carried out thence all the treasures of the house of the LORD
and the
treasures of the king's house
and cut in pieces all the vessels of gold which
Solomon king of Israel had made in the temple of the LORD
as the LORD had
said.
Vessels —
The most and choicest of them
by comparing this with chap. 25:14
15.
Solomon made —
Though the city and temple had been rifled more than once both by the kings of
Egypt and Israel
and by the wicked kings of Judah; yet these golden vessels
were preserved from them
either by the case of the priests
who hid them; or
by the clemency of the conquerors
or by the special providence of God
disposing their hearts to leave them. Or
if they had been taken away by any of
these kings
they might afterwards be recovered good
at the cost of the kings
of Judah.
Verse 14
[14] And
he carried away all Jerusalem
and all the princes
and all the mighty men of
valour
even ten thousand captives
and all the craftsmen and smiths: none
remained
save the poorest sort of the people of the land.
All —
Not simply all
but the best and most considerable part
as the following words
explain it.
Captives —
Which are more particularly reckoned up
verse 16
where there are seven thousand mighty men
and a thousand smiths; and those mentioned verse 15
make up the other two thousand.
Craftsmen and smiths — Who might furnish them with new arms
and thereby give him fresh
trouble.
Verse 17
[17] And
the king of Babylon made Mattaniah his father's brother king in his stead
and
changed his name to Zedekiah.
Zedekiah —
That he might admonish him of (what this name signifies) the justice of God
which had so severely punished Jehoiakim for his rebellion; and would no less
certainly overtake him
if he should be guilty of the same perfidiousness.
Verse 20
[20] For
through the anger of the LORD it came to pass in Jerusalem and Judah
until he
had cast them out from his presence
that Zedekiah rebelled against the king of
Babylon.
Came to pass —
Thus the peoples sins were the true cause why God gave them wicked kings
whom
he suffered to do wickedly
that they might bring the long-deserved
and
threatened punishments upon themselves and their people.
── John Wesley《Explanatory Notes on 2 Kings》
24 Chapter 24
Verses 1-7
Verses 1-16
In his days Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon came up.
Wickedness
retribution and divine control
as revealed in
Nebuchadnezzar’s invasion of Judah
In glancing through these chapters there are two objects that
press on our attention.
I. The wickedness
of man. The wickedness here displayed is marked--
1. By inveteracy. It is here said of Jehoiachin
“He did that which
was evil in the sight of the Lord
according to all that his father had done.”
In 2 Kings 24:18 the same is also said
of Zedekiah
“He did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord
according to
all that Jehoiachin had done.” The wickedness here displayed is marked--
2. By tyranny. “At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar King of
Babylon came up against Jerusalem
and the city was besieged. And
Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon came against the city
and his servants did
besiege it.” What right had Nebuchadnezzar to leave his own country
invade
Judah
plunder it of its wealth
and bear away by violence its population? The
wickedness here displayed is marked--
3. By inhumanity. “And the King of Babylon . . . he carried out
thence all the treasures of the house of the Lord
and the treasures of the
king’s house
and cut in pieces all the vessels of gold which Solomon King of
Israel had made in the temple of the Lord
as the Lord had said. And he carried
away all Jerusalem
and all the princes
and all the mighty men of valour
even
ten thousand captives
and all the craftsmen and smiths: none remained
save
the poorest sort of the people of the land.” The wickedness here displayed is
marked--
4. By profanity. “He burnt the house of the Lord
” etc. Thus this
ruthless despot desecrated the most holy things in the city of Jerusalem and in
the memory of millions.
II. The retribution
of heaven. In the retribution here displayed we are reminded of two facts: That
the sins of one man may bring misery on millions. “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; and also for the innocent blood that he shed: for he filled
Jerusalem with innocent blood; which the Lord would not pardon
” All the misery
here recorded comes to the people “for the sins of Manasseh.” Here is the
hereditary principle of Divine government. Will not the following facts anyhow
modify the severity of the complaint?
2. The pernicious influence of a man’s sin in the world may continue
after his conversion. Manasseh repented of the sins he had committed
and
received the favours of his God. Notwithstanding we find men here suffering on
account of the sins he had committed.
3. That retribution
though it may move slowly
yet will move surely.
A hundred years had well-nigh passed away
and several generations had come and
gone since Manasseh had gone
to his grave. Yet avenging justice appears at last
and wreaks upon others the
terrible effects of his crimes. The tardy march of retribution men have made
the occasion and the reason of continued depravity
” Because sentence against
an evil work is not executed speedily
” etc. (David Thomas
D.
D.)
Verses 8-16
Verses 18-20
──《The Biblical Illustrator》