Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary2 Chronicles 36
Francis D. Nichol (ed.) and contributors
Read 2 Chronicles 36 in the Bible2 Chronicles 36:2
Twenty and three years. The parallel passage gives the name of Jehoahaz’ mother and her parentage (2 Kings 23:31).
2 Chronicles 36:3
Put him down. According to 2 Kings 23:33 “Pharaoh-nechoh put him in bands at Riblah in the land of Hamath.” Riblah was in Syria, on the Orontes River. Necho possibly summoned Jehoahaz to Riblah and there put him in bonds.
2 Chronicles 36:4
Eliakim. See on 2 Kings 23:34. Carried him to Egypt. See Jer. 22:10–12 for Jeremiah’s reference to Jehoahaz’ being taken to Egypt, and his prediction that he would not return from exile.
2 Chronicles 36:5
Twenty and five years. He was thus older than Jehoahaz (see v. 2). The parallel passage adds the mother’s name 2 Kings 23:36).
2 Chronicles 36:6
Bound him. See on 2 Kings 24:5.
2 Chronicles 36:8
The acts. Compare 2 Kings 24:5. Abominations. Compare Jer. 22:13–19.
2 Chronicles 36:9
Jehoiachin. See on 2 Kings 24:6. Eight years old. This is obviously a scribal error. The Syriac, several versions of the LXX, and 2 Kings 24:8, read “eighteen” (see on Jer. 22:28). Jehoiachin was married and already had five children in 592, five years after going to Babylon, as we know from cuneiform records excavated in Babylon.
2 Chronicles 36:10
When the year was expired. Literally, “at the return of the year” (see on 1 Kings 20:22). This was Nisan, the spring New Year, “the time when kings go forth to battle” (2 Sam. 11:1). Brought him to Babylon. See 2 Kings 24:10–16 for a fuller account of the siege and the deportation to Babylon. The goodly vessels. Some of these had already been taken to Babylon in the campaign of the third year of Jehoiakim (Dan. 1:1, 2). Zedekiah his brother. “Brother” here is equivalent to “kinsman” (see on 1 Chron. 2:7), since Zedekiah was the uncle of Jehoiachin (2 Kings 24:17) and a son of Josiah (1 Chron. 3:15).
2 Chronicles 36:11
Zedekiah. For the parallel account see 2 Kings 24:18 to 25:21.
2 Chronicles 36:12
2 Chronicles 36:13
2 Chronicles 36:14
Moreover. This section (vs. 14–16) deals with the sins that resulted in the downfall of Judah. Compare 2 Kings 17:7–23 for a much longer account, giving the reasons for the downfall of the northern kingdom of Israel. Chief of the priests. Compare the vision of Eze. 8:11, 12. All the abominations. Compare Ezekiel’s vision in which are portrayed some of these abominations that brought the Lord’s fury upon the nation (see Eze. 8:3, 10, 14, 16; cf. Jer. 7:11, 17, 18, 30). There seem to have been few of the terrible abominations of the heathen that were not then practiced by the professed people of God within the sacred Temple courts. With such a situation the day of doom could not be long delayed.
Ellen G. White
14-21. Jews Exemplified Termination of God’s Forbearance—The Jewish nation is before us as an example of the termination of God’s long forbearance. In the destruction of Jerusalem the destruction of the world is typified. The lips of Him who ever pronounced blessings upon the penitent, and spoke encouragement to the poor and suffering, and brought gladness to the humble, pronounced a curse upon those to whom He had presented light, who would not appreciate or accept light. Those who thought to evade the clear, distinct Word of God, and cherish man-made traditions, He declared would be found guilty of all the blood of the prophets which had been slain from the foundation of the world.
2 Chronicles 36:15
2 Chronicles 36:16
2 Chronicles 36:17
Therefore he brought. When Israel sinned the Lord allowed the Assyrians to bring judgments against them (Isa. 10:5, 6), and now He permitted the Chaldeans to bring judgment upon a people “more righteous” than themselves (Hab. 1:6–13).
2 Chronicles 36:18
All the vessels. Compare 2 Kings 25:13–16 and Jer. 52:17–20.
2 Chronicles 36:19
Burnt the house of God. See 2 Kings 25:9; cf. Ps. 74:3, 6, 7.
2 Chronicles 36:20
Carried he away. The Hebrews were not all carried to Babylon at one time. The earliest captivity probably took place in 605 B.C. (see on 2 Kings 24:1; cf. Dan. 1:1–6). Other captivities were in Nebuchadnezzar’s 7th year, 598 B.C. (Jer. 52:28), his 8th year, 597 B.C. (2 Kings 24:12–16), his 18th year, 587 B.C. (Jer. 52:29), his 19th year, 586 B.C. (2 Kings 25:7, 8, 11), and his 23d year, 582 B.C. (Jer. 52:30).
2 Chronicles 36:21
Threescore and ten years. See Jer. 25:11, 12; 29:10.
2 Chronicles 36:22
Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary — Francis D. Nichol (ed.) and contributors. Review and Herald Publishing Association · all rights reserved
2 Chronicles 36:1
Jehoahaz. Also called Shallum (Jer. 22:11). He was not the eldest son of Josiah (see 2 Chron. 36:2, 5; see on 1 Chron. 3:15). Thus he would not normally have succeeded his father on the throne. The people must have had some reason for preferring Jehoahaz to Jehoiakim, and the reason may be that Jehoiakim belonged to a pro-Egyptian group.
Ellen G. White
Again and again God had arrested the Jews in their wicked course by severe chastisement, but they provoked Him by their wicked works, casting away the law of the Lord of Hosts, and finally refusing to reverence His only begotten Son. Each century of transgression treasured up wrath against the day of wrath. Jesus bade the stubborn and impenitent nation to fill up the measure of their iniquity. Their wicked works were not forgotten nor overlooked. When the time of retributive judgment was fully due, the mandate was sent forth from the sacred place of the Most High for the vindication of God’s honor and the magnifying of His law (Manuscript 69, 1896).