Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary2 Kings 24

Nebuchadnezzar. According to Dan. 1:1, Nebuchadnezzar came against Jerusalem in the third year of Jehoiakim, which was the accession year of Nebuchadnezzar, or 605 B.C., if Jehoiakim’s 4th year is to be equated with Nebuchadnezzar’s 1st (Jer. 25:1; see p.

161 and note 7). According to the record in the Babylonian Chronicle, Nebuchadnezzar, the crown prince of Babylonia, defeated the Egyptians decisively in battles at Carchemish and near Hamath in the spring or early summer of 605 B.C., laying all Syria and Palestine open to the victorious Babylonians. Evidently this was when Jehoiakim of Judah became a vassal of Babylon and surrendered hostages, among them Daniel, to Nebuchadnezzar. Three years later he seems to have switched his allegiance back to Egypt, and his estimate of their renewed strength appeared in some degree correct when the Egyptians inflicted heavy losses on Nebuchadnezzar’s army in 601 B.C. But Jehoiakim’s rebellion showed a lack of political foresight, because the Babylonians quickly recovered from their setback, and returned to punish their disloyal vassals.

Ellen G. White

According to. See Jer. 4:20–29; 5:15–17; Heb. 1:6–10.

Commandment. God had used the nations to chastise Judah (see PK 385). For the sins of Manasseh. Repeatedly Manasseh’s sins are noted as the primary cause for the downfall of Judah (see 2 Kings 21:11, 12; 23:26; Jer. 15:4).

Innocent blood. Including that of Isaiah (PK 382). Isaiah certainly would not have looked upon the abominations of Manasseh in silence and complacency, but would surely have lifted up his voice in stern rebuke against the misdeeds of the king. Would not pardon. The enormities of Manasseh were the climax in Judah’s long course of evil. The cup of iniquity was full and judgment was ready to fall. The good reign of Josiah brought a suspension for a time, not a revocation of the sentence of doom. The point had been reached where God refused to pardon the national guilt. But national must always be distinguished from personal guilt (see on ch. 17:20).

The rest of the acts. Some of the details are obscure. We know that Nebuchadnezzar “bound him in fetters, to carry him to Babylon” (2 Chron. 36:6). Again, Jehoiakim was to be “buried with the burial of an ass … beyond the gates of Jerusalem” (Jer. 22:19), and his dead body was to be “cast out in the day to the heat, and in the night to the frost” (Jer. 36:30). The two statements can be harmonized by assuming that the plan to take Jehoiakim to Babylon was abandoned, or that he died soon after his capture as a result of rough treatment by the Chaldeans. Some have conjectured that he was taken to Babylon and later released, as was Manasseh in Esarhaddon’s reign (2 Chron. 33:11– 13; cf. Eze. 19:5–9).

Jehoiachin. Except in one case (Jer. 52:31), Jeremiah calls this king either Coniah (Jer. 22:24, 28; 37:1) or Jeconiah (Jer. 24:1; 27:20; 28:4; 29:2). In Chronicles he is called both Jeconiah (1 Chron. 3:16, 17) and Jehoiachin (2 Chron. 36:9). In Esther 2:6 he is Jeconiah. In Jeconiah and Jehoiachin the two elements of the name are transposed. Both names mean “Jehovah will establish”. Coniah means “Jehovah establishes,” the sign of the future tense being cut off.

Came not again. In the battles at Carchemish and near Hamath the Egyptians had been decisively beaten in 605 B.C. by Nebuchadnezzar, who then came into possession of Palestine. The Egyptians had inflicted heavy losses on Nebuchadnezzar’s army in 601 B.C., but after that they seem to have been unable to challenge seriously his control over Palestine. From the river of Egypt. As early as Thutmose I (see Vol. I, p. 145), Egypt had conquered Palestine and Syria as far as the Euphrates River. She was not always in undisputed possession of that area, but during the reign of Necho (610–595), she again

endeavored to bring that territory under control. The “river of Egypt” is probably the Wadi el–‘Arīsh (see on 1 Kings 8:65).

Eighteen years. The parallel passage in 2 Chron. 36:9 reads “eight years.” In that reference, however, the Syriac and several of the versions of the LXX read “eighteen.” Jehoiachin was not a child-king. When he was taken to Babylon he already had children (Jer. 22:28). Babylonian cuneiform documents of the year 592 B.C. also mention Jehoiachin and five of his sons. Three months. More exactly, three months and ten days (2 Chron. 36:9). Elnathan. One of the envoys sent by Jehoiakim to Egypt to bring back Urijah the prophet (Jer. 26:22), also one of the princes who urged Jehoiakim not to burn Jeremiah’s roll (Jer. 36:12, 25).

At that time. Nebuchadnezzar began his next campaign against Judah in the month of Kislev (Dec. 598-Jan. 597 B.C.), according to the Babylonian Chronicle. The servants. That is, his generals. The occasion was Nebuchadnezzar’s second attack on Jerusalem. The first was in 605 B.C., the third year of Jehoiakim (Dan. 1:1).

Ellen G. White

Went out. In despair Jehoiachin surrendered. The date according to the Babylonian Chronicle was Adar 2, year 7 of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign in the Babylonian calendar (approximately March 16, 597 B.C.). Eighth year. That is, the eighth year of Nebuchadnezzar, following Jewish reckoning, according to which it had begun in the autumn of 598 B.C. It was still the 7th year according to Babylonian reckoning (see p. 161n). The Three Campaigns of Nebuchadnezzar

Nichol, F. D. (1978). The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary : The Holy Bible with exegetical and expository comment. Commentary Reference Series (2 Ki 18:5). Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Publishing Association.

3. All the treasures. Some of the vessels of the Temple had already been taken to Babylon in 605, in Nebuchadnezzar’s first attack on Jerusalem (Dan. 1:2; 2 Chron. 36:7). No doubt the most valuable vessels that remained after the initial looting were now carried away. Some vessels were still allowed to remain (2 Kings 25:13–16; Jer. 27:18– 20). Concerning the number of vessels taken to Babylon see Ezra 1:7–11. As the Lord had said. Isaiah had made such a prediction at the time of the visit of the Babylonian envoys to Hezekiah (2 Kings 20:17; Isa. 39:6).

All Jerusalem. That is, the upper classes. By “good figs” (Jer. 24:1–7) Jeremiah symbolizes those who were carried away at this time. The prophet Ezekiel was among those carried away into Babylon. The years of his book are counted from the time of Jehoiachin’s captivity (Eze. 1:1–3), 597 B.C. Taking away from Jerusalem its skilled workers would deprive the conquered city of that class of citizens who would be of most service in war, and would provide the conqueror with valuable helpers for his own extensive building enterprises.

Carried away. In fulfillment of the prophecies of Isaiah (2 Kings 20:18; Isa. 39:7), and Jeremiah (Jer. 22:24–30). The king’s mother. That she is mentioned first after the king, even before his wives, is indicative of her high rank.

The king’s wives. Evidence that the king must have been more than “eight” years of age (see on v. 8). The mighty. The chief civil and ecclesiastical functionaries—the princes, eunuchs, nobles, courtiers, elders, priests, prophets, and Levites (see Jer. 29:1, 2).

Men of might. The “mighty men of valour” (v. 14), the leading gentry of the land who were trained in war, and who, like the knights of medieval Europe, led the people in battle. A thousand. The craftsmen and smiths with the 7,000 “men of might” would make 8,000, leaving 2,000 who belonged to the class of civil and ecclesiastical functionaries.

Mattaniah. The brother of Jehoiakim, and son of Josiah. He was thus the third son of Josiah to rule upon the throne of Judah (see 1 Chron. 3:15). Zedekiah. Literally, “righteousness of Jehovah,” or, “Jehovah is righteousness.” Perhaps the Hebrews had something to say about the names they were given by their suzerains, for Nebuchadnezzar would hardly have chosen this name.

Ellen G. White

Eleven years. From 597 to 586 B.C. Hamutal. Zedekiah was thus a full brother of Jehoahaz (ch. 23:31), but only a half brother of Jehoiakim (v. 36).

Which was evil. Zedekiah was a moral weakling (see 2 Chron. 36:12–16; Jer. 37:1, 2; 38:5; 52:2; Eze. 17:13–19; 21:25). There are indications that he at times endeavored to do that which was right but lacked the courage to abide by his convictions (Jer. 34:8–16; 37:2–21; 38:4–28).

Zedekiah rebelled. This clause introduces the events of the 25th chapter and would more appropriately appear at the beginning of that chapter. The 24th chapter appropriately closes with the word “presence.” The rebellion of Zedekiah against Babylon caused Nebuchadnezzar to come against Judah in a campaign and thus to bring that nation down in ruins. Early in the reign of Zedekiah there was a general expectation fostered by false prophets that there would be an early return of the exiles from Babylon and an end of the Babylonian yoke (Jer. 27:16; 28:1–4, 10, 11). It was probably in connection with this expectation that Zedekiah sent an embassy to Babylon (Jer. 29:3), and in the fourth year of his reign went to Babylon himself (Jer. 51:59). Jeremiah constantly sought to correct this impression, and counseled continued submission rather than revolt (Jer. 27:5–22; 28:5–17; 29:1–32). Zedekiah, however, continued his activities to throw off the Babylonian yoke, seeking for help from Egypt toward this end (Eze. 17:15; cf. Jer. 37:5; 44:30). The neighboring peoples of Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre, and Zidon were also anxious to throw off the yoke of Babylon, and had earlier sent ambassadors to Judah proposing a general revolt (Jer. 27:3–11).