2 KINGS LESSON 25
We will begin this lesson in II Kings 25:1 "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."
This is speaking of the ninth year of the reign of Zedekiah. He
has now rebelled and brought the fury of Nebuchadnezzer down on the
city and on him in particular. This battle will last just under two
years. It appears that they circled the city where no one could go in
or out. The attack was first against all the land of Judah and the
outer lying cities. They were not well fortified and fell immediately.
Jerusalem was another story. This city is walled and better prepared
to withstand such a siege. Notice, this time, the king of Babylon
comes himself. In fact the greater part of the Babylonian army comes
against Jerusalem.
II Kings 25:2 "And the city was besieged unto the eleventh year
of king Zedekiah."
This siege brought about terrible circumstances inside of
Jerusalem. No food could come in from the farms.
II Kings 25:3 "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."
The faces of the people grew black from the famine. They were
nothing but skin over bones. This is one of the worst famines in
recorded history. The famine was so great that parent ate their
children. A third part of the city died from the famine. Jeremiah was
in this city during this terrible famine. It took flour to make bread
and there was not any to be had.
II Kings 25:4 "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."
This is saying that the king and his men escaped during the
night. The city wall was broken into by the army on the north and
Zedekiah broke out on the south. They stayed between the two walls as
far as they could and then broke through the gate and ran away from
the battle in Jerusalem.
II Kings 25:5 "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."
The army pursued after Zedekiah and his men as soon as they knew
they had fled. They would not let up following them because they knew
Nebuchadnezzer would hold them responsible for capturing them. It
seemed as soon as they had gotten out away into the plain, the men of
war scattered and ran for their lives. They caught Zedekiah near
Jericho.
II Kings 25:6 "So they took the king, and brought him up to the
king of Babylon to Riblah; and they gave judgment upon him."
During the nearly two year siege of Jerusalem, Nebuchadnezzer had
moved back into Riblah and set his headquarters up there. He could
live more comfortably while this siege was taking place. Now his army
has brought the king of Judah to him for judgement.
II Kings 25:7 "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."
One of the most terrible things a person could experience is
seeing your own children killed. These sons could be no more than
youngsters since Zedekiah was 32 years old. They were killed, not for
their offences, but for those of their father. Zedekiah saw them
killed and then they put his eyes out. This form of cruel punishment
is not unusual in this part of the world. He was chained feet and
hands and humiliated even more in that he must be led to his
captivity.
II Kings 25:8 "And in the fifth month, on the seventh [day] of
the month, which [is] the nineteenth year of king Nebuchadnezzar king
of Babylon, came Nebuzar-adan, captain of the guard, a servant of the
king of Babylon, unto Jerusalem:" II Kings 25:9 "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."
I Kings 9:7 "Then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I
have given them; and this house, which I have hallowed for my name,
will I cast out of my sight; and Israel shall be a proverb and a
byword among all people:" I Kings 9:8 "And at this house, [which] is
high, every one that passeth by it shall be astonished, and shall
hiss; and they shall say, Why hath the LORD done thus unto this land,
and to this house?" Babylon might have done the physical destruction,
but this was ordained of God for the punishment of the people. The
fire will purify these grounds where all of the false worship took
place in God's own house.
II Kings 25:10 "And all the army of the Chaldees, that [were
with] the captain of the guard, brake down the walls of Jerusalem
round about."
This beautiful walled city, which had been the envy of the whole
known world in the time of Solomon, now lay in destruction. Their wall
is completely destroyed also.
II Kings 25:11 "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 Nebuzar-adan the captain of the
guard carry away." II Kings 25:12 "But the captain of the guard left
of the poor of the land [to be] vinedressers and husbandmen."
The people who remained were divided into two groups. The farmers
and wine dressers were left behind, and everyone else who was not
killed were taken captive. It was a separation of the upperclass and
the poor.
II Kings 25:13 "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 reason for breaking them up was because they were so heavy.
The pillars of brass were the ones that had been named Jachin and
Boaz. There was no thought given to the workmanship of these things.
They just wanted the metal.
II Kings 25:14 "And the pots, and the shovels, and the snuffers,
and the spoons, and all the vessels of brass wherewith they
ministered, took they away." II Kings 25:15 "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."
they did not break these up, because they were not too heavy to
carry. These also might be used in the form they were already in. They
would find out much later that the use of these vessels for other
purposes than what they were intended greatly displeased God.
II Kings 25:16 "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."
Being without weight, just means there was a great deal of it.
They were extremely heavy.
II Kings 25:17 "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."
These pillars were 24 feet high plus the chapiter was 4 and 1/2
feet high. This chapiter of brass was engraved beautifully. To destroy
these was a great shame, but they were too large to transport in one
piece.
II Kings 25:18 "And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the
chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers
of the door:" II Kings 25:19 "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:"
This is speaking of the religous leaders and the civil leaders in
the land being taken separately. The king of Babylon feels that they
must not leave them with the people because they might lead the people
into revolt.
II Kings 25:20 "And Nebuzar-adan captain of the guard took these,
and brought them to the king of Babylon to Riblah:" II Kings 25:21
"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."
Nebuchadnezzer is the king of Babylon. He is aware the power that
these people might have would be dangerous to his keeping the rest of
people under his control. The captain brought them for the king to
judge. His judgement is that they must die. He had them killed at
Riblah, instead of taking them back to Babylon.
II Kings 25:22 "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."
Gedaliah was Hebrew, but he was not descended from the royal
family. Jeremiah the prophet remained in Judah. He was not carried
into Babylon. Ahikam had protected Jeremiah earlier. It appears that
perhaps his influence over Gedaliah had saved Jeremiah. Of course we
know that God really saved Jeremiah. The people immediately went back
to farming.
II Kings 25:23 "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."
These captains of these armies were the ones that had fled
Jerusalem and hid until the battle in Jerusalem was over. Now they
have come back to join in with Gedaliah. They brought with them their
men that were under them.
II Kings 25:24 "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."
Gedaliah had offered them the right to work and not be taken
captive to Babylon. Gedaliah wanted peace. He knew that they would be
valuable to the cleaning up and rebuilding that needed to be done. He
had forgotten they were military men. He had also forgotten that he
was not of the royal family and would not be recognized as king by
these men.
II Kings 25:25 "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."
This Ishmael was probably a descendent of the royal family. The
connection is not told in the Scriptures, however. Gedaliah had just
reigned 2 months when this incident occurs. Probably what happened was
they came to see him, and he suspected nothing. They possibly caught
him unawares and killed him and his men. His guard seemed to consist
of soldiers of the Chaldees.
II Kings 25:26 "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."
There was reason to fear the army of the Chaldees and this would
certainly be found out. They felt they might be safe in Egypt, because
Egypt was having problems with the Chaldees themselves. The poor
people, and Jeremiah who had been left behind went with these captains
for safety.
II Kings 25:27 "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] Evil-
merodach king of Babylon in the year that he began to reign did lift
up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah out of prison;"
Evil-merodach reigned in the stead of Nebuchadnezzer. Some
believe his real name was Avil-marduk. Jehoiachin had been in prison
for 36 years. We remember they had put his eyes out before he went to
prison. He had 36 years of torture remembering them killing his young
sons. We do not know exactly why he released him from prison. He was a
relative of the family but I doubt that had much to do with his
release.
II Kings 25:28 "And he spake kindly to him, and set his throne
above the throne of the kings that [were] with him in Babylon;"
He showed him the honor due a king in exile. His father,
Nebuchadnezzer, probably never forgave him for his treachery when he
broke away from him in Judah. The son does not remember all of that
and feels sorry for him. He sets him up as if he were a king.
II Kings 25:29 "And changed his prison garments: and he did eat
bread continually before him all the days of his life."
It appears that he actually lived in the house of the king. He
was dressed as a king and he ate the food of a king the rest of his
life.
II Kings 25:30 "And his allowance [was] a continual allowance
given him of the king, a daily rate for every day, all the days of his
life."
We see that the king had compassion on him and he had the
necessities of life furnished to him for the continuation of his life.
I am pleased that the book of kings ends on a more pleasant note than
some of the things we studied in this book.
If we learn but one lesson from all of this book it should be
that blessings are abundant for those who keep the commandments of God
and are faithful to him. The other side is that judgement comes to
those who turn away from, God to false gods.
Thank you for taking the time for me to share my thoughts with
you on this book. May God richly bless you as you continue the study
of His Word.
Your friend in Christ
Louise Haney
2 Kings 25 Questions
1. In verse 1, who attacked Jerusalem?
2. How long would the battle last?
3. Why did it take so long to defeat Jerusalem?
4. What year of Zedekiah's reign was the war over?
5. When did the famine begin in Jerusalem?
6. The faces of the people grew _________ from the famine.
7. What terrible thing did the people do because of the famine?
8. What caused the men of war and Zedekiah to run at midnight?
9. What prophet was in Jerusalem at this time?
10. Where did the army of the Chaldees catch Zedekiah?
11. Where did they take him to be judged?
12. Who judged him?
13. What did they do to his young sons?
14. What was the other punishment of Zedekiah?
15. Where did they take him?
16. What happened to Jerusalem?
17. What happened to the walls of Jerusalem?
18. Why did they leave the poor people in Jerusalem and not take them
captive?
19. What does verse 13 say they broke up and took away for the brass?
20. How big were the pillars?
21. Why did they kill the people listed in verse 19?
22. Who became king of Judah?
23. How long did he reign?
24. Who came back to Jerusalem for safety?
25. What act of treachery did they commit?
26. Where did they run for safety?
27. How long was Jehoiachin in prison?
28. Who released him?
29. How was he treated the rest of his life?
30. What lesson can we learn from this?
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