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<h2><a onclick="return mV('2Ki',24,'all');">2Ki 24</a> - Judah Subjected Under Babylon</h2>
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<p><span>A. The reign of King <span>Jehoiakim</span> of Judah.</span></p>
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<p class="c1"><span>1. (<a onclick="return mV('2Ki',24,1);">1</a>) Nebuchadnezzar makes Judah a vassal kingdom.</span></p>
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<p class="c2">In his days Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up, and <span>Jehoiakim</span> became his vassal <i>for </i>three years. Then he turned and rebelled against him.</p>
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<p class="c4"><span>a. </span><b><span class="c3">Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up</span></b>: Nebuchadnezzar, king of the Babylonian Empire, was concerned with Judah because of its strategic position in relation to the empires of Egypt and Assyria. Therefore it was important to him to conquer Judah and make it a subject kingdom (<b><span class="c3">his vassal</span></b>), securely loyal to Babylon.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. Nebuchadnezzar came against Jerusalem because the Pharaoh of Egypt invaded Babylon. In response the young prince Nebuchadnezzar defeated the Egyptians at <span>Charchemish</span>, and then he pursued their fleeing army all the way down to the Sinai. Along the way (or on the way back), he subdued Jerusalem, who had been loyal to the Pharaoh of Egypt.</p>
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<p class="c5">ii. This happened in 605 <span><span class="c6">b.c</span></span><span class="c6">.</span> and it was the first (but not the last) encounter between Nebuchadnezzar and <span>Jehoiakim</span>. There would be two later invasions (597 and 587 <span><span class="c6">b.c</span></span><span class="c6">.</span>).</p>
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<p class="c5">iii. This specific attack is documented by the Babylonian Chronicles, a collection of tablets discovered as early as 1887, held in the British Museum. In them, Nebuchadnezzar's 605 <span><span class="c6">b.c</span></span><span class="c6">.</span> presence in Judah is documented and clarified. When the Babylonian chronicles were finally published in 1956, they gave us first-rate, detailed political and military information about the first 10 years of Nebuchadnezzar's reign. L.W. King prepared these tablets in 1919; he then died, and they were neglected for four decades.</p>
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<p class="c5">iv. Excavations also document the victory of Nebuchadnezzar over the Egyptians at <span>Carchemish</span> in May or June of 605 <span><span class="c6">b.c</span></span><span class="c6">.</span> Archaeologists found evidences of battle, vast quantities of arrowheads, layers of ash, and a shield of a Greek mercenary fighting for the Egyptians.</p>
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<p class="c5">v. This campaign of Nebuchadnezzar was interrupted suddenly when he heard of his father's death and raced back to Babylon to secure his succession to the throne. He traveled about 500 miles in two weeks - remarkable speed for travel in that day. Nebuchadnezzar only had the time to take a few choice captives (such as Daniel), <span>a few treasures and a promise of submission from <span>Jehoiakim</span>.</span></p>
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<p class="c4"><span>b. <b><span class="c3">Then he turned and rebelled against him</span></b></span>: When Nebuchadnezzar had to make a hurried return to <span>Babylon,</span> <span>Jehoiakim</span> took advantage of his absence and <b><span class="c3">rebelled against him</span></b>.</p>
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<p class="c1"><span>2. (<a onclick="return mV('2Ki',24,'2-4');">2-4</a>) <span>The</span> troubled reign of <span>Jehoiakim</span>.</span></p>
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<p class="c2">And the <span class="c6">Lord</span> sent against him <i>raiding </i>bands of <span>Chaldeans</span>, bands of Syrians, bands of Moabites, and bands of the people of <span>Ammon</span>; He sent them against Judah to destroy it, according to the word of the <span class="c6">Lord</span> which He had spoken by His servants the prophets. Surely at the commandment of the <span class="c6">Lord</span> <i>this </i>came upon Judah, to remove <i>them </i>from His sight because of the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he had done, and also because of the innocent blood that he had shed; for he had filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, which the <span class="c6">Lord</span> would not pardon.</p>
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<p class="c4"><span>a. <b><span class="c3">The <span class="c6">Lord</span> sent against him</span></b></span>: We might think that God would honor the Judean Independence movement of <span>Jehoiakim</span>, but He did not bless it. God <b><span class="c3">sent against him</span></b> many adversaries because <span>Jehoiakim</span> was a patriot of the kingdom of Judah, but not a man submitted to God.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. <b><span class="c3">Bands of Syrians, bands of Moabites, and bands of the people of <span>Ammon</span></span></b>: "Nebuchadnezzar's army was made up of several nations, who were willing to fight under the banner of such a puissant and victorious emperor." (Poole)</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">Surely at the commandment of the <span class="c6">Lord</span> this came upon Judah</span></b>: Many in the days of <span>Jehoiakim</span> believed that God's will was to deliver them from their enemies and to preserve an independent Judah. Yet that was not God's will; it was His will to bring Judah into judgment (knowing they had not genuinely repented and would not). The best thing for Judah to do was to <i>submit</i> to this will of God, as Jeremiah told them to do – despite great opposition.</p>
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<p class="c4"><span>c</span>. <b><span class="c3">Also because of the innocent blood that he had shed</span></b>: This tells us that one of the great sins of Manasseh was that he persecuted the godly in his day and <b><span class="c3">he had filled Jerusalem with innocent blood</span></b>.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. "His name, like that of his brother, is omitted from the royal genealogy of <a onclick="return mV('Mat',1,'all');">Mat 1</a>." (Knapp)</p>
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<p class="c1"><span>3. (<a onclick="return mV('2Ki',24,'5-7');">5-7</a>) <span>The</span> passing of <span>Jehoiakim</span>.</span></p>
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<p class="c2">Now the rest of the acts of <span>Jehoiakim</span>, and all that he did, <i>are </i>they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? So <span>Jehoiakim</span> rested with his fathers. Then <span>Jehoiachin</span> his son reigned in his place. And the king of Egypt did not come out of his land anymore, for the king of Babylon had taken all that belonged to the king of Egypt from the Brook of Egypt to the River Euphrates.</p>
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<p class="c4"><span>a. <b><span class="c3">Now the rest of the acts of <span>Jehoiakim</span></span></b></span>: <a onclick="return mV('2Ch',36,6);">2Ch 36:6</a> tells us that Nebuchadnezzar intended to take <span>Jehoiakim</span> to Babylon, bound in bronze fetters. Yet <a onclick="return mV('Jer',22,19);">Jer 22:19</a> tells us that he would be disgracefully buried outside of Jerusalem.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. "The closing formulae make no reference to the burial of <span>Jehoiakim</span>, whose death occurred about December 598 before the first capture of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar. <a onclick="return mV('2Ch',36,7);">2Ch 36:7</a> implies that he was taken to Babylon, but <a onclick="return mV('Jer',22,19);">Jer 22:19</a> tells how he was thrown <span>unmourned</span> outside Jerusalem, perhaps by a pro-Babylonian group who gave him the <span>unceremonial</span> burial of 'an ass'." (Wiseman)</p>
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<p class="c5">ii. "<a onclick="return mV('2Ch',36,6);">2Ch 36:6</a> states that Nebuchadnezzar 'bound him in fetters, to carry him to Babylon.' It does not say he <i>was</i> taken there. He may have been released after promising subjection to his conqueror." (Knapp)</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">The king of Egypt did not come out of his land anymore</span></b>: In the geopolitical struggle between Egypt and Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar defeated Egypt. They were then the dominant power in that part of the world.</p>
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<p class="c5"><span>i</span><span>. </span>"About three years later, in 601 <span><span class="c6">b.c</span></span><span class="c6">.</span>, Egypt tried one more time to return to power by attacking Babylon's army....It was after this brief Egyptian victory that <span>Jehoiakim</span>, hoping to renew his alliance with the Pharaoh against Babylon, rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar (<a onclick="return mV('2Ki',24,3);">2Ki 24:3</a>), an action Jeremiah sharply condemned." (<span>Dilday</span>)</p>
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<p><span>B. The reign of <span>Jehoiachin</span>.</span></p>
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<p class="c1"><span>1. (<a onclick="return mV('2Ki',24,'8-9');">8-9</a>) <span>Jehoiachin</span>, another evil king over Judah.</span></p>
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<p class="c2"><span>Jehoiachin</span> <i>was </i>eighteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. His mother's name <i>was </i><span>Nehushta</span> the daughter of <span>Elnathan</span> of Jerusalem. And he did evil in the sight of the <span class="c6">Lord</span>, according to all that his father had done.</p>
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<p class="c4"><span>a. <span><b><span class="c3">Jehoiachin</span></b></span><b><span class="c3"> was eighteen years old when he became king</span></b></span>: <a onclick="return mV('2Ch',36,9);">2Ch 36:9</a> says that <span><i>Jehoiachin</i></span><i> was eight years old when he became king</i>. The difference between these two accounts is probably due to the error of a copyist in Chronicles.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. "<a onclick="return mV('2Ch',36,9);">2Ch 36:9</a> makes him eight years old at the beginning of his reign...But some Hebrew MSS., <span>Syriac</span>, and Arabic, read 'eighteen' in Chronicles' so 'eight' must be an error of transcription." (Knapp)</p>
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<p class="c5">ii. <span>Jehoiachin</span> "Was probably the throne-name of <span>Jeconiah</span>, abbreviated also to <span>Coniah</span>." (Wiseman)</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">And he did evil in the sight of the <span class="c6">Lord</span></span></b>: He carried on in the tradition of the wicked kings of Judah.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. "Jeremiah said of <span>Jehoiakim</span>, (<span>Jehoiachin's</span> father) 'He shall have none to sit upon the throne of David' (<a onclick="return mV('Jer', 26, 24);">Jer 26:30</a>). The word 'sit' here means to '<i>firmly</i> sit,' or 'dwell'; and <span>Jehoiachin's</span> short three months' reign was not that surely. And Zedekiah, <span>Jehoiachin's</span> successor, was <span>Jehoiakim's</span> <i>brother</i>, not his son." (Knapp)</p>
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<p class="c5">ii. "That he was a grievous offender against God, we learn from <a onclick="return mV('Jer',22,24);">Jer 22:24</a>, which the reader may consult; and in the man's punishment, see his crimes." (Clarke)</p>
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<p class="c1"><span>2. (<a onclick="return mV('2Ki',24,'10-12');">10-12</a>) <span>Jehoiachin</span> surrenders to Nebuchadnezzar.</span></p>
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<p class="c2">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, as his servants were besieging it. Then <span>Jehoiachin</span> king of Judah, his mother, his servants, his princes, and his officers went out to the king of Babylon; and the king of Babylon, in the eighth year of his reign, took him prisoner.</p>
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<p class="c4"><span>a. <b><span class="c3">Then <span>Jehoiachin</span>...went out to the king of Babylon</span></b></span>: The previous king of Judah (<span>Jehoiakim</span>) led a rebellion against Nebuchadnezzar. Now <b><span class="c3">the king of Babylon</span></b> came with his armies against Jerusalem, and <span>Jehoiachin</span> hoped to appease Nebuchadnezzar by submitting himself, his family, and his leaders to the Babylonian king.</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">Took him prisoner</span></b>: Like his rebellious father, God allowed <span>Jehoiachin</span> to be taken as a bound captive back to Babylon.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. "His presence in Babylon is attested by tablets listing oil and barley supplies to him, his family and five sons in 592-569 <span><span class="c6">b.c</span></span><span class="c6">.</span> and naming him as '<span>Yaukin</span> king of the Judeans.'" (Wiseman)</p>
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<p class="c1"><span>3. (<a onclick="return mV('2Ki',24,'13-16');">13-16</a>) Jerusalem is impoverished and taken captive.</span></p>
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<p class="c2">And he carried out from there all the treasures of the house of the <span class="c6">Lord</span> and the treasures of the king's house, and he cut in pieces all the articles of gold which Solomon king of Israel had made in the temple of the <span class="c6">Lord</span>, as the <span class="c6">Lord</span> had said. Also he carried into captivity all Jerusalem: all the captains and all the mighty men of valor, ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and smiths. None remained except the poorest people of the land. And he carried <span>Jehoiachin</span> captive to Babylon. The king's mother, the king's wives, his officers, and the mighty of the land he carried into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon. All the valiant men, seven thousand, and craftsmen and smiths, one thousand, all <i>who were </i>strong <i>and </i>fit for war, <span>these the</span> king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon.</p>
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<p class="c4"><span>a. </span><b><span class="c3">And he carried out from there all the treasures of the house of the <span class="c6">Lord</span> and the treasures of the king's house</span></b>: On this second attack against Jerusalem, Nebuchadnezzar took whatever valuables remained in the temple or in the royal palaces of Jerusalem.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. "The fall of Jerusalem didn't come about in one cataclysmic battle; it occurred in stages." (Dilday)</p>
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<ul class="c6"><li>Nebuchadnezzar's initial subjugation of the city about 605 <span class="c6">b.c.</span></li><li>Destruction from Nebuchadnezzar's marauding bands, 601 to 598 <span class="c6">b.c.</span>.</li><li>The siege and fall of Jerusalem under Nebuchadnezzar's main army on 16 March, 597 <span class="c6">b.c.</span></li><li>Nebuchadnezzar returns to completely destroy and depopulate Jerusalem in the summer of 586 <span class="c6">b.c</span>.</span></li>
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</ul>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">He cut in pieces all the articles of gold which Solomon king of Israel had made</span></b>: This tells us what happened to the furniture and precious things of Solomon's temple. Some ancient traditions tell us that Jeremiah hid the <span>ark of the covenant</span> before this, so that it was not among the things that were cut up and carried back to Babylon.</p>
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<p class="c4"><span>c. </span><b><span class="c3">None remained except the poorest people of the land</span></b>: Nebuchadnezzar not only took the <i>material</i> treasures of Judah, but also the <i>human</i> treasures. Anyone with any skills or abilities was taken captive to Babylon.</p>
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<p class="c5"><span>i</span><span>. </span>"The like craft <span>useth</span> the devil, when he <span>endeavoureth</span> to take out of the way such as are zealous and active, valiant for God's truth, and violent for his kingdom." (Trapp)</p>
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<p class="c5"><span>ii. Among these captives was the Prophet Ezekiel, who compiled his book of prophecies while in captivity in Babylon.</span></p>
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<p class="c5"><span>iii. </span>"With only the poor and unskilled people of the land remaining, it might be assumed that Jerusalem would cause no further trouble." (Patterson and <span>Austel</span>)</p>
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<p><span>C. The reign of Zedekiah.</span></p>
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<p class="c1"><span>1. (<a onclick="return mV('2Ki',24,17);">17</a>) Nebuchadnezzar makes Zedekiah king of Judah.</span></p>
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<p class="c2">Then the king of Babylon made <span>Mattaniah</span>, <span><i>Jehoiachin's</i></span><i> </i>uncle, king in his place, and changed his name to Zedekiah.</p>
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<p class="c4"><span>a. </span><b><span class="c3">Then the king of Babylon made <span>Mattaniah</span>, <span>Jehoiachin's</span> uncle, king in his place</span></b>: Since Nebuchadnezzar had completely humbled <span>Judah,</span> he put a king on the throne whom he thought would submit to Babylon. He chose an uncle of <span>Jehoiachin</span>, a brother to <span><span>Jehoiakim</span></span><span>.</span></p>
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<p class="c5"><span>i</span><span>.</span> "This king (597-587 <span><span class="c6">b.c</span></span><span class="c6">.</span>) inherited a much reduced Judah, for the <span>Negeb</span> was lost (<a onclick="return mV('Jer',13,'18-19');">Jer 13:18-19</a>) and the land weakened by the loss of its experienced personnel. There were both a pro-Egyptian element and false prophets among the survivors (<a onclick="return mV('Jer',28,'1-17');">Jer 28-29</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Jer',38,5);">38:5</a>)." (Wiseman)</p>
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<p class="c4"><span>b. <b><span class="c3">Changed his name to Zedekiah</span></b></span>: The name <b><span class="c3">Zedekiah</span></b> means, <i><span>The Lord is Righteous</span></i><span>. The righteous judgment of God would soon be seen against Judah.</span></p>
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<p class="c1"><span>2. (<a onclick="return mV('2Ki',24,'18-20');">18-20</a>) <span>The</span> evil reign and rebellion of Zedekiah.</span></p>
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<p class="c2">Zedekiah <i>was </i>twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother's name <i>was </i><span>Hamutal</span> the daughter of Jeremiah of <span>Libnah</span>. He also did evil in the sight of the <span class="c6">Lord</span>, according to all that <span>Jehoiakim</span> had done. For because of the anger of the <span class="c6">Lord</span> <i>this </i>happened in Jerusalem and Judah, that He finally cast them out from His presence. Then Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.</p>
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<p class="c4"><span>a. <b><span class="c3">He also did evil in the sight of the <span class="c6">Lord</span></span></b></span>: <a onclick="return mV('2Ch',36,'11-20');">2Ch 36:11-20</a> tells us more of the evil of <span>Zedekiah, specifically that</span> he did not listen to Jeremiah or other messengers of God. Instead, they mocked and disregarded the message.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. "Zedekiah's <i>evil</i> (v. 19) is fully explained in <a onclick="return mV('2Ch',36,'12-14');">2Ch 36:12-14</a>. (i) He was not willing to listen to God's word through Jeremiah; (ii) he broke an oath made in Yahweh's name as a vassal of Babylon; (iii) he was unrepentant and failed to restrain leaders and priests from defiling the temple with the reintroduction of idolatrous practices." (Wiseman)</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">He finally cast them out from His presence</span></b>: God's patience and longsuffering had finally run its course and He allowed – even instigated – the conquering of the Kingdom of Judah.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. Ultimately, there were many reasons for the exile. One mentioned by <a onclick="return mV('2Ch',36,21);">2Ch 36:21</a> is that Judah was depopulated in exile <i>to fulfill the word of the <span class="c6">Lord</span> by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her Sabbaths. As long as she lay desolate she kept Sabbath, to fulfill seventy years</i>.</p>
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<p class="c4">c. <b><span class="c3">Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon</span></b>: Jeremiah tells us that there were many false prophets in those days who preached a message of victory and triumph to Zedekiah, and he believed them instead of Jeremiah and other godly prophets like him. Therefore, he <b><span class="c3">rebelled against the king of Babylon</span></b>.</p>
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<p class="c5"><span>i</span>. For example, <a onclick="return mV('Jer',32,'1-5');">Jer 32:1-5</a> tells us that Jeremiah clearly told Zedekiah that he would not succeed in his rebellion against Babylon. Zedekiah arrested Jeremiah and imprisoned him for this, but the prophet steadfastly stayed faithful to the message God gave him.</p>
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<p class="c5">ii. "He had no real faith in Jehovah, Israel's covenant-keeping God, and therefore did not scruple to break his covenant with Nebuchadnezzar. <span>But how dearly he paid for this violation of his oath!"</span> (Knapp)</p>
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