2Ki 24 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for 2Kgs 24:1-25:21: 24:1–25:21 Nebuchadnezzar II invaded Judah on at least three occasions (605, 597, 586 BC ) and took plunder from Jerusalem and captives to Babylon (see 24:1 , 10-17 ; 25:1-21 ). 24:1 In 605 BC , Nebuchadnezzar commanded forces that defeated the remaining Assyrian army and an Egyptian contingent at Carchemish (see Jer 46:2 ). While he campaigned in the west, his father, Nabopolassar, died, and Nebuchadnezzar returned home to assume the throne as Nebuchadnezzar II (605–562 BC ). When he rejoined his troops, they easily moved down the Mediterranean coast. Sometime during this campaign, he invaded the land of Judah and took much plunder and many captives to Babylon, including Daniel and his three friends (Dan 1:1-7 ). Jehoiakim was made a vassal to Nebuchadnezzar and paid him tribute for three years . When Pharaoh Neco defeated the Babylonians at the Egyptian border in 601 BC , Jehoiakim rebelled , seizing the opportunity to gain his independence.

Summary for 2Kgs 24:1-25:21: 24:1–25:21 ^a Nebuchadnezzar II invaded Judah on at least three occasions (605, 597, 586 BC) and took plunder from Jerusalem and captives to Babylon (see 24:1 ^b, 10-17 ^c; 25:1-21 ^d). 24:1 ^e In 605 BC, Nebuchadnezzar commanded forces that defeated the remaining Assyrian army and an Egyptian contingent at Carchemish (see Jer 46:2 ^f). While he campaigned in the west, his father, Nabopolassar, died, and Nebuchadnezzar returned home to assume the throne as Nebuchadnezzar II (605–562 BC). When he rejoined his troops, they easily moved down the Mediterranean coast. Sometime during this campaign, he invaded the land of Judah and took much plunder and many captives to Babylon, including Daniel and his three friends (Dan 1:1-7 ^g). Jehoiakim was made a vassal to Nebuchadnezzar and paid him tribute for three years. When Pharaoh Neco defeated the Babylonians at the Egyptian border in 601 BC, Jehoiakim rebelled, seizing the opportunity to gain his independence.
24:2 ^h Nebuchadnezzar bided his time between 601 and 598 BC while consolidating his hold on the west, sending various raiders to harass Judah.
24:3 ⁱ because of the Lord’s command: The root of Judah’s problems was its incorrigible spiritual infidelity. Despite Josiah’s reforms, the sins of Manasseh permeated Judah so that divine judgment was inevitable.
24:4 ^j innocent blood: Tradition holds that Manasseh murdered the prophet Isaiah by sawing him in two (cp. Heb 11:37 ^k).
24:6 ^l Jehoiakim died in 598 BC, evidently during Nebuchadnezzar’s second campaign against Jerusalem (Josephus reports that Nebuchadnezzar executed Jehoiakim; see Josephus, Antiquities 10.6.3; cp. Jer 22:18-19 ^m; 36:30-31 ⁿ).
24:7 ^o The king of Egypt did not venture out of his country after that because of Nebuchadnezzar’s overwhelming strength. Any hope Judah had of help from Egypt was in vain (see Jer 2:36 ^p; 46:2-12 ^q; Ezek 29:6 ^r, 16 ^s).

• The Brook of Egypt has been identified as either the Wadi el-Arish at the edge of the Nile delta, or as Nahal Besor, which lies south of Gaza.
24:8 ^t Jehoiachin became king in 597 BC.

• he reigned in Jerusalem three months: cp. Jer 22:28-30 ^u.
Summary for 2Kgs 24:10-12: 24:10-12 ^v Faced with the overwhelming forces of Nebuchadnezzar, Jehoiachin surrendered. See study note on 2 Chr 36:9-10.

• The eighth year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign was 597 BC.
24:13 ^w As the Lord had said beforehand: See 20:16-17 ^x. A greater divine judgment still lay in the future (21:12-15 ^y; 22:15-20 ^z; 23:26-27 ^aa).

• all the treasures: In his earlier siege of Jerusalem in 605 BC, Nebuchadnezzar had taken part of the Temple treasures as spoil (2 Chr 36:7 ^ab; Dan 1:2 ^ac). He now carried away all the treasures. Anything left behind on this occasion was taken in his final siege of Jerusalem in 586 BC (2 Kgs 25:15 ^ad).
Summary for 2Kgs 24:14-16: 24:14-16 ^ae In addition to Jehoiachin, the prophet Ezekiel was also taken into captivity (Ezek 1:1 ^af). Throughout the book of Ezekiel, events in Ezekiel’s life are dated in terms of the years since Jehoiachin had been taken captive.

• The 10,000 taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar likely includes 7,000 . . . troops, 1,000 craftsmen and artisans, and a number of administrative officials and leading citizens of Jerusalem. In any case, 10,000 is probably a round figure (see also Jer 52:28 ^ag).
24:17 ^ah Like the three kings before him, Mattaniah received a throne name, Zedekiah.

• Jehoiachin’s uncle: See 1 Chr 3:15-16 ^ai.
Summary for 2Kgs 24:18-20: 24:18-20 ^aj Zedekiah’s reign of eleven years in Jerusalem (597–586 BC) mirrored Jehoiakim’s evil reign (23:36-37 ^ak). The Lord was judging Jerusalem and Judah for their sins (see 17:19 ^al; 20:16-17 ^am; 21:12-15 ^an; 22:15-20 ^ao; 23:26-27 ^ap).

• Zedekiah rebelled: Zedekiah’s rebellion may coincide with an anti-Babylonian alliance spearheaded by Pharaoh Apries of Egypt. When Apries became king of Egypt in about 589 BC, he cherished hopes of recovering Egypt’s past glory. Zedekiah appears to have placed his confidence in him (cp. Ezek 17:15-18 ^aq). Nevertheless, like earlier kings (2 Kgs 17:4 ^ar; 24:1-3 ^as), Zedekiah learned that Egypt would be of little help (cp. 18:20-21 ^at; Jer 37:3-10 ^au; Ezek 29:6-7 ^av).