1In seinen Tagen zog Nebukadnezar, der König von Babel, herauf; und Jojakim wurde sein Knecht drei Jahre; dann wandte er sich und empörte sich gegen ihn. 2Und Jehova sandte wider ihn Scharen der Chaldäer und Scharen der Syrer und Scharen der Moabiter und Scharen der Kinder Ammon; er sandte sie wider Juda, um es zu vernichten, nach dem Worte Jehovas, das er durch seine Knechte, die Propheten, geredet hatte. 3Fürwahr, nach dem Befehle Jehovas geschah dieses wider Juda, um es vor seinem Angesicht hinwegzutun, wegen der Sünden Manasses, nach allem, was er getan hatte; 4und auch wegen des unschuldigen Blutes, das er vergossen, da er Jerusalem mit unschuldigem Blute erfüllt hatte. Und Jehova wollte nicht vergeben. 5Und das Übrige der Geschichte Jojakims und alles, was er getan hat, ist das nicht geschrieben in dem Buche der Chronika der Könige von Juda? 6Und Jojakim legte sich zu seinen Vätern. Und Jojakin, sein Sohn, ward König an seiner Statt. 7Aber der König von Ägypten zog fortan nicht mehr aus seinem Lande; denn der König von Babel hatte von dem Flusse Ägyptens an bis zum Strome Phrat alles genommen, was dem König von Ägypten gehört hatte. 8Achtzehn Jahre war Jojakin alt, als er König wurde, und er regierte drei Monate zu Jerusalem; und der Name seiner Mutter war Nechuschta, die Tochter Elnathans, von Jerusalem. 9Und er tat, was böse war in den Augen Jehovas, nach allem, was sein Vater getan hatte. 10Zu jener Zeit zogen die Knechte Nebukadnezars, des Königs von Babel, nach Jerusalem herauf, und die Stadt kam in Belagerung. 11Und Nebukadnezar, der König von Babel, kam zu der Stadt, während seine Knechte sie belagerten. 12Und Jojakin, der König von Juda, ging zu dem König von Babel hinaus, er und seine Mutter und seine Knechte und seine Obersten und seine Kämmerer; und der König von Babel nahm ihn gefangen im achten Jahre seiner Regierung. 13Und er brachte von dannen heraus alle Schätze des Hauses Jehovas und die Schätze des Königshauses, und er zerschlug alle goldenen Geräte, die Salomo, der König von Israel, im Tempel Jehovas gemacht hatte: so wie Jehova geredet hatte. 14Und er führte ganz Jerusalem hinweg, und alle Obersten und alle streitbaren Männer, zehntausend Gefangene, und alle Schmiede und Schlosser nichts blieb übrig als nur das geringe Volk des Landes. 15Und er führte Jojakin hinweg nach Babel; und die Mutter des Königs und die Weiber des Königs und seine Kämmerer und die Mächtigen des Landes führte er als Gefangene von Jerusalem hinweg nach Babel; 16und alle Kriegsmänner, 7000, und die Schmiede und die Schlosser , 1000, alles streitbare Männer, Kriegsleute, die brachte der König von Babel als Gefangene nach Babel. 17Und der König von Babel machte Mattanja, Jojakins Oheim, zum König an seiner Statt und verwandelte seinen Namen in Zedekia. 18Einundzwanzig Jahre war Zedekia alt, als er König wurde, und er regierte elf Jahre zu Jerusalem; und der Name seiner Mutter war Hamutal, die Tochter Jeremias, von Libna. 19Und er tat, was böse war in den Augen Jehovas, nach allem was Jojakim getan hatte. 20Denn wegen des Zornes Jehovas geschah dieses wider Jerusalem und wider Juda, bis er sie von seinem Angesicht weggeworfen hatte. Und Zedekia empörte sich gegen den König von Babel.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 JEHOIAKIM PROCURES HIS OWN RUIN. (
2Kgs 24:1-7)
Nebuchadnezzar--the son of Nabopolassar, the founder of the Chaldee monarchy. This invasion took place in the fourth year of Jehoiakim's, and the first of Nebuchadnezzar's reign (
Jer 25:1; compare
Jer 46:2). The young king of Assyria being probably detained at home on account of his father's demise, despatched, along with the Chaldean troops on his border, an army composed of the tributary nations that were contiguous to Judea, to chastise Jehoiakim's revolt from his yoke. But this hostile band was only an instrument in executing the divine judgment (
2Kgs 24:2) denounced by the prophets against Judah for the sins of the people; and hence, though marching by the orders of the Assyrian monarch, they are described as sent by the Lord (
2Kgs 24:3).
4 the Lord would not pardon--(see on
2Kgs 23:26;
Jer 15:1).
6 Jehoiakim slept with his fathers--This phraseology can mean nothing more than that he died; for he was not buried with his royal ancestors; and whether he fell in battle, or his body was subjected to posthumous insults, he was, according to the prediction (
Jer 22:19), not honored with the rites of sepulture (
Jer 36:30).
Jehoiachin his son reigned in his stead--The very brief reign of this prince, which lasted only three months, during which he was a humble vassal of the Assyrians, is scarcely deserving to be taken into account, and therefore is in no way contradictory to the prophetic menace denounced against his father (
Jer 36:30).
7 the king of Egypt--that is, Pharaoh-nechoh.
8 JEHOIACHIN SUCCEEDS HIM. (
2Kgs 24:8-9)
Jehoiachin--that is, "God-appointed," contracted into Jeconiah and Coniah (
Jer 22:24).
eighteen years old when he began to reign--At the age of eight his father took him into partnership in the government (
2Chr 36:9). He began to reign alone at eighteen.
9 he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord--Untaught by experience, and deaf to the prophetic warnings, he pursued the evil courses which had brought so many disasters upon the royal family as well as the people of Judah. This bad character is figuratively but strongly depicted (
Ezek 19:5-
Ezek 19:7).
10 JERUSALEM TAKEN. (
2Kgs 24:10-16)
At that time--within three months after his accession to the throne. It was the spring of the year (
2Chr 36:10); so early did he indicate a feeling hostile to the interests of his Assyrian liege lord, by forming a league with Egypt. Nebuchadnezzar sent his generals to besiege Jerusalem, as Jeremiah had foretold (
Jer 22:28;
Jer 34:20), and soon after he followed in person. Convinced of the hopelessness of making any effectual resistance, Jehoiachin, going to the camp of the besiegers, surrendered (
2Kgs 24:12), in the expectation, probably, of being allowed to retain his throne as a vassal of the Assyrian empire. But Nebuchadnezzar's clemency towards the kings of Judah was now exhausted, so that Jehoiachin was sent as a captive to Babylon, according to Jeremiah's prediction (
Jer 22:24), accompanied by the queen mother (the same who had held that dignity under Jehoahaz) (
2Kgs 23:31), his generals, and officers. This happened in the eighth year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign, computing from the time when he was associated with his father in the government. Those that were left consisted chiefly of the poorer sort of people and the unskilled workmen. The palace and the temple were ransacked. The smaller golden vessels had been taken on the first capture of Jerusalem and placed by Nebuchadnezzar in the temple of his god as tokens of victory. They were used by Belshazzar at his impious feast [
Dan 5:2], for the purpose of rewarding his army with these trophies, among which were probably the golden candlesticks, the ark, &c. (compare
2Chr 36:7;
Dan 1:2). Now the gold plating was torn off all the larger temple furniture.
13 as the Lord had said--(compare
2Kgs 20:17;
Isa 39:6;
Jer 15:13;
Jer 17:3). The elite of the nation for rank, usefulness, and moral worth, all who might be useful in Babylon or dangerous in Palestine, were carried off to Babylon, to the number of ten thousand (
2Kgs 24:14). These are specified (
2Kgs 24:15-16), warriors, seven thousand; craftsmen and smiths, one thousand; king's wives, officers, and princes, also priests and prophets (
Jer 29:1;
Ezek 1:1), two thousand; equal to ten thousand captives in all.
17 ZEDEKIAH'S EVIL REIGN. (
2Kgs 24:17-20)
the king of Babylon made Mattaniah, his father's brother, king in his stead--Adhering to his former policy of maintaining a show of monarchy, Nebuchadnezzar appointed the third and youngest son of Josiah (
1Chr 3:15), full brother of Jehoahaz, and uncle of the captive Jehoiachin. But, according to the custom of conquerors, who changed the names of the great men they took captives in war, in token of their supremacy, he gave him the new name of
Zedekiah--that is, "The righteous of God." This being a purely Hebrew name, it seems that he allowed the puppet king to choose his own name, which was confirmed. His heart towards God was the same as that of Jehoiakim, impenitent and heedless of God's word.
20 through the anger of the Lord . . . he cast them out from his presence--that is, in the course of God's righteous providence, his policy as king would prove ruinous to his country.
Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon--instigated by ambassadors from the neighboring states who came to congratulate him on his ascension to the throne (compare
Jer 17:3, with
Jer 28:1), and at the same time get him to join them in a common league to throw off the Assyrian yoke. Though warned by Jeremiah against this step, the infatuated and perjured (
Ezek 17:13) Zedekiah persisted in his revolt.