1V devátém roce jeho kralování, v desátém měsíci, desátého dne toho měsíce se stalo, že proti Jeruzalému přitáhl babylonský král Nebúkadnesar a celé jeho vojsko, utábořili se kolem něj a vystavěli proti němu ze všech stran obléhací val. 2Město zůstalo v obležení až do jedenáctého roku vlády krále Sidkijáše. 3Devátého dne toho měsíce, když se ve městě rozmohl hlad a lid země neměl chléb, 4hradby města byly prolomeny. Všichni bojovníci v noci vyšli bránou mezi dvěma hradbami u královské zahrady, přestože Chaldejci byli ze všech stran kolem města. Potom šli směrem k Arabě. 5Chaldejské vojsko pronásledovalo krále a dostihlo ho na jerišských pustinách; celé jeho vojsko se od něj rozprchlo. 6Krále chytili a přivedli ho k babylonskému králi do Ribly. Tam nad ním vyslovili rozsudek. 7Sidkijášovy syny pobili před jeho očima. Sidkijášovy oči oslepil, svázal ho bronzovými okovy a přivedl ho do Babylona. 8V pátém měsíci, sedmého dne toho měsíce — to byl devatenáctý rok vlády babylonského krále Nebúkadnesara — přišel do Jeruzaléma Nebúzaradán, velitel tělesné stráže a otrok babylonského krále. 9Spálil Hospodinův dům i královský palác, všechny jeruzalémské domy, každý velký dům spálil ohněm. 10Celé chaldejské vojsko, které bylo s velitelem tělesné stráže, strhlo hradby kolem Jeruzaléma. 11Zbytek lidu, který ve městě zůstal, i přeběhlíky, kteří přeběhli k babylonskému králi, a zbytek davu velitel tělesné stráže Nebúzaradán odvedl. 12Ale některé z chudých země ponechal velitel tělesné stráže jako vinaře a rolníky. 13Bronzové sloupy, které byly v Hospodinově domě, i podstavce a bronzové moře, které bylo v Hospodinově domě, Chaldejci roztřískali a bronz z nich odnesli do Babylona. 14Vzali hrnce, lopaty, nůžky na knoty, kadidlové pánvičky a všechny bronzové nádoby, s nimiž konali bohoslužby. 15Velitel tělesné stráže vzal i pánvičky na uhlíky a misky; co bylo ze zlata jako zlato, co bylo ze stříbra jako stříbro; 16i dva sloupy, jedno moře a podstavce, které udělal Šalomoun pro Hospodinův dům. Bronz ze všech těchto předmětů se nedal ani zvážit. 17Jeden sloup byl osmnáct loket vysoký a na něm byla bronzová hlavice; hlavice byla vysoká tři lokte. Kolem hlavice bylo mřížování a granátová jablka; to všechno bylo z bronzu. Takový byl i druhý sloup s mřížováním. 18Velitel tělesné stráže vzal vrchního kněze Serajáše, druhého kněze Sefanjáše a tři strážce prahu. 19Z města vzal také jednoho dvorního úředníka, který byl dohlížitelem nad bojovníky, pět mužů z těch, kteří bývali v přítomnosti krále, kteří se nacházeli ve městě, i písaře velitele armády, jenž povolával do vojenské služby lid země, a šedesát mužů z lidu země, kteří se nacházeli ve městě. 20Velitel tělesné stráže je vzal a předvedl je babylonskému králi do Ribly. 21Babylonský král je pobil; usmrtil je v Rible v zemi Chamátu. Tak byl Juda odveden ze své země. 22Nad lidem, který zůstal v judské zemi, který babylonský král Nebúkadnesar ponechal, ustanovil Gedaljáše, syna Achíkama, syna Šáfanova. 23Když všichni velitelé vojsk i jejich muži uslyšeli, že babylonský král ustanovil za správce Gedaljáše, přišli ke Gedaljášovi do Mispy, totiž Jišmael, syn Netanjášův, Jóchanan, syn Karéachův, Serajáš, syn Tanchumeta Netófského, Jaazanjáš, syn Maakaťanův, oni i jejich muži. 24Gedaljáš jim a jejich mužům přísahal a řekl jim: Nebojte se chaldejských otroků. Pobývejte v zemi, služte babylonskému králi a povede se vám dobře. 25V sedmém měsíci se stalo, že přišel Jišmael, syn Netanjáše, syna Elíšamova z královského potomstva, a s ním deset mužů, a Gedaljáše i Judejce a Chaldejce, kteří byli s ním v Mispě, ubili k smrti. 26Nato všechen lid od nejmenšího do největšího i velitelé vojsk povstali a odešli do Egypta, protože se báli Chaldejců. 27V třicátém sedmém roce vyhnanství judského krále Jójakína, ve dvanáctém měsíci, dvacátého sedmého dne toho měsíce se stalo, že babylonský král Evíl-merodak v roce, kdy se stal králem, omilostnil judského krále Jójakína a propustil ho z věznice. 28Mluvil s ním laskavě a jeho trůn ustanovil nad trůny králů, kteří s ním byli v Babyloně. 29Jójákín svlékl své vězeňské šaty a jídal po všechny dny svého života stále v jeho přítomnosti. 30Jeho zaopatření, stálé zaopatření, mu bylo poskytováno králem, každodenní podíl po všechny dny jeho života.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 JERUSALEM AGAIN BESIEGED. (
2Kgs 25:1-3)
Nebuchadnezzar . . . came . . . against Jerusalem--Incensed by the revolt of Zedekiah, the Assyrian despot determined to put an end to the perfidious and inconstant monarchy of Judea. This chapter narrates his third and last invasion, which he conducted in person at the head of an immense army, levied out of all the tributary nations under his sway. Having overrun the northern parts of the country and taken almost all the fenced cities (
Jer 34:7), he marched direct to Jerusalem to invest it. The date of the beginning as well as the end of the siege is here carefully marked (compare
Ezek 24:1;
Jer 39:1;
Jer 52:4-
Jer 52:6); from which it appears, that, with a brief interruption caused by Nebuchadnezzar's marching to oppose the Egyptians who were coming to its relief but who retreated without fighting, the siege lasted a year and a half. So long a resistance was owing, not to the superior skill and valor of the Jewish soldiers, but to the strength of the city fortifications, on which the king too confidently relied (compare
Jer 21:1-
Jer 21:14; Jer. 37:1-38:28).
pitched against it, and . . . built forts--rather, perhaps, drew lines of circumvallation, with a ditch to prevent any going out of the city. On this rampart were erected his military engines for throwing missiles into the city.
3 on the ninth day of the fourth month the famine prevailed--In consequence of the close and protracted blockade, the inhabitants were reduced to dreadful extremities; and under the maddening influence of hunger, the most inhuman atrocities were perpetrated (
Lam 2:20,
Lam 2:22;
Lam 4:9-
Lam 4:10;
Ezek 5:10). This was a fulfilment of the prophetic denunciations threatened on the apostasy of the chosen people (
Lev 26:29;
Deut 28:53-
Deut 28:57;
Jer 15:2;
Jer 27:13;
Ezek 4:16).
4 ZEDEKIAH TAKEN. (2Ki. 25:4-30)
the city was broken up--that is, a breach was effected, as we are elsewhere informed, in a part of the wall belonging to the lower city (
2Chr 32:5;
2Chr 33:14).
the men of war fled by night by the way of the gate between two walls, which is by the king's garden--The king's garden was (
Neh 3:15) at the pool of Siloam, that is, at the mouth of the Tyropćon. A trace of the outermost of these walls appears to be still extant in the rude pathway which crosses the mouth of the Tyropćon, on a mound hard by the old mulberry tree, which marks the traditional spot of Isaiah's martyrdom [ROBINSON]. It is probable that the besiegers had overlooked this pass.
the king went . . . toward the plain--that is, the Ghor, or valley of Jordan, estimated at five hours' distance from Jerusalem. The plain near Jericho is about eleven or twelve miles broad.
6 they took the king, and brought him . . . to Riblah--Nebuchadnezzar, having gone from the siege to oppose the auxiliary forces of Pharaoh-hophra, left his generals to carry on the blockade, he himself not returning to the scene of action, but taking up his station at Riblah in the land of Hamath (
2Kgs 23:33).
they gave judgment upon him--They, that is, the council (
Jer 39:3,
Jer 39:13;
Dan 6:7-
Dan 6:8,
Dan 6:12), regarding him as a seditious and rebellious vassal, condemned him for violating his oath and neglecting the announcement of the divine will as made known to him by Jeremiah (compare
Jer 32:5;
Jer 34:2;
Jer 38:17). His sons and the nobles who had joined in his flight were slain before his eyes (
Jer 39:6;
Jer 52:10). In conformity with Eastern ideas, which consider a blind man incapable of ruling, his eyes were put out, and being put in chains, he was carried to perpetual imprisonment in Babylon (
Jer 52:11), which, though he came to it, as Ezekiel had foretold, he did not see (
Jer 32:5;
Ezek 12:13;
Ezek 17:16).
8 on the seventh day of the month . . . came Nebuzar-adan--(compare
Jer 52:12). In attempting to reconcile these two passages, it must be supposed either that, though he had set out on the seventh, he did not arrive in Jerusalem till the tenth, or that he did not put his orders in execution till that day. His office as captain of the guard (
Gen 37:36;
Gen 39:1) called him to execute the awards of justice on criminals; and hence, although not engaged in the siege of Jerusalem (
Jer 39:13), Nebuzar-adan was despatched to rase the city, to plunder the temple, to lay both in ruins, demolish the fortifications, and transport the inhabitants to Babylon. The most eminent of these were taken to the king at Riblah (
2Kgs 25:27) and executed, as instigators and abettors of the rebellion, or otherwise obnoxious to the Assyrian government. In their number were Seraiah, the high priest, grandfather of Ezra (
Ezra 7:1), his sagan or deputy, a priest of the second order (
Jer 21:2;
Jer 29:25,
Jer 29:29;
Jer 37:3).
18 the three keepers of the door--not mere porters, but officers of high trust among the Levites (
2Kgs 22:4;
1Chr 9:26).
19 five men of them that were in the king's presence--that is, who belonged to the royal retinue. It is probable that there were five at first, and that other two were found afterwards (
Jer 52:25).
22 Nebuchadnezzar . . . made Gedaliah . . . ruler--The people permitted to remain were, besides the king's daughters, a few court attendants and others (
Jer 40:7) too insignificant to be removed, only the peasantry who could till the land and dress the vineyards. Gedaliah was Jeremiah's friend (
Jer 26:24), and having, by the prophet's counsel, probably fled from the city as abandoned of God, he surrendered himself to the conqueror (
Jer 38:2,
Jer 38:17), and being promoted to the government of Judea, fixed his provincial court at Mizpeh. He was well qualified to surmount the difficulties of ruling at such a crisis. Many of the fugitive Jews, as well as the soldiers of Zedekiah who had accompanied the king in his flight to the plains of Jericho, left their retreats (
Jer 40:11-
Jer 40:12) and flocked around the governor; who having counselled them to submit, promised them on complying with this condition, security on oath that they would retain their possessions and enjoy the produce of their land (
Jer 40:9).
25 Ishmael . . . of the seed royal, came, and ten men with him, and smote Gedaliah--He had found refuge with Baalis, king of the Ammonites, and he returned with a bad design, being either instigated by envy of a governor not descended from the house of David, or bribed by Baalis to murder Gedaliah. The generous governor, though apprised of his intentions, refused to credit the report, much less to sanction the proposal made by an attached friend to cut off Ishmael. The consequence was, that he was murdered by this same Ishmael, when entertaining him in his own house (
Jer 41:1).
26 and all the people . . . came to Egypt--In spite of Jeremiah's dissuasions (
Jer 43:7-
Jer 43:8) they settled in various cities of that country (
Jer 44:1).
27 seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin--corresponding with the year of Nebuchadnezzar's death, and his son Evil-merodach's ascension to the throne.
Evil-merodach . . . did lift up the head of Jehoiachin . . . and spake kindly--gave him liberty upon parole. This kindly feeling is said to have originated in a familiar acquaintance formed in prison, in which Evil-merodach had lain till his father's death, on account of some malversation while acting as regent during Nebuchadnezzar's seven years' illness (
Dan 4:32-
Dan 4:33). But doubtless the improvement in Zedekiah's condition is to be traced to the overruling providence and grace of Him who still cherished purposes of love to the house of David (
2Sam 7:14-15).
29 Jehoiachin . . . did eat . . . continually before him--According to an ancient usage in Eastern courts, had a seat at the royal table on great days, and had a stated provision granted him for the maintenance of his exiled court.