1Stalo se pak léta devátého kralování jeho, měsíce desátého, v desátý den téhož měsíce, že přitáhl Nabuchodonozor král Babylonský se vším vojskem svým k Jeruzalému, a položil se u něho, a vzdělali proti němu hradbu vůkol. 2A bylo město obleženo, až do jedenáctého léta krále Sedechiáše. 3V kterémžto, devátého dne čtvrtého měsíce, rozmohl se hlad v městě, a neměl chleba lid země. 4I protrženo jest město, a všickni muži bojovní utekli noci té skrze bránu mezi dvěma zdmi u zahrady královské; Kaldejští pak leželi okolo města. Ušel také král cestou pouště. 5I honilo vojsko Kaldejské krále, a postihli ho na rovinách Jerišských, a všecko vojsko jeho rozprchlo se od něho. 6A tak javše krále, přivedli jej k králi Babylonskému do Ribla, kdež učinili o něm soud. 7Syny pak Sedechiášovy zmordovali před očima jeho. Potom Sedechiáše oslepili, a svázavše ho řetězy ocelivými, zavedli jej do Babylona. 8Potom měsíce pátého, sedmý den téhož měsíce, léta devatenáctého kralování Nabuchodonozora krále Babylonského, přitáhl Nebuzardan hejtman nad žoldnéři, služebník krále Babylonského, do Jeruzaléma. 9A zapálil dům Hospodinův i dům královský, i všecky domy v Jeruzalémě, a tak všecky domy veliké vypálil. 10Zdi také Jeruzalémské vůkol pobořilo všecko vojsko Kaldejské, kteréž bylo s tím hejtmanem nad žoldnéři. 11Ostatek pak lidu, kterýž byl zůstal v městě, i poběhlce, kteříž se byli obrátili k králi Babylonskému, a jiný obecný lid, zavedl Nebuzardan hejtman nad žoldnéři. 12Toliko něco chaterného lidu země zanechal hejtman nad žoldnéři, aby byli vinaři a oráči. 13Nadto sloupy měděné, kteříž byli v domě Hospodinově, i podstavky, i moře měděné, kteréž bylo v domě Hospodinově, ztloukli Kaldejští, a měď z nich odvezli do Babylona. 14Též hrnce, lopaty a nástroje hudebné, a kadidlnice i všecky nádoby měděné, jimiž sloužili, pobrali. 15I nádoby k oharkům a kotlíky, a cokoli zlatého a stříbrného bylo, pobral hejtman nad žoldnéři, 16Sloupy dva, moře jedno a podstavky, jichž byl nadělal Šalomoun do domu Hospodinova. Nebylo váhy mědi všech těch nádob. 17Osmnácti loket byla výška sloupu jednoho, a makovice na něm měděná, kterážto makovice tří loket zvýší byla, a mřežování i jablka zrnatá na té makovici vůkol; všecko bylo měděné. Takovýž byl i druhý sloup s mřežováním. 18Vzal také týž hejtman nad žoldnéři Saraiáše kněze předního, a Sofoniáše kněze nižšího, a tři strážné prahu. 19A z města vzal komorníka jednoho, kterýž byl hejtmanem nad muži bojovnými, a pět mužů z těch, jenž bývali při králi, kteříž nalezeni byli v městě, a předního spisovatele vojska, kterýž popisoval vojsko z lidu země, a šedesáte mužů z lidu země, kteříž se nalezli v městě. 20Zjímav tedy je Nebuzardan hejtman nad žoldnéři, přivedl je k králi Babylonskému do Ribla. 21I pobil je král Babylonský, a zmordoval je v Ribla, v zemi Emat, a tak zaveden jest Juda z země své. 22Lidu pak, kterýž zůstal v zemi Judské, jehož byl zanechal Nabuchodonozor král Babylonský, představil Godoliáše syna Achikama, syna Safanova. 23I uslyšeli všickni hejtmané vojska, oni i lid jejich, že postavil za správce král Babylonský Godoliáše, a přišli k Godoliášovi do Masfa, totiž Izmael syn Netaniášův, a Jochanan syn Kareachův, a Saraiáš syn Tanchumeta Netofatského, a Jazaniáš syn Machatův, oni i lid jejich. 24Tedy přisáhl jim Godoliáš i lidu jejich, a řekl jim: Nebojte se služby Kaldejských, zůstaňte v zemi, a služte králi Babylonskému, a dobře vám bude. 25I stalo se měsíce sedmého, přišel Izmael syn Netaniáše, syna Elisamova, z semene královského, a deset mužů s ním. I zabili Godoliáše, a umřel; takž i Židy i Kaldejské, kteříž s ním byli v Masfa. 26Pročež zdvih se všecken lid, od malého až do velikého, i hejtmané vojsk, ušli do Egypta; nebo se báli Kaldejských. 27Stalo se také léta třidcátého sedmého po zajetí Joachina krále Judského, dvanáctého měsíce, dvadcátého sedmého dne téhož měsíce, povýšil Evilmerodach král Babylonský toho léta, když počal kralovati, Joachina krále Judského, pustiv ho z žaláře. 28A mluvil s ním dobrotivě, i stolici jeho postavil nad stolice jiných králů, kteříž s ním byli v Babyloně. 29Změnil též roucho jeho, kteréž měl v žaláři. I jídal vždycky před ním po všecky dny života svého. 30Nebo vyměřený pokrm ustavičně dáván byl jemu od krále, a to na každý den po všecky dny života jeho.
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.