1Tedy vzal lid země Joachaza syna Joziášova, a ustanovili ho králem na místě otce jeho v Jeruzalémě. 2Ve třimecítma letech byl Joachaz, když počal kralovati, a tři měsíce kraloval v Jeruzalémě. 3Nebo vzal jej král Egyptský z Jeruzaléma, a uložil na zemi pokutu sto centnéřů stříbra a centnéř zlata. 4A ustanovil král Egyptský Eliakima bratra jeho nad Judou a Jeruzalémem za krále, a proměnil mu jméno jeho, aby sloul Joakim. Joachaza pak bratra jeho vzal Nécho, a zavedl ho do Egypta. 5V pětmecítma letech byl Joakim, když počal kralovati, a jedenáct let kraloval v Jeruzalémě. A když činil to, což jest zlého před očima Hospodina Boha svého, 6Přitáhl proti němu Nabuchodonozor král Babylonský, a svázal jej řetězy ocelivými, aby jej zavedl do Babylona. 7Nádoby také domu Hospodinova zavezl Nabuchodonozor do Babylona, a dal je do chrámu svého v Babyloně. 8Jiné pak věci Joakimovy i ohavnosti jeho, kteréž páchal, i což se nalézalo při něm, to vše zapsáno jest v knize o králích Izraelských a Judských. I kraloval Joachin syn jeho místo něho. 9V osmi letech byl Joachin, když kralovati počal, a kraloval tři měsíce a deset dní v Jeruzalémě, a činil to, což bylo zlého před očima Hospodinovýma. 10Potom pak po roce poslal král Nabuchodonozor, a dal ho zavésti do Babylona s klénoty domu Hospodinova, a ustanovil králem Sedechiáše, příbuzného jeho, nad Judou a Jeruzalémem. 11V jedenmecítma letech byl Sedechiáš, když počal kralovati, a jedenáct let kraloval v Jeruzalémě. 12I činil to, což jest zlého před očima Hospodina Boha svého, aniž se pokořil před Jeremiášem prorokem mluvícím řeč Hospodinovu. 13Nýbrž i Nabuchodonozorovi králi se zprotivil, jenž ho byl přísahou zavázal skrze Boha, a zatvrdiv šíji svou, urputně uložil v srdci svém, aby se nenavracoval k Hospodinu Bohu Izraelskému. 14Ano i všecka knížata, kněží i lid v mnohá přestoupení se vydali, podlé všech ohavností pohanských, a poškvrnili domu Hospodinova, jehož byl posvětil v Jeruzalémě. 15A když posílal Hospodin Bůh otců jejich k nim posly své, ráno vstávaje a posílaje, proto že se přívětivě měl k lidu svému a k příbytku svému: 16Posmívali se poslům Božím, a pohrdali slovy jeho, a za svůdce měli proroky jeho, až se rozpálila prchlivost Hospodinova na lid jeho, tak aby nebylo žádného uléčení. 17I přivedl na ně krále Kaldejského, kterýž zmordoval mládence jejich mečem v domě svatyně jejich, a neodpustil mládenci ani panně, starci ani kmeti. Všecky dal v ruku jeho. 18K tomu i všecky nádoby domu Božího, veliké i malé, i poklady domu Hospodinova, i poklady královské i knížat jeho, všecko zavezl do Babylona. 19A vypálili dům Boží, a zbořili zed Jeruzalémskou, též i všecky paláce v něm popálili, ano i všelijaké klénoty drahé v něm zkazili. 20A což jich pozůstalo po meči, to převedl do Babylona, a byli služebníci jeho i synů jeho, dokudž nekraloval král Perský, 21Aby se naplnila řeč Hospodinova skrze ústa Jeremiášova, dokudž země nevykonala sobot svých; po všecky dny, pokudž byla pustá, odpočívala, až se vyplnilo sedmdesáte let. 22Potom léta prvního Cýra krále Perského, aby se naplnila řeč Hospodinova skrze ústa Jeremiášova, vzbudil Hospodin ducha Cýrova krále Perského. Kterýž dal provolati po všem království svém, ano také i rozepsal, řka: 23Toto praví Cýrus král Perský: Všecka království země dal mi Hospodin Bůh nebeský, a ten mi poručil, abych mu vystavěl dům v Jeruzalémě, kterýž jest v Judstvu. Kdo jest mezi vámi ze všeho lidu jeho, Hospodin Bůh jeho budiž s ním, a ať jde.
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary 1 The destruction of Judah and Jerusalem is here coming on by degrees. God so ordered it to show that he has no pleasure in the ruin of sinners, but had rather they would turn and live, and therefore gives them both time and inducement to repent and waits to be gracious. The history of these reigns was more largely recorded in the last three chapters of the second of
Kings. 1. Jehoahaz was set up by the people (
2Chr 36:1), but in one quarter of a year was deposed by Pharaoh-necho, and carried a prisoner to Egypt, and the land fined for setting him up, (2Chr:36:2-4). Of this young prince we hear no more. Had he trodden in the steps of his father's piety he might have reigned long and prospered; but we are told in the
Kings that
he did evil in the sight of the Lord, and therefore his triumphing was short and his joy but for a moment. 2. Jehoiakim was set up by the king of Egypt, an old enemy to their land, gave what king he pleased to the kingdom and what name he pleased to the king!
2Chr 36:4. He made Eliakim king, and called him
Jehoiakim, in token of his authority over him.
Jehoiakim did that which was evil (
2Chr 36:5), nay, we read of the
abominations which he did (
2Chr 36:8); he was very wild and wicked. Idolatries generally go under the name of abominations. We hear no more of the king of Egypt, but the king of Babylon came up against him (
2Chr 36:6), seized him, and bound him with a design to carry him to Babylon; but, it seems, he either changed his mind, and suffered him to reign as his vassal, or death released the prisoner before he was carried away. However the best and most valuable vessels of the temple were now carried away and made use of in Nebuchadnezzar's temple in Babylon (
2Chr 36:7); for, we may suppose, no temple in the world was so richly furnished as that of Jerusalem. The sin of Judah was that they had brought the idols of the heathen into God's temple; and now their punishment was that the vessels of the temple were carried away to the service of the gods of the nations. If men will profane God's institutions by their sins, it is just with God to suffer them to be profaned by their enemies. These were the vessels which the false prophets flattered the people with hopes of the return of,
Jer 27:16. But Jeremiah told them that the rest should go after them (
Jer 27:21,
Jer 27:22), and they did so. But, as the carrying away of these vessels to Babylon began the calamity of Jerusalem, so Belshazzar's daring profanation of them there filled the measure of the iniquity of Babylon; for, when he drank wine in them to the honour of his gods, the handwriting on the wall presented him with his doom,
Dan 5:3, etc. In the reference to the book of the
Kings concerning this Jehoiakim mention is made of
that which was found in him (
2Chr 36:8), which seems to be meant of the treachery that was found in him towards the king of Babylon; but some of the Jewish writers understand it of certain private marks or signatures found in his dead body, in honour of his idol, such cuttings as God had forbidden,
Lev 19:28. 3. Jehoiachin, or Jeconiah, the son of Jehoiakim, attempted to reign in his stead, and reigned long enough to show his evil inclination; but, after three months and ten days, the king of Babylon sent and fetched him away captive, with more of the goodly vessels of the temple. He is here said to be eight years old, but in
Kings he is said to be eighteen when he began to reign, so that this seems to be a mistake of the transcriber, unless we suppose that his father took him at eight years old to join with him in the government, as some think.
11 We have here an account of the destruction of the kingdom of Judah and the city of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans. Abraham, God's friend, was called out of that country, from Ur of the Chaldees, when God took him into covenant and communion with himself; and now his degenerate seed were carried into that country again, to signify that they had forfeited all that kindness wherewith they had been regarded for the father's sake, and the benefit of that covenant into which he was called; all was now undone again. Here we have,
I. The sins that brought this desolation.
1. Zedekiah, the king in whose days it came, brought it upon himself by his own folly; for he conducted himself very ill both towards God and towards the king of Babylon. (1.) If he had but made God his friend, that would have prevented the ruin. Jeremiah brought him messages from God, which, if he had given due regard to them, might have secured a lengthening of his tranquillity; but it is here charged upon him that he
humbled not himself before Jeremiah, 2Chr 36:12. It was expected that this mighty prince, high as he was, should humble himself before a poor prophet, when
he spoke from the mouth of the Lord, should submit to his admonitions and be amended by them, to his counsels and be ruled by them, should lay himself under the commanding power of the word of God in his mouth; and, because he would not thus make himself a servant to God, he was made a slave to his enemies. God will find some way or other to humble those that will not humble themselves. Jeremiah, as a prophet, was set
over the nations and kingdoms (
Jer 1:10), and, as mean a figure as he made, whoever would not humble themselves before him found that it was at their peril. (2.) If he had but been true to his covenant with the king of Babylon, that would have prevented his ruin; but he
rebelled against him, though he had sworn to be his faithful tributary, and perfidiously violated his engagements to him,
2Chr 36:13. It was this that provoked the king of Babylon to deal so severely with him as he did. All nations looked upon an oath as a sacred thing, and on those that durst break through the obligations of it as the worst of men, abandoned of God and to be abhorred by all mankind. If therefore Zedekiah falsify his oath,
when, lo, he has given his hand, he
shall not escape, Ezek 17:18. Though Nebuchadnezzar was a heathen, an enemy, yet if, having sworn to him, he be false to him, he shall know
there is a God to whom vengeance belongs. The thing that ruined Zedekiah was not only that he
turned not to the Lord God of Israel, but that he
stiffened his neck and hardened his heart from turning to him, that is, he as obstinately resolved not to return to him, would not lay his neck under God's yoke nor his heart under the impressions of his word, and so, in effect, he
would not be healed, he
would not live. 2. The great sin that brought this destruction was idolatry. The priests and people went after
the abominations of the heathen, forsook the pure worship of God for the lewd and filthy rites of the Pagan superstition, and so
polluted the house of the Lord, 2Chr 36:14. The priests, the chief of the priests, who should have opposed idolatry, were ring-leaders in it. That place is not far from ruin in which religion is already ruined.
3. The great aggravation of their sin, and that which filled the measure of it, was the abuse they gave to God's prophets, who were sent to call them to repentance,
2Chr 36:15,
2Chr 36:16. Here we have, (1.) God's tender compassion towards them in sending prophets to them. Because he was the
God of their fathers, in covenant with them, and whom they worshipped (though this degenerate race forsook him), therefore he
sent to them by his messengers, to convince them of their sin and warn them of the ruin they would bring upon themselves by it,
rising up betimes and sending, which denotes not only that he did it with the greatest care and concern imaginable, as men rise betimes to set their servants to work when their heart is upon their business, but that, upon their first deviation from God to idols, if they took but one step that way, God immediately sent to them by his messengers to reprove them for it. He gave them early timely notice both of their duty and danger. Let this quicken us to seek God early, that he rises betimes to send to us. The prophets that were sent rose betimes to speak to them, were diligent and faithful in their office, lost no time, slipped no opportunity of dealing with them; and therefore God is said to rise betimes. The more pains ministers take in their work the more will the people have to answer for if it be all in vain. The reason given why God by his prophets did thus strive with them is because
he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling-place, and would by these means have prevented their ruin. Note, The methods God takes to reclaim sinners by his word, by ministers, by conscience, by providences, are all instances of his compassion towards them and his unwillingness
that any should perish. (2.) Their base and disingenuous carriage towards God (
2Chr 36:16):
They mocked the messengers of God (which was a high affront to him that sent them),
despised his word in their mouths, and not only so, but
misused the prophets, treating them as their enemies. The ill usage they gave Jeremiah who lived at this time, and which we read much of in the book of his prophecy, is an instance of this. This was an evidence of an implacable enmity to God, and an invincible resolution to go on in their sins. This brought wrath upon them without remedy, for it was sinning against the remedy. Nothing is more provoking to God than abuses given to his faithful ministers; for what is done against them he takes as done against himself.
Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? Persecution was the sin that brought upon Jerusalem its final destruction by the Romans. See
Matt 23:34-
Matt 23:37. Those that mock at God's faithful ministers, and do all they can to render them despicable or odious, that vex and misuse them, to discourage them and to keep others from hearkening to them, should be reminded that a wrong done to an ambassador is construed as done to the prince that sends him, and that the day is coming when they will find it would have been better for them if they had been thrown
into the sea with a mill-stone about their necks; for hell is deeper and more dreadful.
II. The desolation itself, and some few of the particular so fit, which we had more largely
2Kgs 25:1. Multitudes were put to the sword, even
in the house of their sanctuary (
2Chr 36:17), whither they fled for refuge, hoping that the holiness of the place would be their protection. But how could they expect to find it so when they themselves had polluted it with their abominations?
2Chr 36:14. Those that cast off the dominion of their religion forfeit all the benefit and comfort of it. The Chaldeans not only paid no reverence to the sanctuary, but showed no natural pity either to the tender sex or to venerable age. They forsook God, who had compassion on them (
2Chr 36:15), and would have none of him; justly therefore are they given up into the hands of cruel men, for they
had no compassion on young man or maiden. 2. All the remaining vessels of the temple, great and small, and all the treasures, sacred and secular, the treasures of God's house and of the king and his princes, were seized, and brought to Babylon,
2Chr 36:18. 3. The temple was burnt, the walls of Jerusalem were demolished, the houses (called here the
palaces, as
Pss 48:3, so stately, rich, and sumptuous were they) laid in ashes, and all the furniture, called here
the goodly vessels thereof, destroyed,
2Chr 36:19. Let us see where what woeful havock sin makes, and, as we value the comfort and continuance of our estates, keep that worm from the root of them. 4. The remainder of the people that escaped the sword were carried captives to Babylon (
2Chr 36:20), impoverished, enslaved, insulted, and exposed to all the miseries, not only of a strange and barbarous land, but of an enemy's land, where those that hated them bore rule over them. They were servants to those monarchs, and no doubt were ruled with rigour so long as that monarchy lasted. Now they sat down by the rivers of Babylon, with the streams of which they mingled their tears,
Pss 137:1. And though there, it should seem, they were cured of idolatry, yet, as appears by the prophet Ezekiel, they were not cured of mocking the prophets. 5. The land lay desolate while they were captives in Babylon,
2Chr 36:21. That fruitful land, the glory of all lands, was now turned into a desert, not tilled, nor husbanded. The pastures were not clothed as they used to be with flocks, nor the valleys with corn, but all lay neglected. Now this may be considered, (1.) As the just punishment of their former abuse of it. They had served Baal with its fruits;
cursed therefore
is the ground for their sakes. Now the land
enjoyed her sabbaths; (
2Chr 36:21), as God had threatened by Moses,
Lev 26:34, and the reason there given (v. 35) is, Because
it did not rest on your sabbaths; you profaned the sabbath-day, did not observe the sabbatical year. They many a time ploughed and sowed their land in the seventh year, when it should have rested, and now it lay unploughed and unsown for ten times seven years. Note, God will be no loser in his glory at last by the disobedience of men: if the tribute be not paid, he will distrain and recover it, as he speaks,
Hos 2:9. If they would not let the land rest, God would make it rest whether they would or no. Some think they had neglected the observance of seventy sabbatical years in all, and just so many, by way of reprisal, the land now enjoyed; or, if those that had been neglected were fewer, it was fit that the law should be satisfied with interest. We find that one of the quarrels God had with them at this time was for not observing another law which related to the seventh year, and that was the release of servants; see
Jer 34:13, etc. (2.) Yet we may consider it as giving some encouragement to their hopes that they should, in due time, return to it again. Had others come and taken possession of it, they might have despaired of ever recovering it; but, while it lay desolate, it did, as it were, lie waiting for them again, and refuse to acknowledge any other owners.
22 These last two verses of this book have a double aspect. 1. They look back to the prophecy of Jeremiah, and show how that was accomplished,
2Chr 36:22. God had, by him, promised the restoring of the captives and the rebuilding of Jerusalem, at the end of seventy years; and that time to favour Sion, that set time, came at last. After a long and dark night the day-spring from on high visited them. God will be found true to every word he has spoken. 2. They look forward to the history of Ezra, which begins with the repetition of these last two verses. They are there the introduction to a pleasant story; here they are the conclusion of a very melancholy one; and so we learn from them that, though God's church be cast down, it is not cast off, though his people be corrected, they are not abandoned, though thrown into the furnace, yet not lost there, nor left there any longer than till the dross be separated. Though God contend long, he will not contend always. The Israel of God shall be fetched out of Babylon in due time, and even the dry bones made to live. It may be long first; but the vision is for an appointed time, and at the end it shall speak and not lie; therefore, though it tarry, wait for it.