1 בֶּןH1121 עֶשְׂרִיםH6242 וְאַחַתH259 שָׁנָהH8141 צִדְקִיָּהוּH6667 בְמָלְכוֹH4427 וְאַחַתH259 עֶשְׂרֵהH6240 שָׁנָהH8141 מָלַךְH4427 בִּירֽוּשָׁלִָםH3389 וְשֵׁםH8034 אִמּוֹH517 חמיטלH2537 חֲמוּטַלH2537 בַּֽתH1323 יִרְמְיָהוּH3414 מִלִּבְנָֽהH3841
2 וַיַּעַשׂH6213 הָרַעH7451 בְּעֵינֵיH5869 יְהוָהH3068 כְּכֹלH3605 אֲשֶׁרH834 עָשָׂהH6213 יְהוֹיָקִֽיםH3079
3 כִּיH3588 עַלH5921 אַףH639 יְהוָהH3068 הָֽיְתָהH1961 בִּירוּשָׁלִַםH3389 וִֽיהוּדָהH3063 עַדH5704 הִשְׁלִיכוֹH7993 אוֹתָםH853 מֵעַלH5921 פָּנָיוH6440 וַיִּמְרֹדH4775 צִדְקִיָּהוּH6667 בְּמֶלֶךְH4428 בָּבֶֽלH894
4 וַיְהִיH1961 בַשָּׁנָהH8141 הַתְּשִׁעִיתH8671 לְמָלְכוֹH4427 בַּחֹדֶשׁH2320 הָעֲשִׂירִיH6224 בֶּעָשׂוֹרH6218 לַחֹדֶשׁH2320 בָּאH935 נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּרH5019 מֶֽלֶךְH4428 בָּבֶלH894 הוּאH1931 וְכָלH3605 חֵילוֹH2428 עַלH5921 יְרוּשָׁלִַםH3389 וַֽיַּחֲנוּH2583 עָלֶיהָH5921 וַיִּבְנוּH1129 עָלֶיהָH5921 דָּיֵקH1785 סָבִֽיבH5439
5 וַתָּבֹאH935 הָעִירH5892 בַּמָּצוֹרH4692 עַדH5704 עַשְׁתֵּיH6249 עֶשְׂרֵהH6240 שָׁנָהH8141 לַמֶּלֶךְH4428 צִדְקִיָּֽהוּH6667
6 בַּחֹדֶשׁH2320 הָֽרְבִיעִיH7243 בְּתִשְׁעָהH8672 לַחֹדֶשׁH2320 וַיֶּחֱזַקH2388 הָרָעָבH7458 בָּעִירH5892 וְלֹאH3808 הָיָהH1961 לֶחֶםH3899 לְעַםH5971 הָאָֽרֶץH776
7 וַתִּבָּקַעH1234 הָעִירH5892 וְכָלH3605 אַנְשֵׁיH376 הַמִּלְחָמָהH4421 יִבְרְחוּH1272 וַיֵּצְאוּH3318 מֵהָעִירH5892 לַיְלָהH3915 דֶּרֶךְH1870 שַׁעַרH8179 בֵּיןH996 הַחֹמֹתַיִםH2346 אֲשֶׁרH834 עַלH5921 גַּןH1588 הַמֶּלֶךְH4428 וְכַשְׂדִּיםH3778 עַלH5921 הָעִירH5892 סָבִיבH5439 וַיֵּלְכוּH1980 דֶּרֶךְH1870 הָעֲרָבָֽהH6160
8 וַיִּרְדְּפוּH7291 חֵילH2428 כַּשְׂדִּיםH3778 אַחֲרֵיH310 הַמֶּלֶךְH4428 וַיַּשִּׂיגוּH5381 אֶתH853 צִדְקִיָּהוּH6667 בְּעַֽרְבֹתH6160 יְרֵחוֹH3405 וְכָלH3605 חֵילוֹH2428 נָפֹצוּH6327 מֵעָלָֽיוH5921
9 וַֽיִּתְפְּשׂוּH8610 אֶתH853 הַמֶּלֶךְH4428 וַיַּעֲלוּH5927 אֹתוֹH853 אֶלH413 מֶלֶךְH4428 בָּבֶלH894 רִבְלָתָהH7247 בְּאֶרֶץH776 חֲמָתH2574 וַיְדַבֵּרH1696 אִתּוֹH854 מִשְׁפָּטִֽיםH4941
10 וַיִּשְׁחַטH7819 מֶֽלֶךְH4428 בָּבֶלH894 אֶתH853 בְּנֵיH1121 צִדְקִיָּהוּH6667 לְעֵינָיוH5869 וְגַםH1571 אֶתH853 כָּלH3605 שָׂרֵיH8269 יְהוּדָהH3063 שָׁחַטH7819 בְּרִבְלָֽתָהH7247
11 וְאֶתH853 עֵינֵיH5869 צִדְקִיָּהוּH6667 עִוֵּרH5786 וַיַּאַסְרֵהוּH631 בַֽנְחֻשְׁתַּיִםH5178 וַיְבִאֵהוּH935 מֶֽלֶךְH4428 בָּבֶלH894 בָּבֶלָהH894 וַיִּתְּנֵהוּH5414 בביתH1004 בֵֽיתH1004 הַפְּקֻדֹּתH1004 עַדH5704 יוֹםH3117 מוֹתֽוֹH4194
12 וּבַחֹדֶשׁH2320 הַֽחֲמִישִׁיH2549 בֶּעָשׂוֹרH6218 לַחֹדֶשׁH2320 הִיאH1931 שְׁנַתH8141 תְּשַֽׁעH8672 עֶשְׂרֵהH6240 שָׁנָהH8141 לַמֶּלֶךְH4428 נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּרH5019 מֶֽלֶךְH4428 בָּבֶלH894 בָּאH935 נְבֽוּזַרְאֲדָןH5018 רַבH7227 טַבָּחִיםH2876 עָמַדH5975 לִפְנֵיH6440 מֶֽלֶךְH4428 בָּבֶלH894 בִּירוּשָׁלִָֽםH3389
13 וַיִּשְׂרֹףH8313 אֶתH853 בֵּיתH1004 יְהוָהH3068 וְאֶתH853 בֵּיתH1004 הַמֶּלֶךְH4428 וְאֵתH853 כָּלH3605 בָּתֵּיH1004 יְרוּשָׁלִַםH3389 וְאֶתH853 כָּלH3605 בֵּיתH1004 הַגָּדוֹלH1419 שָׂרַףH8313 בָּאֵֽשׁH784
14 וְאֶתH853 כָּלH3605 חֹמוֹתH2346 יְרוּשָׁלִַםH3389 סָבִיבH5439 נָֽתְצוּH5422 כָּלH3605 חֵילH2428 כַּשְׂדִּיםH3778 אֲשֶׁרH834 אֶתH854 רַבH7227 טַבָּחִֽיםH2876
15 וּמִדַּלּוֹתH1803 הָעָםH5971 וְֽאֶתH853 יֶתֶרH3499 הָעָםH5971 הַנִּשְׁאָרִיםH7604 בָּעִירH5892 וְאֶתH853 הַנֹּֽפְלִיםH5307 אֲשֶׁרH834 נָֽפְלוּH5307 אֶלH413 מֶלֶךְH4428 בָּבֶלH894 וְאֵתH853 יֶתֶרH3499 הָֽאָמוֹןH527 הֶגְלָהH1540 נְבוּזַרְאֲדָןH5018 רַבH7227 טַבָּחִֽיםH2876
16 וּמִדַּלּוֹתH1803 הָאָרֶץH776 הִשְׁאִירH7604 נְבוּזַרְאֲדָןH5018 רַבH7227 טַבָּחִיםH2876 לְכֹרְמִיםH3755 וּלְיֹגְבִֽיםH3009
17 וְאֶתH853 עַמּוּדֵיH5982 הַנְּחֹשֶׁתH5178 אֲשֶׁרH834 לְבֵיתH1004 יְהוָהH3068 וְֽאֶתH853 הַמְּכֹנוֹתH4350 וְאֶתH853 יָםH3220 הַנְּחֹשֶׁתH5178 אֲשֶׁרH834 בְּבֵיתH1004 יְהוָהH3068 שִׁבְּרוּH7665 כַשְׂדִּיםH3778 וַיִּשְׂאוּH5375 אֶתH853 כָּלH3605 נְחֻשְׁתָּםH5178 בָּבֶֽלָהH894
18 וְאֶתH853 הַסִּרוֹתH5518 וְאֶתH853 הַיָּעִיםH3257 וְאֶתH853 הַֽמְזַמְּרוֹתH4212 וְאֶתH853 הַמִּזְרָקֹתH4219 וְאֶתH853 הַכַּפּוֹתH3709 וְאֵתH853 כָּלH3605 כְּלֵיH3627 הַנְּחֹשֶׁתH5178 אֲשֶׁרH834 יְשָׁרְתוּH8334 בָהֶםH0 לָקָֽחוּH3947
19 וְאֶתH853 הַסִּפִּיםH5592 וְאֶתH853 הַמַּחְתּוֹתH4289 וְאֶתH853 הַמִּזְרָקוֹתH4219 וְאֶתH853 הַסִּירוֹתH5518 וְאֶתH853 הַמְּנֹרוֹתH4501 וְאֶתH853 הַכַּפּוֹתH3709 וְאֶתH853 הַמְּנַקִיוֹתH4518 אֲשֶׁרH834 זָהָבH2091 זָהָבH2091 וַאֲשֶׁרH834 כֶּסֶףH3701 כָּסֶףH3701 לָקַחH3947 רַבH7227 טַבָּחִֽיםH2876
20 הָעַמּוּדִיםH5982 שְׁנַיִםH8147 הַיָּםH3220 אֶחָדH259 וְהַבָּקָרH1241 שְׁנֵיםH8147 עָשָׂרH6240 נְחֹשֶׁתH5178 אֲשֶׁרH834 תַּחַתH8478 הַמְּכֹנוֹתH4350 אֲשֶׁרH834 עָשָׂהH6213 הַמֶּלֶךְH4428 שְׁלֹמֹהH8010 לְבֵיתH1004 יְהוָהH3068 לֹאH3808 הָיָהH1961 מִשְׁקָלH4948 לִנְחֻשְׁתָּםH5178 כָּלH3605 הַכֵּלִיםH3627 הָאֵֽלֶּהH428
21 וְהָעַמּוּדִיםH5982 שְׁמֹנֶהH8083 עֶשְׂרֵהH6240 אַמָּהH520 קומהH6967 קוֹמַתH6967 הָעַמֻּדH5982 הָאֶחָדH259 וְחוּטH2339 שְׁתֵּיםH8147 עֶשְׂרֵהH6240 אַמָּהH520 יְסֻבֶּנּוּH5437 וְעָבְיוֹH5672 אַרְבַּעH702 אַצְבָּעוֹתH676 נָבֽוּבH5014
22 וְכֹתֶרֶתH3805 עָלָיוH5921 נְחֹשֶׁתH5178 וְקוֹמַתH6967 הַכֹּתֶרֶתH3805 הָאַחַתH259 חָמֵשׁH2568 אַמּוֹתH520 וּשְׂבָכָהH7639 וְרִמּוֹנִיםH7416 עַֽלH5921 הַכּוֹתֶרֶתH3805 סָבִיבH5439 הַכֹּלH3605 נְחֹשֶׁתH5178 וְכָאֵלֶּהH428 לַֽעַמּוּדH5982 הַשֵּׁנִיH8145 וְרִמּוֹנִֽיםH7416
23 וַיִּֽהְיוּH1961 הָֽרִמֹּנִיםH7416 תִּשְׁעִיםH8673 וְשִׁשָּׁהH8337 רוּחָהH7307 כָּלH3605 הָרִמּוֹנִיםH7416 מֵאָהH3967 עַלH5921 הַשְּׂבָכָהH7639 סָבִֽיבH5439
24 וַיִּקַּחH3947 רַבH7227 טַבָּחִיםH2876 אֶתH853 שְׂרָיָהH8304 כֹּהֵןH3548 הָרֹאשׁH7218 וְאֶתH853 צְפַנְיָהH6846 כֹּהֵןH3548 הַמִּשְׁנֶהH4932 וְאֶתH853 שְׁלֹשֶׁתH7969 שֹׁמְרֵיH8104 הַסַּֽףH5592
25 וּמִןH4480 הָעִירH5892 לָקַחH3947 סָרִיסH5631 אֶחָדH259 אֲֽשֶׁרH834 הָיָהH1961 פָקִידH6496 עַלH5921 אַנְשֵׁיH582 הַמִּלְחָמָהH4421 וְשִׁבְעָהH7651 אֲנָשִׁיםH582 מֵרֹאֵיH7200 פְנֵיH6440 הַמֶּלֶךְH4428 אֲשֶׁרH834 נִמְצְאוּH4672 בָעִירH5892 וְאֵתH853 סֹפֵרH5608 שַׂרH8269 הַצָּבָאH6635 הַמַּצְבִּאH6633 אֶתH853 עַםH5971 הָאָרֶץH776 וְשִׁשִּׁיםH8346 אִישׁH376 מֵעַםH5971 הָאָרֶץH776 הַֽנִּמְצְאִיםH4672 בְּתוֹךְH8432 הָעִֽירH5892
26 וַיִּקַּחH3947 אוֹתָםH853 נְבוּזַרְאֲדָןH5018 רַבH7227 טַבָּחִיםH2876 וַיֹּלֶךְH1980 אוֹתָםH853 אֶלH413 מֶלֶךְH4428 בָּבֶלH894 רִבְלָֽתָהH7247
27 וַיַּכֶּהH5221 אוֹתָםH853 מֶלֶךְH4428 בָּבֶלH894 וַיְמִתֵםH4191 בְּרִבְלָהH7247 בְּאֶרֶץH776 חֲמָתH2574 וַיִּגֶלH1540 יְהוּדָהH3063 מֵעַלH5921 אַדְמָתֽוֹH127
28 זֶהH2088 הָעָםH5971 אֲשֶׁרH834 הֶגְלָהH1540 נְבֽוּכַדְרֶאצַּרH5019 בִּשְׁנַתH8141 שֶׁבַעH7651 יְהוּדִיםH3064 שְׁלֹשֶׁתH7969 אֲלָפִיםH505 וְעֶשְׂרִיםH6242 וּשְׁלֹשָֽׁהH7969
29 בִּשְׁנַתH8141 שְׁמוֹנֶהH8083 עֶשְׂרֵהH6240 לִנְבֽוּכַדְרֶאצַּרH5019 מִירוּשָׁלִַםH3389 נֶפֶשׁH5315 שְׁמֹנֶהH8083 מֵאוֹתH3967 שְׁלֹשִׁיםH7970 וּשְׁנָֽיִםH8147
30 בִּשְׁנַתH8141 שָׁלֹשׁH7969 וְעֶשְׂרִיםH6242 לִנְבֽוּכַדְרֶאצַּרH5019 הֶגְלָהH1540 נְבֽוּזַרְאֲדָןH5018 רַבH7227 טַבָּחִיםH2876 יְהוּדִיםH3064 נֶפֶשׁH5315 שְׁבַעH7651 מֵאוֹתH3967 אַרְבָּעִיםH705 וַחֲמִשָּׁהH2568 כָּלH3605 נֶפֶשׁH5315 אַרְבַּעַתH702 אֲלָפִיםH505 וְשֵׁשׁH8337 מֵאֽוֹתH3967
31 וַיְהִיH1961 בִשְׁלֹשִׁיםH7970 וָשֶׁבַעH7651 שָׁנָהH8141 לְגָלוּתH1546 יְהוֹיָכִןH3078 מֶֽלֶךְH4428 יְהוּדָהH3063 בִּשְׁנֵיםH8147 עָשָׂרH6240 חֹדֶשׁH2320 בְּעֶשְׂרִיםH6242 וַחֲמִשָּׁהH2568 לַחֹדֶשׁH2320 נָשָׂאH5375 אֱוִילH0 מְרֹדַךְH192 מֶלֶךְH4428 בָּבֶלH894 בִּשְׁנַתH8141 מַלְכֻתוֹH4438 אֶתH853 רֹאשׁH7218 יְהוֹיָכִיןH3078 מֶֽלֶךְH4428 יְהוּדָהH3063 וַיֹּצֵאH3318 אוֹתוֹH853 מִבֵּיתH1004 הכליאH3628 הַכְּלֽוּאH3628
32 וַיְדַבֵּרH1696 אִתּוֹH853 טֹבוֹתH2896 וַיִּתֵּןH5414 אֶתH853 כִּסְאוֹH3678 מִמַּעַלH4605 לְכִסֵּאH3678 מלכיםH4428 הַמְּלָכִיםH4428 אֲשֶׁרH834 אִתּוֹH854 בְּבָבֶֽלH894
33 וְשִׁנָּהH8138 אֵתH853 בִּגְדֵיH899 כִלְאוֹH3608 וְאָכַלH398 לֶחֶםH3899 לְפָנָיוH6440 תָּמִידH8548 כָּלH3605 יְמֵיH3117 חַיָּֽוH2416
34 וַאֲרֻחָתוֹH737 אֲרֻחַתH737 תָּמִידH8548 נִתְּנָהH5414 לּוֹH0 מֵאֵתH853 מֶֽלֶךְH4428 בָּבֶלH894 דְּבַרH1697 יוֹםH3117 בְּיוֹמוֹH3117 עַדH5704 יוֹםH3117 מוֹתוֹH4194 כֹּלH3605 יְמֵיH3117 חַיָּֽיוH2416
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary 1 This narrative begins no higher than the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah, though there were two captivities before, one in the fourth year of Jehoiakim, the other in the first of Jeconiah; but probably it was drawn up by some of those that were carried away with Zedekiah, as a reproach to themselves for imagining that they should not go into captivity after their brethren, with which hopes they had long flattered themselves. We have here, 1. God's just displeasure against Judah and Jerusalem for their sin,
Jer 52:3. His anger was against them to such a degree that he determined to
cast them out from his presence, his favourable gracious presence, as a father, when he is extremely angry with an undutiful son, bids him get out of his presence, he expelled them from that good land that had such tokens of his presence in providential bounty and that holy city and temple that had such tokens of his presence in covenant-grace and love. Note, Those that are banished from God's ordinances have reason to complain that they are in some degree
cast out of his presence; yet none are cast out from God's gracious presence but those that by sin have first thrown themselves out of it. This fruit of sin we should therefore deprecate above any thing, as David (
Pss 51:11),
Cast me not away from thy presence. 2. Zedekiah's bad conduct and management, to which God left him, in displeasure against the people, and for which God punished him, in displeasure against him. Zedekiah had arrived at years of discretion when he came to the throne; he
was twenty-one years old (
Jer 52:1); he was none of the worst of the kings (we never read of his idolatries), yet his character is that he
did evil in the eyes of the Lord, for he did not do the good he should have done. But that evil deed of his which did in a special manner hasten this destruction was his
rebelling against the king of Babylon, which was both his sin and his folly, and brought ruin upon his people, not only meritoriously, but efficiently. God was greatly displeased with him for his perfidious dealing with the king of Babylon (as we find,
Ezek 17:15, etc.); and, because he was angry at Judah and Jerusalem, he put him into the hand of his own counsels, to do that foolish thing which proved fatal to him and his kingdom. 3. The possession which the Chaldeans at length gained of Jerusalem, after eighteen months' siege. They sat down before it, and blocked it up, in the ninth year of Zedekiah's reign, in the tenth month (
Jer 52:4), and made themselves masters of it in the
eleventh year in the fourth month, Jer 52:6. In remembrance of these two steps towards their ruin, while they were in captivity, they kept
a fast in the fourth month, and a fast in the tenth (
Zech 8:19): that in the
fifth month was in remembrance of the burning of the temple, and that in the
seventh of the murder of Gedaliah. We may easily imagine, or rather cannot imagine, what a sad time it was with Jerusalem, during this year and half that it was besieged, when all provisions were cut off from coming to them and they were ever and anon alarmed by the attacks of the enemy, and, being obstinately resolved to hold out to the last extremity, nothing remained but a
certain fearful looking for of judgment. That which disabled them to hold out, and yet could not prevail with them to capitulate, was the
famine in the city (
Jer 52:6); there was
no bread for the people of the land, so that the soldiers could not make good their posts, but were rendered wholly unserviceable; and then no wonder that
the city was broken up, Jer 52:7. Walls, in such a case, will not hold out long without men, any more than men without walls; nor will both together stand people in any stead without God and his protection. 4. The inglorious retreat of the king and his mighty men. They got out of the city
by night (
Jer 52:7) and made the best of their way, I know not whither, nor perhaps they themselves; but the king was overtaken by the pursuers
in the plains of Jericho, his guards were dispersed, and all his army was
scattered from him, Jer 52:8. His fright was not causeless, for there is no escaping the judgments of God; they will
come upon the sinner, and will
overtake him, let him flee where he will (
Deut 28:15), and these judgments particularly that are here executed were there threatened,
Jer 51:52,
Jer 51:53, etc. 5. The sad doom passed upon Zedekiah by the king of Babylon, and immediately put in execution. he treated him as a rebel,
gave judgment upon him, Jer 51:9. One cannot think of it without the utmost vexation and regret that a king, a king of Judah, a king of the house of David, should be arraigned as a criminal at the bar of this heathen king. But he
humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet; therefore God thus humbled him. Pursuant to the sentence passed upon him by the haughty conqueror,
his sons were slain before his eyes, and all
the princes of Judah (
Jer 52:10); then
his eyes were put out, and he was
bound in chains, carried in triumph to Babylon; perhaps they made sport with him, as they did with Samson when his eyes were put out; however, he was condemned to perpetual imprisonment, wearing out the remainder of his life (I cannot say his days, for he saw day no more) in darkness and misery. He was kept in prison till
the day of his death, but had some honour done him at his funeral,
Jer 34:5. Jeremiah had often told him what it would come to, but he would not take warning when he might have prevented it.
12 We have here an account of the woeful havoc that was made by the Chaldean army, a month after the city was taken, under the command of Nebuzaradan, who was
captain of the guard, or general of the army, in this action. In the margin he is called the
chief of the slaughter-men, or
executioners; for soldiers are but slaughter-men, and God employs them as executioners of his sentence against a sinful people. Nebuzaradan was chief of those soldiers, but, in the execution he did, we have reason to fear he had no eye to God, but he served the king of Babylon and his own designs, now that he came into Jerusalem, into the very bowels of it, as captain of the slaughter-men there. And, 1. He laid the temple in ashes, having first plundered it of every thing that was valuable: He
burnt the house of the Lord, that holy and beautiful house, where their
fathers praised him, Isa 64:11. 2. He burnt the royal palace, probably that which Solomon built after he had built the temple, which was, ever since,
the king's house. 3. He burnt
all the houses of Jerusalem, that is, all the houses of the great men, or those particularly; if any escaped, it was only some sorry cottages for the poor of the land. 4. He
broke down all the walls of Jerusalem, to be revenged upon them for standing in the way of his army so long. Thus, of a defenced city, it was made a ruin,
Isa 25:2. 5. He
carried away many into captivity (
Jer 52:15); he took away
certain of the poor of the people, that is, of the people in the city, for
the poor of the land (the poor of the country) he left for
vine-dressers and husbandmen. He also carried off
the residue of the people that remained in the city, that had escaped the sword and famine, and the deserters, such as he thought fit, or rather such as God thought fit; for he had already determined some for the
pestilence, some for the
sword, some for
famine, and some for
captivity, Jer 15:2. But, 6. Nothing is more particularly and largely related here than the carrying away of the appurtenances of the temple. All that were of great value were carried away before,
the vessels of silver and gold, yet some of that sort remained, which were now carried away,
Jer 52:19. But most of the temple-prey that was now seized was of brass, which, being of less value, was carried off last. When the gold was gone, the brass soon went after it, because the people repented not, according to Jeremiah's prediction,
Jer 27:19, etc. When the walls of the city were demolished, the pillars of the temple were pulled down too, and both in token that God, who was the strength and stay both of their civil and their ecclesiastical government, had departed from them. No walls can protect those, nor pillars sustain those, from whom God withdraws. These pillars of the temple were not for support (for there was nothing built upon them), but for ornament and significancy. They were called
Jachin -
He will establish; and
Boaz -
In him is strength; so that the breaking of these signified that God would no longer establish his house nor be the strength of it. These pillars are here very particularly described (
Jer 52:21-
Jer 52:23, from
1Kgs 7:15), that the extraordinary beauty and stateliness of them may affect us the more with the demolishing of them. All the vessels that belonged to the brazen altar were carried away; for the iniquity of Jerusalem, like that of Eli's house, was not to be purged by sacrifice or offering,
1Sam 3:14. It is said (
Jer 52:20),
The brass of all these vessels was without weight; so it was in the making of them (
1Kgs 7:47),
the weight of the brass was not then
found out (
2Chr 4:18), and so it was in the destroying of them. Those that made great spoil of them did not stand to weigh them, as purchasers do, for, whatever they weighted, it was all their own.
24 We have here a very melancholy account, 1. Of the slaughter of some great men, in cold blood, at Riblah, seventy-two in number (according to the number of the elders of Israel,
Num 11:24,
Num 11:25), so they are computed,
2Kgs 25:18,
2Kgs 25:19. We read there of five out of the temple, two out of the city, five out of the court, and sixty out of the country. The account here agrees with that, except in one article; there it is said that there were five, here there were seven, of those that were
near the king, which Dr. Lightfoot reconciles thus, that he took away seven of those that were near the king, but two of them were Jeremiah himself and Ebed-melech, who were both discharged, as we have read before, so that there were only five of them put to death, and so the number was reduced to seventy-two, some of all ranks, for they had all corrupted their way; and it is probable that such were made examples of as had been most forward to excite and promote the rebellion against the king of Babylon.
Seraiah the chief priest is put first, whose sacred character could not exempt him from this stroke; how should it, when he himself had profaned it by sin? Seraiah the prince was
a quiet prince (
Jer 51:59), but perhaps Seraiah the priest was not so, but unquiet and turbulent, by which he had made himself obnoxious to the king of Babylon. The leaders of this people had caused them to err, and now they are in a particular manner made monuments of divine justice. 2. Of the captivity of the rest. Come and see how
Judah was carried away captive out of his own land (
Jer 52:27), and how it spued them out as it spued out the Canaanites that went before them, which God had told them it would certainly do if they trod in their steps and copied out their abominations,
Lev 18:28. Now here is an account, (1.) Of two captivities which we had an account of before, one in the seventh year of Nebuchadnezzar (the same with that which is said to be in his eighth year,
2Kgs 24:12), another in his eighteenth year, the same with that which is said (
Jer 52:12) to be in his nineteenth year. But the sums here are very small, in comparison with what we find expressed concerning the former (
2Kgs 24:14,
2Kgs 24:16), when there were 18,000 carried captive, whereas here they are said to be 3023; they are also small in comparison with what we may reasonably suppose concerning the latter; for, when all the residue of the people were carried away (
Jer 52:15), one would think there should be more than 832 souls; therefore Dr. Lightfoot conjectures that, these accounts being joined to the story of the putting to death of the great men at Riblah, all that are here said to be carried away were
put to death as rebels. (2.) Of a third captivity, not mentioned before, which was in the twenty-third year of Nebuchadnezzar, four years after the destruction of Jerusalem (
Jer 52:30): Then
Nebuzaradan came, and
carried away 745 Jews; it is probable that this was done in revenge of the murder of Gedaliah, which was another rebellion against the king of Babylon, and that those who were now taken were aiders and abetters of Ishmael in that murder, and were not only carried away, but put to death for it; yet this is uncertain. If this be the sum total of the captives (
all the persons were 4600,
Jer 52:30), we may see how strangely they were reduced from what they had been, and may wonder as much how they came to be so numerous again as afterwards we find them; for it should seem that, as at first in Egypt, so again in Babylon, the Lord made them fruitful in the land of their affliction, and the more they were oppressed the more they multiplied. And the truth is, this people were often miracles both of judgment and mercy.
31 This passage of story concerning the reviving which king Jehoiachin had in his bondage we had likewise before (2Kgs:25:27-30), only there it is said to be done on
the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth month, here
on the twenty-fifth; but in a thing of this nature two days make a very slight difference in the account. It is probable that the orders were given for his release on the twenty-fifth day, but that he was not presented to the king till the twenty-seventh. We may observe in this story, 1. That new lords make new laws. Nebuchadnezzar had long kept this unhappy prince in prison; and his son, though well-affected to the prisoner, could not procure him any favour, not one smile, from his father, any more than Jonathan could for David from his father; but, when the old peevish man was dead, his son countenanced Jehoiachin and made him a favourite. It is common for children to undo what their fathers have done; it were well if it were always as much for the better as this was. 2. That the world we live in is a changing world. Jehoiachin, in his beginning, fell from a throne into a prison, but here he is advanced again to a throne of state (
Jer 52:32), though not to a throne of power. As, before, the robes were changed into prison-garments, so now they were converted into robes again. Such chequer-work is this world; prosperity and adversity are set the one over-against the other, that we may learn to
rejoice as though we rejoiced not and weep as though we wept not. 3. That, though the night of affliction be very long, yet we must not despair but that the day may dawn at last. Jehoiachin was thirty-seven years a prisoner, in confinement, in contempt, ever since he was eighteen years old, in which time we may suppose him so inured to captivity that he had forgotten the sweets of liberty; or, rather, that after so long an imprisonment it would be doubly welcome to him. Let those whose afflictions have been lengthened out encourage themselves with this instance; the vision will at the end speak comfortably, and therefore wait for it.
Dum spiro spero -
While there is life there is hope. Non si male nunc, et olim sic erit -
Though now we suffer, we shall not always suffer. 4. That god can make his people to find favour in the eyes of those that are their oppressors, and unaccountably turn their hearts to pity them, according to that word (
Pss 106:46),
He made them to be pitied of all those that carried them captives. He can bring those that have spoken roughly to speak kindly, and those to feed his people that have fed upon them. Those therefore that are under oppression will find that it is not in vain to hope and quietly to
wait for the salvation of the Lord. Therefore our times are in God's hand, because the hearts of all we deal with are so. 5. And now, upon the whole matter, comparing the prophecy and the history of this book together, we may learn, in general, (1.) That it is no new thing for churches and persons highly dignified to degenerate, and become very corrupt. (2.) That iniquity tends to the ruin of those that harbour it; and, if it be not repented of and forsaken, will certainly end in their ruin: (3.) That external professions and privileges will not only not amount to an excuse for sin and an exemption from ruin, but will be a very great aggravation of both. (4.) That no word of God shall fall to the ground, but the event will fully answer the prediction; and the unbelief of man shall not make God's threatenings, any more than his promises, of no effect. The justice and truth of God are here written in bloody characters, for the conviction or the confusion of all those that make a jest of his threatenings. Let them
not be deceived, God is not mocked.