2 Kings 24

King James Version

Full text for 2 Kings Chapter 24

1¶ In his days Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up, and Jehoiakim became his servant three years: then he turned and rebelled against him.

2And the LORD sent against him bands of the Chaldees, and bands of the Syrians, and bands of the Moabites, and bands of the children of Ammon, and sent them against Judah to destroy it, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by his servants the prophets.

3Surely at the commandment of the LORD came [this] upon Judah, to remove [them] out of his sight, for the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he did;

4And also for the innocent blood that he shed: for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood; which the LORD would not pardon.

5Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, and all that he did, [are] they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

6So Jehoiakim slept with his fathers: and Jehoiachin his son reigned in his stead.

7And the king of Egypt came not again any more out of his land: for the king of Babylon had taken from the river of Egypt unto the river Euphrates all that pertained to the king of Egypt.

8¶ Jehoiachin [was] eighteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. And his mother's name [was] Nehushta, the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem.

9And he did [that which was] evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father had done.

10At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against Jerusalem, and the city was besieged.

11And Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came against the city, and his servants did besiege it.

12And Jehoiachin the king of Judah went out to the king of Babylon, he, and his mother, and his servants, and his princes, and his officers: and the king of Babylon took him in the eighth year of his reign.

13And he carried out thence all the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king's house, and cut in pieces all the vessels of gold which Solomon king of Israel had made in the temple of the LORD, as the LORD had said.

14And he carried away all Jerusalem, and all the princes, and all the mighty men of valour, [even] ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and smiths: none remained, save the poorest sort of the people of the land.

15And he carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon, and the king's mother, and the king's wives, and his officers, and the mighty of the land, [those] carried he into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon.

16And all the men of might, [even] seven thousand, and craftsmen and smiths a thousand, all [that were] strong [and] apt for war, even them the king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon.

17And the king of Babylon made Mattaniah his father's brother king in his stead, and changed his name to Zedekiah.

18Zedekiah [was] twenty and one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name [was] Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.

19And he did [that which was] evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that Jehoiakim had done.

20For through the anger of the LORD it came to pass in Jerusalem and Judah, until he had cast them out from his presence, that Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

King Jehoiakim of Judah rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, leading to Judah's destruction, which the LORD brought upon them for the sins of Manasseh. After Jehoiakim's death, his son Jehoiachin reigned briefly before surrendering to Nebuchadnezzar. The Babylonian king then carried away Jerusalem's treasures and many inhabitants into captivity. Nebuchadnezzar appointed Zedekiah as king, who also did evil and rebelled against Babylon, further provoking the LORD's anger.

Medium Summary

The chapter begins with King Jehoiakim of Judah serving Nebuchadnezzar for three years before rebelling. In response, the LORD sent various bands, including Chaldees, Syrians, Moabites, and Ammonites, against Judah to destroy it, fulfilling prophetic words and acting as a judgment for the sins of King Manasseh, particularly the innocent blood he shed. Upon Jehoiakim's death, his son Jehoiachin ascended the throne, reigning for only three months and continuing his father's evil practices. Nebuchadnezzar then besieged Jerusalem, leading to Jehoiachin's surrender along with his family and officials. The Babylonian king plundered the temple and royal palace, taking all their treasures and cutting the gold vessels. He also carried away ten thousand captives, including princes, mighty men, craftsmen, and smiths, leaving only the poorest in the land. Subsequently, Nebuchadnezzar appointed Mattaniah, Jehoiachin's uncle, as the new king, renaming him Zedekiah. Zedekiah, like his predecessors, did evil in the LORD's sight and eventually rebelled against Babylon, an act attributed to the LORD's anger, which would ultimately lead to Judah's expulsion from His presence.

Long Summary

Second Kings chapter 24 details the final decline of the Kingdom of Judah under Babylonian dominance, beginning with King Jehoiakim. He served Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon for three years before rebelling. This rebellion prompted the LORD to send various hostile groups—Chaldees, Syrians, Moabites, and Ammonites—against Judah, fulfilling prophetic warnings. The text explicitly states that this destruction was at the LORD's command, intended to remove Judah from His sight due to the accumulated sins of King Manasseh, especially the innocent blood he had shed, which the LORD would not pardon. Following Jehoiakim's death, his son Jehoiachin, eighteen years old, began a brief reign of only three months in Jerusalem. Like his father, Jehoiachin committed evil in the sight of the LORD. During his short rule, Nebuchadnezzar's forces besieged Jerusalem. King Jehoiachin, along with his mother, servants, princes, and officers, surrendered to Nebuchadnezzar. The Babylonian king then systematically plundered Jerusalem, taking all the treasures from both the house of the LORD and the king's house, and even cutting into pieces the golden vessels that King Solomon had made for the temple, as the LORD had foretold. A massive deportation followed, with ten thousand captives, including all the princes, mighty men of valour, craftsmen, and smiths, being carried away to Babylon, leaving only the poorest inhabitants in Jerusalem. Among the captives were King Jehoiachin himself, his mother, wives, and other significant figures. In Jehoiachin's stead, Nebuchadnezzar appointed Mattaniah, Jehoiachin's uncle, as the new king of Judah, changing his name to Zedekiah. Zedekiah, who was twenty-one years old at his ascension, reigned for eleven years in Jerusalem. However, he too continued the pattern of his predecessors, doing evil in the sight of the LORD, mirroring the actions of Jehoiakim. The chapter concludes by noting that Zedekiah's rebellion against the king of Babylon was a direct consequence of the LORD's anger, signifying the divine purpose to cast Judah out from His presence.

Core Concepts

  • Divine JudgmentThe LORD actively orchestrates the destruction of Judah by sending various nations against them, explicitly stating it is 'at the commandment of the LORD' due to the sins of Manasseh and the innocent blood shed.
  • Sins of ManassehThe persistent wickedness and bloodshed of the former King Manasseh are highlighted as a primary, unpardonable cause for Judah's impending exile and destruction, demonstrating the long-term consequences of royal sin.
  • Babylonian SupremacyNebuchadnezzar's growing power is evident as he first subjugates Jehoiakim, then conquers territory from Egypt, and finally besieges and captures Jerusalem, establishing his dominance over the region.
  • Temple Desecration and PlunderThe treasures of the LORD's house and the king's house are carried away, and the sacred golden vessels made by Solomon are cut into pieces, signifying the loss of Judah's spiritual and national heritage.
  • First Babylonian CaptivityThe chapter details the significant deportation of Jerusalem's elite—including the king, royal family, princes, mighty men, craftsmen, and smiths—to Babylon, marking a major turning point in Judah's history.
  • Puppet KingshipNebuchadnezzar asserts his control by removing the reigning king and appointing a new one, Mattaniah (renamed Zedekiah), demonstrating Judah's loss of sovereignty.
  • Rebellion and Divine AngerBoth Jehoiakim and Zedekiah rebel against Babylon, but Zedekiah's rebellion is specifically linked to the LORD's anger, indicating that Judah's continued disobedience and rejection of divine will would lead to their ultimate expulsion.