2 Kings 25

King James Version

Full text for 2 Kings Chapter 25

1¶ And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth [day] of the month, [that] Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came, he, and all his host, against Jerusalem, and pitched against it; and they built forts against it round about.

2And the city was besieged unto the eleventh year of king Zedekiah.

3And on the ninth [day] of the [fourth] month the famine prevailed in the city, and there was no bread for the people of the land.

4And the city was broken up, and all the men of war [fled] by night by the way of the gate between two walls, which [is] by the king's garden: (now the Chaldees [were] against the city round about:) and [the king] went the way toward the plain.

5And the army of the Chaldees pursued after the king, and overtook him in the plains of Jericho: and all his army were scattered from him.

6So they took the king, and brought him up to the king of Babylon to Riblah; and they gave judgment upon him.

7And they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him with fetters of brass, and carried him to Babylon.

8¶ And in the fifth month, on the seventh [day] of the month, which [is] the nineteenth year of king Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, came Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, a servant of the king of Babylon, unto Jerusalem:

9And he burnt the house of the LORD, and the king's house, and all the houses of Jerusalem, and every great [man's] house burnt he with fire.

10And all the army of the Chaldees, that [were with] the captain of the guard, brake down the walls of Jerusalem round about.

11Now the rest of the people [that were] left in the city, and the fugitives that fell away to the king of Babylon, with the remnant of the multitude, did Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carry away.

12But the captain of the guard left of the poor of the land [to be] vinedressers and husbandmen.

13And the pillars of brass that [were] in the house of the LORD, and the bases, and the brasen sea that [was] in the house of the LORD, did the Chaldees break in pieces, and carried the brass of them to Babylon.

14And the pots, and the shovels, and the snuffers, and the spoons, and all the vessels of brass wherewith they ministered, took they away.

15And the firepans, and the bowls, [and] such things as [were] of gold, [in] gold, and of silver, [in] silver, the captain of the guard took away.

16The two pillars, one sea, and the bases which Solomon had made for the house of the LORD; the brass of all these vessels was without weight.

17The height of the one pillar [was] eighteen cubits, and the chapiter upon it [was] brass: and the height of the chapiter three cubits; and the wreathen work, and pomegranates upon the chapiter round about, all of brass: and like unto these had the second pillar with wreathen work.

18And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the door:

19And out of the city he took an officer that was set over the men of war, and five men of them that were in the king's presence, which were found in the city, and the principal scribe of the host, which mustered the people of the land, and threescore men of the people of the land [that were] found in the city:

20And Nebuzaradan captain of the guard took these, and brought them to the king of Babylon to Riblah:

21And the king of Babylon smote them, and slew them at Riblah in the land of Hamath. So Judah was carried away out of their land.

22¶ And [as for] the people that remained in the land of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had left, even over them he made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, ruler.

23And when all the captains of the armies, they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah governor, there came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, even Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan the son of Careah, and Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah the son of a Maachathite, they and their men.

24And Gedaliah sware to them, and to their men, and said unto them, Fear not to be the servants of the Chaldees: dwell in the land, and serve the king of Babylon; and it shall be well with you.

25But it came to pass in the seventh month, that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, of the seed royal, came, and ten men with him, and smote Gedaliah, that he died, and the Jews and the Chaldees that were with him at Mizpah.

26And all the people, both small and great, and the captains of the armies, arose, and came to Egypt: for they were afraid of the Chaldees.

27And it came to pass in the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the seven and twentieth [day] of the month, [that] Evilmerodach king of Babylon in the year that he began to reign did lift up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah out of prison;

28And he spake kindly to him, and set his throne above the throne of the kings that [were] with him in Babylon;

29And changed his prison garments: and he did eat bread continually before him all the days of his life.

30And his allowance [was] a continual allowance given him of the king, a daily rate for every day, all the days of his life.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Nebuchadnezzar's forces besieged Jerusalem, leading to famine and King Zedekiah's capture; his sons were slain, and his eyes put out before he was taken to Babylon. Nebuzaradan then burned the Temple, the king's house, and the city, breaking down its walls and carrying away most of the remaining populace and temple treasures. Gedaliah was appointed governor over the few left but was assassinated, causing the remaining Jews to flee to Egypt. The chapter concludes with King Jehoiachin's release and favorable treatment in Babylon after 37 years of captivity.

Medium Summary

The chapter details the final fall of Jerusalem and the end of the Kingdom of Judah. Nebuchadnezzar's siege led to severe famine, culminating in King Zedekiah's attempt to flee, his subsequent capture, and the tragic execution of his sons before his own blinding and deportation to Babylon. Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, then systematically destroyed Jerusalem, burning the Temple, the king's palace, and all significant houses, while also dismantling the city walls and plundering its sacred vessels. Most of the surviving populace, along with the Temple's brass and precious items, were carried into Babylonian captivity, leaving only the poorest as vinedressers. Gedaliah was appointed governor over this remnant but was assassinated by Ishmael, prompting the remaining Jews to flee to Egypt out of fear. The narrative concludes with a note of mercy for King Jehoiachin, who, after 37 years of imprisonment, was released by Evilmerodach and granted a place of honor and a daily allowance in Babylon.

Long Summary

Second Kings chapter 25 chronicles the devastating conclusion of the Kingdom of Judah, beginning with Nebuchadnezzar's final siege of Jerusalem. Lasting over a year, the siege brought severe famine, forcing King Zedekiah and his men to attempt escape by night. They were pursued and captured in the plains of Jericho, leading to Zedekiah being brought before the king of Babylon at Riblah. There, in a brutal act, Zedekiah's sons were executed before his eyes, his own eyes were put out, and he was bound with brass fetters and carried to Babylon, marking the end of his reign and the Davidic monarchy in Judah. Shortly thereafter, Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, arrived in Jerusalem and systematically destroyed the city. He set fire to the house of the LORD, the king's house, and all the great houses, reducing Jerusalem to ashes. The Chaldean army also broke down the city's walls, completing its desolation. The majority of the remaining inhabitants, including those who had defected, were taken captive to Babylon, though a small number of the poorest were left behind to tend the land. Furthermore, the valuable brass pillars, bases, and the brazen sea from the Temple, along with all other vessels of gold and silver, were broken up and carried away to Babylon as spoils. High-ranking officials, including the chief priest Seraiah and the second priest Zephaniah, were apprehended and brought to Riblah, where they were executed by the king of Babylon, signifying the complete removal of Judah from its land. Nebuchadnezzar then appointed Gedaliah as governor over the few people who remained in Judah. Gedaliah encouraged the people and army captains to dwell in the land and serve the king of Babylon for their well-being. However, Ishmael, of royal descent, conspired and assassinated Gedaliah, along with the Jews and Chaldeans who were with him. This act of treachery caused the remaining people, fearing the Chaldeans' reprisal, to flee en masse to Egypt. The chapter concludes with a surprising turn of events concerning King Jehoiachin, who had been captive for thirty-seven years. Evilmerodach, the new king of Babylon, released Jehoiachin from prison, spoke kindly to him, and elevated his status above other kings in Babylon, providing him with new garments and a continual daily allowance for the rest of his life.

Core Concepts

  • Fall of JerusalemThe city's siege by Nebuchadnezzar, leading to severe famine, the breaching of its walls, and its eventual destruction by fire at the hands of Nebuzaradan.
  • End of Zedekiah's ReignKing Zedekiah's capture, the execution of his sons before him, his blinding, and his subsequent deportation to Babylon, marking the tragic end of the Davidic monarchy in Judah.
  • Destruction of the TempleThe systematic burning of the House of the LORD by Nebuzaradan, along with the plundering and breaking up of its sacred brass, gold, and silver vessels, which were then carried to Babylon.
  • Babylonian CaptivityThe mass deportation of the surviving populace of Judah to Babylon, signifying the fulfillment of prophecies and the complete removal of the people from their land.
  • Gedaliah's Governorship and AssassinationThe appointment of Gedaliah as governor over the remnant in Judah by Nebuchadnezzar, and his subsequent assassination by Ishmael, which led to the final flight of the remaining Jews to Egypt.
  • Jehoiachin's ReleaseThe unexpected release and favorable treatment of King Jehoiachin by Evilmerodach in Babylon after 37 years of imprisonment, offering a small glimmer of hope or continuity for the royal line.