2 Kings 24

In 605 BC, Nebuchadnezzar led forces that defeated the last Assyrian army and an Egyptian group at Carchemish (see Jeremiah 46:2). While he was campaigning in the west, his father, Nabopolassar, died.

Nebuchadnezzar returned home to become king as Nebuchadnezzar II from 605 to 562 BC. When he rejoined his troops, they easily advanced down the Mediterranean coast. During this campaign, he invaded Judah, taking much treasure and many captives to Babylon, including Daniel and his three friends (Daniel 1:1–7). Jehoiakim became a vassal to Nebuchadnezzar and paid him tribute for three years.

When Pharaoh Neco defeated the Babylonians at the Egyptian border in 601 BC, Jehoiakim rebelled, hoping to gain independence.

Nebuchadnezzar II attacked Judah at least three times, in 605 BC, 597 BC, and 586 BC.

He took treasures from Jerusalem and captured people to bring to Babylon (see 2 Kings 24:1, 10–17; 25:1–21).

Nebuchadnezzar waited from 601 to 598 BC while strengthening his control over the west. He sent raiders to attack Judah.

at the LORD’s command: Judah's main issue was its stubborn spiritual unfaithfulness. Even with Josiah's reforms, Manasseh's sins deeply affected Judah, making divine judgment unavoidable.

innocent blood: Tradition says that Manasseh killed the prophet Isaiah by cutting him in half (see Hebrews 11:37).

Jehoiakim died in 598 BC, likely during Nebuchadnezzar’s second attack on Jerusalem. Josephus says Nebuchadnezzar executed Jehoiakim (see Josephus, Antiquities 10.6.3; compare Jeremiah 22:18–19; 36:30–31).

• The king of Egypt stayed in his country because Nebuchadnezzar was too powerful. Judah's hope for help from Egypt was useless (see Jeremiah 2:36; 46:2–12; Ezekiel 29:6, 16).

• The Brook of Egypt is thought to be either the Wadi el-Arish near the Nile delta or Nahal Besor, south of Gaza.

• Jehoiachin became king in 597 BC.

• He ruled in Jerusalem for three months (see Jeremiah 22:28–30).

• Jehoiachin gave up when Nebuchadnezzar's powerful army approached. See study note on 2 Chronicles 36:9–10.

• Nebuchadnezzar's eighth year as king was 597 BC.

• As the LORD had declared: See 2 Chronicles 20:16–17. A greater divine judgment was still to come (2 Kings 21:12–15; 22:15–20; 23:26–27).

• all the treasures: During his earlier attack on Jerusalem in 605 BC, Nebuchadnezzar took some of the temple treasures as loot (2 Chronicles 36:7; Daniel 1:2). He now took all the treasures. Anything left behind was taken during his final attack on Jerusalem in 586 BC (2 Kings 25:15).

• Along with Jehoiachin, the prophet Ezekiel was also taken into captivity (Ezekiel 1:1). The book of Ezekiel dates events in his life based on the years since Jehoiachin's capture.

• The 10,000 people taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar likely included:

  • 7,000 troops,

  • 1,000 craftsmen and artisans, and

  • several administrative officials and leading citizens of Jerusalem.

  The number 10,000 is probably an estimate (see also Jeremiah 52:28).

• Like the three kings before him, Mattaniah was given a throne name. His throne name was Zedekiah.

• Jehoiachin’s uncle: See 1 Chronicles 3:15–16.

• Zedekiah ruled Jerusalem for eleven years, from 597 to 586 BC, and was as evil as Jehoiakim (2 Kings 23:36–37). The Lord was punishing Jerusalem and Judah for their sins (see 2 Kings 17:19; 20:16–17; 21:12–15; 22:15–20; 23:26–27).

• Zedekiah also rebelled: His rebellion might have been part of an anti-Babylonian alliance led by Pharaoh Apries of Egypt. When Apries became king around 589 BC, he wanted to restore Egypt's former glory. Zedekiah seemed to trust him (compare Ezekiel 17:15–18). However, like earlier kings (2 Kings 17:4; 24:1–3), Zedekiah found that Egypt offered little help (compare 2 Kings 18:20–21; Jeremiah 37:3–10; Ezekiel 29:6–7).