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2 KINGS 24

PARAGRAPH DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

READING CYCLE THREE (see "Bible Interpretation Seminar")

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT THE PARAGRAPH LEVEL

This is a study guide commentary, which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects. Compare your subject divisions with the five translations above. Paragraphing is not inspired, but it is the key to following the original author's intent, which is the heart of interpretation. Every paragraph has one and only one subject.

1. First paragraph
2. Second paragraph
3. Etc.

CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS

1. Jehoiakim was placed on the throne by Pharaoh Necho II after the death of King Josiah. Egypt lost the battle to the Neo-Babylon army at Carchemish in northern Syria, but on the way home, took time to ravage Judah.
   
   
2. Jehoiakim took advantage of a very debilitating battle between Egypt and Neo-Babylon on Egypt's border three years after Egypt's defeat at Carchemish in 605 B.C. (cf. Jer. 46:2-12) to rebel against Babylon.
   
   
3. Jehoiakim died (exactly how is uncertain but note Jer. 22:18-19; 36:30-31) and his hapless son was placed on the throne, but three months later Nebuchadnezzar II returned and besieged Jerusalem. It fell in 605 B.C. the first time and finally under Zedekiah in 587 or 586 B.C. There were several deportations (i.e., 605, 597, 586, 582). See below.
   
   
4. There were several deportations of Judeans to Neo-Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar II.
   1. 605 B.C. ‒ Jehoiakim and Daniel with his three friends
   2. 597 B.C. ‒ Jehoiachin and thousands of artisans
   3. 586 B.C. ‒ Zedekiah and the general population taken and the city of Jerusalem and the temple destroyed
   4. 582 B.C. ‒ at the assassination of the Babylonian-appointed Judean governor, Gedaliah, even more rural people were deported
   
   
5. For further information on Zedekiah's reign, see 2 Chronicles 36 and Jeremiah 39:1-4; Jeremiah 52.

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 24:1-5
  ¹In his days Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up, and Jehoiakim became his servant for three years; then he turned and rebelled against him. ²The Lord sent against him bands of Chaldeans, bands of Arameans, bands of Moabites, and bands of Ammonites. So He sent them against Judah to destroy it, according to the word of the Lord which He had spoken through His servants the prophets. ³Surely at the command of the Lord it came upon Judah, to remove them from His sight because of the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he had done, ⁴and also for the innocent blood which he shed, for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood; and the Lord would not forgive. 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?

24:1 "Nebuchadnezzar" He is known to modern historians as Nebuchadnezzar II. He was also known in his own day as "Rezzar." His name means "Nebo is the protector of my offspring" (BDB 613, AB, p. 306). He reigned from 605-562 B.C.

▣ "king of Babylon" At this time he was not king but crown prince, because his father, Nabopolassar was not yet dead. He died in 605 B.C.

SPECIAL TOPIC: KINGS OF BABYLON

The problem is that the expected OBJECT has dropped out of the MT. AB, p. 306, suggests the easiest solution is "against him" (i.e., Jehoiakim in Jerusalem).

▣ "Jehoiakim" His name is Eliakim, meaning "God sets up" (BDB 45), but it was changed to the throne name, Jehoiakim, meaning "YHWH sets up" (BDB 220).

▣ "rebelled against him" We learn from "The Babylonian Chronicles," which were found in 1956, of a very costly battle three years after Carchemish (i.e., 605 B.C.) between Babylon and Egypt on Egypt's border. See Edwin Yamauchi, The Stones and the Scriptures, p. 83.

24:2 The MT has "and YHWH sent against him," but the LXX thinks the antecedent is Nebuchadnezzar. The Peshitta has "and the Lord stirred up" (cf. 2 Kgs. 21:12-15).

YHWH is in control of historical events (i.e., Isa. 45:7; Amos 3:6). Physical and spiritual creation are in His hands!

▣ "bands" This refers to guerilla military units from surrounding countries working for Nebuchadnezzar II, who was fighting elsewhere.

SPECIAL TOPIC: CHALDEANS

▣ "which He had spoken through His servants the prophets" This is referring to 2 Kgs. 23:27 and possibly 2 Kgs. 21:13-15.

▣ "the command of the Lord" In Hebrew theology there is great emphasis put on the spoken word. It was the method of creation (Genesis 1). It always accomplishes its purpose (cf. Isa. 55:9-11). It became the name of YHWH's Messiah ("the word," cf. 1 John 1).

There is a MSS variant here.

1. command of ‒ NASB, NKJV, NRSV, TEV, JPSOA ‒ פי
2. anger of ‒ NJB, LXX, Peshitta ‒ אף

The UBS Text Project, p. 380, suggests both of these readings are ancient and cannot choose between them. The "anger of the Lord" does appear in v. 20.

24:3 "because of the sins of Manasseh" We learn from 2 Chronicles 33:11-19 that Manasseh personally repented late in his life but his legacy to his people was idolatry and rebellion (cf. 2 Kgs. 21:11-14; 23:26; Jer. 15:4).

24:4 "innocent blood" This is referring to Manasseh's sin (cf. 2 Kgs. 21:16) but possibly Jehoiakim (cf. Jer. 22:17). It may refer to

1. children offered to Molech
2. prophets being killed
3. God's faithful killed

▣ "the Lord would not forgive" God will forgive the repentant, as Manasseh shows, but not the stiff necked, rebellious sinner. These people sinned in the presence of great light.

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE UNPARDONABLE SIN

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE SIN UNTO DEATH

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 24:6-7
  ⁶So Jehoiakim slept with his fathers, and Jehoiachin his son became king in his place. ⁷The king of Egypt did not come out of his land again, for the king of Babylon had taken all that belonged to the king of Egypt from the brook of Egypt to the river Euphrates.

24:6 "So Jehoiakim slept with his fathers" In Jeremiah 36:30 he went unburied, but note the LXX of 2 Chr. 36:8. See notes in Gleason Archer, Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties, pp. 213-214.

▣ "Jehoiachin" His name means "YHWH established" (BDB 220) but he was also called Coniah (BDB 220, cf. Jer. 22:24) or Jeconiah (BDB 220, cf. 1 Chr. 3:16; Matt. 1:11-12).

24:7 "the brook of Egypt" This does not refer to the Nile but Wadi El-Arish, located in modern Gaza. This is the southern boundary of the Promised Land (cf. Gen. 15:18; Num. 34:5; 1 Kgs. 8:65).

▣ "to the river Euphrates" Here, we are speaking of its head waters in Syria.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 24:8-9
  ⁸Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem; and his mother's name was Nehushta the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem. ⁹He did evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father had done.

24:8 "eighteen years old" In 2 Chr. 36:9 it has "eight years old." Because of his wives mentioned in v. 15, "eighteen" seems correct. See notes in Gleason Archer, Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties, pp. 214-216.

I have included my exegetical note from 2 Chr. 36:9.

2 Chr. 36:9
NASB, NKJV, NRSV, JPSOA, REB	"eight"
TEV, NJB, LXX, Peshitta	"eighteen"

The MT has "eight," which the UBS Text Project, p. 490, gives a "B" rating (some doubt). The older age comes from 2 Kgs. 24:8 and the ancient versions and some Hebrew MSS.

The MT has "eight," which is apparently an ancient scribal error (i.e., "ten," BDB 797 dropped out of the text).

1. eight (BDB 1032) ‒ שׁמנה
2. eighteen (i.e., "eight" and "ten") ‒ שׁמנה עשׂרה

See Gleason Archer, Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties, pp. 214-215.

▣ "Nehushta" The name (BDB 639) means "support." In Jeremiah 13:18 she is called "Queen Mother."

▣ "Elnathan" He was a leader under Jehoiakim (cf. Jer. 26:22; 36:12,25).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 24:10-14
  ¹⁰At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon went up to Jerusalem, and the city came under siege. ¹¹And Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon came to the city, while his servants were besieging it. ¹²Jehoiachin the king of Judah went out to the king of Babylon, he and his mother and his servants and his captains and his officials. So the king of Babylon took him captive in the eighth year of his reign. ¹³He carried out from there 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, just as the Lord had said. ¹⁴Then he led away into exile all Jerusalem and all the captains and all the mighty men of valor, ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and the smiths. None remained except the poorest people of the land.

24:12 "went out to" He surrendered in 597 B.C.

▣ "his captains" This refers to Judah's professional military officers. Verse 16 also denotes Judah's best soldiers were also exiled, as were "the craftsmen" who could build more weapons (Jewish Study Bible, p. 776). Daniel and his three friends would have also been exiled at this time. See R. K. Harrison, Old Testament Times, "The Exile," pp 255-269. I really like R. K. Harrison because he makes an attempt to relate the OT to its ANE context.

24:13 This may have been when the ark of the covenant was taken to Babylon (i.e., 597 B.C.). If not here, surely in 587 B.C., when the city and temple were completely destroyed. See note at v. 20.

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE ARK OF THE COVENANT

24:14 "the poorest people of the land" This term usually refers to local leaders but here, because of v. 15, it seems to reflect the NT meaning of the lower social classes.

The MT has the NOUN (BDB 360, KB 358) which denotes artisans skilled in metal, stone, or wood. These are the very people who could help build the buildings and weaponry of Neo-Babylon. Also, it took Judah's skilled workers away and left the nation weakened. See NIDOTTE, vol. 2, pp. 298-299.

The MT has the MASCULINE NOUN (BDB 698, KB 604 II). The root has been explained in two ways.

1. "to close," "to shut" ‒ gatekeeper (Targums)
2. from Arabic root ‒ "to roast" referring to "metal workers," "blacksmiths"

Both possibilities relate to Nebuchadnezzar's attempting to cripple any military response from Judah in the future. See NIDOTTE, vol. 2, pp. 295-296.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 24:15-16
  ¹⁵So he led Jehoiachin away into exile to Babylon; also the king's mother and the king's wives and his officials and the leading men of the land, he led away into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. ¹⁶All the men of valor, seven thousand, and the craftsmen and the smiths, one thousand, all strong and fit for war, and these the king of Babylon brought into exile to Babylon.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 24:17
  ¹⁷Then the king of Babylon made his uncle Mattaniah king in his place, and changed his name to Zedekiah.

I have included my exegetical note from 2 Chr. 36:10.

2 Chr. 26:10
NASB, JPSOA	"his kinsman"
NKJV, NRSV, NJB, Peshitta	"brother"
TEV	"his uncle"
REB, LXX	"his father's brother"

The MT has "brother" (BDB 26) but 2 Kgs. 24:17 calls him "uncle." The Hebrew term "brother" can mean "relative" (cf. Gen. 13:8; 14:14,16; 29:12,15; Num. 16:10; 18:2,6; 2 Sam. 19:12-13; 2 Chr. 22:8).

▣ "Mattaniah" He was the last available son of Josiah (cf. 1 Chr. 3:15; Jer. 25:1) to be the Davidic king. He was the third son ofo Josiah to rule as king of Judah. His name (BDB 682) means "gift of YHWH."

▣ "Zedekiah" His name meant "YHWH is righteous" (BDB 843). This king was very good to Jeremiah (cf. Jer. 38:14-28) in contrast to Jehoiakim, but he was not a godly king (cf. v. 19).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 24:18-20
  ¹⁸Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem; and his mother's name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. ¹⁹He did evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all that Jehoiakim had done. ²⁰For through the anger of the Lord this came about in Jerusalem and Judah until He cast them out from His presence. And Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.

24:18 The text of 2 Kgs. 24:18-25:21 is used in Jeremiah 52. Jeremiah 39:1-10 repeats 2 Kgs. 25:1-12.

24:19 "He did evil in the sight of the Lord" His evil actions are specified in 2 Chr. 36:12-14. See notes online.

24:20 "the anger of the Lord" This is anthropomorphism but expresses truth that God's love can turn to wrath.

SPECIAL TOPIC: ANTHROPOMORPHIC LANGUAGE USED TO DESCRIBE GOD

▣ "He cast them out from His presence" This is a reference to God symbolically dwelling between the Cherubim on the lid of the ark of the covenant in the Holy of Holies. This is a prelude to exile.

▣ "Zedekiah rebelled" This time Nebuchadnezzar II leveled everything in 587 or 586 B.C. Here again is the sad cycle of Judah's king trusting in Egypt for help.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

This is a study guide commentary which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought-provoking, not definitive.

1. Why did the kings of Judah continue to rebel against Babylon?
2. How was Judah affected by Manasseh's sins?
3. Did God let down His part of the Covenant?
4. Is the Covenant conditional or unconditional?
5. Why did God save Jerusalem under Hezekiah but not Zedekiah?

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