2 Kings 24

This chapter details the beginning of the end for the kingdom of Judah. Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon exerts his dominance over Judah, forcing its kings into submission, and begins deporting its people. Jehoiakim's rebellion against Babylon triggers God's judgment, leading to raids and ultimately the exile of the elite. The chapter marks a critical point where Judah's leadership collapses, and the nation's decline deepens with successive kings, culminating in Babylonian captivity.

2 Kings 24:1-2 (NKJV)
1 In his days Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up, and Jehoiakim became his vassal for three years. Then he turned and rebelled against him.
2 And the Lord sent against him raiding bands of Chaldeans, bands of Syrians, bands of Moabites, and bands of the people of Ammon. He sent them against Judah to destroy it, according to the word of the Lord which He had spoken by His servants the prophets.

Jehoiakim, king of Judah, became a vassal to Nebuchadnezzar, the powerful king of Babylon. After three years, Jehoiakim rebelled, which led to God's judgment on Judah. The raiding bands from various nations, including the Chaldeans, Syrians, Moabites, and Ammonites, were sent by God to carry out His judgment on Judah, fulfilling the warnings delivered by the prophets. This marks the beginning of Judah's downfall due to their persistent disobedience.

2 Kings 24:3-4 (NKJV)
3 Surely at the commandment of the Lord this came upon Judah, to remove them from His sight because of the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he had done,
4 and also because of the innocent blood that he had shed; for he had filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, which the Lord would not pardon.

The destruction brought upon Judah was directly due to God’s judgment. The sins of Manasseh, who had led Judah into idolatry and the shedding of innocent blood, were a key reason for this punishment. Even though Manasseh had been dead for some time, the consequences of his actions persisted. The violence and corruption during his reign had deeply stained Jerusalem, and God’s decision to punish the nation was irrevocable.

2 Kings 24:5-7 (NKJV)
5 Now 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?
6 So Jehoiakim rested with his fathers. Then Jehoiachin his son reigned in his place.
7 And the king of Egypt did not come out of his land anymore, for the king of Babylon had taken all that belonged to the king of Egypt from the Brook of Egypt to the River Euphrates.

Jehoiakim’s reign came to an end, and his son Jehoiachin succeeded him. During this time, Egypt, which had once been a significant player in the region, no longer posed a threat because Babylon had taken control of its territories. Nebuchadnezzar’s dominance extended from Egypt to the Euphrates River, making him the uncontested ruler in the region. This shift in power further emphasized Judah’s vulnerable position under Babylonian rule.

2 Kings 24:8-9 (NKJV)
8 Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. His mother’s name was Nehushta the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem.
9 And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father had done.

Jehoiachin, though only eighteen years old, followed the sinful path of his father Jehoiakim. His reign was brief, lasting only three months, but it was marked by the same disobedience and evil in the sight of God. This short reign highlighted the continued moral decay in Judah, even after repeated warnings and judgments from God.

2 Kings 24:10-12 (NKJV)
10 At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against Jerusalem, and the city was besieged.
11 And Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came against the city, as his servants were besieging it.
12 Then Jehoiachin king of Judah, his mother, his servants, his princes, and his officers went out to the king of Babylon; and the king of Babylon, in the eighth year of his reign, took him prisoner.

Nebuchadnezzar's army laid siege to Jerusalem during Jehoiachin's short reign. Facing overwhelming pressure, Jehoiachin, along with his officials and family, surrendered to Nebuchadnezzar. The Babylonian king took him captive, marking another stage in the downfall of Judah. The capture of the king and his family symbolized the submission of Judah to Babylon's power.

2 Kings 24:13-14 (NKJV)
13 And he carried out from there all the treasures of the house of the Lord and the treasures of the king’s house, and he cut in pieces all the articles of gold which Solomon king of Israel had made in the temple of the Lord, as the Lord had said.
14 Also he carried into captivity all Jerusalem: all the captains and all the mighty men of valor, ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and smiths. None remained except the poorest people of the land.

Nebuchadnezzar plundered the temple and the royal palace, taking away the treasures, including sacred items made by Solomon. This fulfilled God’s earlier warnings about the destruction of the temple. Additionally, he deported a large portion of Jerusalem’s population, including its leaders, soldiers, and skilled workers, leaving only the poorest in the land. This exile marked a significant loss of the nation's strength, wealth, and leadership.

2 Kings 24:15-16 (NKJV)
15 And he carried Jehoiachin captive to Babylon. The king’s mother, the king’s wives, his officers, and the mighty of the land he carried into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon.
16 All the valiant men, seven thousand, and craftsmen and smiths, one thousand, all who were strong and fit for war, these the king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon.

Jehoiachin, along with his family, high-ranking officials, and the nation’s best soldiers and craftsmen, was deported to Babylon. By taking the elite of the society, Nebuchadnezzar effectively weakened Judah, ensuring that it would not be able to rebel or recover easily. This deportation was a crucial part of Babylon's strategy to dominate the region and secure its rule over Judah.

2 Kings 24:17-18 (NKJV)
17 Then the king of Babylon made Mattaniah, Jehoiachin’s uncle, king in his place, and changed his name to Zedekiah.
18 Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.

Nebuchadnezzar installed Mattaniah, Jehoiachin’s uncle, as a puppet king in Judah, renaming him Zedekiah. This name change was a symbol of Babylon’s control over him. Zedekiah was only twenty-one years old when he became king and ruled for eleven years under Babylon’s authority. His reign was marked by subservience to Babylon but also by growing unrest.

2 Kings 24:19-20 (NKJV)
19 He also did evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all that Jehoiakim had done.
20 For because of the anger of the Lord this happened in Jerusalem and Judah, that He finally cast them out from His presence. Then Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.

Like the kings before him, Zedekiah continued in evil, ignoring God's commands and leading the nation further into sin. This rebellion against God contributed to the final judgment on Judah. Eventually, Zedekiah also rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar, which would lead to the ultimate downfall of Jerusalem and the end of Judah as an independent nation.