1 Jerusalem is besieged.
4 Zedekiah taken, his sons slain, his eyes put out.
8 Nebuzar-adan defaces the city, carries the remnant, except a few poor labourers, into captivity;
13 and spoils and carries away the treasures.
18 The nobles are slain at Riblah.
22 Gedaliah, who was over them that remained, being slain, the rest flee into Egypt.
27 Evil-merodach advances Jehoiachin in his court.

A.M. 3414. B.C. 590. in the ninth. This according to the computation of Archbishop Usher, was on Thursday, January 30th, A.M. 3414, which was a sabbatical year; wherein they proclaimed liberty to their servants, according to the law, but soon enthralled them again. (See Jer 34:8-10.)

2Ch 36:17-21 Jer 34:2,3-6 39:1-10 52:4,5-11 Eze 24:1,2-14

Nebuchadnezzar. 24:1,10 1Ch 6:15 Jer 27:8 32:28 43:10 51:34 Eze 26:7

Nebuchadrezzar. Da 4:1-18

pitched. Isa 29:3 Jer 32:24 Eze 4:1-8 21:22-24 Lu 19:43,44

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

3 And 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.

A.M. 3416. B.C. 588. the ninth day. Jer 39:2 52:6 Zec 8:19

the famine. Le 26:26 De 28:52,53 La 4:4-10 Eze 4:9-17 5:10,12 7:15 14:21

there was no. Jer 37:21 38:2

4 And 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.

the city. This being the ninth day of the fourth month, corresponded to Wednesday, July 27.

Jer 5:10 39:2,3 52:6,7-11 Eze 33:21

fled. Le 26:17,36 De 28:25 32:24,25,30 Jer 39:4-7

and the king. 5 Eze 12:12

5 And 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.

and overtook. Isa 30:16 Jer 24:8 39:5 52:8 Am 2:14-16

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

they took. 2Ch 33:11 Jer 21:7 34:21,22 38:23 La 4:19,20 Eze 17:20,21 Eze 21:25-27

Riblah. 23:33 Jer 52:9

gave judgment upon him. Heb. spake judgment with him.

7 And 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.

they slew. Ge 21:16 44:34 De 28:34 Jer 22:30 39:6,7 52:10,11

and put out. Heb. made blind. Thus were fulfilled the apparently contradictory prophecies of Jeremiah and Ezekiel--that his eyes should see the king of Babylon, but Babylon he should not see, though he should die there.

Jer 32:4,5 34:3 Eze 12:13-16

bound him. Jud 16:21 2Ch 33:11 36:6 Ps 107:10,11 149:8 Eze 7:27 17:16-20

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:

in the fifth month. This answered to Wednesday, August 24; and three days after he reduced the temple to ashes, and carried Judah captive; in the 11th year of Zedekiah; the 19th of Nebuchadnezzar; 424 years, 3 months, and 8 days from the foundation of the temple; 468 years from the beginning of the reign of David; 388 years from the division of the ten tribes; and 134 years from their captivity.

Jer 52:12-14 Zec 8:19

the nineteenth. 27 24:12

Nebuzar-adan. Jer 39:9-14 40:1-4 52:12-16 La 4:12

captain. or, chief marshal.

9 And 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.

he burnt. 1Ki 9:8 2Ch 36:19 Ps 74:3-7 79:1 Isa 64:10,11 Jer 7:14 26:9 La 1:10 2:7 Mic 3:12 Lu 21:5,6 Ac 6:13,14

the king's. Jer 34:22 37:8,10 39:8 52:13 Am 2:5

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

brake. Ne 1:3 Jer 5:10 39:8 52:14-23

11 Now 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.

the rest. Jer 15:1,2 39:9 52:12 Eze 5:2 12:15,16 22:15,16

fugitives. Heb. fallen away.

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

left of the poor. 24:14 Jer 39:10 40:7 52:16 Eze 33:24

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

the. 20:17 2Ch 36:18 Jer 27:19-22 52:17-20 La 1:10

pillars. Ex 27:3 1Ki 7:15,27 2Ch 4:12,13

bases. 1Ki 7:23-45 2Ch 4:2-6,14-16

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

the pots. Ex 27:3 38:3 1Ki 7:47-50 2Ch 4:20-22 24:14

15 And 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.

and such things. Ex 37:23 Nu 7:13,14 1Ki 7:48-51 2Ch 24:14 Ezr 1:9-11 Da 5:2,3

16 The 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.

one sea. Heb. the one sea. the brass. 1Ki 7:47

17 The 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 wreathed work, and pomegranates upon the chapiter round about, all of brass: and like unto these had the second pillar with wreathed work.

one pillar. 1Ki 7:15,16 Jer 52:21-23

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

captain. 24,25,26

Seraiah. 1Ch 6:14 Ezr 7:1 Jer 52:24

Zephaniah. Jer 21:1 29:25,29

the second priest. Called by the Jews, sagan, who officiated for the high priest in case of any temporary incapacity.

door. Heb. threshold.

19 And 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:

officer. or, eunuch. were in the king's presence. Heb. saw the king's face. Es 1:14

principal. or, scribe of the captain of the host.

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

and brought. Jer 52:26,27 La 4:16

21 And 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.

the king. These men were put to death as accessories to Zedekiah's rebellion; for the king of Babylon had no doubt found that they had counselled him to revolt.

So Judah. 17:20 23:27 Le 26:33-35 De 4:26 28:36,64 Jer 24:9,10 25:9-11 Eze 12:25-28 24:14 Am 5:27

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.

the people. Jer 40:5,6-12

Gedaliah. 25 Jer 39:14 41:2

Ahikam. 22:12 2Ch 34:20 Jer 26:24

23 And 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.

And when. Jer 40:7-9,11,12

Mizpah. There were several places of the name of Mizpah, or Mizpeh, and we do not certainly know which of them this was; but it is probable that it was that situated east of Jordan, in the mountains of Gilead, (Ge 31:49,) and most contiguous to Babylon; and therefore the most proper for the residence of Gedaliah.

24 And 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.

sware to them. 2Sa 14:11 19:23 Jer 40:9,10 Eze 33:24-29

and it shall be. Jer 40:9 43:6

25 But 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.

seventh. Zec 7:5 8:19

Ishmael. Jer 40:15,16 41:1-15

royal. Heb. of the kingdom. 11:1

26 And 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.

Jer 41:16-18 42:14-22 43:4-7

27 And 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;

A.M. 3442. B.C. 562. it came to pass. Jer 24:5,6 52:31-34

king of Babylon. Pr 21:1

lift up the head. Ge 40:13,20

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

kindly to him. Heb. good things with him. the throne. Jer 27:6-11 Da 2:37 5:18,19

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

changed. 24:12 Ge 41:14,42 Es 4:4 8:15 Isa 61:3 Zec 3:4 Lu 15:22

he did eat bread. 2Sa 9:7

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

a daily rate. Ne 11:23 12:47 Da 1:5 Mt 6:11 Lu 11:3 Ac 6:1

all the days of his life. Ge 48:15,16

CONCLUDING REMARKS ON THE TWO BOOKS OF KINGS.

The events detailed in these books are highly interesting and important. The account of the wisdom, magnificence, and extended commerce of Solomon; the rash and impolitic conduct of Rehoboam; the disobedient prophet; the widow of Zarephath; Elijah and the prophets of Baal; Ben-hadad's pride and defeat; Elijah's assumption into heaven; Elisha's succession to his ministry, and the series of illustrious miracles he performed; the panic flight of the Syrians; the history of Ben-hadad and Hazael; and the predicted death of Ahab and Jezebel, and their children, are all pregnant with instruction, and have furnished themes for frequent dissertation. We perceive in these impressive histories the characters and qualities of men painted with the utmost fidelity, and the attributes of God displayed with great effect: we contemplate the exact accomplishment of God's promises and threatenings, the wisdom of his dispensations, and the mingled justice and mercy of his government. The particulars and circumstances are sketched out with a brief and lively description, and the imagination lingers with pleasure in filling up the striking outlines presented to our view. The authenticity of these books is attested by the prophecies they contain, which were subsequently fulfilled; by the citation of our Saviour and his Apostles; by their universal reception by the Jewish and Christian churches; and by the corresponding testimonies of profane authors and ancient sculptures.