2 Kings

Continues the story of the divided kingdoms, their decline, and eventual exile.

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.

In the ninth year of King Nebuchadnezzar's rule, on the tenth month's tenth day, he and his army arrived to attack Jerusalem. They set up defenses all around the city.

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

The city was under attack for eleven years during King Zedekiah's reign.

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.

On the ninth day of the fourth month, the city had a severe food shortage, and the people couldn't find any bread.

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 split apart, and all the soldiers ran away at night through a gate between two walls near the king's garden. This happened because the Chaldeans surrounded the city. The king then went towards the open land.

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.

The Chaldean army chased the king and caught up with him in the Jericho plains. His entire army then scattered away from him.

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

They captured the king and brought him to the Babylonian king at Riblah, where they judged 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 killed Zedekiah's sons while he watched, blinded Zedekiah, chained him with bronze chains, and took 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:

In the fifth month, on the seventh day, during the 19th year of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, Nebuzaradan, the head guard, arrived in Jerusalem to serve the Babylonian king.

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 set fire to the Lord's house, the king's house, all homes in Jerusalem, and burned the big people's houses with fire.

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

And all the Chaldean soldiers, along with their leader, broke down the walls around Jerusalem.

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.

Now, the remaining people in the city and those who ran away to the king of Babylon were taken away by Nebuzaradan, the leader of the guards.

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

But the head guard let some poor people stay to become grape caretakers and farmers.

13 And 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.

The bronze pillars, bases, and large bronze basin in the LORD's house were destroyed by the Chaldeans, who took the bronze and brought it to Babylon.

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.

And they removed the pots, shovels, snuffers, spoons, and all the bronze tools used for serving, taking them away.

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.

The captain of the guard took away the gold and silver items, including firepans and bowls, made of their respective metals.

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.

The two columns, one big water area, and the supports that Solomon created for God's home; the brass in all these objects was too heavy to measure.

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

The one pillar's height was 18 units, and its top part was made of brass. The top part was 3 units tall. It had a twisted design and pomegranates around it, all made of brass. The second pillar looked similar with the same twisting design.

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

The leader of the guards captured Seraiah, the main priest, Zephaniah, the second priest, and the three door watchmen.

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:

He chose an army officer, five important men close to the king, the main person who counted soldiers, and 60 other people from the city involved with the military.

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

Nebuzaradan, the head guard, took these items and brought them to the Babylonian king at Riblah.

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 of Babylon attacked and killed them in Riblah, a place in Hamath's land. As a result, the people of Judah were taken from their homeland.

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.

Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, left some people in Judah's land and made Gedaliah, a descendant of Ahikam and Shaphan, their leader.

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.

When all the army leaders and their soldiers heard that the king of Babylon made Gedaliah in charge, Ishmael, Johanan, Seraiah, and Jaazaniah along with their people came to Gedaliah at a place called Mizpah.

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.

Gedaliah promised the people that they shouldn't worry about being servants of the Chaldeans. He told them to live in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and everything would be okay.

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.

In the seventh month, Ishmael, a descendant of the royal family, arrived with ten men and killed Gedaliah, causing both Jews and Chaldeans present at Mizpah to also die.

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.

All the people, big and small, and the army leaders, got up and went to Egypt because they were scared of the Chaldeans.

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;

In the 37th year of King Jehoiachin's captivity in Judah, during the twelfth month and the 20th day, King Evilmerodach of Babylon raised Jehoiachin's status from prison. This happened at the start of Evilmerodach's reign.

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

He spoke nicely to him and placed his seat higher than the seats of the other kings with him in Babylon.

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

He switched to regular clothes and ate bread every day for the rest of his life.

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.

He received a constant allowance from the king, a daily payment each day, for his entire life.

read summary

Back to Chapters

Back to Books