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Exposition of the Old and New Testament, by John Gill, [1746-63], at sacred-texts.com


4 Kings (2 Kings) Chapter 25

4 Kings (2 Kings)

kg2 25:0

INTRODUCTION TO 2 KINGS 25

In this chapter is an account of the siege, taking, and burning of the city of Jerusalem, and of the carrying captive the king and the inhabitants to Babylon, Kg2 25:1, as also of the pillars and vessels of the temple brought thither, Kg2 25:13 and of the putting to death several of the principal persons of the land, Kg2 25:18, and of the miserable condition of the rest under Gedaliah, whom Ishmael slew, Kg2 25:23, and the chapter, and so the history, is concluded with the kindness Jehoiachin met with from the king of Babylon, after thirty seven years' captivity, Kg2 25:27.

4 Kings (2 Kings) 25:1

kg2 25:1

And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign,.... Of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah. From hence to the end of Kg2 25:7, the account exactly agrees with Jer 52:4.

4 Kings (2 Kings) 25:8

kg2 25:8

And in the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month,.... In Jer 52:12 it is the tenth day of the month; which, how to be reconciled; see Gill on Jer 52:12.

which is the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar; who, according to Ptolemy's canon, reigned forty three years; Metasthenes (u) says forty five; and from hence, to the end of Kg2 25:12 facts are related as in Jer 52:12 whither the reader is referred.

(u) De Judicio Temp. & Annal. Pers. fol. 221. 2.

4 Kings (2 Kings) 25:13

kg2 25:13

And the pillars of brass that were in the house of the Lord,.... The two pillars in the temple, Jachin and Boaz. Benjamin of Tudela says (w), that in the church of St. Stephen in Rome these pillars now are with the name of Solomon engraved on each; and the Jews at Rome told him, when there, (in the twelfth century,) that on the ninth of Ab (the day the temple was destroyed) every year sweat was found upon them like water; the one, I suppose, will equally be believed as the other, since it is here expressly said that the Chaldeans broke them in pieces. From hence, to the end of Kg2 25:17 is the same with Jer 52:7, where it is rather more largely and fully expressed; only there is this difference here in Kg2 25:17 the height of the chapiter of a pillar is said to be three cubits, there five cubits; for the reconciliation of which; see Gill on Jer 52:22.

(w) Itinerar. p. 13.

4 Kings (2 Kings) 25:18

kg2 25:18

And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest,.... The sagan, or deputy priest, who officiated for the high priest, when by any means he was rendered unfit and incapable; so Joseph, the son of Ellem, as Josephus (x) relates, officiated for Matthias, when defiled with a nocturnal pollution; and seven days before the day of atonement they always substituted one under the high priest, lest anything of this kind should happen to him (y). From hence, to the end of Kg2 25:21 the account is the same as in Jer 52:25, only here in Kg2 25:19 it is said, that five men that were in the king's presence were taken, there seven men; to account for which; see Gill on Jer 52:25.

(x) Antiqu. l. 17. c. 6. sect. 4. (y) Misn. Yoma, c. 1. sect. 1.

4 Kings (2 Kings) 25:22

kg2 25:22

And as for the people that remained,.... That were left in the land to be vinedressers and husbandmen; over these the king of Babylon made Gedaliah governor, to whom the captains, with their scattered troops, came, and submitted for a time; of whom; see Gill on Jer 40:7; see Gill on Jer 40:8; see Gill on Jer 40:9.

4 Kings (2 Kings) 25:25

kg2 25:25

And it came to pass in the seventh month,.... Not of Gedaliah's government, but of the year, the month Tisri or September, near two months after the destruction of Jerusalem; the Jews say fifty two days after it; of the death of Gedaliah, and the man that slew him, as here related; see Gill on Jer 41:1, Jer 41:2, Jer 41:3.

4 Kings (2 Kings) 25:26

kg2 25:26

And all the people, both small and great,.... High and low, rich and poor, among whom were the king's daughters, committed to the care of Gedaliah, and also the prophets Jeremiah and Baruch, see Jer 41:16.

and the captains of the armies rose, and came to Egypt; contrary to the express command of God; these were Johanan, and the captain of the forces with him, Jer 43:4.

for they were afraid of the Chaldees; lest they should come and avenge the death of Gedaliah, appointed governor of Judea, see Jer 41:17.

4 Kings (2 Kings) 25:27

kg2 25:27

And it came to pass in the thirty and seventh year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah,.... Who must then be fifty five years of age:

in the twelfth month, on the twenty and seventh day of the month; in Jer 52:31 it is said to be the twenty fifth day; of the reason of which difference; see Gill on Jer 52:31,

that Evilmerodach king of Babylon; who is supposed, by some (z)", to be the same with Belshazzar, and his successor Neriglissar, the same with Darius the Mede in Daniel. From hence, to the end of the chapter, the same account is given of the kindness of this king to Jehoiachin, as in Jer 52:31. See Gill on Jer 52:31; see Gill on Jer 52:32; see Gill on Jer 52:33; see Gill on Jer 52:34.Metasthenes (a) calls him Amilinus Evilmerodach, and says he reigned thirty years, and makes Belshazzar, or Baltassar, as he calls him, his third son.

(z) Vid. Lampe, Eccles. Hist. l. 1. c. 7. sect. 18. (a) Ut supra. (De Judicio Temp. & Annal. Pers. fol. 221. 2.)


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