The Fall And Captivity of Judah
September 30, 2021
Commentary
Babylon conquered Assyria and became the new world power. In the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign, Nebuchadnezzar marched against Jerusalem and surrounded it (vv. 1-3). After 18 months of siege the Babylonians broke through the wall and completely destroyed the city. Zedekiah and the remaining soldiers fled by night through a gate in the wall and headed toward the Jordan Valley. However, they were overtaken and captured near Jericho. They were taken to Nebuchadnezzar’s field headquarters north of Damascus in Syria. Nebuchadnezzar slaughtered Zedekiah’s sons before his eyes. Then he was blinded and taken to Babylon which would make further rebellion virtually impossible (vv. 4-7).
About four weeks after the breakthrough into the city Nebuchadnezzar sent his imperial guard to Jerusalem. They burned every important building including the temple and the royal palace. Then they proceeded to break down the city walls so they could not defend themselves against their Babylonian conquerors. Anything that was made of gold, silver or brass was taken as spoil (vv. 13-17). The leading citizens of the city, who had probably been leaders in resisting Nebuchadnezzar were also taken into exile. The only people left were the poorest farmers who were to keep the land from growing completely wild.
Application
Time and again God in His dealing with Judah demonstrated His mercy in the face of deserved judgement by giving the people repeated opportunities to repent. The same is true as he deals with man today.
2 Kings 25:1– 21 (NET)
1 So King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came against Jerusalem with his whole army and set up camp outside it. They built siege ramps all around it. He arrived on the tenth day of the tenth month in the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign. 2 The city remained under siege until King Zedekiah’s eleventh year. 3 By the ninth day of the fourth month the famine in the city was so severe the residents had no food. 4 The enemy broke through the city walls, and all the soldiers tried to escape. They left the city during the night. They went through the gate between the two walls, which is near the king’s garden. (The Babylonians were all around the city.) Then they headed for the rift valley. 5 But the Babylonian army chased after the king. They caught up with him in the rift valley plains of Jericho, and his entire army deserted him. 6 They captured the king and brought him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah, where he passed sentence on him. 7 Zedekiah’s sons were executed while Zedekiah was forced to watch. The king of Babylon then had Zedekiah’s eyes put out, bound him in bronze chains, and carried him off to Babylon.
8 On the seventh day of the fifth month, in the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, Nebuzaradan, the captain of the royal guard, who served the king of Babylon, arrived in Jerusalem. 9 He burned down the Lord’s temple, the royal palace, and all the houses in Jerusalem, including every large house. 10 The whole Babylonian army that came with the captain of the royal guard tore down the walls that surrounded Jerusalem. 11 Nebuzaradan, the captain of the royal guard, deported the rest of the people who were left in the city, those who had deserted to the king of Babylon, and the rest of the craftsmen. 12 But he left behind some of the poor of the land and gave them fields and vineyards.
13 The Babylonians broke the two bronze pillars in the Lord’s temple, as well as the movable stands and the big bronze basin called “The Sea.” They took the bronze to Babylon. 14 They also took the pots, shovels, trimming shears, pans, and all the bronze utensils used by the priests. 15 The captain of the royal guard took the golden and silver censers and basins. 16 The bronze of the items that King Solomon made for the Lord’s temple—including the two pillars, the big bronze basin called “The Sea,” the twelve bronze bulls under “The Sea,” and the movable stands—was too heavy to be weighed. 17 Each of the pillars was about twenty-seven feet high. The bronze top of one pillar was about 4½ feet high and had bronze latticework and pomegranate-shaped ornaments all around it. The second pillar with its latticework was like it.
18 The captain of the royal guard took Seraiah, the chief priest, and Zephaniah, the priest who was second in rank, and the three doorkeepers. 19 From the city he took a eunuch who was in charge of the soldiers, five of the king’s advisers who were discovered in the city, an official army secretary who drafted citizens for military service, and sixty citizens from the people of the land who were discovered in the city. 20 Nebuzaradan, captain of the royal guard, took them and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah. 21 The king of Babylon ordered them to be executed at Riblah in the territory of Hamath. So Judah was deported from its land.