2 Kings 24:9
And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, just as his father had done.
And he did evil
This phrase indicates a moral and spiritual failure. The Hebrew word for "evil" is "רַע" (ra), which encompasses not only wickedness but also calamity and disaster. In the context of the kings of Judah, doing evil often meant idolatry, injustice, and leading the nation away from the covenant with God. This phrase sets the tone for the king's reign, highlighting a continuation of sin and rebellion against God's commandments.

in the sight of the LORD
This phrase underscores the omnipresence and omniscience of God. The Hebrew word for "sight" is "עֵינֵי" (einei), meaning "eyes." It conveys the idea that nothing is hidden from God, and He is the ultimate judge of human actions. This serves as a reminder that all actions, whether public or private, are visible to God and subject to His righteous judgment.

just as his father had done
This phrase points to the generational cycle of sin. The king's father, Jehoiakim, also did evil in the sight of the LORD, as recorded in earlier chapters. This highlights the influence of parental example and leadership on the spiritual direction of a nation. It serves as a cautionary note about the impact of ungodly leadership and the importance of breaking cycles of sin through repentance and obedience to God.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Jehoiachin
The king of Judah who reigned for three months. His reign was marked by evil in the sight of the LORD, following the sinful ways of his predecessors.

2. Judah
The southern kingdom of Israel, which was under the rule of Jehoiachin during this period. It was a time of political instability and spiritual decline.

3. The LORD
The covenant God of Israel, who judges the actions of kings and nations according to His righteous standards.

4. Jehoiakim
Jehoiachin's father, whose reign was also characterized by evil practices and disobedience to God.

5. Babylonian Exile
The impending consequence of Judah's persistent sinfulness, leading to the Babylonian captivity.
Teaching Points
The Consequences of Sinful Leadership
Leadership that turns away from God leads to national decline and judgment. Jehoiachin's reign serves as a warning about the impact of ungodly leadership.

Generational Patterns of Sin
Jehoiachin followed in the sinful footsteps of his father, Jehoiakim. This highlights the importance of breaking generational cycles of disobedience and seeking God's ways.

God's Righteous Judgment
Despite the evil actions of leaders, God's judgment is just and serves as a call to repentance and return to His covenant.

The Importance of Personal Responsibility
Each individual, regardless of their heritage, is responsible for their own actions before God. Jehoiachin's failure to seek God emphasizes the need for personal accountability.

Hope Amidst Judgment
Even in the face of judgment, God's promises remain. The Babylonian exile was not the end for Judah, pointing to God's redemptive plan through Christ.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does Jehoiachin's reign reflect the spiritual state of Judah at the time, and what lessons can we learn about the influence of leadership on a nation?

2. In what ways can we identify and break generational patterns of sin in our own lives, drawing from the example of Jehoiachin and his father?

3. How does understanding God's righteous judgment in the Old Testament help us appreciate His grace and mercy in the New Testament?

4. What steps can we take to ensure that we are personally accountable to God, rather than following the negative examples set by others?

5. How can the account of Judah's exile and eventual restoration encourage us to trust in God's redemptive plan, even when facing difficult circumstances?
Connections to Other Scriptures
2 Kings 23:37
This verse provides context by describing Jehoiakim's evil reign, setting a precedent for Jehoiachin's actions.

Jeremiah 22:24-30
Jeremiah prophesies about Jehoiachin, highlighting the consequences of his and his father's disobedience.

2 Chronicles 36:9-10
Offers a parallel account of Jehoiachin's reign and the subsequent Babylonian invasion.

Ezekiel 19:5-9
Uses allegory to describe the downfall of Judah's leaders, including Jehoiachin.
The Advent of NebuchadnezzarJ. Orr 2 Kings 24:1-9
WickednessDavid Thomas, D. D.2 Kings 24:1-16
People
Elnathan, Hamutal, Jehoiachin, Jehoiakim, Jeremiah, Manasseh, Mattaniah, Moabites, Nebuchadnezzar, Nehushta, Solomon, Syrians, Zedekiah
Places
Babylon, Brook of Egypt, Egypt, Euphrates River, Jerusalem, Libnah
Topics
Evil, Fathers, Sight
Dictionary of Bible Themes
2 Kings 24:9

     5887   inexperience

2 Kings 24:8-9

     8739   evil, examples of

Library
The Iranian Conquest
Drawn by Boudier, from the engraving in Coste and Flandin. The vignette, drawn by Faucher-Gudin, from a statuette in terra-cotta, found in Southern Russia, represents a young Scythian. The Iranian religions--Cyrus in Lydia and at Babylon: Cambyses in Egypt --Darius and the organisation of the empire. The Median empire is the least known of all those which held sway for a time over the destinies of a portion of Western Asia. The reason of this is not to be ascribed to the shortness of its duration:
G. Maspero—History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 9

Extracts No. vi.
[Here twelve pages or more of the objector's manuscript are omitted, as the nature of his arguments will pretty fully appear in the reply; and as he has been obliged to rescind the ground he had taken, it is not expedient to publish his remarks. That the reader may see a little of the manner, however, in which he has given up his part of the argument, the following is inserted.] "Speaking however on the evidences of revelation, you have stated some things worthy of serious consideration; which if
Hosea Ballou—A Series of Letters In Defence of Divine Revelation

Tiglath-Pileser iii. And the Organisation of the Assyrian Empire from 745 to 722 B. C.
TIGLATH-PILESER III. AND THE ORGANISATION OF THE ASSYRIAN EMPIRE FROM 745 to 722 B.C. FAILURE OF URARTU AND RE-CONQUEST Of SYRIA--EGYPT AGAIN UNITED UNDER ETHIOPIAN AUSPICES--PIONKHI--THE DOWNFALL OF DAMASCUS, OF BABYLON, AND OF ISRAEL. Assyria and its neighbours at the accession of Tiglath-pileser III.: progress of the Aramaeans in the basin of the Middle Tigris--Urartu and its expansion into the north of Syria--Damascus and Israel--Vengeance of Israel on Damascus--Jeroboam II.--Civilisation
G. Maspero—History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 7

Whether Vengeance Should be Taken on those who have Sinned Involuntarily?
Objection 1: It seems that vengeance should be taken on those who have sinned involuntarily. For the will of one man does not follow from the will of another. Yet one man is punished for another, according to Ex. 20:5, "I am . . . God . . . jealous, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, unto the third and fourth generation." Thus for the sin of Cham, his son Chanaan was curse (Gn. 9:25) and for the sin of Giezi, his descendants were struck with leprosy (4 Kings 5). Again the blood
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

Covenanting a Privilege of Believers.
Whatever attainment is made by any as distinguished from the wicked, or whatever gracious benefit is enjoyed, is a spiritual privilege. Adoption into the family of God is of this character. "He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power (margin, or, the right; or, privilege) to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name."[617] And every co-ordinate benefit is essentially so likewise. The evidence besides, that Covenanting
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting

The Greater Prophets.
1. We have already seen (Chap. 15, Nos. 11 and 12) that from Moses to Samuel the appearances of prophets were infrequent; that with Samuel and the prophetical school established by him there began a new era, in which the prophets were recognized as a distinct order of men in the Theocracy; and that the age of written prophecy did not begin till about the reign of Uzziah, some three centuries after Samuel. The Jewish division of the latter prophets--prophets in the more restricted sense of the
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible

Kings
The book[1] of Kings is strikingly unlike any modern historical narrative. Its comparative brevity, its curious perspective, and-with some brilliant exceptions--its relative monotony, are obvious to the most cursory perusal, and to understand these things is, in large measure, to understand the book. It covers a period of no less than four centuries. Beginning with the death of David and the accession of Solomon (1 Kings i., ii.) it traverses his reign with considerable fulness (1 Kings iii.-xi.),
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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