And the whole army of the Chaldeans under the captain of the guard broke down the walls around Jerusalem. And the whole armyThis phrase emphasizes the totality and unity of the Chaldean forces. The Chaldeans, synonymous with the Babylonians, were a dominant power in the ancient Near East. Historically, their military might was formidable, and their campaigns were often characterized by overwhelming force. The Hebrew word for "army" (חַיִל, chayil) can also denote strength or valor, underscoring the might of the Babylonian forces. This phrase sets the stage for the complete and devastating action that follows, highlighting the inevitability of Jerusalem's fall due to the sheer power arrayed against it. of the Chaldeans
The Chaldeans were a Semitic people who rose to prominence in the late 7th century BC, eventually establishing the Neo-Babylonian Empire. Their mention here is significant as it marks the fulfillment of prophetic warnings given by prophets like Jeremiah, who foretold Babylon's role as an instrument of God's judgment against Judah. The Chaldeans were known for their advancements in astronomy and mathematics, but biblically, they are often remembered for their role in the destruction of Jerusalem and the subsequent Babylonian Exile. under the captain of the guard
The "captain of the guard" refers to a high-ranking Babylonian official, likely Nebuzaradan, who is mentioned later in the chapter. In Hebrew, the term used is רַב־טַבָּחִים (rav tabbachim), which can be translated as "chief executioner" or "chief of the bodyguard." This title indicates a position of significant authority and responsibility, tasked with carrying out the king's orders. The presence of such a high-ranking official underscores the importance of the mission and the seriousness with which the Babylonians approached the siege and destruction of Jerusalem. broke down the walls
The act of breaking down the walls signifies the complete defeat and humiliation of Jerusalem. In ancient times, city walls were symbols of strength and protection. Their destruction not only left the city vulnerable but also represented the loss of national identity and divine favor. The Hebrew verb used here, נָתַץ (natats), conveys a sense of tearing down or demolishing, indicating thorough and intentional destruction. This action fulfilled the prophecies of judgment against Judah for their persistent idolatry and disobedience to God. around Jerusalem
Jerusalem, the city of David and the spiritual heart of Israel, was more than just a political capital; it was the center of Jewish worship and identity. The walls of Jerusalem had withstood previous sieges, but their fall to the Babylonians marked a pivotal moment in Jewish history. Theologically, this event is seen as a divine judgment, yet it also set the stage for future restoration and hope, as prophesied by Isaiah and others. The destruction of the walls around Jerusalem serves as a somber reminder of the consequences of turning away from God, but also as a prelude to eventual redemption and return. Persons / Places / Events 1. ChaldeansA people from southern Babylonia, known for their military prowess and as a dominant force in the Neo-Babylonian Empire. They played a significant role in the destruction of Jerusalem. 2. Captain of the GuardThis title refers to Nebuzaradan, a high-ranking Babylonian official responsible for overseeing the destruction of Jerusalem and the deportation of its inhabitants. 3. JerusalemThe capital city of Judah, central to Jewish identity and worship. Its destruction marked a significant moment of judgment and exile for the people of Judah. 4. Walls of JerusalemThese walls symbolized the strength and protection of the city. Their destruction represented the complete defeat and vulnerability of Jerusalem. 5. Babylonian ExileThe period following the destruction of Jerusalem when many Jews were taken captive to Babylon, marking a pivotal moment in Jewish history. Teaching Points The Consequences of DisobedienceThe destruction of Jerusalem serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of turning away from God's commandments. It calls believers to examine their own lives for areas of disobedience and to seek repentance. God's Sovereignty in JudgmentThe event underscores God's control over nations and history. Even in judgment, God is sovereign, using nations like Babylon to fulfill His purposes. Believers can trust in God's ultimate plan, even when circumstances seem dire. Hope Beyond DestructionWhile the fall of Jerusalem was devastating, it was not the end of God's plan for His people. The exile set the stage for eventual restoration and return, reminding believers that God can bring hope and renewal from the ashes of judgment. The Importance of Spiritual FortificationJust as the physical walls of Jerusalem were broken down, spiritual defenses can be compromised by sin and neglect. Believers are encouraged to build and maintain strong spiritual walls through prayer, scripture, and community. Bible Study Questions 1. What lessons can we learn from the destruction of Jerusalem about the importance of obedience to God? 2. How does the sovereignty of God, as demonstrated in the fall of Jerusalem, provide comfort in times of personal or national crisis? 3. In what ways can we ensure that our spiritual "walls" are strong and fortified against the challenges of life? 4. How does the Babylonian Exile foreshadow the hope of restoration and redemption found in Christ? 5. What parallels can you draw between the warnings given to Jerusalem and the warnings found in the New Testament for believers today? Connections to Other Scriptures Jeremiah 39:8This passage parallels the account in 2 Kings, describing the burning of Jerusalem and the breaking down of its walls, emphasizing the fulfillment of prophetic warnings. Lamentations 2:8-9These verses poetically lament the destruction of Jerusalem, highlighting the Lord's role in allowing the city's downfall due to the people's disobedience. Ezekiel 33:21-22Ezekiel receives news of Jerusalem's fall, which serves as a turning point in his prophetic ministry, shifting focus from judgment to restoration. People Ahikam, Babylonians, Careah, Elishama, Evilmerodach, Gedaliah, Ishmael, Jaazaniah, Jehoiachin, Johanan, Kareah, Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuzaradan, Nethaniah, Seraiah, Shaphan, Solomon, Tanhumeth, Zedekiah, ZephaniahPlaces Arabah, Babylon, Egypt, Hamath, Jericho, Jerusalem, Mizpah, RiblahTopics Army, Body-guard, Brake, Broke, Broken, Captain, Chaldaean, Chaldeans, Chalde'ans, Chaldees, Chief, Commander, Executioners, Forces, Guard, Imperial, Jerusalem, Round, Sides, WallsDictionary of Bible Themes 2 Kings 25:1-11 5529 sieges 2 Kings 25:1-12 7245 Judah, kingdom of 2 Kings 25:1-21 4215 Babylon
7217 exile, in Babylon 2 Kings 25:8-11 5214 attack
5607 warfare, examples 2 Kings 25:8-12 1035 God, faithfulness
7135 Israel, people of God 2 Kings 25:8-15 5508 ruins 2 Kings 25:10-11 5208 armies
5354 invasions Library The End
'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. 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. 4. And the city was broken up, and all the …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy ScriptureThe Last Agony
'In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army against Jerusalem, and they besieged it. 2. And in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, the ninth day of the month, the city was broken up. 3. And all the princes of the king of Babylon came in, and sat in the middle gate, even Nergal-sharezer, Samgar-nebo, Sarse-chim, Rab-saris, Nergal-sharezer, Rab-mag, with all the residue of the princes of the king of Babylon. …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture 'As Sodom'
'Zedekiah was one and twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. 2. And he did that which was evil in the eyes of the Lord, according to all that Jehoiakim had done. 3. For through the anger of the Lord it came to pass in Jerusalem and Judah, till he had cast them out from his presence, that Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon. 4. And it came to pass, in the ninth year of his reign, …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture The Country of Jericho, and the Situation of the City.
Here we will borrow Josephus' pencil, "Jericho is seated in a plain, yet a certain barren mountain hangs over it, narrow, indeed, but long; for it runs out northward to the country of Scythopolis,--and southward, to the country of Sodom, and the utmost coast of the Asphaltites." Of this mountain mention is made, Joshua 2:22, where the two spies, sent by Joshua, and received by Rahab, are said to "conceal themselves." "Opposite against this, lies a mountain on the other side Jordan, beginning from …
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica How those who Use Food Intemperately and those who Use it Sparingly are to be Admonished.
(Admonition 20.) Differently to be admonished are the gluttonous and the abstinent. For superfluity of speech, levity of conduct, and lechery accompany the former; but the latter often the sin of impatience, and often that of pride. For were it not the case that immoderate loquacity carries away the gluttonous, that rich man who is said to have fared sumptuously every day would not burn more sorely than elsewhere in his tongue, saying, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he …
Leo the Great—Writings of Leo the Great The Historical Books.
1. In the Pentateuch we have the establishment of the Theocracy, with the preparatory and accompanying history pertaining to it. The province of the historical books is to unfold its practiced working, and to show how, under the divine superintendence and guidance, it accomplished the end for which it was given. They contain, therefore, primarily, a history of God's dealings with the covenant people under the economy which he had imposed upon them. They look at the course of human events on the …
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible Backsliding.
"I will heal their backsliding; I will love them freely: for Mine anger is turned away."--Hosea xiv. 4. There are two kinds of backsliders. Some have never been converted: they have gone through the form of joining a Christian community and claim to be backsliders; but they never have, if I may use the expression, "slid forward." They may talk of backsliding; but they have never really been born again. They need to be treated differently from real back-sliders--those who have been born of the incorruptible …
Dwight L. Moody—The Way to God and How to Find It 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 Formation and History of the Hebrew Canon.
1. The Greek word canon (originally a straight rod or pole, measuring-rod, then rule) denotes that collection of books which the churches receive as given by inspiration of God, and therefore as constituting for them a divine rule of faith and practice. To the books included in it the term canonical is applied. The Canon of the Old Testament, considered in reference to its constituent parts, was formed gradually; formed under divine superintendence by a process of growth extending through …
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 Links 2 Kings 25:10 NIV2 Kings 25:10 NLT2 Kings 25:10 ESV2 Kings 25:10 NASB2 Kings 25:10 KJV
2 Kings 25:10 Commentaries
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