Bible Commentaries
2 Kings 25

Verses 1-7

2 Kings 24:18 to 2 Kings 25:7 . Zedekiah. Destruction of Temple and City.— This event is related more fully in Jeremiah. Zedekiah seems to have been well-meaning but weak, and inclined to favour Jeremiah when not hindered by his nobles. The siege of Jerusalem, which lasted nearly two years ( 2 Kings 25:1-4), is more fully related in Jeremiah 37:1 to Jeremiah 39:7.

2 Kings 24:6 . and they gave judgement upon him: Zedekiah’ s offence was intriguing with Egypt and breaking his treaty with Nebuchadrezzar ( Ezekiel 17:15).

Verses 8-26

2 Kings 25:8-26 . Destruction of Jerusalem. Fate of the Remnant.— This again is more fully related in Jeremiah ( Jeremiah 39:8 to Jeremiah 42:22), of which the passage before us is probably an abridgement.

2 Kings 25:8 . Nebuzar-adan treated Jeremiah with marked favour ( Jeremiah 40:8).

2 Kings 25:22 . Gedaliah established himself at Mizpah in Benjamin ( Joshua 8:26). His murder by Ishmael was the ruin of the remnant, which escaped to Egypt, taking Jeremiah with them (p. 73).

Verses 27-30

2 Kings 25:27-30 . Jehoiachin Restored to Honour.— Nebuchadrezzar succeeded his father 605 B.C., and reigned till 562 B.C. The first captivity took place thirty-seven years before Jehoiachin’ s release, or about 598 B.C. Evil-Merodach, the successor of Nebuchadrezzar, only reigned two years, till 560 B.C. There is no record of the year of Jehoiachin’ s death, and consequently of the earliest possible date of the Book of Kings in its present form.