2 Chronicles 36:6 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

6 Against him came up H5927 Nebuchadnezzar H5019 king H4428 of Babylon, H894 and bound H631 him in fetters, H5178 to carry H3212 him to Babylon. H894

Cross Reference

2 Chronicles 33:11 STRONG

Wherefore the LORD H3068 brought H935 upon them the captains of H8269 the host of H6635 the king H4428 of Assyria, H804 which took H3920 Manasseh H4519 among the thorns, H2336 and bound him H631 with fetters, H5178 and carried H3212 him to Babylon. H894

2 Kings 24:1-2 STRONG

In his days H3117 Nebuchadnezzar H5019 king H4428 of Babylon H894 came up, H5927 and Jehoiakim H3079 became his servant H5650 three H7969 years: H8141 then he turned H7725 and rebelled H4775 against him. And the LORD H3068 sent H7971 against him bands H1416 of the Chaldees, H3778 and bands H1416 of the Syrians, H758 and bands H1416 of the Moabites, H4124 and bands H1416 of the children H1121 of Ammon, H5983 and sent H7971 them against Judah H3063 to destroy H6 it, according to the word H1697 of the LORD, H3068 which he spake H1696 by H3027 his servants H5650 the prophets. H5030

2 Kings 24:5-6 STRONG

Now the rest H3499 of the acts H1697 of Jehoiakim, H3079 and all that he did, H6213 are they not written H3789 in the book H5612 of the chronicles H1697 H3117 of the kings H4428 of Judah? H3063 So Jehoiakim H3079 slept H7901 with his fathers: H1 and Jehoiachin H3078 his son H1121 reigned H4427 in his stead.

2 Kings 24:13-20 STRONG

And he carried out H3318 thence all the treasures H214 of the house H1004 of the LORD, H3068 and the treasures H214 of the king's H4428 house, H1004 and cut in pieces H7112 all the vessels H3627 of gold H2091 which Solomon H8010 king H4428 of Israel H3478 had made H6213 in the temple H1964 of the LORD, H3068 as the LORD H3068 had said. H1696 And he carried away H1540 all Jerusalem, H3389 and all the princes, H8269 and all the mighty men H1368 of valour, H2428 even ten H6235 thousand H505 captives, H1540 and all the craftsmen H2796 and smiths: H4525 none remained, H7604 save H2108 the poorest sort H1803 of the people H5971 of the land. H776 And he carried away H1540 Jehoiachin H3078 to Babylon, H894 and the king's H4428 mother, H517 and the king's H4428 wives, H802 and his officers, H5631 and the mighty H352 H193 of the land, H776 those carried H3212 he into captivity H1473 from Jerusalem H3389 to Babylon. H894 And all the men H582 of might, H2428 even seven H7651 thousand, H505 and craftsmen H2796 and smiths H4525 a thousand, H505 all that were strong H1368 and apt H6213 for war, H4421 even them the king H4428 of Babylon H894 brought H935 captive H1473 to Babylon. H894 And the king H4428 of Babylon H894 made Mattaniah H4983 his father's brother H1730 king H4427 in his stead, and changed H5437 his name H8034 to Zedekiah. H6667 Zedekiah H6667 was twenty H6242 and one H259 years H8141 old H1121 when he began to reign, H4427 and he reigned H4427 eleven H259 H6240 years H8141 in Jerusalem. H3389 And his mother's H517 name H8034 was Hamutal, H2537 the daughter H1323 of Jeremiah H3414 of Libnah. H3841 And he did H6213 that which was evil H7451 in the sight H5869 of the LORD, H3068 according to all that Jehoiakim H3079 had done. H6213 For through the anger H639 of the LORD H3068 it came to pass in Jerusalem H3389 and Judah, H3063 until he had cast them out H7993 from his presence, H6440 that Zedekiah H6667 rebelled H4775 against the king H4428 of Babylon. H894

Jeremiah 25:9 STRONG

Behold, I will send H7971 and take H3947 all the families H4940 of the north, H6828 saith H5002 the LORD, H3068 and Nebuchadrezzar H5019 the king H4428 of Babylon, H894 my servant, H5650 and will bring H935 them against this land, H776 and against the inhabitants H3427 thereof, and against all these nations H1471 round about, H5439 and will utterly destroy H2763 them, and make H7760 them an astonishment, H8047 and an hissing, H8322 and perpetual H5769 desolations. H2723

Ezekiel 19:5-9 STRONG

Now when she saw H7200 that she had waited, H3176 and her hope H8615 was lost, H6 then she took H3947 another H259 of her whelps, H1482 and made H7760 him a young lion. H3715 And he went up and down H1980 among H8432 the lions, H738 he became a young lion, H3715 and learned H3925 to catch H2963 the prey, H2964 and devoured H398 men. H120 And he knew H3045 their desolate palaces, H490 and he laid waste H2717 their cities; H5892 and the land H776 was desolate, H3456 and the fulness H4393 thereof, by the noise H6963 of his roaring. H7581 Then the nations H1471 set H5414 against him on every side H5439 from the provinces, H4082 and spread H6566 their net H7568 over him: he was taken H8610 in their pit. H7845 And they put H5414 him in ward H5474 in chains, H2397 and brought H935 him to the king H4428 of Babylon: H894 they brought H935 him into holds, H4685 that his voice H6963 should no more be heard H8085 upon the mountains H2022 of Israel. H3478

Daniel 1:1-2 STRONG

In the third H7969 year H8141 of the reign H4438 of Jehoiakim H3079 king H4428 of Judah H3063 came H935 Nebuchadnezzar H5019 king H4428 of Babylon H894 unto Jerusalem, H3389 and besieged H6696 it. And the Lord H136 gave H5414 Jehoiakim H3079 king H4428 of Judah H3063 into his hand, H3027 with part H7117 of the vessels H3627 of the house H1004 of God: H430 which he carried H935 into the land H776 of Shinar H8152 to the house H1004 of his god; H430 and he brought H935 the vessels H3627 into the treasure H214 house H1004 of his god. H430

Habakkuk 1:5-10 STRONG

Behold H7200 ye among the heathen, H1471 and regard, H5027 and wonder H8539 marvellously: H8539 for I will work H6466 a work H6467 in your days, H3117 which ye will not believe, H539 though it be told H5608 you. For, lo, I raise up H6965 the Chaldeans, H3778 that bitter H4751 and hasty H4116 nation, H1471 which shall march H1980 through the breadth H4800 of the land, H776 to possess H3423 the dwellingplaces H4908 that are not theirs. They are terrible H366 and dreadful: H3372 their judgment H4941 and their dignity H7613 shall proceed H3318 of themselves. Their horses H5483 also are swifter H7043 than the leopards, H5246 and are more fierce H2300 than the evening H6153 wolves: H2061 and their horsemen H6571 shall spread H6335 themselves, and their horsemen H6571 shall come H935 from far; H7350 they shall fly H5774 as the eagle H5404 that hasteth H2363 to eat. H398 They shall come H935 all for violence: H2555 their faces H6440 shall sup up H4041 as the east wind, H6921 and they shall gather H622 the captivity H7628 as the sand. H2344 And they shall scoff H7046 at the kings, H4428 and the princes H7336 shall be a scorn H4890 unto them: they shall deride H7832 every strong hold; H4013 for they shall heap H6651 dust, H6083 and take H3920 it.

Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 2 Chronicles 36

Commentary on 2 Chronicles 36 Matthew Henry Commentary


Chapter 36

We have here,

  • I. A short but sad account of the utter ruin of Judah and Jerusalem within a few years after Josiah's death.
    • 1. The history of it in the unhappy reigns of Jehoahaz for three months (v. 1-4), Jehoiakim (v. 5-8) for eleven years, Jehoiachin three months (v. 9, 10), and Zedekiah eleven years (v. 11). Additions were made to the national guilt, and advances towards the national destruction, in each of those reigns. The destruction was, at length, completed in the slaughter of multitudes (v. 17), the plundering and burning of the temple and all the palaces, the desolation of the city (v. 18, 19), and the captivity of the people that remained (v. 20).
    • 2. Some remarks upon it-that herein sin was punished, Zedekiah's wickedness (v. 12, 13), the idolatry the people were guilty of (v. 14), and their abuse of God's prophets (v. 15, 16). The word of God was herein fulfilled (v. 21).
  • II. The dawning of the day of their deliverance in Cyrus's proclamation (v. 22, 23).

2Ch 36:1-10

The destruction of Judah and Jerusalem is here coming on by degrees. God so ordered it to show that he has no pleasure in the ruin of sinners, but had rather they would turn and live, and therefore gives them both time and inducement to repent and waits to be gracious. The history of these reigns was more largely recorded in the last three chapters of the second of Kings.

  • 1. Jehoahaz was set up by the people (v. 1), but in one quarter of a year was deposed by Pharaoh-necho, and carried a prisoner to Egypt, and the land fined for setting him up, v. 2-4. Of this young prince we hear no more. Had he trodden in the steps of his father's piety he might have reigned long and prospered; but we are told in the Kings that he did evil in the sight of the Lord, and therefore his triumphing was short and his joy but for a moment.
  • 2. Jehoiakim was set up by the king of Egypt, an old enemy to their land, gave what king he pleased to the kingdom and what name he pleased to the king! v. 4. He made Eliakim king, and called him Jehoiakim, in token of his authority over him. Jehoiakim did that which was evil (v. 5), nay, we read of the abominations which he did (v. 8); he was very wild and wicked. Idolatries generally go under the name of abominations. We hear no more of the king of Egypt, but the king of Babylon came up against him (v. 6), seized him, and bound him with a design to carry him to Babylon; but, it seems, he either changed his mind, and suffered him to reign as his vassal, or death released the prisoner before he was carried away. However the best and most valuable vessels of the temple were now carried away and made use of in Nebuchadnezzar's temple in Babylon (v. 7); for, we may suppose, no temple in the world was so richly furnished as that of Jerusalem. The sin of Judah was that they had brought the idols of the heathen into God's temple; and now their punishment was that the vessels of the temple were carried away to the service of the gods of the nations. If men will profane God's institutions by their sins, it is just with God to suffer them to be profaned by their enemies. These were the vessels which the false prophets flattered the people with hopes of the return of, Jer. 27:16. But Jeremiah told them that the rest should go after them (Jer. 27:21, 22), and they did so. But, as the carrying away of these vessels to Babylon began the calamity of Jerusalem, so Belshazzar's daring profanation of them there filled the measure of the iniquity of Babylon; for, when he drank wine in them to the honour of his gods, the handwriting on the wall presented him with his doom, Dan. 5:3, etc. In the reference to the book of the Kings concerning this Jehoiakim mention is made of that which was found in him (v. 8), which seems to be meant of the treachery that was found in him towards the king of Babylon; but some of the Jewish writers understand it of certain private marks or signatures found in his dead body, in honour of his idol, such cuttings as God had forbidden, Lev. 19:28.
  • 3. Jehoiachin, or Jeconiah, the son of Jehoiakim, attempted to reign in his stead, and reigned long enough to show his evil inclination; but, after three months and ten days, the king of Babylon sent and fetched him away captive, with more of the goodly vessels of the temple. He is here said to be eight years old, but in Kings he is said to be eighteen when he began to reign, so that this seems to be a mistake of the transcriber, unless we suppose that his father took him at eight years old to join with him in the government, as some think.

2Ch 36:11-21

We have here an account of the destruction of the kingdom of Judah and the city of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans. Abraham, God's friend, was called out of that country, from Ur of the Chaldees, when God took him into covenant and communion with himself; and now his degenerate seed were carried into that country again, to signify that they had forfeited all that kindness wherewith they had been regarded for the father's sake, and the benefit of that covenant into which he was called; all was now undone again. Here we have,

  • I. The sins that brought this desolation.
    • 1. Zedekiah, the king in whose days it came, brought it upon himself by his own folly; for he conducted himself very ill both towards God and towards the king of Babylon.
      • (1.) If he had but made God his friend, that would have prevented the ruin. Jeremiah brought him messages from God, which, if he had given due regard to them, might have secured a lengthening of his tranquillity; but it is here charged upon him that he humbled not himself before Jeremiah, v. 12. It was expected that this mighty prince, high as he was, should humble himself before a poor prophet, when he spoke from the mouth of the Lord, should submit to his admonitions and be amended by them, to his counsels and be ruled by them, should lay himself under the commanding power of the word of God in his mouth; and, because he would not thus make himself a servant to God, he was made a slave to his enemies. God will find some way or other to humble those that will not humble themselves. Jeremiah, as a prophet, was set over the nations and kingdoms (Jer. 1:10), and, as mean a figure as he made, whoever would not humble themselves before him found that it was at their peril.
      • (2.) If he had but been true to his covenant with the king of Babylon, that would have prevented his ruin; but he rebelled against him, though he had sworn to be his faithful tributary, and perfidiously violated his engagements to him, v. 13. It was this that provoked the king of Babylon to deal so severely with him as he did. All nations looked upon an oath as a sacred thing, and on those that durst break through the obligations of it as the worst of men, abandoned of God and to be abhorred by all mankind. If therefore Zedekiah falsify his oath, when, lo, he has given his hand, he shall not escape, Eze. 17:18. Though Nebuchadnezzar was a heathen, an enemy, yet if, having sworn to him, he be false to him, he shall know there is a God to whom vengeance belongs. The thing that ruined Zedekiah was not only that he turned not to the Lord God of Israel, but that he stiffened his neck and hardened his heart from turning to him, that is, he as obstinately resolved not to return to him, would not lay his neck under God's yoke nor his heart under the impressions of his word, and so, in effect, he would not be healed, he would not live.
    • 2. The great sin that brought this destruction was idolatry. The priests and people went after the abominations of the heathen, forsook the pure worship of God for the lewd and filthy rites of the Pagan superstition, and so polluted the house of the Lord, v. 14. The priests, the chief of the priests, who should have opposed idolatry, were ring-leaders in it. That place is not far from ruin in which religion is already ruined.
    • 3. The great aggravation of their sin, and that which filled the measure of it, was the abuse they gave to God's prophets, who were sent to call them to repentance, v. 15, 16. Here we have,
      • (1.) God's tender compassion towards them in sending prophets to them. Because he was the God of their fathers, in covenant with them, and whom they worshipped (though this degenerate race forsook him), therefore he sent to them by his messengers, to convince them of their sin and warn them of the ruin they would bring upon themselves by it, rising up betimes and sending, which denotes not only that he did it with the greatest care and concern imaginable, as men rise betimes to set their servants to work when their heart is upon their business, but that, upon their first deviation from God to idols, if they took but one step that way, God immediately sent to them by his messengers to reprove them for it. He gave them early timely notice both of their duty and danger. Let this quicken us to seek God early, that he rises betimes to send to us. The prophets that were sent rose betimes to speak to them, were diligent and faithful in their office, lost no time, slipped no opportunity of dealing with them; and therefore God is said to rise betimes. The more pains ministers take in their work the more will the people have to answer for if it be all in vain. The reason given why God by his prophets did thus strive with them is because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling-lace, and would by these means have prevented their ruin. Note, The methods God takes to reclaim sinners by his word, by ministers, by conscience, by providences, are all instances of his compassion towards them and his unwillingness that any should perish.
      • (2.) Their base and disingenuous carriage towards God (v. 16): They mocked the messengers of God (which was a high affront to him that sent them), despised his word in their mouths, and not only so, but misused the prophets, treating them as their enemies. The ill usage they gave Jeremiah who lived at this time, and which we read much of in the book of his prophecy, is an instance of this. This was an evidence of an implacable enmity to God, and an invincible resolution to go on in their sins. This brought wrath upon them without remedy, for it was sinning against the remedy. Nothing is more provoking to God than abuses given to his faithful ministers; for what is done against them he takes as done against himself. Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? Persecution was the sin that brought upon Jerusalem its final destruction by the Romans. See Mt. 23:34-37. Those that mock at God's faithful ministers, and do all they can to render them despicable or odious, that vex and misuse them, to discourage them and to keep others from hearkening to them, should be reminded that a wrong done to an ambassador is construed as done to the prince that sends him, and that the day is coming when they will find it would have been better for them if they had been thrown into the sea with a mill-stone about their necks; for hell is deeper and more dreadful.
  • II. The desolation itself, and some few of the particular so fit, which we had more largely 2 Ki. 25
    • 1. Multitudes were put to the sword, even in the house of their sanctuary (v. 17), whither they fled for refuge, hoping that the holiness of the place would be their protection. But how could they expect to find it so when they themselves had polluted it with their abominations? v. 14. Those that cast off the dominion of their religion forfeit all the benefit and comfort of it. The Chaldeans not only paid no reverence to the sanctuary, but showed no natural pity either to the tender sex or to venerable age. They forsook God, who had compassion on them (v. 15), and would have none of him; justly therefore are they given up into the hands of cruel men, for they had no compassion on young man or maiden.
    • 2. All the remaining vessels of the temple, great and small, and all the treasures, sacred and secular, the treasures of God's house and of the king and his princes, were seized, and brought to Babylon, v. 18.
    • 3. The temple was burnt, the walls of Jerusalem were demolished, the houses (called here the palaces, as Ps. 48:3, so stately, rich, and sumptuous were they) laid in ashes, and all the furniture, called here the goodly vessels thereof, destroyed, v. 19. Let us see where what woeful havock sin makes, and, as we value the comfort and continuance of our estates, keep that worm from the root of them.
    • 4. The remainder of the people that escaped the sword were carried captives to Babylon (v. 20), impoverished, enslaved, insulted, and exposed to all the miseries, not only of a strange and barbarous land, but of an enemy's land, where those that hated them bore rule over them. They were servants to those monarchs, and no doubt were ruled with rigour so long as that monarchy lasted. Now they sat down by the rivers of Babylon, with the streams of which they mingled their tears, Ps. 137:1. And though there, it should seem, they were cured of idolatry, yet, as appears by the prophet Ezekiel, they were not cured of mocking the prophets.
    • 5. The land lay desolate while they were captives in Babylon, v. 21. That fruitful land, the glory of all lands, was now turned into a desert, not tilled, nor husbanded. The pastures were not clothed as they used to be with flocks, nor the valleys with corn, but all lay neglected. Now this may be considered,
      • (1.) As the just punishment of their former abuse of it. They had served Baal with its fruits; cursed therefore is the ground for their sakes. Now the land enjoyed her sabbaths; (v. 21), as God had threatened by Moses, Lev. 26:34, and the reason there given (v. 35) is, "Because it did not rest on your sabbaths; you profaned the sabbath-day, did not observe the sabbatical year.' They many a time ploughed and sowed their land in the seventh year, when it should have rested, and now it lay unploughed and unsown for ten times seven years. Note, God will be no loser in his glory at last by the disobedience of men: if the tribute be not paid, he will distrain and recover it, as he speaks, Hos. 2:9. If they would not let the land rest, God would make it rest whether they would or no. Some think they had neglected the observance of seventy sabbatical years in all, and just so many, by way of reprisal, the land now enjoyed; or, if those that had been neglected were fewer, it was fit that the law should be satisfied with interest. We find that one of the quarrels God had with them at this time was for not observing another law which related to the seventh year, and that was the release of servants; see Jer. 34:13, etc.
      • (2.) Yet we may consider it as giving some encouragement to their hopes that they should, in due time, return to it again. Had others come and taken possession of it, they might have despaired of ever recovering it; but, while it lay desolate, it did, as it were, lie waiting for them again, and refuse to acknowledge any other owners.

2Ch 36:22-23

These last two verses of this book have a double aspect.

  • 1. They look back to the prophecy of Jeremiah, and show how that was accomplished, v. 22. God had, by him, promised the restoring of the captives and the rebuilding of Jerusalem, at the end of seventy years; and that time to favour Sion, that set time, came at last. After a long and dark night the day-spring from on high visited them. God will be found true to every word he has spoken.
  • 2. They look forward to the history of Ezra, which begins with the repetition of these last two verses. They are there the introduction to a pleasant story; here they are the conclusion of a very melancholy one; and so we learn from them that, though God's church be cast down, it is not cast off, though his people be corrected, they are not abandoned, though thrown into the furnace, yet not lost there, nor left there any longer than till the dross be separated. Though God contend long, he will not contend always. The Israel of God shall be fetched out of Babylon in due time, and even the dry bones made to live. It may be long first; but the vision is for an appointed time, and at the end it shall speak and not lie; therefore, though it tarry, wait for it.