2 Chronicles 36:17

Therefore he brought upon them the king of the Chaldees, who slew their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion upon young man or maiden, old man, or him that stooped for age: he gave [them] all into his hand.

Therefore he brought {H5927} upon them the king {H4428} of the Chaldees {H3778}, who slew {H2026} their young men {H970} with the sword {H2719} in the house {H1004} of their sanctuary {H4720}, and had no compassion {H2550} upon young man {H970} or maiden {H1330}, old man {H2205}, or him that stooped for age {H3486}: he gave {H5414} them all into his hand {H3027}.

Therefore he brought upon them the king of the Kasdim, who put their young men to the sword in the house of their sanctuary. They had no compassion on either young men or young women, old men or gray-haired; God handed all of them over to him.

So He brought up against them the king of the Chaldeans, who put their young men to the sword in the sanctuary, sparing neither young men nor young women, neither elderly nor infirm. God gave them all into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar,

Therefore he brought upon them the king of the Chaldeans, who slew their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion upon young man or virgin, old man or hoary-headed: he gave them all into his hand.

2 Chronicles 36:17 (KJV) details the horrific climax of God's judgment upon the persistent rebellion of the kingdom of Judah, describing the brutal actions of the Babylonian forces during the final siege and destruction of Jerusalem.

Context

This verse is found at the very end of the book of 2 Chronicles, which traces the history of the kings of Judah. For generations, the people, including their leaders and priests, had strayed far from God's covenant, engaging in widespread idolatry, injustice, and disobedience. Despite God's repeated and compassionate warnings sent through His prophets (as emphasized in 2 Chronicles 36:15), Judah refused to repent. Their unfaithfulness and the defilement of the temple (2 Chronicles 36:14) reached a critical point where divine patience was exhausted. As a result, God "brought upon them the king of the Chaldees," identifying King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon as the instrument of His righteous judgment, leading to the devastating Babylonian exile.

Key Themes

  • Divine Judgment and Consequences of Sin: The verse powerfully illustrates the severe and inescapable consequences of prolonged and unrepentant rebellion against God. The destruction wrought by the Chaldeans was not merely a historical conquest but a direct and just divine retribution for Judah's deep-seated sin and unfaithfulness.
  • God's Sovereignty in History: Even though Nebuchadnezzar was a ruthless foreign king, the text makes it clear that God "brought upon them" this ruler and "gave them all into his hand." This highlights God's ultimate control over nations and historical events, demonstrating His ability to use even pagan rulers to fulfill His divine purposes and execute justice.
  • Unsparing Brutality and Desecration: The description of the Chaldeans slaying "young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary" and having "no compassion upon young man or maiden, old man, or him that stooped for age" paints a grim picture of indiscriminate slaughter. The specific mention of the "house of their sanctuary" (the Temple in Jerusalem) underscores the profound desecration of sacred space, symbolizing the complete breakdown of Judah's covenant relationship with God and the depth of the judgment.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "King of the Chaldees" refers to the monarch of Babylonia, specifically Nebuchadnezzar II, whose empire was dominated by the Chaldean people. The "house of their sanctuary" is a direct reference to the Temple in Jerusalem, which was the spiritual center of Israelite worship and a symbol of God's presence among His people. Its desecration and ultimate destruction by the Babylonians marked the fulfillment of the covenant curses outlined in the Torah for disobedience.

Practical Application

This powerful verse serves as a solemn reminder of the gravity of sin and the principle that persistent and unrepentant disobedience can lead to severe consequences. While believers today live under the new covenant of grace through Christ, the passage still underscores God's unwavering holiness, justice, and the seriousness with which He views sin. It also affirms God's ultimate sovereignty over all human affairs, even during times of great suffering and chaos. For us, it calls for constant vigilance against sin, the importance of genuine repentance, and the wisdom of heeding God's warnings, recognizing that His patience, while vast, does have limits, even as His love endures.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Psalms 74:20

    Have respect unto the covenant: for the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty.

  • Ezra 9:7

    Since the days of our fathers [have] we [been] in a great trespass unto this day; and for our iniquities have we, our kings, [and] our priests, been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, and to a spoil, and to confusion of face, as [it is] this day.

  • Jeremiah 40:3

    Now the LORD hath brought [it], and done according as he hath said: because ye have sinned against the LORD, and have not obeyed his voice, therefore this thing is come upon you.

  • Ezekiel 9:5

    ¶ And to the others he said in mine hearing, Go ye after him through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity:

  • Ezekiel 9:7

    And he said unto them, Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain: go ye forth. And they went forth, and slew in the city.

  • 2 Chronicles 24:21

    And they conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king in the court of the house of the LORD.

  • Leviticus 26:14

    ¶ But if ye will not hearken unto me, and will not do all these commandments;

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