TRV
Translation
King James Version
And Jehoiachin the king of Judah went out to the king of Babylon, he, and his mother, and his servants, and his princes, and his officers: and the king of Babylon took him in the eighth year of his reign.
KJV (with Strong's)
Complete Jewish Bible
and Y'hoyakhin king of Y'hudah went out to meet the king of Bavel - he, his mother, and his servants, princes and officers; and the king of Bavel took him captive in the eighth year of his reign.
Berean Standard Bible
Jehoiachin king of Judah, his mother, his servants, his commanders, and his officials all surrendered to the king of Babylon. So in the eighth year of his reign, the king of Babylon took him captive.
American Standard Version
and Jehoiachin the king of Judah went out to the king of Babylon, he, and his mother, and his servants, and his princes, and his officers: and the king of Babylon took him in the eighth year of his reign.
World English Bible Messianic
and Jehoiachin the king of Judah went out to the king of Babylon, he, and his mother, and his servants, and his princes, and his officers: and the king of Babylon took him in the eighth year of his reign.
Geneva Bible (1599)
Then Iehoiachin the king of Iudah came out against the King of Babel, he, and his mother and his seruants, and his princes, and his eunuches: and the King of Babel tooke him in the eyght yeere of his reigne.
Young's Literal Translation
and Jehoiachin king of Judah goeth out unto the king of Babylon, he, and his mother, and his servants, and his chiefs, and his eunuchs, and the king of Babylon taketh him in the eighth year of his reign,
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In the KJVVerse 10,215 of 31,102
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Commentary on 2 Kings 24 verses 8–20
8 ¶ Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. And his mother's name was Nehushta, the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem.
9 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father had done.
10 At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against Jerusalem, and the city was besieged.
11 And Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came against the city, and his servants did besiege it.
12 And Jehoiachin the king of Judah went out to the king of Babylon, he, and his mother, and his servants, and his princes, and his officers: and the king of Babylon took him in the eighth year of his reign.
13 And he carried out thence all the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king's house, and cut in pieces all the vessels of gold which Solomon king of Israel had made in the temple of the LORD, as the LORD had said.
14 And he carried away all Jerusalem, and all the princes, and all the mighty men of valour, even ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and smiths: none remained, save the poorest sort of the people of the land.
15 And he carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon, and the king's mother, and the king's wives, and his officers, and the mighty of the land, those carried he into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon.
16 And all the men of might, even seven thousand, and craftsmen and smiths a thousand, all that were strong and apt for war, even them the king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon.
17 And the king of Babylon made Mattaniah his father's brother king in his stead, and changed his name to Zedekiah.
18 Zedekiah was twenty and one 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.
19 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that Jehoiakim had done.
20 For through the anger of the LORD it came to pass in Jerusalem and Judah, until he had cast them out from his presence, that Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.
This should have been the history of king Jehoiachin's reign, but, alas! it is only the history of king Jehoiachin's captivity, as it is called, Eze 1:2. He came to the crown, not to have the honour of wearing it, but the shame of losing it. Ideo tantum venerat, ut exiret - He came in only to go out.
I. His reign was short and inconsiderable. He reigned but three months, and then was removed and carried captive to Babylon, as his father, it is likely, would have been if he had lived but so much longer. What an unhappy young prince was this, that was thrust into a falling house, a sinking throne! What an unnatural father had he, who begat him to suffer for him, and by his own sin and folly had left himself nothing to bequeath to his son but his own miseries! Yet this young prince reigned long enough to show that he justly smarted for his fathers' sins, for he trod in their steps (Kg2 24:9): He did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, as they had done; he did nothing to cut off the entail of the curse, to discharge the incumbrances of his crown, and therefore (transit cum onere - the incumbrance descends with the crown) with his own iniquity that of his fathers shall come into the account.
II. The calamities that came upon him, and his family, and people, in the very beginning of his reign, were very grievous. 1. Jerusalem was besieged by the king of Babylon, Kg2 24:10, Kg2 24:11. He had sent his forces to ravage the country, Kg2 24:2. Now he came himself, and laid siege to the city. Now the word of God was fulfilled (Deu 28:49, etc.), The Lord shall bring a nation against thee from far, of fierce countenance, that shall first eat of the fruit of thy land and then besiege thee in all thy gates. 2. Jehoiachin immediately surrendered at discretion. As soon as he heard the king of Babylon had come in person against the city, his name having at this time become very formidable, he beat a parley and went out to him, Kg2 24:12. Had he made his peace with God, and taken the method that Hezekiah did in the like case, he needed not to have feared the king of Babylon, but might have held out with courage, honour, and success (one should have chased a thousand); but, wanting the faith and piety of an Israelite, he had not the resolution of a man, of a soldier, of a prince. He and his royal family, his mother and wives, his servants and princes, delivered themselves up prisoners of war; this was the consequence of their being servants of sin. 3. Nebuchadnezzar rifled the treasuries both of the church and of the state, and carried away the silver and gold of both, Kg2 24:13. Now the word of God by Isaiah was fulfilled (Kg2 20:17), All that is in thy house shall be carried to Babylon. Even the vessels of the temple which Solomon had made, and laid up in store to be used as the old ones were worn out, he cut off from the temple, and began to cut them in pieces, but, upon second thoughts, reserved them for his own use, for we find Belshazzar drinking wine in them, Dan 5:2, Dan 5:3. 4. He carried away a great part of Jerusalem into captivity, to weaken it, that he might effectually secure to himself the dominion of it and prevent its revolt, and to enrich himself with the wealth or service of those he took away. There had been some carried away eight years before this, in the first year of Nebuchadnezzar and the third of Jehoiakim, among whom were Daniel and his fellows. See Dan 1:1, Dan 1:6. They had approved themselves so well that this politic prince coveted more of them. Now he carried off, (1.) The young king himself and his family (Kg2 24:15), and we find (Kg2 25:27-29) that for thirty-seven years he continued a close prisoner. (2.) All the great men, the princes and officers, whose riches were kept for the owners thereof to their hurt (Ecc 5:13), tempting the enemies to make a prey of them first. (3.) All the military men, the mighty men of valour (Kg2 24:14), the mighty of the land (Kg2 24:15), the men of might, even all that were strong and apt for war, Kg2 24:16. These could not defend themselves, and the conqueror would not leave them to defend their country, but took them away, to be employed in his service. (4.) All the craftsmen and smiths who made weapons of war; in taking them he did, in effect, disarm the city, according to the Philistines' policy, Sa1 13:19. In this captivity Ezekiel the prophet was carried away (Eze 1:1, Eze 1:2) and Mordecai, Est 2:6. This Jehoiachin was also called Jeconiah (Ch1 3:16), and in contempt (Jer 22:24, where his captivity is foretold) Coniah.
III. The successor whom the king of Babylon appointed in the room of Jehoiachin. God had written him childless (Jer 22:30) and therefore his uncle was entrusted with the government. The king of Babylon made Mattaniah king, the son of Josiah; and to remind him, and let all the world know, that he was his creature, he changed his name and called him Zedekiah, Kg2 24:17. God had sometimes charged it upon his people, They have set up kings, but not by me (Hos 8:4), and now, to punish them for that, the king of Babylon shall have the setting up of their kings. Those are justly deprived of their liberty that use it, and insist upon it, against God's authority. This Zedekiah was the last of the kings of Judah. The name which the king of Babylon gave him signifies The justice of the Lord, and was a presage of the glorifying of God's justice in his ruin. 1. See how impious this Zedekiah was. Though the judgments of God upon his three immediate predecessors might have been a warning to him not to tread in their steps, yet he did that which was evil, like all the rest, Kg2 24:19. 2. See how impolitic he was. As his predecessor lost his courage, so he his wisdom, with his religion, for he rebelled against the king of Babylon (Kg2 24:20), whose tributary he was, and so provoked him whom he was utterly unable to contend with, and who, if he had continued true to him, would have protected him. This was the most foolish thing he could do, and hastened the ruin of his kingdom. This came to pass through the anger of the Lord, that he might cast them out from his presence. Note, When those that are entrusted with the counsels of a nation act unwisely, and against their true interest, we ought to take notice of the displeasure of God in it. It is for the sins of a people that God removes the speech of the trusty and takes away the understanding of the aged, and hides from their eyes the things that belong to the public peace. Whom God will destroy he infatuates.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 8–20. Public domain.
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Ambrose of MilanAD 397
On the Duties of the Clergy 2.28.137
The church has gold, not stored up but to lay out and to spend on those who need. What necessity is there to guard what is of no good? Do we not know how much gold and silver the Assyrians took out of the temple of the Lord? Is it not much better that the priests should melt it down for the sustenance of the poor, if other supplies fail, than that of a sacrilegious enemy should carry it off and defile it? Would not the Lord say, Why did you allow so many needy to die of hunger? Surely you had gold? You should have given them sustenance. Why are so many captives brought to the slave market, and why are so many unredeemed left to be slain by the enemy? It had been better to preserve living vessels than gold ones.
John CassianAD 435
CONFERENCE 5.12
There is an excellent and significant illustration in the book of Kings, showing how the sin of fornication is prevented by an attack of pride. When the children of Israel had been taken captive by Neco, king of the Egyptians, Nebuchadnezzar, king of the Assyriaans, came up and brought them back from the borders of Egypt to their own country, not indeed meaning to restore them to their former liberty and their native land, but meaning to carry them off to his own land and to transport them to a still more distant country than the land of Egypt in which they had been prisoners. And this illustration exactly applies to the case before us. For though there is less harm in yielding to the sin of pride than to fornication, yet it is more difficult to escape from the dominion of pride. For somehow or other the prisoner who is carried off to a greater distance will have more difficulty in returning to his native land and the freedom of his fathers, and the prophet’s rebuke will be deservedly aimed at him: “Why have you grown old in a strange country? Indeed a man is rightly said to have grown old in a strange country, if he has not broken up the ground of his sins.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Second Kings 24:12 records the pivotal moment of King Jehoiachin of Judah's surrender to Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, accompanied by his entire royal entourage and high-ranking officials. This event, precisely dated to the eighth year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign (597 BCE), marks the second major deportation of Judah's elite to Babylon, signifying a critical and irreversible step toward the complete subjugation and eventual destruction of Jerusalem and its sacred temple, thereby underscoring the unfolding of divine judgment upon a disobedient nation.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The verse effectively employs several literary devices to convey its profound significance. Detailing is prominently used in the precise enumeration of those who surrendered: "he, and his mother, and his servants, and his princes, and his officers." This meticulous listing underscores the comprehensive nature of the capture, emphasizing that the entire apparatus of Judah's royal and administrative power was dismantled. This serves to highlight the severity of the judgment and the thoroughness of the Babylonian conquest. Furthermore, the narrative employs Foreshadowing, as this event, though not the final destruction of Jerusalem, clearly signals the imminent and inevitable end of the kingdom and the sacred temple. The very act of the Davidic king surrendering to a foreign power is deeply Symbolic, representing the ultimate loss of Judah's sovereignty and the temporary suspension of the Davidic covenant's political manifestation. The Repetition of "the king of Babylon" also serves to emphasize the overwhelming power and authority that Nebuchadnezzar wielded over Judah, contrasting sharply with the diminished status of Jehoiachin.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
The surrender of Jehoiachin is a stark illustration of God's sovereign hand in history, actively working through the actions of pagan empires to fulfill His divine purposes. It underscores the profound biblical principle that national disobedience to God's covenant commands inevitably leads to judgment, fulfilling the warnings delivered by His prophets for generations. While undeniably a devastating blow to Judah, this event was not an arbitrary act of fate or a random historical occurrence, but a divinely ordained consequence, demonstrating God's justice, His unwavering commitment to His word, and His ultimate control over the nations. Even in this moment of apparent defeat and national humiliation, God's long-term purposes for His people and the Davidic line remained intact, albeit refined through the crucible of exile, preserving a remnant and a future hope.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The account of Jehoiachin's surrender serves as a profound and sobering reminder that human power, no matter how entrenched or divinely established, cannot ultimately thwart the unfolding of God's sovereign will or escape the consequences of persistent rebellion against His commands. For ancient Judah, it was a painful, visceral lesson in the devastating cost of idolatry, covenant unfaithfulness, and moral decay. For believers today, this passage underscores the timeless importance of heeding God's word, recognizing that our individual and collective choices, especially those of leadership, have far-reaching consequences, impacting not only ourselves but also our communities and nations. It compels us to consider the profound impact of our spiritual health and obedience on the well-being of those around us. Even in moments of apparent defeat, loss, or "captivity" in our lives, this narrative encourages us to trust in God's overarching plan. It reminds us that God remains faithful to His long-term promises, working through even the direst circumstances to achieve His ultimate redemptive purposes, often preserving a remnant and a future hope beyond immediate judgment. This passage calls us to seek His righteousness and His kingdom above all else, knowing that His justice and faithfulness endure.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why did Jehoiachin choose to "go out" and surrender rather than fight to the death?
Answer: Jehoiachin's decision to "go out" and surrender was likely a pragmatic and desperate strategic move aimed at preventing the total destruction of Jerusalem and its inhabitants. Facing an overwhelming Babylonian force led by Nebuchadnezzar, continued resistance would have resulted in a devastating siege, famine, and a more brutal conquest with potentially higher casualties. By surrendering, Jehoiachin might have hoped to spare the city from immediate annihilation and its people from a more severe fate, even if it meant his own captivity and the plundering of the temple. This act, while ending his reign and Judah's independence, may have temporarily averted the worst immediate consequences for the city itself, though it did not prevent the subsequent plunder and the eventual, more complete destruction under Zedekiah (2 Kings 25:1-10). It was a choice between a devastating, prolonged siege and a negotiated, albeit humiliating, capitulation.
What was the significance of the "eighth year of his reign" for Nebuchadnezzar?
Answer: The phrase "the eighth year of his reign" refers to Nebuchadnezzar II, the formidable king of Babylon. This precise dating is highly significant because it provides a crucial historical anchor for the biblical narrative, aligning it meticulously with known Babylonian chronicles and extra-biblical historical records. Historical documents confirm that Nebuchadnezzar's eighth regnal year (597 BCE) was indeed the year of the capture of Jerusalem, the deportation of Jehoiachin, and the installation of Zedekiah. This detail underscores the historical accuracy and reliability of the biblical account, demonstrating that the biblical authors were recording real events within a specific, verifiable historical context. It also highlights Nebuchadnezzar's established power and consistent policy of subjugating rebellious vassal states, systematically consolidating his empire's control over the Near East.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The surrender and subsequent exile of King Jehoiachin, though a moment of profound national humiliation and divine judgment for Judah, paradoxically serves as a crucial, albeit painful, link in the unfolding of God's grand redemptive plan, ultimately pointing to Christ. Despite the loss of the earthly Davidic throne and the temporary cessation of an independent kingdom, God faithfully preserved the lineage of David through Jehoiachin, as evidenced by his explicit inclusion in the genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1:11-12). This demonstrates God's unwavering commitment to His eternal covenant with David (2 Samuel 7:12-16), ensuring that a descendant would always sit on the throne, even if that throne was no longer an earthly one in Jerusalem but a heavenly one. While Jehoiachin "went out" in surrender to a human king to save his city from immediate destruction, Christ, the ultimate Davidic King, willingly "emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant," and "humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross" (Philippians 2:7-8). He surrendered not to an earthly captor, but to the will of His Father, enduring the ultimate "exile" of the cross to conquer sin and death, thereby freeing humanity from true spiritual captivity (Colossians 2:15). Unlike Jehoiachin, who was taken into earthly captivity, Christ's "captivity" in death was a prelude to His glorious resurrection and ascension, establishing an eternal, unshakable kingdom (Hebrews 12:28) and fulfilling all the promises made to David and to Abraham.