UNROLL
Jerusalem at first light seen from the olive terraces of the Mount of Olives: the walled city small on its ridges, the long flat-roofed temple at the top of the eastern ridge, and a faint haze of dust on the far northern skyline under a pale, empty dawn sky.

The Book of

2 Kings 24

Egypt is beaten and Babylon is rising. The prophets warned for generations. Now Judah’s young king walks out of the gate, and thousands of exiles head east.

20 verses≈ 4 min4 peopleBSB

Images are artistic interpretations.

Tap any post to go deeper

In this chapter

Where we are

  1. 1–8ElishaThe prophet's double portion
  2. 9–12JehuThe house of Ahab falls
  3. 13–17Last kings of IsraelSamaria falls
  4. 18–20HezekiahTrust in the LORD
  5. 21–23JosiahThe Book found
  6. 24–25ExileJerusalem fallsChapter 24

Babylon Controls Jehoiakim

From a terraced hillside in Judah, a shepherd boy among his sheep watches a long column of Babylonian soldiers marching south on the valley road far below in the summer haze.

During Jehoiakim’s reign, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon invaded. So Jehoiakim became his vassal for three years, until he turned and rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar.

Tap to go deeper: meaning, history and related Scripture

And the LORD sent Chaldean, Aramean, Moabite, and Ammonite raiders against Jehoiakim in order to destroy Judah, according to the word that the LORD had spoken through His servants the prophets.

2 Kings 24:2

Surely this happened to Judah at the LORD’s command, to remove them from His presence because of the sins of Manasseh and all that he had done, and also for the innocent blood he had shed. For he had filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, and the LORD was unwilling to forgive.

As for the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, along with all his accomplishments, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?

Reflect

Through His servants the prophets

The raiders came “according to the word that the LORD had spoken through His servants the prophets.” Prophet after prophet had warned, for generations. God warns long before He judges. Is there a warning He has been giving you, through Scripture or through people who love you, that you keep putting off? What would it look like to listen this week?

Jehoiachin Reigns in Judah

In a stone-and-cedar throne room lit by late-afternoon light, the young king Jehoiachin sits uneasily on a carved cedar throne with his mother Nehushta standing at his right, and grave elders stand before them.

And Jehoiakim rested with his fathers, and his son Jehoiachin reigned in his place.

Now the king of Egypt did not march out of his land again, because the king of Babylon had taken all his territory, from the Brook of Egypt to the Euphrates River.

Judah

Jehoiachin of Judah · 3 months

  1. Eighteen, three months in Jerusalem

    Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months.

  2. His mother Nehushta

    His mother’s name was Nehushta daughter of Elnathan; she was from Jerusalem.

  3. did evil

    Evil, as his father had done

    And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, just as his father had done.

The Captivity of Jerusalem

At dawn outside Jerusalem's plain stone gate, the young king, his mother and a few officials walk out with heads bowed toward a line of Babylonian soldiers and two officers waiting on the trodden ground.

At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched up to Jerusalem, and the city came under siege. And Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to the city while his servants were besieging it. 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.

0:22

Narrated by Bob Souer · BSB audio, public domain

As the LORD had declared

2 Kings 24:13

Seen from very far off at evening, a long thin line of small walking people with bundles and laden donkeys winds east across a wide brown plain, their dust lit gold by the low sun behind them.

Nebuchadnezzar carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon, as well as the king’s mother, his wives, his officials, and the leading men of the land. He took them into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. The king of Babylon also brought into exile to Babylon all seven thousand men of valor and a thousand craftsmen and metalsmiths—all strong and fit for battle.

Then the king of Babylon made Mattaniah, Jehoiachin’s uncle, king in his place and changed his name to Zedekiah.

Question

Quick question

Jehoiachin was carried off to Babylon, and Judah needed a king.

Whom did the king of Babylon make king in Jehoiachin’s place?

Zedekiah Reigns in Judah

Judah

Zedekiah of Judah · 11 years

  1. Twenty-one, eleven years in Jerusalem

    Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years.

  2. His mother Hamutal, from Libnah

    His mother’s name was Hamutal daughter of Jeremiah; she was from Libnah.

  3. did evil

    Evil, as Jehoiakim had done

    And Zedekiah did evil in the sight of the LORD, just as Jehoiakim had done.

For because of the anger of the LORD, all this happened in Jerusalem and Judah, until He finally banished them from His presence.

And Zedekiah also rebelled against the king of Babylon.

The last kings of Judah

his sonhis brotherhis sonhis uncleJosiah31 years · didrightJehoahaz3 months ·taken to EgyptJehoiakim11 years ·Egypt’s, thenBabylon’sJehoiachin3 months · takento BabylonZedekiah11 years · rebels

Whiteboard

After Josiah, four kings in about twenty-three years: three of his sons and one grandson. Two were set up by foreign kings and given new names, two reigned only three months, and Jehoahaz and Jehoiachin were both carried away. Each of the four did evil in the LORD’s sight, and the word of the prophets came true.

Pray

His word stands

Thank God that His word stands, in His warnings and in His promises alike. Everything in this chapter came about just as verse 13 puts it: “As the LORD had declared.” Pray for anyone whose world is coming apart, that they would find Him faithful in the middle of it. And ask for a heart that bows to His correction rather than fighting it, as Zedekiah would not.

You’ve experienced

2 Kings 24

0 of 25 chapters read

A verse to carry with you

And the LORD sent Chaldean, Aramean, Moabite, and Ammonite raiders against Jehoiakim in order to destroy Judah, according to the word that the LORD had spoken through His servants the prophets.

2 Kings 24:2

or swipe left