2 Kings 25 | |
---|---|
Book | Second Book of Kings |
Hebrew Bible part | Nevi'im |
Order in the Hebrew part | 4 |
Category | Former Prophets |
Christian Bible part | Old Testament |
Order in the Christian part | 12 |
2 Kings 25 is the twenty-fifth and final chapter of the second part of the Books of Kings in the Hebrew Bible or the Second Book of Kings in the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. [1] [2] The book is a compilation of recorded acts of the kings of Israel and Judah by a Deuteronomic compiler in the seventh century BCE; a supplement was added in the sixth century BCE. [3] This chapter records the events during the reign of Zedekiah, the last king of Judah, the fall of Jerusalem, the governorship of Gedaliah, and the release of Jehoiachin from prison in Babylon. [4]
This chapter was originally written in Biblical Hebrew. It is divided into 30 verses.
Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in Hebrew are of the Masoretic Text tradition, which includes the Codex Cairensis (895), Aleppo Codex (10th century), and Codex Leningradensis (1008). [5]
There is also a translation into Koine Greek known as the Septuagint, made in the last few centuries BCE. Extant ancient manuscripts of the Septuagint version include Codex Vaticanus (B; B; 4th century) and Codex Alexandrinus (A; A; 5th century). [6] [a]
A parallel pattern of sequence is observed in the final sections of 2 Kings between 2 Kings 11-20 and 2 Kings 21-25, as follows: [9]
King Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon took the last of Solomon's accumulated masses of gold and silver ( verse 15) as he burned Solomon's Temple, palace and much of the city of Jerusalem ( verse 9). The fall of Jerusalem parallels the fall of Samaria: [10]
The last siege of Jerusalem lasted nineteen months ( verses 1, 8), until 'the people of the land' being overcome by hunger ( verse 3, Lamentations 2:11–12; 4:4–5, 9–10). Zedekiah tried to escape the city, but was captured and heavily punished ( verses 4–7). Thereafter, Jerusalem and its remaining inhabitants suffered destruction, burning, plundering, deportation and executions ( verses 8 –21). [11]
The aftermath of Jerusalem's defeat seemed to start promisingly, but ended disastrously when the Babylon-appointed governor, Gedaliah ben Ahikam ben Safan was killed by Ishmael ben Nethaniah ben Elishama of the royal family, causing the remaining inhabitants to flee to Egypt in fear of Babylonian reprisal. [25] This passage probably is a summary of a more detailed report in Jeremiah 40– 41. [26]
The assassination of Gedaliah was commemorated in Fast of Gedalia, one of the fast days lamenting the fall of Jerusalem ( Zechariah 8:19). [28]
Shifting the view from the land of Judah and the community in Egypt to the situation in Babylonia, the books of Kings end with a sign of hope. King Jehoiachin who was in prison since his capture in 598 BCE (attested by clay tablets from 592 BCE reporting regular provisions he received from Babylonian administrators) was pardoned and received special honor from the king of Babylon. With this passage, the editors of the books wished to stress that the history of Davidic kingdom did not end with the fate of Zedekiah and his sons ( verse 7), but continue in Jehoiachin as a symbol of hope for freedom, a return to the homeland, and the restoration of the kingdom. [26] The book of Ezekiel, written during the exile in Babylon, dated its prophecies according to Jehoiachin's regnal years ( Ezekiel 1:2; 29:17; 31:1). Among his sons and grandchildren ( 1 Chronicles 3:17–19), Zerubbabel emerged as a hopeful political figure after Babylon's decline ( Ezra 2:2; Haggai 2:20–23). [26] The conclusion of the book must have been written during the reign of Evil-Merodach (562-560 BCE), as it seems unaware of the Babylonian king's demise after only two years on throne. [29]
In the parallel verse Jeremiah 52:34, there are words "until the day he died" before "all the days of his life". [38]
Ya'u-kīnu, king of the land of Yahudu
2 Kings 25 | |
---|---|
Book | Second Book of Kings |
Hebrew Bible part | Nevi'im |
Order in the Hebrew part | 4 |
Category | Former Prophets |
Christian Bible part | Old Testament |
Order in the Christian part | 12 |
2 Kings 25 is the twenty-fifth and final chapter of the second part of the Books of Kings in the Hebrew Bible or the Second Book of Kings in the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. [1] [2] The book is a compilation of recorded acts of the kings of Israel and Judah by a Deuteronomic compiler in the seventh century BCE; a supplement was added in the sixth century BCE. [3] This chapter records the events during the reign of Zedekiah, the last king of Judah, the fall of Jerusalem, the governorship of Gedaliah, and the release of Jehoiachin from prison in Babylon. [4]
This chapter was originally written in Biblical Hebrew. It is divided into 30 verses.
Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in Hebrew are of the Masoretic Text tradition, which includes the Codex Cairensis (895), Aleppo Codex (10th century), and Codex Leningradensis (1008). [5]
There is also a translation into Koine Greek known as the Septuagint, made in the last few centuries BCE. Extant ancient manuscripts of the Septuagint version include Codex Vaticanus (B; B; 4th century) and Codex Alexandrinus (A; A; 5th century). [6] [a]
A parallel pattern of sequence is observed in the final sections of 2 Kings between 2 Kings 11-20 and 2 Kings 21-25, as follows: [9]
King Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon took the last of Solomon's accumulated masses of gold and silver ( verse 15) as he burned Solomon's Temple, palace and much of the city of Jerusalem ( verse 9). The fall of Jerusalem parallels the fall of Samaria: [10]
The last siege of Jerusalem lasted nineteen months ( verses 1, 8), until 'the people of the land' being overcome by hunger ( verse 3, Lamentations 2:11–12; 4:4–5, 9–10). Zedekiah tried to escape the city, but was captured and heavily punished ( verses 4–7). Thereafter, Jerusalem and its remaining inhabitants suffered destruction, burning, plundering, deportation and executions ( verses 8 –21). [11]
The aftermath of Jerusalem's defeat seemed to start promisingly, but ended disastrously when the Babylon-appointed governor, Gedaliah ben Ahikam ben Safan was killed by Ishmael ben Nethaniah ben Elishama of the royal family, causing the remaining inhabitants to flee to Egypt in fear of Babylonian reprisal. [25] This passage probably is a summary of a more detailed report in Jeremiah 40– 41. [26]
The assassination of Gedaliah was commemorated in Fast of Gedalia, one of the fast days lamenting the fall of Jerusalem ( Zechariah 8:19). [28]
Shifting the view from the land of Judah and the community in Egypt to the situation in Babylonia, the books of Kings end with a sign of hope. King Jehoiachin who was in prison since his capture in 598 BCE (attested by clay tablets from 592 BCE reporting regular provisions he received from Babylonian administrators) was pardoned and received special honor from the king of Babylon. With this passage, the editors of the books wished to stress that the history of Davidic kingdom did not end with the fate of Zedekiah and his sons ( verse 7), but continue in Jehoiachin as a symbol of hope for freedom, a return to the homeland, and the restoration of the kingdom. [26] The book of Ezekiel, written during the exile in Babylon, dated its prophecies according to Jehoiachin's regnal years ( Ezekiel 1:2; 29:17; 31:1). Among his sons and grandchildren ( 1 Chronicles 3:17–19), Zerubbabel emerged as a hopeful political figure after Babylon's decline ( Ezra 2:2; Haggai 2:20–23). [26] The conclusion of the book must have been written during the reign of Evil-Merodach (562-560 BCE), as it seems unaware of the Babylonian king's demise after only two years on throne. [29]
In the parallel verse Jeremiah 52:34, there are words "until the day he died" before "all the days of his life". [38]
Ya'u-kīnu, king of the land of Yahudu