2 Kings Chapter 24 — The First Babylonian Captivity
King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon besieges Jerusalem, leading to the capture of King Jehoiachin and the deportation of Judah's leaders and treasures.
1In his days Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up, and Jehoiakim became his servant three years. Then he turned and rebelled against him.
2The LORD sent against him bands of the Chaldeans, bands of the Syrians, bands of the Moabites, and bands of the children of Ammon, and sent them against Judah to destroy it, according to the LORD’s word which he spoke by his servants the prophets.
3Surely at the commandment of the LORD this came on Judah, to remove them out of his sight for the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he did,
4and also for the innocent blood that he shed; for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, and the LORD would not pardon.
5Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, and all that he did, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
6So Jehoiakim slept with his fathers, and Jehoiachin his son reigned in his place.
7The king of Egypt didn’t come out of his land any more; for the king of Babylon had taken, from the brook of Egypt to the river Euphrates, all that belonged to the king of Egypt.
8Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. His mother’s name was Nehushta the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem.
9He did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight, according to all that his father had done.
10At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up to Jerusalem, and the city was besieged.
11Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to the city while his servants were besieging it,
12and Jehoiachin the king of Judah went out to the king of Babylon—he, his mother, his servants, his princes, and his officers; and the king of Babylon captured him in the eighth year of his reign.
13He carried out from there all the treasures of the LORD’s house 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 LORD’s temple, as the LORD had said.
14He carried away all Jerusalem, and all the princes, and all the mighty men of valor, even ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and the smiths. No one remained except the poorest people of the land.
15He carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon, with the king’s mother, the king’s wives, his officers, and the chief men of the land. He carried them into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon.
16All the men of might, even seven thousand, and the craftsmen and the smiths one thousand, all of them strong and fit for war, even them the king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon.
17The king of Babylon made Mattaniah, Jehoiachin’s father’s brother, king in his place, and changed his name to Zedekiah.
18Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.
19He did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight, according to all that Jehoiakim had done.
20For through the anger of the LORD, this happened in Jerusalem and Judah, until he had cast them out from his presence.
WEB Translation
Notable Verses
2 Kings 24:3
“Surely at the commandment of the LORD this came on Judah, to remove them out of his sight for the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he did”
This verse explains the theological reasoning for the Babylonian invasion, attributing it to the accumulation of past sins.
2 Kings 24:14
“He carried away all Jerusalem, and all the princes, and all the mighty men of valor, even ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and the smiths. No one remained except the poorest people of the land.”
This highlights the extent of the first major deportation and the systematic removal of Judah's leadership and resources.
Chapter Summary
2 Kings 24 details the beginning of the end for the Kingdom of Judah. Following Jehoiakim's rebellion against Babylon, various nations attack Judah as divine judgment for the sins committed during King Manasseh's reign. Jehoiakim is succeeded by his son Jehoiachin, who also does evil in the sight of the Lord. During his brief three-month reign, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon besieges Jerusalem. Jehoiachin surrenders and is taken captive along with his family, officials, and ten thousand people, including craftsmen and warriors. Nebuchadnezzar also strips the Temple of Solomon of its gold vessels and treasures. Only the poorest inhabitants are left in the land. Nebuchadnezzar installs Mattaniah as a puppet king, renaming him Zedekiah. The chapter concludes by noting Zedekiah’s own rebellion against Babylon, setting the stage for the final destruction of the city.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nebuchadnezzar attacked after King Jehoiakim rebelled against Babylonian rule. The text also states that this occurred according to the word of the Lord as a judgment for the sins of the people and their previous kings.
King Jehoiachin, his family, his officials, and ten thousand people were taken captive. This included the mighty men of valor, craftsmen, and smiths, leaving only the poorest people behind.
The treasures of the Lord's house and the king's house were carried off to Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar cut in pieces the gold vessels that King Solomon had made for the temple.
Study Note
The renaming of Mattaniah to Zedekiah by Nebuchadnezzar was a formal act of an overlord asserting total authority over a vassal king.
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