Ver. 1. Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.] Son of Nabopolassar who founded the Babylonian monarchy. Came up,] sc., After that he had beaten the king of Egypt’s forces at Charchemish. (Jeremiah 46:2) Then he turned and rebelled against him.] Defectione tam turpi quam exitiosa. The king of Egypt by fair promises prevailed with him to rebel against Nebuchadnezzar, as also by threats, that otherwise he would restore Jehoahaz now prisoner in Egypt; which yet Jeremiah assured him should never be. (Jeremiah 22:11,12)
Ver. 2. And the Lord sent against him bands.] Latrunculos the Vulgate renders it. Soldiers that fight in an evil cause are no better than robbers and spoilers. Josephus saith that Nebuchadnezzar, bringing from that siege of Tyre (Ezekiel 26:7) some part of his army, entered therewith Jerusalem, slew Jehoiakim, and cast him out unburied, according to Jeremiah 22:18,19, carrying away three thousand and three and twenty Jews. (Jeremiah 52:28) And here began the seventy years’ captivity: now was Daniel and his companions brought to Babylon, (Daniel 1:3-7) according to Isaiah 39:7.
Ver. 3. Surely at the commandment of the Lord.] Heb., At the mouth, i.e., Ex praestituto. God’s holy hand is in all the miseries that befall his people. (Amos 3:6) For the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he did.] Or, For the like sins to those which Manasseh had done, as Tremellius rendereth it, Traiectio, as in Genesis 5:29 Jud 18:31.
Ver. 4. And also for the innocent blood.] Of this crying sin Jehoahaz also and Jehoiakim were deeply guilty. (Jeremiah 22:17 Ezekiel 19)
Ver. 5. Now the rest of the acts.] See 1 Kings 15:23.
Ver. 6. So Jehoiakim slept with his fathers.] Respectu habito ad communem naturae legem; Jehoiakim died, being slain in Jerusalem, and as “an ass cast forth beyond the gates”; (Jeremiah 22:18,19) or else, going captive to Babylon, he died by the way, ingloria vita recessit, without burial or mourning. (2 Chronicles 36:6) He is also cut out of the roll of the kings of Judah. (Matthew 1:11)
Ver. 7. For the king of Babylon had taken.] About this time died Nabopolassar the father of Nebuchadnezzar: whereupon he, committing the care of his captives to his friends in the army, hastened to Babylon, where, taking upon him the empire, he distributed the captives by colonies into fit places in the country of Babylon, as saith Berosus. Rer. Chald., lib. xxx.
Ver. 8. Jehoiakin was eighteen years old,] sc., When he began to reign alone. See 2 Chronicles 36:9. Mutavit Iudaea dominos, non miserias. This king is also called Jechonias, (Matthew 1:11) and Coniah—that is, prepared, sc., for destruction; (Jeremiah 22:24) the name of God—whom he had forsaken—being defalked. Withdrawn; i.e., Je (Jehovah) left out of his name Jeconiah.
Ver. 9. And he did.] See 1 Kings 11:16.
Ver. 10. At that time.] About the spring. (2 Chronicles 36:10) Much about the same time was Cyrus born for a scourge to Babylon, but for a relief to God’s poor prisoners of hope there; according as Isaiah had foretold, (Isaiah 47:1,2 13:16) and the psalmist. (Psalms 137:8,9) See Isaiah 44:28 45:1-4. Cic. de Divin. ex Dionys.
Ver. 11. And his servants did besiege it.] Till their king came himself in person, and entered the city, as Sulpitius hath it: but whereas he addeth, that at this time, urbem murosque ac templum solo stravit, this is utterly false; for Jehoiachin, by yielding up the city, as Jeremiah had advised him, preserved it; wherein he did the part of a good king, saith Josephus.
Ver. 12. And the king of Babylon took him.] Suscepit eum; gratiose scilicet; he gave him quarter for his life, and in the end, for a reward of his obedience and piety towards his country, he was much advanced by Evilmerodaeh, Nebuchadnezsar’s successor. (2 Kings 25:27)
Ver. 13. All the treasures.] That is, All that he met with, or thought meet. See 2 Kings 25:13-15. And cut in pieces all.] Yet not all neither. See Ezra 1:7.
Ver. 14. And he carried away all Jerusalem,] i.e., The greater and better part of the people: among the rest, Mordecai the Benjamite the son of Jair, (Esther 2:5,6) and Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, (Ezekiel 1:2,3) who therefore calls it his “captivity” or deportation. (Ezekiel 40:1) And all the craftsmen and smiths.] The like craft useth the devil, when he endeavoureth to take out of the way such as are zealous and active, valiant for God’s truth, and violent for his kingdom. A Lapide.
Ver. 15. These carried he into captivity into Babylon.] Where it fared better with them than with those that were left behind. (Jeremiah 24:4,5, &c.) To these the prophet Jeremiah wrote a letter, if Apocryphal Baruch may be believed. [/APC Bar 6:1]
Ver. 16. Craftsmen, &c.] Eighteen thousand in all; this was the second captivity.
Ver. 17. And the king of Babylon had made Mattaniah.] His name signifieth God’s gift, the same as Nathanael, Theodore, Diodate. Good Josiah gave all his children good names but they proved all stark naught.
Ver. 18. And he reigned eleven years.] But had small joy of his kingdom; so had King John of England.
Ver. 19. And he did that which was evil.] Breaking covenant both with God, (Jeremiah 34:17) and with men. (Ezekiel 17:18,19)
Ver. 20. For through the anger of the Lord.] Who hardened Zedekiah’s heart, that he “humbled not himself before Jeremiah,” &c. (2 Chronicles 36:12)