Bible Commentaries
2 Chronicles 36

Verse 1

Then the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and made him king in his father’s stead in Jerusalem.

Ver. l. Then the people of the land took Jehoahaz. — See 2 Kings 23:30 .

Verse 2

Jehoahaz [was] twenty and three years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem.

Jehoahaz was twenty and three. — 2 Kings 23:31 .

Verse 3

And the king of Egypt put him down at Jerusalem, and condemned the land in an hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold.

Put him down. — And, as some think, afterwards put him to death in Egypt. Jehoahaz was but a younger brother, as is elsewhere noted, yet he would needs reign, and was soon after dethroned. He portrayed the ambitious man rightly, that pictured him snatching at a crown, and falling, with this motto, Sic mea fata sequor. See 2 Kings 23:33 .

Verse 4

And the king of Egypt made Eliakim his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem, and turned his name to Jehoiakim. And Necho took Jehoahaz his brother, and carried him to Egypt. 2 Chronicles 36:5 Jehoiakim [was] twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem: and he did [that which was] evil in the sight of the LORD his God.

Ver. 4, 5. See on 2 Kings 23:34-35 , …

Verse 6

Against him came up Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and bound him in fetters, to carry him to Babylon.

Against him came up Nebuchadnezzar. — See 2 Kings 24:1 .

Verse 7

Nebuchadnezzar also carried of the vessels of the house of the LORD to Babylon, and put them in his temple at Babylon.

Nebuchadnezzar also carried off the vessels, — viz., Some of them, for some were carried to Babylon at other times. 2 Kings 24:13 Jeremiah 52:19

Verse 8

Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, and his abominations which he did, and that which was found in him, behold, they [are] written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah: and Jehoiachin his son reigned in his stead.

And that which was found in him, — i.e., That appeared to be in him after he came to the kingdom; for magistracy showeth a man. The Jewish doctors, and from them other expositors not a few, tell us that on the dead body of this king were found certain brand marks, made in honour of the gods whom he served. Whereupon one crieth out, Quid miserius et infelicius, … What could be more wretched and miserable than for a crowned king so far to embase himself as to become a stigmatic of the devil? This was a heathenish practice.

Verse 9

Jehoiachin [was] eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem: and he did [that which was] evil in the sight of the LORD.

Jehoiachin was eight years old when he began to reign, — i.e., When his father Jehoiakim began to reign, for when himself began, he was eighteen. 2 Kings 24:8 For another solution See Trapp on " 2 Kings 24:8 " The like relative sense may that speech admit. 2 Kings 16:2

Verse 10

And when the year was expired, king Nebuchadnezzar sent, and brought him to Babylon, with the goodly vessels of the house of the LORD, and made Zedekiah his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem.

And when the year was expired. — Heb., At the return of the year; that is, in the spring. 2 Kings 24:10-11

“ Namque in se sua per vestigia volvitur annum. ”

Verse 11

Zedekiah [was] one and twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned eleven years in Jerusalem.

Ver. 11-13. See Trapp on " 2 Kings 24:10 " See Trapp on " 2 Kings 24:11 " See Trapp on " 2 Kings 24:17 " See Trapp on " 2 Kings 24:18 " See Trapp on " 2 Kings 24:19 " See Trapp on " 2 Kings 24:20 "

Verse 14

Moreover all the chief of the priests, and the people, transgressed very much after all the abominations of the heathen; and polluted the house of the LORD which he had hallowed in Jerusalem.

Moreover, all the chief priests and the people, … — There was a general defection, and, as physicians phrase it, Corruptio totius substantiae, a rabble of rebels fighting against Heaven.

Verse 15

And the LORD God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place:

Rising up betimes, and sending. — Manicando et mittendo, instar boni patris familias, saith A Lapide: like a good householder, who is up with the first, giving directions, and ordering the affairs of his family.

Verse 16

But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against his people, till [there was] no remedy.

But they mocked the messengers of God. — Yea, misused them, murdered them. See 2 Chronicles 30:10 Matthew 21:34-36 .

Until the wrath of the Lord arose against his people. — Desperate sinners procure implacable wrath, irrevocable decrees, exterminating judgments. Men’s sins put thunderbolts into God’s hands, who may well say, Non nisi coactus, Not till needs must: "fury is not in me." As a woman bringeth not forth without pain, a bee stingeth not till provoked, so neither doth God proceed to punish till there be no remedy.

Till there was no remedy. — Heb., No healing. They would have no healing, and now they can have none though they would. Cantharides and scorpions are said to carry about them a remedy for their own poison; at ipsi peccato sua inest poena et supplicium; but so doth not sin, for it is sure of punishment, when once it hateth to be healed especially. Nowhere else in Scripture but here, and Proverbs 29:1 , is it said "there is no remedy"; and it is fearful. What can we of this nation expect but an utter extermination for our notorious obstinacy? See the sentence, and tremble at it. Ezekiel 24:13-14 Josephus reporteth that in his time his countrymen the Jews were grown so desperately wicked, that if the Romans had not destroyed them, without doubt either the earth would have swallowed them up, or fire from heaven have consumed them.

Verse 17

Therefore he brought upon them the king of the Chaldees, who slew their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion upon young man or maiden, old man, or him that stooped for age: he gave [them] all into his hand.

Who slew their young men … in the house of their sanctuary. — This was barbarous inhumanity. Alaricus the Goth, when, after two years’ siege, he had taken the city of Rome, spared such as had fled into the churches, and there taken sanctuary.

Verse 18

And all the vessels of the house of God, great and small, and the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king, and of his princes; all [these] he brought to Babylon.

And all the vessels of the house of God. — See 2 Kings 24:13-15 .

Verse 19

And they burnt the house of God, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem, and burnt all the palaces thereof with fire, and destroyed all the goodly vessels thereof.

And they burnt the house of God. — Which those Jews had so fearfully profaned.

And burnt all the palaces thereof. — See 2 Kings 25:9 .

Verse 20

And them that had escaped from the sword carried he away to Babylon; where they were servants to him and his sons until the reign of the kingdom of Persia:

Carried he away to Babylon. — See 2 Kings 25:11 .

Where they were servants to him and his sons, — viz., To Nebuchadnezzar, Evilmerodach, and Belshazzar, according as had been foretold. Jeremiah 27:6-7

Verse 21

To fulfil the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths: [for] as long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath, to fulfil threescore and ten years.

To fulfil the word of the Lord. — See Jeremiah 25:9 ; Jeremiah 25:12 ; Jeremiah 29:10 Daniel 9:2 .

Until the land had enjoyed her Sabbaths. — As had likewise been foretold. Leviticus 26:34-35 ; Leviticus 23:32 The land was eased from the wicked weight of such inhabitants, which brought upon it heavy curses, and toiled and tired it out with continual tillage.

Verse 22

Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD [spoken] by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and [put it] also in writing, saying, 2 Chronicles 36:23 Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, All the kingdoms of the earth hath the LORD God of heaven given me; and he hath charged me to build him an house in Jerusalem, which [is] in Judah. Who [is there] among you of all his people? The LORD his God [be] with him, and let him go up.

Ver. 22, 23. See Ezra 1:1 , See Trapp on " Ezra 1:1 "

Laus Deo in aeterum