Lectionary Calendar
Wednesday, September 10th, 2025
the Week of Proper 18 / Ordinary 23
Attention!
For 10¢ a day you can enjoy StudyLight.org ads
free while helping to build churches and support pastors in Uganda.
Click here to learn more!

Read the Bible

Bible in Basic English

2 Kings 25:18

And the captain of the armed men took Seraiah, the chief priest, and Zephaniah, the second priest, and the three door-keepers;

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Doorkeepers;   Nebuzaradan (Nebuzar-Adan);   Priest;   Prophecy;   Seraiah;   Zephaniah;   Thompson Chain Reference - Door-Keepers;   Zephaniah;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Babylon;   High Priest, the;   Jerusalem;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Captivity;   Jeremiah, the Book of;   Seraiah;   Zedekiah;   Zephaniah;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Babylon;   Egypt;   Exile;   Gedaliah;   Jeremiah;   Lamentations;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Worship;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Bramble;   Ezra;   Judah, Kingdom of;   Nebuzaradan;   Seraiah;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Azariah;   Captain;   High Priest;   Jehoiada;   Jehozadak;   Kings, the Books of;   Nebuzaradan;   Seraiah;   Zadok;   Zechariah;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Babylon, History and Religion of;   Exile;   Guard;   High Priest;   People of the Land;   Seraiah;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Israel;   Lamentations, Book of;   Nebuzaradan;   Seraiah;   Zephaniah;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Babylon ;   Nebuzaradan ;   Seraiah ;   Zephaniah ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Captivity;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Jeho-I'ada;   Jehoz'adak;   Nebuzar-A'dan;   Sera'iah;   Zephani'ah;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Thistle;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Doorkeeper;   Ezekiel;   Ezra;   Joshua (3);   Order;   Priest, High;   Priests and Levites;   Seraiah;   Zephaniah;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Ezra the Scribe;   High Priest;   Sanhedrin;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
The captain of the guards also took away Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah the priest of the second rank, and the three doorkeepers.
Hebrew Names Version
The captain of the guard took Serayah the chief Kohen, and Tzefanyah the second Kohen, and the three keepers of the threshold:
King James Version
And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the door:
English Standard Version
And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest and Zephaniah the second priest and the three keepers of the threshold;
New Century Version
The commander of the guards took some prisoners—Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah the priest next in rank, and the three doorkeepers.
New English Translation
The captain of the royal guard took Seraiah the chief priest and Zephaniah, the priest who was second in rank, and the three doorkeepers.
Amplified Bible
The captain of the bodyguard took [captive] Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah the second priest, and the three doorkeepers [of the temple].
New American Standard Bible
Then the captain of the bodyguards took Seraiah the chief priest and Zephaniah the second priest, with the three doorkeepers.
World English Bible
The captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the threshold:
Geneva Bible (1587)
And the chiefe steward tooke Seraiah the chiefe Priest, and Zephaniah the second Priest, and the three keepers of the doore.
Legacy Standard Bible
Then the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest and Zephaniah the second priest, with the three doorkeepers of the temple.
Berean Standard Bible
The captain of the guard also took away Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah the priest of the second rank, and the three doorkeepers.
Contemporary English Version
Next, Nebuzaradan arrested Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah his assistant, and three temple officials.
Complete Jewish Bible
The commander of the guard took [prisoner] S'rayah the chief cohen, Z'kharyah the second-ranking cohen and three doorkeepers.
Darby Translation
And the captain of the body-guard took Seraiah the high priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three doorkeepers.
Easy-to-Read Version
From the Temple, Nebuzaradan took Seraiah the high priest, Zephaniah the second priest, and the three men who guarded the entrance.
George Lamsa Translation
And the commander of the guard took Sheriah the chief priest and Zephaniah the second priest and the three keepers of the door;
Good News Translation
In addition, Nebuzaradan, the commanding officer, took away as prisoners Seraiah the High Priest, Zephaniah the priest next in rank, and the three other important Temple officials.
Lexham English Bible
Then the commander of the imperial guard took Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah the second priest, and three of the threshold keepers.
Literal Translation
And the chief of the executioners took Seraiah the head priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the gate;
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And the chefe captayne toke Seraia the prest of the first course, & Sophony the prest of the seconde course, and thre dorekepers,
American Standard Version
And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the threshold:
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And the chiefe captayne of the men of warre toke Saraia the chiefe priest, and Zephoniah the highest priest saue one, and the three kepers of the holy things:
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the door;
King James Version (1611)
And the captaine of the guard, tooke Seraiah the chiefe Priest, and Zephaniah the second Priest, and the three keepers of the doore.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And the captain of the guard took Saraias the high-priest, and Sophonias the second in order, and the three doorkeepers.
English Revised Version
And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the door:
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Also the prince of the chyualrie took Saraie, the firste preest, and Sophony, the secunde prest,
Update Bible Version
And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the threshold:
Webster's Bible Translation
And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the door:
New King James Version
And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah the second priest, and the three doorkeepers.
New Living Translation
Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, took with him as prisoners Seraiah the high priest, Zephaniah the priest of the second rank, and the three chief gatekeepers.
New Life Bible
Then the captain of the soldiers took Seraiah the head religious leader, and Zephaniah the religious leader next in power. And he took the three men who were keepers of the door.
New Revised Standard
The captain of the guard took the chief priest Seraiah, the second priest Zephaniah, and the three guardians of the threshold;
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And the chief of the royal executioners took Seraiah the head priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, - and the three keepers of the entrance hall;
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the general of the army took Seraias, the chief priest, and Sophonias, the second priest, and three doorkeepers:
Revised Standard Version
And the captain of the guard took Serai'ah the chief priest, and Zephani'ah the second priest, and the three keepers of the threshold;
Young's Literal Translation
And the chief of the executioners taketh Seraiah the head priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the threshold,
THE MESSAGE
The king's deputy took a number of special prisoners: Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah the associate priest, three wardens, the chief remaining army officer, five of the king's counselors, the accountant, the chief recruiting officer for the army, and sixty men of standing from among the people. Nebuzaradan the king's deputy marched them all off to the king of Babylon at Riblah. And there at Riblah, in the land of Hamath, the king of Babylon killed the lot of them in cold blood. Judah went into exile, orphaned from her land.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest and Zephaniah the second priest, with the three officers of the temple.

Contextual Overview

8 Now in the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month, in the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan, the captain of the armed men, a servant of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem; 9 And he had the house of the Lord and the king's house and all the houses of Jerusalem, even every great house, burned with fire; 10 And the walls round Jerusalem were broken down by the Chaldaean army which was with the captain. 11 And the rest of the people who were still in the town, and all those who had given themselves up to the king of Babylon, and all the rest of the workmen, Nebuzaradan, the captain of the armed men, took away as prisoners; 12 But he let the poorest of the land go on living there, to take care of the vines and the fields. 13 And the brass pillars in the house of the Lord, and the wheeled bases, and the great brass water-vessel in the house of the Lord, were broken up by the Chaldaeans, who took the brass to Babylon. 14 And the pots and the spades and the scissors for the lights and the spoons, and all the brass vessels used in the Lord's house, they took away. 15 And the fire-trays and the basins; the gold of the gold vessels and the silver of the silver vessels, were all taken away by the captain of the armed men. 16 The two pillars, the great water-vessel and the wheeled bases, which Solomon had made for the house of the Lord: the brass of all these vessels was without weight. 17 One of the pillars was eighteen cubits high, with a crown of brass on it; the crown was three cubits high, circled with a network and apples all of brass; and the second pillar had the same.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

captain: 2 Kings 25:24, 2 Kings 25:25, 2 Kings 25:26

Seraiah: 1 Chronicles 6:14, Ezra 7:1, Jeremiah 52:24

Zephaniah: Jeremiah 21:1, Jeremiah 29:25, Jeremiah 29:29

the second priest: Called by the Jews, sagan, who officiated for the high priest in case of any temporary incapacity.

door: Heb. threshold

Reciprocal: Numbers 3:32 - General 2 Kings 12:9 - the priests 1 Chronicles 6:15 - when the Lord 1 Chronicles 9:11 - the ruler 1 Chronicles 12:27 - the leader 1 Chronicles 15:23 - General Nehemiah 9:32 - on our kings Isaiah 22:3 - thy rulers Jeremiah 20:1 - chief Jeremiah 21:7 - I will Jeremiah 32:2 - then Jeremiah 34:21 - Zedekiah Jeremiah 35:4 - the keeper Jeremiah 52:10 - he slew Lamentations 4:16 - they respected Ezekiel 11:7 - but

Cross-References

Genesis 2:11
The name of the first is Pishon, which goes round about all the land of Havilah where there is gold.
Genesis 10:7
And the sons of Cush: Seba and Havilah and Sabtah and Raamah and Sabteca; and the sons of Raamah: Sheba and Dedan.
Genesis 10:29
And Ophir and Havilah and Jobab; all these were the sons of Joktan.
Genesis 13:10
And Lot, lifting up his eyes and looking an the valley of Jordan, saw that it was well watered everywhere, before the Lord had sent destruction on Sodom and Gomorrah; it was like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, on the way to Zoar.
Genesis 14:10
Now the valley of Siddim was full of holes of sticky earth; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah were put to flight and came to their end there, but the rest got away to the mountain.
Genesis 16:12
And he will be like a mountain ass among men; his hand will be against every man and every man's hand against him, and he will keep his place against all his brothers.
Genesis 20:1
And Abraham went on his way from there to the land of the South, and was living between Kadesh and Shur, in Gerar.
Genesis 21:14
And early in the morning Abraham got up, and gave Hagar some bread and a water-skin, and put the boy on her back, and sent her away: and she went, wandering in the waste land of Beer-sheba.
Genesis 21:21
And while he was in the waste land of Paran, his mother got him a wife from the land of Egypt.
Genesis 25:23
And the Lord said to her, Two nations are in your body, and two peoples will come to birth from you: the one will be stronger than the other, and the older will be the servant of the younger.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Ver. 18-21. And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest,.... The sagan, or deputy priest, who officiated for the high priest, when by any means he was rendered unfit and incapable; so Joseph, the son of Ellem, as Josephus x relates, officiated for Matthias, when defiled with a nocturnal pollution; and seven days before the day of atonement they always substituted one under the high priest, lest anything of this kind should happen to him y. From hence, to the end of 2 Kings 25:21 the account is the same as in Jeremiah 52:25, only here in 2 Kings 25:19 it is said, that five men that were in the king's presence were taken, there seven men; to account for which, 2 Kings 25:19- :.

x Antiqu. l. 17. c. 6. sect. 4. y Misn. Yoma, c. 1. sect. 1.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

It devolved on Nebuzaradan to select for exemplary punishment the persons whom he regarded as most guilty, either in respect of the original rebellion or of the protracted resistance. Instead of taking indiscriminately the first comers, he first selected those who by their offices would be likely to have had most authority - the high priest; the second priest (2 Kings 23:4 note); three of the temple Levites; the commandant of the city; five members of the king’s Privy Council (or seven, see 2 Kings 25:19 note); and the secretary (or adjutant) of the captain of the host. To these he added sixty others, who were accounted “princes.” Compared with the many occasions on which Assyrian and Persian conquerers put to death hundreds or thousands after taking a revolted town, Nebuzaradan (and Nebuchadnezzar) must be regarded as moderate, or even merciful, in their vengeance. Compare Jeremiah 40:2-5.

The three keepers of the door - Rather, “three keepers.” The Hebrew has no article. The temple “door-keepers” in the time of Solomon numbered twenty-four 1 Chronicles 26:17-18, who were probably under six chiefs. After the captivity the chiefs are either six Ezra 2:42; Nehemiah 7:45 or four 1 Chronicles 9:17.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Kings 25:18. Seraiah the chief priest - Zephaniah — The person who is here called the second priest was what the Jews call sagan, a sort of deputy, who performed the functions of the high priest when he was prevented by any infirmity from attending the temple service. See on 2 Kings 23:4.


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile