2 Chronicles 36 7

2 Chronicles 36:7 kjv

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

2 Chronicles 36:7 nkjv

Nebuchadnezzar also carried off some of the articles from the house of the LORD to Babylon, and put them in his temple at Babylon.

2 Chronicles 36:7 niv

Nebuchadnezzar also took to Babylon articles from the temple of the LORD and put them in his temple there.

2 Chronicles 36:7 esv

Nebuchadnezzar also carried part of the vessels of the house of the LORD to Babylon and put them in his palace in Babylon.

2 Chronicles 36:7 nlt

Nebuchadnezzar also took some of the treasures from the Temple of the LORD, and he placed them in his palace in Babylon.

2 Chronicles 36 verses

2 Chronicles 36 7 Meaning

Second Chronicles 36:7 describes a key event in the decline of the Southern Kingdom of Judah, specifically the initial act of desecration and plunder of the Jerusalem Temple by Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon. This verse details how he transported a portion of the holy articles from the House of the Lord to Babylon, placing them in his own pagan temple. This act symbolized the perceived subjugation of Judah's God by Babylon's deities from the conqueror's perspective, but biblically, it represents the divine judgment upon Judah for their unfaithfulness to the covenant, orchestrated by Yahweh Himself.

2 Chronicles 36 7 Context

The verse is situated at the dramatic climax of the book of 2 Chronicles, recounting the final downfall of the Southern Kingdom of Judah due to persistent covenant unfaithfulness. King Jehoiakim's rebellion against Nebuchadnezzar, coupled with Judah's entrenched idolatry and rejection of prophetic warnings, leads to divine judgment. This verse details the first significant blow – the initial siege of Jerusalem and the partial deportation of Temple articles in 605 BC, specifically associated with Jehoiakim's third regnal year (as per Jeremiah 25:1) or fourth (Jeremiah 46:2) or eighth (Daniel 1:1 implies Nebuchadnezzar came in third year of Jehoiakim).

Historically, in the Ancient Near East, taking a conquered nation's idols or cultic objects and placing them in the victor's temple was a symbolic declaration of the triumph of one god over another. However, within the biblical narrative, this act is reinterpreted not as a defeat of Yahweh, but as Yahweh Himself using Nebuchadnezzar as His "servant" (Jer 25:9, 27:6) to execute judgment on His disobedient people, as prophesied (Lev 26, Deut 28, Jer). The Chronicler emphasizes Judah's continuous rejection of God's warnings as the cause for this devastating turn of events, culminating in the Babylonian exile (2 Chr 36:15-16). The removal of these sacred items sets the stage for Daniel's story and, eventually, their symbolic return under Cyrus, demonstrating God's ultimate sovereignty over nations and history.

2 Chronicles 36 7 Word analysis

• Nebuchadnezzar (נְבוּכַדְנֶאצַּר - Nəḇūḵaḏneʾṣṣar): The name means "Nabu protect my son" or "Nabu, defend the boundary/heir." He was the king of the Neo-Babylonian Empire, reigning c. 605–562 BC, a prominent figure in biblical prophecy as the instrument of God's judgment against Judah and Jerusalem. His historical reality lends authenticity to the biblical account.
• also carried (וְהִקֵּל – wəhiqqêl): The Hebrew verb is hiqel, from the root ql, meaning "to be light" or "to make light." In the Hiphil stem, it often means "to lighten" a burden or "to bring lightly" or "to take away." Here, it implies taking away and perhaps the ease or decisiveness of his action as a conquering king. It emphasizes the direct physical removal.
• some of the articles (מִקְּצָת כְּלֵי – miqqəṣaṯ kəlê):
  • miqqəṣaṯ: means "a portion of," "some of," "from the end of." This is crucial. It explicitly states that not all temple articles were taken in this initial assault, reserving a further, more complete destruction and plunder for later events (2 Chr 36:18-19). This highlights the incremental nature of divine judgment.
  • kəlê: means "vessels," "instruments," "articles," "furnishings." In this context, it refers specifically to the holy objects used in Temple worship (e.g., menorahs, tables, basins, implements for sacrifice), which were dedicated to God and symbolized His presence and the sanctity of the covenant. Their removal and desecration was an enormous affront.
• from the house of the Lord (מִבֵּית יְהוָה – mibêṯ YHWH): "The House of Yahweh" refers to Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem, the central place of worship and the dwelling place of God's manifest presence in Israel. The removal of items from this sacred space underscored the perceived defeat and the theological implications of Jerusalem's fall.
• to Babylon (בָּבֶל – bāḇel): The capital city of the Babylonian Empire, representing imperial power and paganism. It served as a symbolic locus of exile and opposition to God's people throughout the biblical narrative, extending even into Revelation.
• and put them in his temple there (וַיָּבֵא אֹתָם בְּהֵיכָלוֹ בְּבָבֶל – wayyāḇēʾ ʾôṯām bəhêḵālô bəḇāḇel):
  • hêḵālô: "his temple," specifically a pagan temple, likely dedicated to Marduk, the chief god of Babylon.
  • This act was a deliberate display of religious conquest and a public assertion of Marduk's (or Babylonian gods') superiority over Yahweh. From the Judahite perspective, however, it underscored the humiliation and divine abandonment that was the consequence of their idolatry and sin. The fact that Yahweh permitted this speaks volumes about His commitment to the covenant curses when disobeyed.

2 Chronicles 36 7 Bonus section

The chronicler's account in 2 Chronicles, written after the exile, provides a distinct theological perspective. While Kings focuses on the decline through various kings' unfaithfulness, Chronicles heavily emphasizes the direct connection between sin (especially idolatry and neglecting the Temple and its worship) and divine judgment leading to the exile. This verse is a primary example, portraying the very sacredness of the Temple objects being violated as a direct result of the people's pervasive rebellion. The taking of "some" items also aligns with the theme of deferred but certain judgment throughout prophetic books, where opportunities for repentance are offered before complete desolation.

2 Chronicles 36 7 Commentary

2 Chronicles 36:7 succinctly records the initial phase of divine judgment enacted upon Judah through the hand of Nebuchadnezzar. The seemingly mundane description of carrying articles conceals a profound theological statement. It is not merely the plundering of a defeated city, but the desecration of the sacred space representing God's presence among His people. This act, sanctioned by God Himself as a fulfillment of covenant curses (Lev 26; Deut 28), demonstrated His absolute sovereignty over all nations, even the mightiest empire of the time, and served as a clear indictment of Judah's unfaithfulness.

The mention of "some of the articles" is significant; it underscores the phased nature of the judgment, contrasting with the eventual, complete destruction described later in the chapter (2 Chr 36:18-19). This progressive loss of sacred items would have been deeply unsettling for the people of Judah, stripping away visible signs of God's covenantal protection. Furthermore, placing these holy articles in a pagan temple was the ultimate humiliation and challenge to Yahweh's supremacy. Yet, it paradoxically set the stage for later vindication when these same articles would return (Ezra 1:7-11) or become instruments of judgment upon Babylon itself (Dan 5), thus proving God's ultimate power even over pagan deities and empires. The event serves as a stark reminder that sin has consequences, and God uses even hostile powers to fulfill His righteous purposes, holding both His own people and the nations accountable.