2 Kings 24:12 kjv
And Jehoiachin the king of Judah went out to the king of Babylon, he, and his mother, and his servants, and his princes, and his officers: and the king of Babylon took him in the eighth year of his reign.
2 Kings 24:12 nkjv
Then Jehoiachin king of Judah, his mother, his servants, his princes, and his officers went out to the king of Babylon; and the king of Babylon, in the eighth year of his reign, took him prisoner.
2 Kings 24:12 niv
Jehoiachin king of Judah, his mother, his attendants, his nobles and his officials all surrendered to him. In the eighth year of the reign of the king of Babylon, he took Jehoiachin prisoner.
2 Kings 24:12 esv
and Jehoiachin the king of Judah gave himself up to the king of Babylon, himself and his mother and his servants and his officials and his palace officials. The king of Babylon took him prisoner in the eighth year of his reign
2 Kings 24:12 nlt
Then King Jehoiachin, along with the queen mother, his advisers, his commanders, and his officials, surrendered to the Babylonians. In the eighth year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign, he took Jehoiachin prisoner.
2 Kings 24 12 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Kgs 24:10-17 | At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against Jerusalem... Jehoiachin... gave himself up... carried away all Jerusalem into exile. | Immediate context of Jehoiachin's surrender and the subsequent exile. |
| 2 Chr 36:9-10 | Jehoiachin was eight years old when he began to reign... And when the year was expired, Nebuchadnezzar sent... and brought him to Babylon... | Parallel account confirming Jehoiachin's short reign and capture. |
| Jer 22:24-30 | As I live, declares the Lord, though Coniah son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, were the signet ring on my right hand... | Prophecy of Jehoiachin's (Coniah) rejection and exile from Jerusalem. |
| Jer 24:1-10 | The Lord showed me: behold, two baskets of figs... one basket had very good figs... the other basket had very bad figs... | Distinguishes between those exiled (good figs, like Jehoiachin's group) and those left. |
| Jer 27:1-8 | Thus says the Lord... I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar... and I will bring all the nations to serve him... | Jeremiah's prophecy on submission to Nebuchadnezzar's dominion. |
| Jer 29:1-2 | These are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the surviving elders of the exiles, and to the priests, the prophets, and all the people... | Jeremiah's letter sent to those exiled with Jehoiachin, specifying their arrival. |
| Ezek 1:1-3 | Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year... I was among the exiles by the Chebar canal, and the heavens were opened... This was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin. | Dates Ezekiel's prophetic call based on Jehoiachin's exile. |
| Ezek 33:21 | In the twelfth year of our exile, in the tenth month... a survivor from Jerusalem came to me, saying, “The city has been struck down.” | Ezekiel's continuing ministry and the later news of Jerusalem's fall. |
| Dan 1:1-2 | In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it... brought some of the vessels... | Context of an earlier, initial deportation to Babylon, establishing Babylonian dominance. |
| Isa 39:5-7 | Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the Lord of hosts: Behold, the days are coming, when all that is in your house... shall be carried to Babylon...” | Prophecy to Hezekiah of future Babylonian exile for his descendants. |
| Deut 28:49-50 | The Lord will bring a nation against you from afar... a nation whose language you do not understand... which shall not regard the person of the old, nor show favor to the young. | Prophecy of divine judgment through foreign invaders. |
| Lev 26:33 | And I will scatter you among the nations, and I will draw out a sword after you, and your land shall be a desolation, and your cities shall be a waste. | Covenant warning of exile and dispersion for disobedience. |
| Amos 5:27 | Therefore I will send you into exile beyond Damascus, says the Lord, whose name is the God of hosts. | Prophetic warning of exile for idolatry. |
| Matt 1:11-12 | And Josiah was the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon. | Jechoniah (Jehoiachin) listed in Jesus' genealogy, noting the exile period. |
| Jer 52:31-34 | And in the thirty-seventh year of the exile of Jehoiachin king of Judah... Evil-merodach king of Babylon... lifted up the head of Jehoiachin... | Jehoiachin's later release from prison and favored status, hinting at hope for Davidic line. |
| Psa 137:1-9 | By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion. | A psalm depicting the despair and longing of the exiles in Babylon. |
| Lam 1:3 | Judah has gone into exile because of affliction and hard servitude... | Lament for Jerusalem's desolation and exile due to sin. |
| 2 Kgs 25:1-12 | And in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month... Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon... brought fire upon every great house. | The subsequent final siege, rebellion by Zedekiah, and full destruction of Jerusalem. |
| Isa 5:13 | Therefore my people go into exile for lack of knowledge; their honorable men are starving... | Explains a reason for the exile: spiritual ignorance and rejection of God. |
| Neh 9:30-31 | Many years you bore with them... But you were merciful and did not make an end of them... | God's patience and ultimate mercy even amid the judgment of exile. |
| Rev 18:1-24 | After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven... "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great!" | Symbolic judgment on a "Babylonian" system, echoing themes of divine judgment on oppressive empires. |
| Dan 2:36-38 | "This was the dream; now we will tell the king its interpretation. You, O king, are the king of kings... and have given them into your hand." | Nebuchadnezzar recognized as God's chosen instrument to judge nations. |
2 Kings 24 verses
2 Kings 24 12 Meaning
Second Kings 24:12 describes a pivotal moment in the final days of the kingdom of Judah: King Jehoiachin of Judah surrendering to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. This surrender includes not only himself but also his mother, the royal household, and the key officials, marking the formal capitulation of the kingdom's leadership and the first major deportation of the elite from Jerusalem to Babylon, occurring in the eighth year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign (597 BC).
2 Kings 24 12 Context
The period described in 2 Kings 24 is one of rapid decline and instability for the kingdom of Judah, the last remnant of the Davidic dynasty. Following the death of Josiah, a reforming king, Judah experienced a series of weak and disobedient rulers, notably Jehoiakim and then Jehoiachin. During this time, the Neo-Babylonian Empire, under the formidable Nebuchadnezzar, was ascendant, replacing the Assyrians as the dominant regional power. God used Babylon as an instrument of His judgment against Judah for its persistent idolatry, covenant unfaithfulness, and rejection of His prophets like Jeremiah.
2 Kings 24 begins with Jehoiakim's rebellion against Babylon, leading to raiding parties harassing Judah. After Jehoiakim's death (or possibly during his reign in a different invasion), his son Jehoiachin became king. He reigned for a mere three months and ten days. The verse specifically details the climax of this brief reign: the city of Jerusalem was besieged by Nebuchadnezzar's forces. Jehoiachin, seeing no way out and likely understanding the futility of further resistance, chose to surrender to the Babylonian king. This act, described in verse 12, marked the second, more significant deportation of the Jewish populace, following an earlier, smaller deportation during Jehoiakim's time. This surrender spared the city from immediate utter destruction, unlike the eventual fate under Zedekiah, but signaled the definitive end of Judah's political autonomy.
2 Kings 24 12 Word analysis
- And Jehoiachin (וִיהוֹיָכִין - wîhōwōyāḵîn): Meaning "Yahweh establishes." This name ironically contrasts with his short, failed reign and his forced exile, signifying that Yahweh removed his established kingdom as judgment. He is also known as Coniah (Jer 22:24) or Jeconiah (Jer 24:1). His presence in Matthew's genealogy of Jesus highlights the continuation of the Davidic line despite this calamity.
- the king of Judah (מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה - meleḵ Yəhūḏāh): Emphasizes his official royal status and that he held the final Davidic throne in Judah, making his surrender deeply symbolic of the kingdom's end.
- went out (יֵצֵא - yēṣē’): Literally "went forth." This active verb signifies his direct action of surrender, rather than being dragged out by force. It indicates a decision to capitulate, perhaps in hopes of sparing the city, which would have faced greater destruction otherwise.
- to the king of Babylon (אֶל מֶלֶךְ בָּבֶל - ’el meleḵ Bāḇel): Refers to Nebuchadnezzar, the powerful instrument of God's judgment. This highlights the complete power imbalance and Judah's subordinate status.
- he, and his mother (הוּא וְאִמּוֹ - hû’ wə’immō): The king's surrender of his personal self and his royal mother (Nehushta, 2 Kgs 24:8), who held a prominent political role in Judah, signifies the total collapse of the royal institution. The presence of the queen mother underscored the dignity and importance of the Davidic court even in defeat.
- and his servants, and his princes, and his officers (וַעֲבָדָיו וְשָׂרָיו וְסָרִיסָיו - wĕ‘ăḇāḏāw wəśārāw wəsārîsāw): This phrase encompasses the entire administrative, military, and court hierarchy. "Servants" (עֲבָדָיו - ‘ăḇāḏāw) likely refers to personal staff; "princes" (שָׂרָיו - śārāw) are military or regional commanders; "officers" (סָרִיסָיו - sārîsāw, sometimes translated as eunuchs, high-ranking court officials) signifies key figures in the royal administration. Their inclusion underscores the comprehensive nature of the surrender, encompassing all leadership, both personal and governmental.
- and the king of Babylon took him (וַיִּקַּח אֹתוֹ מֶלֶךְ בָּבֶל - wayyiqqaḥ ’ōṯô meleḵ Bāḇel): "Took him" denotes capture or taking possession, not a voluntary agreement between equals. It establishes Nebuchadnezzar's dominance and control over Jehoiachin's destiny.
- in the eighth year of his reign (בִּשְׁמֹנֶה שָׁנִים לְמָלְכוֹ - bišmōnēh šānîm ləmalḵô): This refers to the eighth year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign, dating the event to 597 BC according to the Babylonian Chronicles. This chronological precision is typical of the biblical historical books and serves to anchor the divine judgment within verifiable historical time. This was the principal wave of the Babylonian exile, leading to the relocation of 10,000 notable individuals.
2 Kings 24 12 Bonus section
- Jehoiachin's fate: While initially imprisoned, Jehoiachin's life took a surprising turn much later. 2 Kings 25:27-30 and Jeremiah 52:31-34 describe his release from prison 37 years later by Evil-Merodach, Nebuchadnezzar's successor. He was given a privileged status at the Babylonian king's table, demonstrating a glimmer of God's continued mercy and preservation of the Davidic line, crucial for the later fulfillment of messianic prophecies.
- The "Good Figs": The exiles accompanying Jehoiachin, including Ezekiel, became known in Jeremiah's prophecy as the "good figs" (Jer 24). Despite their hardship, they were viewed as those God would watch over and bring back, unlike the "bad figs" (those left in Jerusalem, and later Zedekiah and his people) who would face greater devastation due to their continued rebellion. This implies a selective aspect to divine judgment and grace.
- Impact on Jewish identity: The event of Jehoiachin's exile marked the definitive end of the monarchical period for Judah and fundamentally reshaped Jewish identity, leading to the development of synagogues and an emphasis on the study of Torah in exile, ensuring the survival of their faith even without the Temple.
2 Kings 24 12 Commentary
2 Kings 24:12 concisely narrates a momentous historical event: the surrender of Jehoiachin, King of Judah, to Nebuchadnezzar. This was not a mere political defeat, but a fulfillment of God's prophetic warnings against Judah's persistent sin and idolatry. By involving his entire royal retinue, Jehoiachin's surrender signaled the complete dismantling of Judah's self-governance under the Davidic dynasty. While the act spared Jerusalem from immediate and total destruction (which Zedekiah's later rebellion would provoke), it nevertheless signified the formal transfer of power and the initiation of the full exile for the majority of the nation's leadership, craftsmen, and fighting men. This event provided a critical chronological anchor for later biblical figures like Ezekiel, who was among this group of exiles. The very name Jehoiachin ("Yahweh establishes") contrasts sharply with the kingdom's downfall, illustrating that God was sovereign over both its establishment and its removal, acting in judgment yet preserving a remnant. This critical juncture reshaped Israel's identity and worship, moving from a national kingdom to a scattered people, reliant on their covenant with Yahweh beyond their land and Temple.