2 Kings 24:15 kjv
And he carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon, and the king's mother, and the king's wives, and his officers, and the mighty of the land, those carried he into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon.
2 Kings 24:15 nkjv
And he carried Jehoiachin captive to Babylon. The king's mother, the king's wives, his officers, and the mighty of the land he carried into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon.
2 Kings 24:15 niv
Nebuchadnezzar took Jehoiachin captive to Babylon. He also took from Jerusalem to Babylon the king's mother, his wives, his officials and the prominent people of the land.
2 Kings 24:15 esv
And he carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon. The king's mother, the king's wives, his officials, and the chief men of the land he took into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon.
2 Kings 24:15 nlt
Nebuchadnezzar led King Jehoiachin away as a captive to Babylon, along with the queen mother, his wives and officials, and all Jerusalem's elite.
2 Kings 24 15 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference Note |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Kgs 24:14 | And he carried away all Jerusalem... into captivity... | Context: Deportation of entire elite |
| 2 Kgs 24:16 | And all the able men... them the king of Babylon carried captive to Babylon. | Summation of the scale of deportation |
| 2 Kgs 25:8-12 | In the nineteenth year... Nebuchadnezzar... came to Jerusalem... burn the house of the Lord... carry into captivity. | The third, main deportation of Jerusalem |
| Jer 27:18-22 | Why do you not implore the Lord... let them not be carried to Babylon? | Prophetic warning about Babylon's imminent victory and captivity |
| Jer 29:1-7 | These are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the remnant of the elders... carried away captive. | Jeremiah's letter to the exiles in Babylon |
| Dan 1:1-6 | In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim... Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came... and besieged Jerusalem. | Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, Azariah taken in the earliest wave (often dated to an earlier phase than 24:15, but sets the context for exile) |
| Eze 1:1-3 | In the thirtieth year... in the fifth year of King Jehoiachin's exile... the word of the Lord came to Ezekiel the priest... | Ezekiel's prophetic ministry begins among the exiles in Babylon, confirming the specific timing of this exile |
| 2 Chr 36:10 | At the turn of the year King Nebuchadnezzar sent... and brought him to Babylon with the precious vessels... | Parallel account emphasizing Jehoiachin's capture and treasures taken |
| 2 Kgs 17:5-6 | Then the king of Assyria invaded all the land... carried Israel away to Assyria... | Northern Kingdom's exile by Assyria, historical precedent for divine judgment |
| Isa 39:6-7 | Behold, the days are coming, when all that is in your house... shall be carried to Babylon... | Hezekiah's treasury shown to Babylon foreshadowing later plunder and exile |
| Jer 25:9-11 | I will bring them against this land and its inhabitants... This whole land shall become a ruin and a waste... these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years. | Jeremiah's seventy-year prophecy of Babylonian servitude and exile |
| Ps 137:1 | By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion. | Expresses the sorrow and longing of the exiles in Babylon |
| Neh 1:1-4 | The words of Nehemiah... I was in the citadel of Susa. Hanani... came with men from Judah, and I asked them concerning the Jews who had escaped, who had survived the captivity. | Later perspective of those returned from the Babylonian captivity |
| Ezra 1:1-3 | In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia... he made a proclamation... All the kingdoms of the earth the Lord God of heaven has given me... | God's orchestrating of Cyrus to allow return from exile, demonstrating divine control over history |
| Lk 21:24 | They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive among all nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles... | Prophecy of Jerusalem's later desolation and dispersion of its people, echoing themes of captivity |
| Mt 1:11 | And from the deportation to Babylon to Christ... | The New Testament's direct recognition of the Babylonian exile as a significant historical marker |
| Hab 1:5-6 | Look among the nations, and see... For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, who march through the breadth of the earth, to seize dwellings not their own. | Prophetic understanding of Babylon as God's instrument of judgment |
| Deut 28:47-48 | Because you did not serve the Lord your God with joy and gladness... therefore you shall serve your enemies whom the Lord will send against you. | Covenant curses foretelling foreign domination and servitude due to disobedience |
| Amos 5:27 | Therefore I will send you into exile beyond Damascus, says the Lord, whose name is the God of hosts. | Prophecy of exile for unfaithfulness, even from the northern kingdom context |
| Lm 1:3-4 | Judah has gone into exile because of affliction and hard servitude... The roads to Zion mourn... | Lamentation over the consequences of exile, confirming its severity |
| Jn 15:6 | If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers... and they are thrown into the fire and burned. | Spiritual exile/separation from God for disobedience, drawing a parallel to removal from the land |
2 Kings 24 verses
2 Kings 24 15 Meaning
This verse meticulously details the forced removal of key societal figures from Jerusalem to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar, following a siege against Judah. It specifies the young king Jehoiachin, the royal family (including his mother and wives), and importantly, all influential officials, military leaders, and essential skilled laborers like craftsmen and smiths. This marked the first significant wave of the Babylonian exile, weakening Judah's capacity to resist and fulfilling prophetic warnings of divine judgment against the kingdom.
2 Kings 24 15 Context
2 Kings 24:15 is situated during the decline and impending fall of the Southern Kingdom of Judah. It follows Nebuchadnezzar's first successful military campaign against Jerusalem, instigated by Jehoiakim's rebellion against Babylonian suzerainty. King Jehoiakim dies (or is deposed) and his son Jehoiachin, still a youth, reigns for a mere three months. This verse specifically describes Nebuchadnezzar's response: the capture and forced removal of Jehoiachin and a significant portion of Judah's elite population and skilled laborers. This event marks the true beginning of the 70-year Babylonian exile, prophesied by Jeremiah. It strategically crippled Judah by removing its leadership, military strength, and ability to rebuild, preventing future rebellion. This first wave included figures like Ezekiel. The king of Babylon then installed Zedekiah, Jehoiachin's uncle, as a puppet king, setting the stage for Judah's final destruction roughly a decade later due to Zedekiah's own rebellion. The broader biblical narrative emphasizes that this exile was divine judgment for Judah's persistent idolatry and covenant breaking.
2 Kings 24 15 Word analysis
- And he carried away Jehoiachin: This refers to Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. Jehoiachin (יהויכין, Yehoyakhin), also known as Jeconiah or Coniah, was the legitimate Davidic king, reigning for only three months and ten days. His deportation signifies the physical end of the Davidic line on the throne of Judah for a period, though the lineage would continue through him (cf. Matt 1:12).
- to Babylon: (בבל, Babel). This destination represents the imperial power that God used as His instrument of judgment. Babylon was a highly developed cultural, political, and economic center, in stark contrast to the desolate state Jerusalem would soon face.
- and the king's mother: The queen mother (גבירה, gevira) held significant status and influence in ancient Near Eastern monarchies, often serving as a regent or key advisor. Her deportation ensured complete disempowerment of the royal family.
- and the king's wives: Part of the royal household, their capture further solidified the Babylonian claim over the Judahite monarchy and served as a humiliation and stripping of dynastic power.
- and his officers: (סריסים, sarisim, lit. "eunuchs"). These were high-ranking court officials, often castrated, serving directly under the king. Their removal decapitated the administrative and political infrastructure of Judah.
- and the mighty of the land: (אילי הארץ, eilei ha'arets, "rams of the land" or "leaders/strongmen"). This refers to the most prominent nobles, influential individuals, and military leaders—those who held power, wealth, and martial capacity. Their removal eliminated the potential for internal leadership to spark rebellion.
- he carried into captivity from Jerusalem: This phrase emphasizes the forced, permanent removal of the population from their homeland, a direct consequence of their disobedience to God's covenant.
- to Babylon: Repetition underscores the definitive destination and the completion of the transfer.
- and all the able men: (גיבורי החיל, gibboray hachayil, "mighty men of valor" or "men of war/might"). This specifically refers to fighting men, trained soldiers, and capable individuals vital for defense and labor.
- even seven thousand: This specific number indicates a systematic census and targeted removal. While seemingly large, it likely represents the top tier of military strength, not every able-bodied man. It contrasts with later, much larger deportations.
- and craftsmen: (החרש, he-charash, "the craftsman" or "engraver"). These were skilled artisans: metalworkers, carpenters, stonemasons, essential for building and repair, particularly fortifications and weaponry.
- and smiths: (והמסגר, ve-hamasger, "the smith" or "prison/barricade-maker"). Specifically metalworkers, especially those who forge iron. Their skill was crucial for making tools, agricultural implements, and weapons.
- one thousand: A separate number, highlighting the strategic removal of specialists.
- all who were strong and apt for war: (גיבורי מלחמה, gibboray milchamah, "mighty men of war"). This further clarifies and reinforces the quality of the "able men" mentioned earlier, specifying their military readiness. The skilled artisans (craftsmen and smiths) also fell into this category as they could forge weapons or fortify cities.
- them the king of Babylon carried captive to Babylon: This final phrase is a summary and re-affirmation, emphasizing Nebuchadnezzar's complete success and control over Judah's most valuable human resources. The systematic and total removal was an act of both conquest and prevention of future revolt.
2 Kings 24 15 Bonus section
The specific numbers (seven thousand able men, one thousand craftsmen and smiths) listed in 2 Kings 24:15, while seeming precise, should be understood as representing the significant portions of various elite classes rather than the entire population. Later biblical and extra-biblical sources might give differing or cumulative numbers for deportations, but this passage focuses on the elite and essential personnel targeted in this specific first major wave of Jehoiachin's reign. This calculated strategy by Babylon, mirrored in other ancient empires, aimed to:
- Prevent Rebellion: Removing potential leaders and soldiers eliminates resistance.
- Weakened Resistance: Skilled workers are vital for defense and reconstruction, so their absence renders the remaining populace largely helpless.
- Human Resource Utilization: These valuable individuals were then likely put to work for the benefit of the Babylonian empire, contributing their skills to its grand building projects and economy. This act reflects a military and economic strategy to integrate the conquered territories' most valuable human assets directly into the imperial core. This ensured that the defeated kingdom, even with a new puppet king on the throne, remained politically, economically, and militarily subservient to Babylon.
2 Kings 24 15 Commentary
2 Kings 24:15 profoundly narrates the moment Judah ceased to be a truly independent kingdom. This was not a random plunder but a calculated and strategic dismantling of Judah's potential for self-governance and military resurgence. Nebuchadnezzar, as God's unwitting instrument of judgment, methodically removed the leadership, both royal and aristocratic, crippling the nation's political spine. By deporting skilled craftsmen and smiths, Babylon stripped Judah of its technological and rebuilding capabilities, effectively preventing the construction of arms or fortifications. The precise numbers underscore the systematic nature of this forced relocation. This act of "ethnic cleansing" by resource management effectively neutralised any immediate threat and ensured Babylonian dominance. Theologically, it stands as a stark testament to the consequences of chronic covenant unfaithfulness. The Lord had warned His people through His prophets; now, those warnings became a harsh reality, initiated by this very deportation which included prophets like Ezekiel and provided a backdrop for Jeremiah's letters to the exiles. It highlights God's sovereignty over nations, even using a pagan king to bring about His purposes, thereby humbling His rebellious people for a period of chastisement.