2 Kings 24 19

2 Kings 24:19 kjv

And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that Jehoiakim had done.

2 Kings 24:19 nkjv

He also did evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that Jehoiakim had done.

2 Kings 24:19 niv

He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, just as Jehoiakim had done.

2 Kings 24:19 esv

And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that Jehoiakim had done.

2 Kings 24:19 nlt

But Zedekiah did what was evil in the LORD's sight, just as Jehoiakim had done.

2 Kings 24 verses

2 Kings 24 19 Meaning

2 Kings 24:19 describes King Zedekiah's reign as one of disobedience and wickedness in the eyes of the LORD, reiterating a tragic pattern of unfaithfulness set by many of his royal predecessors in Judah. This assessment underscores his failure to lead the nation in accordance with God's covenant, thereby sealing Judah's destiny towards exile and destruction.

2 Kings 24 19 Context

h2>Context

This verse falls within the final chapters of the books of Kings, which chronicle the history of Israel and Judah from the divided monarchy through the fall of Jerusalem. Specifically, 2 Kings 24:19 describes Zedekiah, the last king of Judah. He was installed as a puppet king by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, after Jehoiachin's short reign and deportation. Zedekiah inherited a kingdom teetering on the brink of collapse due to generations of covenant unfaithfulness and persistent rebellion against the LORD, often manifested through idolatry, injustice, and seeking alliances with foreign powers rather than trusting God. His reign marked the culmination of national sin that led to the final destruction of Jerusalem and the Babylonian exile, a prophesied judgment from prophets like Jeremiah. The statement that he "did what was evil" is the standard theological assessment applied to most kings in the books of Kings and Chronicles, indicating their failure to uphold the covenantal stipulations of Deuteronomy, particularly relating to exclusive worship of Yahweh.

2 Kings 24 19 Word analysis

h2>Word analysis

• And he did: The Hebrew word is va-ya'as (וַיַּעַשׂ), a consecutive imperfect form of the verb asah (עָשָׂה), meaning "to do, to make." This form succinctly links his action to the preceding narrative and presents it as a continuous or characteristic act, indicating a persistent pattern of behavior rather than a single event.

• what was evil: The Hebrew is hara'a (הָרָע), from the root ra' (רַע), which means "evil, bad, wicked, calamitous." In a moral and theological sense within the Bible, "evil" denotes actions contrary to God's will, violating His covenant and laws, often encompassing idolatry, injustice, oppression, and rebellion. This is not merely human moral judgment but God's divine assessment.

• in the sight of the LORD: The Hebrew phrase is b'einei Yahweh (בְּעֵינֵי יְהוָה). B'einei (בְּעֵינֵי) means "in the eyes of" or "in the sight of." Yahweh (יְהוָה) is the sacred personal name of God, indicating His specific covenant relationship with Israel. This recurring phrase emphasizes that Zedekiah's actions were judged by God's standard, not human or political expediency. It signifies divine observation, moral assessment, and ultimate accountability to the sovereign Creator. God sees, God evaluates, and God holds responsible.

• according to all that his fathers: The Hebrew is k'kol asher asu avotav (כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ אֲבֹתָיו). K'kol (כְּכֹל) means "according to all," denoting conformity to a preceding standard or pattern. Avotav (אֲבֹתָיו) means "his fathers" or "his ancestors." While Zedekiah's immediate father, Josiah, was a righteous king, "his fathers" here refers to the line of wicked kings who preceded him and set a precedent of covenant infidelity, particularly kings like Manasseh, Amon, Jehoiakim, and Jehoiachin, whose reigns marked a severe departure from Yahweh's commands.

• had done: The verb is asu (עָשׂוּ), the same root as "did" earlier (asah). Here it's in the perfect tense, indicating actions completed in the past by his predecessors. This reiterates the established, historical pattern of disobedience.

• "he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD": This standard phrase is a theological verdict common in the Books of Kings and Chronicles for almost all the kings of both Israel and Judah. It serves as a covenant report card, directly linking the monarch's moral and religious fidelity (or lack thereof) to the unfolding narrative of national fortunes. For Zedekiah, it underlines his complicity in, and continuation of, the apostasy that had pervaded Judah for generations, confirming the justness of the coming divine judgment.

• "according to all that his fathers had done": This phrase highlights a powerful theme of generational patterns and inherited spiritual decline. It doesn't mean Zedekiah merely imitated, but that he failed to break a deeply ingrained cycle of covenant rebellion and idolatry that many of his royal predecessors, post-Solomon, had engaged in. It also hints at a collective responsibility and the cumulative weight of national sin that had been building towards a climax, as continuously warned by the prophets.

2 Kings 24 19 Bonus section

h2>Bonus section

• Zedekiah's reign, although brief, encapsulates the tragic end of the Davidic monarchy in Judah before the exile. Unlike his immediate predecessors who were briefly kings before being deposed, Zedekiah had the opportunity to heed the word of the LORD delivered by Jeremiah (Jer 27:12-14), but chose stubborn rebellion, leading to Judah's total destruction (Jer 37:1-2).
• The repetitive nature of the phrase "did what was evil in the sight of the LORD" across the books of Kings (and Chronicles) acts as a literary and theological leitmotif. It provides a consistent framework for evaluating each king's adherence to the Deuteronomic covenant, underscoring that history is understood as a narrative of humanity's interaction with the sovereign God.
• The phrase "his fathers" doesn't strictly mean biological father but often refers to the royal line and those who established the wicked pattern. While his direct father Josiah was a reforming king, many previous kings (Manasseh, Amon, Jehoiakim) engaged in extensive wickedness, setting the stage for Zedekiah's downfall. His failure was not a fresh sin, but a stubborn adherence to established national apostasy despite generations of prophetic warnings.
• The exile was not a sign of God's defeat, but His justice and faithfulness to His covenant promises of both blessing for obedience and curses for disobedience, reiterated in texts like Deuteronomy 28. Zedekiah's "evil" therefore perfectly justifies the subsequent judgment as a righteous act of God.

2 Kings 24 19 Commentary

h2>Commentary

2 Kings 24:19 delivers a concise yet profound indictment of King Zedekiah, concluding his brief, tumultuous reign with the familiar judgment: "he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD." This verdict is deeply theological, assessing his rule not by political astuteness or military might, but by his obedience to the covenant God. His "evil" encompassed his failure to heed divine warnings through prophets like Jeremiah, his reliance on political alliances (especially with Egypt) instead of trusting the LORD's sovereign plan, and his continuation of idolatrous practices and injustices that had characterized earlier wicked kings. The phrase "according to all that his fathers had done" tragically encapsulates the nation's spiritual bankruptcy; Zedekiah represented the final link in a chain of consistent rebellion against God. His failure was not merely a personal flaw but the culmination of a pervasive pattern of apostasy within Judah's monarchy and, by extension, the nation, inevitably leading to divine discipline in the form of exile and the destruction of Jerusalem. It serves as a stark reminder that leadership and personal conduct, especially in relation to God's revealed will, have profound and lasting consequences, impacting entire generations and nations.