2 Kings 25 1

2 Kings 25:1 kjv

And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came, he, and all his host, against Jerusalem, and pitched against it; and they built forts against it round about.

2 Kings 25:1 nkjv

Now it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army came against Jerusalem and encamped against it; and they built a siege wall against it all around.

2 Kings 25:1 niv

So in the ninth year of Zedekiah's reign, on the tenth day of the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his whole army. He encamped outside the city and built siege works all around it.

2 Kings 25:1 esv

And in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came with all his army against Jerusalem and laid siege to it. And they built siegeworks all around it.

2 Kings 25:1 nlt

So on January 15, during the ninth year of Zedekiah's reign, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon led his entire army against Jerusalem. They surrounded the city and built siege ramps against its walls.

2 Kings 25 verses

2 Kings 25 1 Meaning

2 Kings 25:1 vividly describes the beginning of the final and most devastating Babylonian siege of Jerusalem. It precisely dates the event to the ninth year of King Zedekiah's reign, specifically the tenth day of the tenth month. Under the leadership of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, a vast army arrived, encircled Jerusalem, and commenced the methodical construction of siege works. This verse marks the dire commencement of Judah's ultimate judgment for its prolonged apostasy and rebellion against God, fulfilling divine warnings and prophetic pronouncements.

2 Kings 25 1 Context

2 Kings 25:1 marks the culminating point in the long history of Judah's decline and God's prophetic warnings. Following Jehoiakim's and Jehoiachin's exiles (2 Ki 24), King Zedekiah (originally Mattaniah, appointed by Nebuchadnezzar) ascended the throne as a vassal ruler. However, despite solemn oaths and repeated prophetic warnings from Jeremiah to submit to Babylon, Zedekiah rebelled, trusting in a futile alliance with Egypt (2 Ki 24:20, 2 Chr 36:13). This rebellion was seen by God as a breaking of His covenant and an ultimate act of defiance. The book of 2 Kings documents a pattern of disobedient kings, widespread idolatry, and neglect of God's law among the people. The siege described in this verse is the final, irreversible judgment for centuries of unfaithfulness. Historically, Nebuchadnezzar's Neo-Babylonian Empire was the dominant world power, aggressively asserting control over the Levant. The precision of the date in the verse reflects accurate record-keeping, possibly in Babylonian annals or Israelite chronicles, highlighting the historical reality and finality of Jerusalem's fate.

2 Kings 25 1 Word analysis

• Now in the ninth year of his reign: This refers to Zedekiah's reign. He was Judah's last king, placed on the throne by Nebuchadnezzar after the exile of Jehoiachin and the first group of captives in 597 BC. His reign of eleven years was characterized by internal strife, moral decay, and ultimately, defiance against Babylon. The specific year indicates the prolonged nature of the kingdom's final struggles before ultimate destruction.
• in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month: This precise dating refers to the 10th of Tevet on the Jewish calendar, roughly equivalent to December-January. This date holds significant remembrance as Asara B'Tevet, a minor fast day in Jewish tradition, commemorating the beginning of this fateful siege. Its inclusion underscores the biblical record's historical accuracy and importance for collective memory and divine reckoning. Ezekiel 24:1-2 dramatically confirms that God's word came to Ezekiel on "this very day," revealing divine foreknowledge and purpose behind the human events.
• Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon: Nabu-kudurri-usur, "Nabu protect my son" or "Nabu protect the boundary stone." He was the formidable and merciless emperor of the Neo-Babylonian Empire (605-562 BC), God's chosen "servant" and "hammer" (Jer 25:9; 50:23) for executing judgment on disobedient Judah, despite his pagan identity. This demonstrates God's sovereignty over world powers.
• and all his army: W'kol chaylo. This emphasizes the overwhelming force deployed, signaling that this was not a punitive raid but a determined, full-scale military campaign aimed at utterly subjugating or destroying Jerusalem. It signified that all hope for military relief or a successful defense was futile.
• came against Jerusalem: W'vayav 'al Yerushalayim. Jerusalem, the "city of David," "the city of the Great King," Mount Zion. It was God's chosen place, home to His Temple. Its being "came against" marks the divine judgment, as the holy city itself was vulnerable due to its people's rebellion, contravening false assumptions that the city's special status guaranteed immunity (Jer 7:1-15).
• and encamped around it: Wa-yichan 'aleha. This describes the immediate action upon arrival: encircling the city to cut off all supply lines, escape routes, and communication. This tactic indicated a resolute intention to starve out the city rather than a swift, decisive assault.
• and they built siege works all around it: Wa-yibnu 'aleha diyq. The term diyq (pl. diyqim) refers to an earthen rampart or circumvallation wall. This sophisticated military strategy involved constructing a continuous embankment or wall around the city, upon which siege engines and assault towers could be placed. It highlights Babylon's technological and tactical superiority and their unwavering determination to methodically breach the city's defenses, ensuring the city's eventual fall. It was not a hasty operation, but a strategic, patient, and brutal undertaking.

2 Kings 25 1 Bonus section

• Fast of the Tenth Month (Asara B'Tevet): This specific date (10th day of the 10th month) is observed as a minor fast day in Judaism. It marks the solemn beginning of the siege of Jerusalem that led to its destruction and the First Exile, highlighting the long-standing significance of this precise historical event within Jewish collective memory and piety. It is one of four fasts related to the destruction of the Temple, demonstrating how integral this historical event is to the narrative of God's interaction with His people.
• Prophetic Foretelling: The very moment the siege began was supernaturally revealed to the prophet Ezekiel in Babylon (Ezek 24:1-2). This indicates that the event was not random chance or solely due to geopolitical forces, but was divinely ordained and orchestrated according to God's prophetic word, even down to the very day. This serves as powerful evidence of God's sovereignty and omnipotence, actively working through historical events and human agents, even a pagan king like Nebuchadnezzar, whom God calls "my servant" (Jer 25:9).
• Archaeological Context: Babylonian chronicles (e.g., the Babylonian Chronicle) provide external historical corroboration for Nebuchadnezzar's campaigns in the Levant, including references to the capture of Jerusalem, thus lending strong credibility to the historical account provided in 2 Kings. The described siege works (diyqim) were a known sophisticated military tactic of the time, often found in ancient siege sites.
• Severity of Judgment: The scale of the "all his army" and the meticulous "siege works" (ramparts and ditches) point to a complete, no-quarter approach to the siege. This underscores the total breakdown of Judah's covenant relationship with God, leading to such devastating, pre-ordained judgment. It reflects the covenant curses of Deuteronomy 28 being brought to bear on a disobedient nation.

2 Kings 25 1 Commentary

2 Kings 25:1 opens with the grim beginning of the final judgment upon Judah. This verse, brief in words, carries immense historical and theological weight. It signifies the dramatic climax of the warnings pronounced by God through generations of prophets. Zedekiah's rebellion, fueled by a misguided trust in human alliances rather than divine counsel, directly provoked this catastrophic event. The detailed chronology serves not only as a historical marker but as a reminder that divine judgment unfolds precisely and intentionally, a testament to God's patient yet resolute justice. Nebuchadnezzar's powerful army and sophisticated siege tactics were not mere human endeavors; they were instruments in God's sovereign hand, executing the deserved punishment upon a people who persistently scorned His covenant. This verse thus stands as a sober reminder of the severe consequences of chronic sin and rebellion against the Lord, illustrating the prophetic principle that "he who is often reproved, yet stiffens his neck, will suddenly be broken beyond remedy" (Prov 29:1). Though marking profound loss—the destruction of the Temple, the city, and the temporary end of the Davidic monarchy in Jerusalem—this dark period ultimately paved the way for repentance, spiritual refinement, and the eventual restoration under the overarching divine plan of salvation.