2 Kings 25 11

2 Kings 25:11 kjv

Now the rest of the people that were left in the city, and the fugitives that fell away to the king of Babylon, with the remnant of the multitude, did Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carry away.

2 Kings 25:11 nkjv

Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive the rest of the people who remained in the city and the defectors who had deserted to the king of Babylon, with the rest of the multitude.

2 Kings 25:11 niv

Nebuzaradan the commander of the guard carried into exile the people who remained in the city, along with the rest of the populace and those who had deserted to the king of Babylon.

2 Kings 25:11 esv

And the rest of the people who were left in the city and the deserters who had deserted to the king of Babylon, together with the rest of the multitude, Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried into exile.

2 Kings 25:11 nlt

Then Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, took as exiles the rest of the people who remained in the city, the defectors who had declared their allegiance to the king of Babylon, and the rest of the population.

2 Kings 25 verses

2 Kings 25 11 Meaning

This verse describes the final major deportation of Judeans from Jerusalem and Judah to Babylon after the destruction of the city and Temple in 586 BCE. It details the various groups of people taken into exile by Nebuzaradan, the Babylonian captain, emphasizing the thoroughness of the judgment upon the kingdom of Judah. It includes those who survived the siege, those who had previously defected to the Babylonians, and the remaining general populace, signifying a comprehensive end to the Judean nation's presence in their homeland.

2 Kings 25 11 Context

2 Kings chapter 25 details the devastating climax of Judah's history as an independent kingdom. Following Zedekiah's rebellion against Nebuchadnezzar, Babylon laid siege to Jerusalem, leading to severe famine. The city walls were breached, King Zedekiah was captured, his sons were executed, and his eyes were put out. The city itself, including the Temple, the palace, and significant houses, was systematically destroyed by fire. This verse, specifically, describes the final wave of deportation, overseen by Nebuzaradan, which emptied the ruined city of its remaining inhabitants, leaving only the poorest to work the land (2 Kgs 25:12). This exile was a direct consequence of Judah's persistent idolatry and covenant unfaithfulness (2 Kgs 21:10-15; 23:26-27). The destruction and exile were God's judgment, confirming the prophetic warnings given throughout the centuries, from Moses to Jeremiah.

2 Kings 25 11 Word analysis

• And the rest of the people that were left in the city: (וּשְׁאָר הָעָם הַנִּשְׁאָרִים בָּעִיר - u'sh'ar ha'am ha'nish'arim ba'ir)

  • וּשְׁאָר (u'sh'ar): "and the rest," or "and the remnant." The term sh'ar (שְׁאָר) denotes a remainder or residue. Here, it refers to those who survived the siege, famine, and initial destruction.
  • הָעָם (ha'am): "the people." Refers to the general populace.
  • הַנִּשְׁאָרִים (ha'nish'arim): "the ones who remained/were left." A participial form emphasizing their state of being left after prior events (battles, famine, earlier deportations). This emphasizes that very few were left.
  • Significance: Highlights the near-complete decimation of Jerusalem's population. This "remnant" is distinct from the faithful, saving remnant that returns later.

• and those that fell away, that fell to the king of Babylon: (וְאֶת־הַנֹּפְלִים אֲשֶׁר נָפְלוּ עַל־הַמֶּלֶךְ בָּבֶל - v'et-ha'nof'lim asher naflu al-ha'melekh Bav'el)

  • הַנֹּפְלִים (ha'nof'lim): "the ones falling," or "the defectors/deserters." From the root נפל (naphal), "to fall." This refers to those who abandoned Jerusalem during the siege, crossing over to the Babylonian side, likely hoping for better treatment or survival. Jeremiah frequently urged this (e.g., Jer 38:2-3).
  • אֲשֶׁר נָפְלוּ (asher naflu): "who fell" or "who defected." Repetition for emphasis, confirming their status as turncoats.
  • עַל־הַמֶּלֶךְ בָּבֶל (al-ha'melekh Bav'el): "to the king of Babylon." Specifies whom they defected to.
  • Significance: These individuals had chosen pragmatism over national loyalty, yet they too faced exile, albeit perhaps initially under different circumstances, confirming Babylon's absolute authority over all segments of the Judean populace. Their choice did not prevent their deportation.

• with the remnant of the multitude: (וְיֶתֶר הֶהָמוֹן - v'yeter he'hamon)

  • וְיֶתֶר (v'yeter): "and the remainder/surplus." Similar to sh'ar but often used for what's left over from a larger amount.
  • הֶהָמוֹן (he'hamon): "the multitude," or "the crowd/general population." This might refer to a broader group of people who were not necessarily in the city during the final siege, but perhaps those living in the surrounding towns or countryside who were subsequently rounded up, or perhaps a different phrasing for the overall remaining large group.
  • Significance: Ensures comprehensive accounting for all levels of society taken into captivity. It underscores the scope of the deportation beyond just city dwellers.

• did Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carry away captive. (הֶגְלָה נְבוּזַרְאֲדָן רַב־טַבָּחִים - heg'lah N'vuzar'adan rav-tabachim)

  • הֶגְלָה (heg'lah): "he carried away captive," "he exiled/deported." From the root גלה (gālāh), which is key to understanding the exile. It literally means "to uncover" or "to bare," thus "to remove from one's land," "to make bare of inhabitants."
  • נְבוּזַרְאֲדָן (N'vuzar'adan): The Babylonian commander, chief of the executioners or captain of the guard. He was Nebuchadnezzar's trusted agent, personally responsible for carrying out the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. His consistent presence in accounts (2 Kgs 25, Jer 39-52) signifies the deliberate, methodical nature of the Babylonian conquest.
  • רַב־טַבָּחִים (rav-tabachim): "chief of the executioners" or "captain of the guard." Rav means "chief" or "great one," and tabbachim (טַבָּחִים) means "slaughterers" or "cooks," hence also associated with royal guards who might execute or butcher animals for the king, often a role involving close access to the monarch.
  • Significance: Points to the finality of the act and the specific executor of God's judgment through Babylon. The Babylonians were thorough in their removal of anyone who could pose a threat or was useful as a labor force.

• Words-group by words-group analysis:

  • "the rest of the people that were left in the city, and those that fell away": This grouping differentiates between those who endured the siege until the end, potentially holding out hope, and those who pragmatically (or fearfully) chose to surrender and defect. Both groups, regardless of their past loyalties or survival strategies, ultimately shared the same fate of exile. This highlights the all-encompassing nature of divine judgment and the foreign conqueror's actions.
  • "with the remnant of the multitude": This phrase further emphasizes the sheer comprehensiveness of the deportation. It suggests that Nebuzaradan rounded up every imaginable remaining person, whether in the devastated city or nearby areas, indicating the virtual emptying of Judah of its valuable human resources.
  • "did Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carry away captive": This part specifies the agent and the action, solidifying the historical reality of the event. Nebuzaradan acted as the executor of God's sovereign will (unwittingly, from his perspective), systematically bringing about the predicted exile, which stood as the ultimate physical consequence of Israel's sustained disobedience.

2 Kings 25 11 Bonus section

The exile described here (586 BCE) was the third major deportation to Babylon, often considered the most severe. The first was in 605 BCE (when Daniel and others were taken), and the second in 597 BCE (when King Jehoiachin, Ezekiel, and many nobles were deported). This final one after Jerusalem's destruction effectively ended the independent existence of the Kingdom of Judah for over 70 years. While 2 Kings ends here on a note of defeat, later biblical books (Ezra, Nehemiah) chronicle the eventual return, highlighting God's faithfulness to His covenant promises of restoration despite judgment. The detailed classification of the exiles in this verse—the steadfast, the defectors, the general multitude—underscores the full spectrum of societal response to Judah's demise and how comprehensively Babylonian power consumed the nation. This total destruction of the Temple and land was a profound spiritual shock to the Judeans, prompting introspection and a deepening of monotheistic identity, albeit in exile.

2 Kings 25 11 Commentary

2 Kings 25:11 records the final and most devastating phase of the Babylonian captivity for the kingdom of Judah. It meticulously categorizes the different segments of the surviving population swept into exile by Nebuzaradan: those who resisted until the city's fall, those who attempted to save themselves by defecting, and the general remaining populace. This illustrates the total nature of God's judgment, as outlined in the Mosaic Covenant for covenant infidelity (Lev 26, Deut 28). No socio-political group was exempt from the consequences. The "carrying away captive" (gālāh) was not merely a displacement but a complete uprooting—a forfeiture of land, temple, and perceived national identity. Yet, this painful experience paradoxically laid the groundwork for the formation of a post-exilic identity centered more on the Law and less on the Temple or Monarchy, as God still preserved a "remnant" for future restoration and a covenant-keeping purpose, even within exile itself. This verse serves as a stark historical witness to the severity of sin's consequences and God's unwavering justice, even when His people are concerned.