2 Kings 25 13

2 Kings 25:13 kjv

And the pillars of brass that were in the house of the LORD, and the bases, and the brazen sea that was in the house of the LORD, did the Chaldees break in pieces, and carried the brass of them to Babylon.

2 Kings 25:13 nkjv

The bronze pillars that were in the house of the LORD, and the carts and the bronze Sea that were in the house of the LORD, the Chaldeans broke in pieces, and carried their bronze to Babylon.

2 Kings 25:13 niv

The Babylonians broke up the bronze pillars, the movable stands and the bronze Sea that were at the temple of the LORD and they carried the bronze to Babylon.

2 Kings 25:13 esv

And the pillars of bronze that were in the house of the LORD, and the stands and the bronze sea that were in the house of the LORD, the Chaldeans broke in pieces and carried the bronze to Babylon.

2 Kings 25:13 nlt

The Babylonians broke up the bronze pillars in front of the LORD's Temple, the bronze water carts, and the great bronze basin called the Sea, and they carried all the bronze away to Babylon.

2 Kings 25 verses

2 Kings 25 13 Meaning

This verse describes the methodical dismantling and plunder of the valuable bronze items from the Temple in Jerusalem by the Chaldean (Babylonian) forces. Specifically, it details the destruction of the great bronze pillars, the movable bases for the lavers, and the immense bronze "sea," with the valuable metal being broken down and transported to Babylon as spoils of war. It marks a critical moment in the destruction of the Temple and the end of Judah's independent kingdom.

2 Kings 25 13 Context

This verse occurs at the climatic end of the Kingdom of Judah's history, immediately following the destruction of Jerusalem and the razing of the Temple itself (2 Kings 25:9). Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, had completed his siege of Jerusalem. The people, especially the leadership, had rebelled against the Lord, rejected the prophetic warnings, and continued in idolatry and unrighteousness, leading to God's ultimate judgment. The detailed dismantling of the Temple vessels and structures signifies the complete loss of the symbols of God's presence and covenant with Israel in that physical form, a profound trauma for the Israelite people. This destruction directly fulfills numerous prophecies, most notably those given through Jeremiah, foretelling the fall of Jerusalem and the exile. It marks the formal end of the First Temple period.

2 Kings 25 13 Word analysis

• And the pillars of brass: (Hebrew: וְאֶת־עַמּוּדֵי הַנְּחֹשֶׁת, vəʾet-ʿammūḏê han-nəḥōšet)
  • Pillars (ʿammūḏîm): These refer to the two immense, freestanding bronze pillars named Jachin and Boaz (1 Ki 7:15-22). They were significant for their size and symbolic placement at the Temple's porch, likely representing strength and God's establishment. Their destruction signifies the collapse of Judah's strength and stability.
  • Brass/Bronze (nəḥōšet): Bronze was a precious and durable metal in the ancient world, often symbolizing strength and value. Its use in these key Temple structures highlights their importance and intrinsic worth. The mention of their bronze composition underscores the plunderers' economic gain.
• that were in the house of the Lord: (Hebrew: אֲשֶׁר בְּבֵית־יְהוָה, ʾăšer bəḇêṯ YHWH)
  • House of the Lord (beyt YHWH): Refers to Solomon's Temple, the most sacred site for the Israelites, signifying God's covenant presence. Emphasizing its location within "the house of the Lord" heightens the sacrilege, representing divine judgment extending even to the sacred symbols themselves.
• and the bases: (Hebrew: וְאֶת־הַמְּכֹנוֹת, vəʾet-ham-məḵōnwōṯ)
  • Bases (məḵōnōt): These were the ten ornate, movable bronze stands upon which the lavers (large basins for washing) rested (1 Ki 7:27-39). Meticulously crafted, they symbolized purity and priestly function. Their destruction indicates a direct assault on the operational aspects of Temple worship.
• and the brasen sea: (Hebrew: וְאֶת־יָם הַנְּחֹשֶׁת, vəʾet-yām han-nəḥōšet)
  • Brasen sea (yam han-nəḥōšet): This was a colossal bronze basin, holding vast quantities of water, used by the priests for ritual cleansing (1 Ki 7:23-26). Its destruction removes the very means of priestly purification and, by extension, points to the broken covenant and judgment that makes such rituals impossible.
• that was in the house of the Lord, (Hebrew: אֲשֶׁר בְּבֵית־יְהוָה, ʾăšer bəḇêṯ YHWH)
  • Repetition: This repeated phrase powerfully reiterates the location of these items. It stresses that this was not merely an act of plunder but a defilement of the sacred space dedicated to Yahweh. It underscores the extent of the calamity—even the symbols of divine worship were not spared by the divinely ordained judgment.
• the Chaldeans brake, (Hebrew: כַּשְׂדִּים שִׁבֵּרוּ, kaśdîm šibērû)
  • Chaldeans (Kaśdîm): This is the specific ethnic and imperial designation for the Babylonians, who served as God's instrument of judgment against Judah.
  • Brake (šibērû): To break, shatter, or destroy. This strong verb indicates violent destruction rather than careful dismantling. It conveys the ruthlessness of the act and the irreparable damage inflicted upon these structures, reducing them from majestic sacred objects to mere raw material for plunder.
• and carried the brass of them to Babylon. (Hebrew: וַיִּשְׂאוּ אֶת־נְחֻשְׁתָּם בָּבֶלָה, wa-yisʾû ʾeṯ-nəḥušttām Bāḇelâ)
  • Carried... to Babylon: This signifies the transfer of the nation's wealth and religious symbols to the conquering empire, a clear sign of total subjugation and humiliation. This final transportation completes the physical desecration and illustrates the fulfillment of prophecies of exile, demonstrating Yahweh's ultimate sovereignty even in their defeat.

2 Kings 25 13 Bonus section

The detailed description of the Temple's bronze furnishings in 1 Kings 7 emphasizes their extraordinary scale and artistry, crafted by Huram-abi from Tyre. This background makes their subsequent violent destruction and transport in 2 Kings 25:13 even more poignant. The bronze objects were not just valuable; they were masterworks of metallurgy and design created for sacred use. Jeremiah specifically prophesied that these remaining "pillars, and the sea, and the bases" would be taken to Babylon and would remain there until God "visited" them (Jer 27:19-22), indicating a future restoration. This specific fulfillment demonstrates the precise nature of God's prophetic word and His complete control over history, even in what appears to be devastating defeat for His people. This event stands as a stark reminder that physical manifestations of worship, no matter how glorious, can be removed when a people turn away from the living God they represent.

2 Kings 25 13 Commentary

2 Kings 25:13 succinctly describes a pivotal moment in Israelite history: the methodical destruction and plundering of the bronze Temple implements by the Chaldeans. This verse signifies the completeness of God's judgment against His disobedient people. The items enumerated—the mighty pillars, the elaborate bases, and the vast brazen sea—represented the very foundation, functionality, and purity of Israel's covenant relationship with God. Their breaking signifies the shattering of that physical relationship, the stripping away of divine blessing and protection, and the end of the Temple as the functional center of worship.

This act was not random destruction but the deliberate humiliation of a defeated nation, reducing symbols of God's presence and power to scrap metal for an idolatrous empire. Yet, from a biblical perspective, the Chaldeans were unwitting agents of Yahweh, executing a divine decree announced centuries earlier and reiterated by prophets like Jeremiah. This act serves as a profound object lesson on the consequences of rejecting God's commands and highlights that even sacred objects are subject to His sovereign judgment. While the physical Temple was destroyed, God's ultimate plan would culminate in a spiritual Temple, established through Christ and inhabited by His believers.