2 Kings 25 5

2 Kings 25:5 kjv

And the army of the Chaldees pursued after the king, and overtook him in the plains of Jericho: and all his army were scattered from him.

2 Kings 25:5 nkjv

But the army of the Chaldeans pursued the king, and they overtook him in the plains of Jericho. All his army was scattered from him.

2 Kings 25:5 niv

but the Babylonian army pursued the king and overtook him in the plains of Jericho. All his soldiers were separated from him and scattered,

2 Kings 25:5 esv

But the army of the Chaldeans pursued the king and overtook him in the plains of Jericho, and all his army was scattered from him.

2 Kings 25:5 nlt

But the Babylonian troops chased the king and overtook him on the plains of Jericho, for his men had all deserted him and scattered.

2 Kings 25 verses

2 Kings 25 5 Meaning

This verse precisely details the capture of King Zedekiah by the Babylonian army. Following his escape from Jerusalem during its siege, Zedekiah was pursued and overtaken by the Chaldean forces in the arid plains near Jericho. At this critical juncture, his entire military escort scattered, abandoning him and leaving him isolated, effectively sealing his fate and signifying the final collapse of the Kingdom of Judah.

2 Kings 25 5 Context

2 Kings 25:5 is a pivotal verse within the concluding chapter of 2 Kings, which details the final catastrophic events leading to the end of the Kingdom of Judah. Following a protracted eighteen-month siege, Jerusalem's walls were breached in 586 BC. King Zedekiah, installed by Babylon and bound by an oath to Nebuchadnezzar, rebelled against Babylon, leading to this devastating retribution. The verse describes Zedekiah's desperate, failed escape attempt from the besieged city through a gate previously broken by the Chaldean forces (2 Ki 25:4). His flight through the Jordan valley towards Transjordan, specifically the plains of Jericho, represents his last-ditch effort to avoid capture. The pursuit and capture mark the irreversible end of the Davidic monarchy in Judah and initiate the full Babylonian exile, fulfilling numerous prophetic warnings given through Jeremiah, Isaiah, and Ezekiel, regarding the consequences of Judah's persistent idolatry and disobedience.

2 Kings 25 5 Word analysis

• "But" (וְאֶת, ve'et): This conjunction signifies a crucial turn of events or contrast. While Zedekiah made an initial escape (as implied from the preceding verse), this word introduces the immediate, crushing failure of that attempt, highlighting the inevitability of divine judgment.
• "the army of the Chaldeans" (חֵיל כַּשְׂדִּים, heil Kasdim): Refers to the military forces of Babylon, specifically King Nebuchadnezzar's elite troops. "Chaldeans" is a widely used biblical term for Babylonians, signifying them as the divinely appointed instrument of judgment against Judah. Their relentless pursuit demonstrates the thoroughness of God's wrath against a disobedient nation.
• "pursued" (וַיִּרְדְּפוּ, vayird'fu): A strong, active verb meaning "to chase after," "to pursue diligently." It conveys the determined and relentless nature of the Babylonian pursuit, emphasizing Zedekiah's inability to escape a predestined fate. This reflects the inescapable nature of God's judgments when set in motion.
• "the king" (אֶת-הַמֶּלֶךְ, et-haMelekh): Refers to Zedekiah, the last reigning king of Judah from David's line. The mention of "the king" emphasizes the capture of the ultimate symbol of Judah's political and spiritual independence, marking its ignominious end.
• "and overtook him" (וַיַּשִּׂגֻהוּ, vayassiguhu): Means "to catch up with" or "to apprehend." This word underlines the futility of Zedekiah's flight. His human effort was entirely insufficient to escape the decreed divine judgment, which had been explicitly prophesied.
• "in the plains of Jericho" (בְּעַרְבוֹת יְרֵחוֹ, be'arvot Yericho): This precise geographical detail holds immense historical and symbolic significance. "Plains" (arvot) refers to the dry, arid region of the Jordan Valley. Jericho (Yericho), the first city conquered by Israel when they entered the Promised Land under Joshua, symbolizing God's faithfulness in fulfilling His covenant promises of entry, now ironically becomes the place of Israel's king being taken out of the land, symbolizing the covenant curses and expulsion.
• "and all his army" (וְכָל-חֵילוֹ, ve'khol-cheilo): Refers to Zedekiah's entire remaining military force, though likely diminished by the siege. Its mention here signifies the collapse of his final support structure.
• "was scattered from him" (נָפֻץ מֵעָלָיו, nafuts me'alav): The verb nafuts means "to be dispersed" or "broken up." This is a key detail, indicating not just defeat but a complete dissolution of loyalty, courage, and organization. The king was abandoned, a potent image of the entire kingdom's disintegration and the loss of its foundations, leaving the monarch vulnerable and utterly isolated.

Word Groups Analysis:

• "But the army of the Chaldeans pursued the king and overtook him": This phrase starkly highlights the immediate and relentless nature of the Babylonian (Chaldean) judgment. The action verbs "pursued" and "overtook" convey the speed and efficiency with which God's decree against Zedekiah and Judah was executed, leaving no possibility of evasion despite attempts at escape.
• "in the plains of Jericho": The location adds a layer of deep biblical irony and theological weight. Jericho, the first major city taken by divine power when Israel entered Canaan, becomes the final place where Israel's last king is taken captive as they are expelled from the land. This symmetry underscores the fulfillment of the covenant curses for sustained disobedience.
• "and all his army was scattered from him": This group of words emphasizes Zedekiah's ultimate isolation and the complete breakdown of his kingdom. The scattering of his loyal forces not only rendered him defenseless but also symbolized the utter collapse and disarray of the entire nation, leaving its leadership abandoned and powerless before the impending judgment.

2 Kings 25 5 Bonus section

• The Weight of Oaths: Zedekiah had sworn an oath of allegiance to Nebuchadnezzar "by God" (Ezek 17:18). His rebellion was not only a political defiance but a profound spiritual breach, highlighting the serious nature of vows made before God. His capture at Jericho was partly due to his failure to honor this sacred covenant.
• Symbolic Reverse Exodus: The initial entry into the Promised Land involved crossing the Jordan River and conquering Jericho, symbolizing new beginnings and God's faithfulness to His covenant promises. Zedekiah's flight from Jerusalem toward the Jordan valley and his capture in the plains of Jericho symbolically represent a "reverse exodus," a forced departure from the land, illustrating God's judgment and the ending of that covenant phase for Judah due to disobedience.
• Futility of Strength: The scattering of Zedekiah's army, despite their initial readiness for escape, vividly illustrates the ultimate futility of human strength and strategy against God's determined judgment. This aligns with biblical themes that reliance on human power without God leads to collapse.

2 Kings 25 5 Commentary

2 Kings 25:5 provides a somber and concise account of Zedekiah's final moments of freedom before his tragic capture. It is a moment pregnant with prophetic fulfillment, clearly demonstrating that no human endeavor, however desperate, can circumvent the decree of God. Zedekiah's flight and subsequent capture underscore the consequences of sustained rebellion against God's will and rejection of prophetic warnings, particularly those delivered by Jeremiah. The divine orchestration of the Babylonian pursuit ensured that the specific judgments against Zedekiah, including his eventual blindness and death in Babylon, would be fulfilled precisely as prophesied. The abandonment by his army signifies the complete unraveling of the kingdom, illustrating the spiritual and moral bankruptcy that preceded the physical destruction. This verse serves as a stark reminder of divine justice and the bitter fruit of disobedience, standing as a historical witness to the irreversible consequences of a nation's turning away from its covenant God.