II Kings 24

מלכים ב׳ פרק כ״ד

Section: נביאים · נביאים ראשונים | Book: II Kings | Chapter: 24 of 25 | Day: 146 of 742

Date: July 7, 2026

קלאוד על הנ״ך

Chapter 24 narrates the beginning of the end. The long-deferred decree of destruction, sealed in the days of Manasseh and confirmed by Huldah despite Josiah’s reform, now begins its concrete fulfillment as Babylon supplants Egypt as the regional power and turns Judah into a vassal state on the brink of exile. The chapter moves rapidly through three reigns — the last years of Jehoiakim, the three-month reign of Jehoiachin, and the installation of Zedekiah — compressing the political collapse of the kingdom into twenty verses.

The opening section (verses 1-7) covers the end of Jehoiakim’s reign. Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon comes up and Jehoiakim becomes his vassal for three years before rebelling (verse 1). In response, God looses against Judah raiding bands of Chaldeans, Arameans, Moabites, and Ammonites, “in accordance with the word that God had spoken through the prophets” (verse 2). The historian is emphatic that these calamities are not mere geopolitics: they come “at the command of God,” who would banish Judah from His presence “because of all the sins that Manasseh had committed, and also because of the blood of the innocent that he shed” — blood for which “God would not forgive” (verses 3-4). The chapter thus continues the theology of chapters 21-23: the catastrophe is the working-out of the decree earned by Manasseh, which even Josiah could only postpone. Verse 7 notes the decisive geopolitical shift — the king of Egypt would no longer venture out, for Babylon had taken all the territory from the Wadi of Egypt to the Euphrates.

The central section (verses 8-17) recounts the first great deportation, the exile of Jehoiachin (also called Jeconiah or Coniah). The young king reigns only three months before Nebuchadnezzar’s army besieges Jerusalem; Jehoiachin, his mother, and his court surrender, and the king of Babylon takes him captive in the eighth year of his own reign (verses 8-12). Nebuchadnezzar strips the Temple and palace of their treasures and cuts up the golden vessels Solomon had made — “as God had warned” (verse 13), an explicit echo of Isaiah’s prophecy to Hezekiah in chapter 20 that all the palace treasure would be carried to Babylon. He exiles the leadership class: the commanders, the warriors, and crucially the artisans and smiths (the charash and masger), leaving only the poorest of the land (verses 14-16). This deportation of the skilled and the noble — the exile of Jehoiachin, in which the prophet Ezekiel was among those carried off — is a distinct, earlier exile than the final destruction; it removes the kingdom’s strength while leaving a shell behind. Nebuchadnezzar then installs Jehoiachin’s uncle Mattaniah as a puppet king, renaming him Zedekiah (verse 17), the renaming a mark of Babylonian overlordship just as Neco had renamed Jehoiakim.

The closing verses (verses 18-20) introduce Zedekiah, the last king of Judah, who like his predecessors “did what was displeasing to the Lord.” The chapter ends on the ominous note that “indeed, Jerusalem and Judah were a cause of anger for God, so that they were cast out from His presence,” and that “Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon” (verse 20) — the fateful rebellion that will bring Nebuchadnezzar back for the final siege and destruction. The book has now set every piece in place for its catastrophic conclusion: the kingdom hollowed out, a vassal king on a borrowed throne, and the divine wrath unspent.

פרק כ״ד · Chapter 24

פסוק א׳ · Verse 1

Hebrew:

בְּיָמָ֣יו עָלָ֔ה נְבֻכַדְנֶאצַּ֖ר מֶ֣לֶךְ בָּבֶ֑ל וַיְהִי־ל֨וֹ יְהוֹיָקִ֥ים עֶ֙בֶד֙ שָׁלֹ֣שׁ שָׁנִ֔ים וַיָּ֖שׇׁב וַיִּמְרׇד־בּֽוֹ׃

English:

In his days, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came up, and Jehoiakim became his vassal for three years. Then he turned and rebelled against him.

פסוק ב׳ · Verse 2

Hebrew:

וַיְשַׁלַּ֣ח יְהֹוָ֣ה ׀ בּ֡וֹ אֶת־גְּדוּדֵ֣י כַשְׂדִּים֩ וְאֶת־גְּדוּדֵ֨י אֲרָ֜ם וְאֵ֣ת ׀ גְּדוּדֵ֣י מוֹאָ֗ב וְאֵת֙ גְּדוּדֵ֣י בְנֵֽי־עַמּ֔וֹן וַיְשַׁלְּחֵ֥ם בִּיהוּדָ֖ה לְהַאֲבִיד֑וֹ כִּדְבַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר דִּבֶּ֔ר בְּיַ֖ד עֲבָדָ֥יו הַנְּבִיאִֽים׃

English:

GOD let loose against him the raiding bands of the Chaldeans, Arameans, Moabites, and Ammonites—letting them loose against Judah to destroy it, in accordance with the word that GOD had spoken through the prophets—God’s servants.

פסוק ג׳ · Verse 3

Hebrew:

אַ֣ךְ ׀ עַל־פּ��֣י יְהֹוָ֗ה הָֽיְתָה֙ בִּֽיהוּדָ֔ה לְהָסִ֖יר מֵעַ֣ל פָּנָ֑יו בְּחַטֹּ֣את מְנַשֶּׁ֔ה כְּכֹ֖ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָֽׂה׃

English:

All this befell Judah at the command of GOD, who banished [them] from the divine presence because of all the sins that Manasseh had committed,

פסוק ד׳ · Verse 4

Hebrew:

וְגַ֤ם דַּֽם־הַנָּקִי֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר שָׁפָ֔ךְ וַיְמַלֵּ֥א אֶת־יְרוּשָׁלַ֖͏ִם דָּ֣ם נָקִ֑י וְלֹא־אָבָ֥ה יְהֹוָ֖ה לִסְלֹֽחַ׃

English:

and also because of the blood of the innocent that he shed. For he filled Jerusalem with the blood of the innocent, and GOD would not forgive.

פסוק ה׳ · Verse 5

Hebrew:

וְיֶ֛תֶר דִּבְרֵ֥י יְהוֹיָקִ֖ים וְכׇל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֑ה הֲלֹא־הֵ֣ם כְּתוּבִ֗ים עַל־סֵ֛פֶר דִּבְרֵ֥י הַיָּמִ֖ים לְמַלְכֵ֥י יְהוּדָֽה׃

English:

The other events of Jehoiakim’s reign, and all of his actions, are recorded in the Annals of the Kings of Judah.

פסוק ו׳ · Verse 6

Hebrew:

וַיִּשְׁכַּ֥ב יְהוֹיָקִ֖ים עִם־אֲבֹתָ֑יו וַיִּמְלֹ֛ךְ יְהוֹיָכִ֥ין בְּנ֖וֹ תַּחְתָּֽיו׃

English:

Jehoiakim rested with his ancestors, and his son Jehoiachin succeeded him as king.

פסוק ז׳ · Verse 7

Hebrew:

וְלֹא־הֹסִ֥יף עוֹד֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ מִצְרַ֔יִם לָצֵ֖את מֵֽאַרְצ֑וֹ כִּֽי־לָקַ֞ח מֶ֣לֶךְ בָּבֶ֗ל מִנַּ֤חַל מִצְרַ֙יִם֙ עַד־נְהַר־פְּרָ֔ת כֹּ֛ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר הָיְתָ֖ה לְמֶ֥לֶךְ מִצְרָֽיִם׃ {פ}

English:

The king of Egypt did not venture out of his country again, for the king of Babylon had seized all the land that had belonged to the king of Egypt, from the Wadi of Egypt to the River Euphrates.

פסוק ח׳ · Verse 8

Hebrew:

בֶּן־שְׁמֹנֶ֨ה עֶשְׂרֵ֤ה שָׁנָה֙ יְהוֹיָכִ֣ין בְּמׇלְכ֔וֹ וּשְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה חֳדָשִׁ֔ים מָלַ֖ךְ בִּירֽוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם וְשֵׁ֣ם אִמּ֔וֹ נְחֻשְׁתָּ֥א בַת־אֶלְנָתָ֖ן מִירוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃

English:

Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem; his mother’s name was Nehushta daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem.

פסוק ט׳ · Verse 9

Hebrew:

וַיַּ֥עַשׂ הָרַ֖ע בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה כְּכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֖ה אָבִֽיו׃

English:

He did what was displeasing to GOD, just as his father had done.

פסוק י׳ · Verse 10

Hebrew:

בָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֔יא (עלה) [עָל֗וּ] עַבְדֵ֛י נְבֻכַדְנֶאצַּ֥ר מֶלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֖ל יְרוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם וַתָּבֹ֥א הָעִ֖יר בַּמָּצֽוֹר׃

English:

At that time, the troopsatroops Heb. “servants.” of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon marched against Jerusalem, and the city came under siege.

פסוק י״א · Verse 11

Hebrew:

וַיָּבֹ֛א נְבֻכַדְנֶאצַּ֥ר מֶלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֖ל עַל־הָעִ֑יר וַעֲבָדָ֖יו צָרִ֥ים עָלֶֽיהָ׃

English:

King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon advanced against the city while his troops were besieging it.

פסוק י״ב · Verse 12

Hebrew:

וַיֵּצֵ֞א יְהוֹיָכִ֤ין מֶֽלֶךְ־יְהוּדָה֙ עַל־מֶ֣לֶךְ בָּבֶ֔ל ה֣וּא וְאִמּ֔וֹ וַעֲבָדָ֖יו וְשָׂרָ֣יו וְסָרִיסָ֑יו וַיִּקַּ֤ח אֹתוֹ֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ בָּבֶ֔ל בִּשְׁנַ֥ת שְׁמֹנֶ֖ה לְמׇלְכֽוֹ׃

English:

Thereupon King Jehoiachin of Judah, along with his mother, and his courtiers, commanders, and officers, surrendered to the king of Babylon. The king of Babylon took him captive in the eighth year of his reign.

פסוק י״ג · Verse 13

Hebrew:

וַיּוֹצֵ֣א מִשָּׁ֗ם אֶת־כׇּל־אֽוֹצְרוֹת֙ בֵּ֣ית יְהֹוָ֔�� וְאוֹצְר֖וֹת בֵּ֣ית הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וַיְקַצֵּ֞ץ אֶת־כׇּל־כְּלֵ֣י הַזָּהָ֗ב אֲשֶׁ֨ר עָשָׂ֜ה שְׁלֹמֹ֤ה מֶֽלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ בְּהֵיכַ֣ל יְהֹוָ֔ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר דִּבֶּ֥ר יְהֹוָֽה׃

English:

He carried off from Jerusalembfrom Jerusalem Heb. “from there.” all the treasures of the House of GOD and the treasures of the royal palace; he stripped off all the golden decorations in the Temple of GOD—which King Solomon of Israel had made—as GOD had warned.

פסוק י״ד · Verse 14

Hebrew:

וְהִגְלָ֣ה אֶת־כׇּל־יְ֠רוּשָׁלַ֠͏ִם וְֽאֶת־כׇּל־הַשָּׂרִ֞ים וְאֵ֣ת ׀ כׇּל־גִּבּוֹרֵ֣י הַחַ֗יִל (עשרה) [עֲשֶׂ֤רֶת] אֲלָפִים֙ גּוֹלֶ֔ה וְכׇל־הֶחָרָ֖שׁ וְהַמַּסְגֵּ֑ר לֹ֣א נִשְׁאַ֔ר זוּלַ֖ת דַּלַּ֥ת עַם־הָאָֽרֶץ׃

English:

He exiled all of Jerusalem: all the commanders and all the warriors—ten thousand exiles—as well as all the artisans and smiths; only the poorest people in the land were left.

פסוק ט״ו · Verse 15

Hebrew:

וַיֶּ֥גֶל אֶת־יְהוֹיָכִ֖ין בָּבֶ֑לָה וְאֶת־אֵ֣ם הַ֠מֶּ֠לֶךְ וְאֶת־נְשֵׁ֨י הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ וְאֶת־סָרִיסָ֗יו וְאֵת֙ (אולי) [אֵילֵ֣י] הָאָ֔רֶץ הוֹלִ֛יךְ גּוֹלָ֥ה מִירוּשָׁלַ֖͏ִם בָּבֶֽלָה׃

English:

He deported Jehoiachin to Babylon; and the king’s mother and wives and officers and the notables of the land were brought as exiles from Jerusalem to Babylon.

פסוק ט״ז · Verse 16

Hebrew:

וְאֵת֩ כׇּל־אַנְשֵׁ֨י הַחַ֜יִל שִׁבְעַ֣ת אֲלָפִ֗ים וְהֶחָרָ֤שׁ וְהַמַּסְגֵּר֙ אֶ֔לֶף הַכֹּ֕ל גִּבּוֹרִ֖ים עֹשֵׂ֣י מִלְחָמָ֑ה וַיְבִיאֵ֧ם מֶלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֛ל גּוֹלָ֖ה בָּבֶֽלָה׃

English:

All the able men, to the number of seven thousand—all of them warriors, trained for battle—and a thousand artisans and smiths were brought to Babylon as exiles by the king of Babylon.

פסוק י״ז · Verse 17

Hebrew:

וַיַּמְלֵ֧ךְ מֶלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֛ל אֶת־מַתַּנְיָ֥ה דֹד֖וֹ תַּחְתָּ֑יו וַיַּסֵּ֥ב אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ צִדְקִיָּֽהוּ׃ {פ}

English:

And the king of Babylon appointed Mattaniah, Jehoiachin’scJehoiachin’s Heb. “his.” uncle, king in his place, changing his name to Zedekiah.

פסוק י״ח · Verse 18

Hebrew:

בֶּן־עֶשְׂרִ֨ים וְאַחַ֤ת שָׁנָה֙ צִדְקִיָּ֣הוּ בְמׇלְכ֔וֹ וְאַחַ֤ת עֶשְׂרֵה֙ שָׁנָ֔ה מָלַ֖ךְ בִּירוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם וְשֵׁ֣ם אִמּ֔וֹ (חמיטל) [חֲמוּטַ֥ל] בַּֽת־יִרְמְיָ֖הוּ מִלִּבְנָֽה׃

English:

dFor the rest of this book cf. Jer. 39 and 52. Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem; his mother’s name was Hamutal daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.

פסוק י״ט · Verse 19

Hebrew:

וַיַּ֥עַשׂ הָרַ֖ע בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה כְּכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֖ה יְהוֹיָקִֽים׃

English:

He did what was displeasing to GOD, just as Jehoiakim had done.

פסוק כ׳ · Verse 20

Hebrew:

כִּ֣י ׀ עַל־אַ֣ף יְהֹוָ֗ה הָיְתָ֤ה בִירוּשָׁלַ֙͏ִם֙ וּבִ֣יהוּדָ֔ה עַד־הִשְׁלִכ֥וֹ אֹתָ֖ם מֵעַ֣ל פָּנָ֑יו וַיִּמְרֹ֥ד צִדְקִיָּ֖הוּ בְּמֶ֥לֶךְ בָּבֶֽל׃ {ס}        

English:

Indeed, Jerusalem and Judah were a cause of anger for GOD, so thatewere a cause of anger for GOD, so that Meaning of Heb. uncertain. they were cast out from the divine presence.Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.

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