mh_parser/vol_split/14 - 2Chronicles/Chapter 36.xml

<div2 id="iiCh.xxxvii" n="xxxvii" next="Ez" prev="iiCh.xxxvi" progress="88.88%" title="Chapter XXXVI">
<h2 id="iiCh.xxxvii-p0.1">S E C O N D   C H R O N I C L E
S</h2>
<h3 id="iiCh.xxxvii-p0.2">CHAP. XXXVI.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="iiCh.xxxvii-p1">We have here, I. A short but sad account of the
utter ruin of Judah and Jerusalem within a few years after Josiah's
death. 1. The history of it in the unhappy reigns of Jehoahaz for
three months (<scripRef id="iiCh.xxxvii-p1.1" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.36.1-2Chr.36.4" parsed="|2Chr|36|1|36|4" passage="2Ch 36:1-4">ver. 1-4</scripRef>),
Jehoiakim (<scripRef id="iiCh.xxxvii-p1.2" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.36.5-2Chr.36.8" parsed="|2Chr|36|5|36|8" passage="2Ch 36:5-8">ver. 5-8</scripRef>) for
eleven years, Jehoiach in three months (<scripRef id="iiCh.xxxvii-p1.3" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.36.9-2Chr.36.10" parsed="|2Chr|36|9|36|10" passage="2Ch 36:9,10">ver. 9, 10</scripRef>), and Zedekiah eleven years,
<scripRef id="iiCh.xxxvii-p1.4" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.36.11" parsed="|2Chr|36|11|0|0" passage="2Ch 36:11">ver. 11</scripRef>. Additions were
made to the national guilt, and advances towards the national
destruction, in each of those reigns. The destruction was, at
length, completed in the slaughter of multitudes (<scripRef id="iiCh.xxxvii-p1.5" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.36.17" parsed="|2Chr|36|17|0|0" passage="2Ch 36:17">ver. 17</scripRef>), the plundering and burning
of the temple and all the palaces, the desolation of the city
(<scripRef id="iiCh.xxxvii-p1.6" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.36.18-2Chr.36.19" parsed="|2Chr|36|18|36|19" passage="2Ch 36:18,19">ver. 18, 19</scripRef>), and the
captivity of the people that remained, <scripRef id="iiCh.xxxvii-p1.7" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.36.20" parsed="|2Chr|36|20|0|0" passage="2Ch 36:20">ver. 20</scripRef>. 2. Some remarks upon it—that
herein sin was punished, Zedekiah's wickedness (<scripRef id="iiCh.xxxvii-p1.8" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.36.12-2Chr.36.13" parsed="|2Chr|36|12|36|13" passage="2Ch 36:12,13">ver. 12, 13</scripRef>), the idolatry the people
were guilty of (<scripRef id="iiCh.xxxvii-p1.9" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.36.14" parsed="|2Chr|36|14|0|0" passage="2Ch 36:14">ver. 14</scripRef>),
and their abuse of God's prophets, <scripRef id="iiCh.xxxvii-p1.10" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.36.15-2Chr.36.16" parsed="|2Chr|36|15|36|16" passage="2Ch 36:15,16">ver. 15, 16</scripRef>. The word of God was herein
fulfilled, <scripRef id="iiCh.xxxvii-p1.11" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.36.21" parsed="|2Chr|36|21|0|0" passage="2Ch 36:21">ver. 21</scripRef>. II.
The dawning of the day of their deliverance in Cyrus's
proclamation, <scripRef id="iiCh.xxxvii-p1.12" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.36.22-2Chr.36.23" parsed="|2Chr|36|22|36|23" passage="2Ch 36:22,23">ver. 22,
23</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom id="iiCh.xxxvii-p0.1_1" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.36" parsed="|2Chr|36|0|0|0" passage="2Ch 36" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="iiCh.xxxvii-p0.2_1" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.36.1-2Chr.36.10" parsed="|2Chr|36|1|36|10" passage="2Ch 36:1-10" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:2Chr.36.1-2Chr.36.10">
<h4 id="iiCh.xxxvii-p1.15">The Destruction of
Jerusalem. (<span class="smallcaps" id="iiCh.xxxvii-p1.16">b. c.</span> 588.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="iiCh.xxxvii-p2">1 Then the people of the land took Jehoahaz the
son of Josiah, and made him king in his father's stead in
Jerusalem.   2 Jehoahaz <i>was</i> twenty and three years old
when he began to reign, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem.
  3 And the king of Egypt put him down at Jerusalem, and
condemned the land in a hundred talents of silver and a talent of
gold.   4 And the king of Egypt made Eliakim his brother king
over Judah and Jerusalem, and turned his name to Jehoiakim. And
Necho took Jehoahaz his brother, and carried him to Egypt.   5
Jehoiakim <i>was</i> twenty and five years old when he began to
reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem: and he did <i>that
which was</i> evil in the sight of the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiCh.xxxvii-p2.1">Lord</span> his God.   6 Against him came up
Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and bound him in fetters, to carry
him to Babylon.   7 Nebuchadnezzar also carried of the vessels
of the house of the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiCh.xxxvii-p2.2">Lord</span> to Babylon,
and put them in his temple at Babylon.   8 Now the rest of the
acts of Jehoiakim, and his abominations which he did, and that
which was found in him, behold, they <i>are</i> written in the book
of the kings of Israel and Judah: and Jehoiachin his son reigned in
his stead.   9 Jehoiachin <i>was</i> eight years old when he
began to reign, and he reigned three months and ten days in
Jerusalem: and he did <i>that which was</i> evil in the sight of
the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiCh.xxxvii-p2.3">Lord</span>.   10 And when the
year was expired, king Nebuchadnezzar sent, and brought him to
Babylon, with the goodly vessels of the house of the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiCh.xxxvii-p2.4">Lord</span>, and made Zedekiah his brother king over
Judah and Jerusalem.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiCh.xxxvii-p3">The destruction of Judah and Jerusalem is
here coming on by degrees. God so ordered it to show that he has no
pleasure in the ruin of sinners, but had rather they would turn and
live, and therefore gives them both time and inducement to repent
and waits to be gracious. The history of these reigns was more
largely recorded in the last three chapters of the second of
<i>Kings.</i> 1. Jehoahaz was set up by the people (<scripRef id="iiCh.xxxvii-p3.1" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.36.1" parsed="|2Chr|36|1|0|0" passage="2Ch 36:1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>), but in one quarter of a
year was deposed by Pharaoh-necho, and carried a prisoner to Egypt,
and the land fined for setting him up, <scripRef id="iiCh.xxxvii-p3.2" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.36.2-2Chr.36.4" parsed="|2Chr|36|2|36|4" passage="2Ch 36:2-4"><i>v.</i> 2-4</scripRef>. Of this young prince we hear
no more. Had he trodden in the steps of his father's piety he might
have reigned long and prospered; but we are told in the
<i>Kings</i> that <i>he did evil in the sight of the Lord,</i> and
therefore his triumphing was short and his joy but for a moment. 2.
Jehoiakim was set up by the king of Egypt, an old enemy to their
land, gave what king he pleased to the kingdom and what name he
pleased to the king! <scripRef id="iiCh.xxxvii-p3.3" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.36.4" parsed="|2Chr|36|4|0|0" passage="2Ch 36:4"><i>v.</i>
4</scripRef>. He made Eliakim king, and called him
<i>Jehoiakim,</i> in token of his authority over him. <i>Jehoiakim
did that which was evil</i> (<scripRef id="iiCh.xxxvii-p3.4" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.36.5" parsed="|2Chr|36|5|0|0" passage="2Ch 36:5"><i>v.</i>
5</scripRef>), nay, we read of the <i>abominations which he did</i>
(<scripRef id="iiCh.xxxvii-p3.5" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.36.8" parsed="|2Chr|36|8|0|0" passage="2Ch 36:8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>); he was very
wild and wicked. Idolatries generally go under the name of
abominations. We hear no more of the king of Egypt, but the king of
Babylon came up against him (<scripRef id="iiCh.xxxvii-p3.6" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.36.6" parsed="|2Chr|36|6|0|0" passage="2Ch 36:6"><i>v.</i>
6</scripRef>), seized him, and bound him with a design to carry him
to Babylon; but, it seems, he either changed his mind, and suffered
him to reign as his vassal, or death released the prisoner before
he was carried away. However the best and most valuable vessels of
the temple were now carried away and made use of in
Nebuchadnezzar's temple in Babylon (<scripRef id="iiCh.xxxvii-p3.7" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.36.7" parsed="|2Chr|36|7|0|0" passage="2Ch 36:7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>); for, we may suppose, no temple
in the world was so richly furnished as that of Jerusalem. The sin
of Judah was that they had brought the idols of the heathen into
God's temple; and now their punishment was that the vessels of the
temple were carried away to the service of the gods of the nations.
If men will profane God's institutions by their sins, it is just
with God to suffer them to be profaned by their enemies. These were
the vessels which the false prophets flattered the people with
hopes of the return of, <scripRef id="iiCh.xxxvii-p3.8" osisRef="Bible:Jer.27.16" parsed="|Jer|27|16|0|0" passage="Jer 27:16">Jer. xxvii.
16</scripRef>. But Jeremiah told them that the rest should go after
them (<scripRef id="iiCh.xxxvii-p3.9" osisRef="Bible:Jer.27.21-Jer.27.22" parsed="|Jer|27|21|27|22" passage="Jer 27:21,22">Jer. xxvii. 21,
22</scripRef>), and they did so. But, as the carrying away of these
vessels to Babylon began the calamity of Jerusalem, so Belshazzar's
daring profanation of them there filled the measure of the iniquity
of Babylon; for, when he drank wine in them to the honour of his
gods, the handwriting on the wall presented him with his doom,
<scripRef id="iiCh.xxxvii-p3.10" osisRef="Bible:Dan.5.3-Dan.5.6" parsed="|Dan|5|3|5|6" passage="Da 5:3-6">Dan. v. 3</scripRef>, &amp;c. In the
reference to the book of the <i>Kings</i> concerning this Jehoiakim
mention is made of <i>that which was found in him</i> (<scripRef id="iiCh.xxxvii-p3.11" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.36.8" parsed="|2Chr|36|8|0|0" passage="2Ch 36:8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>), which seems to be meant
of the treachery that was found in him towards the king of Babylon;
but some of the Jewish writers understand it of certain private
marks or signatures found in his dead body, in honour of his idol,
such cuttings as God had forbidden, <scripRef id="iiCh.xxxvii-p3.12" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.28" parsed="|Lev|19|28|0|0" passage="Le 19:28">Lev. xix. 28</scripRef>. 3. Jehoiachin, or Jeconiah, the
son of Jehoiakim, attempted to reign in his stead, and reigned long
enough to show his evil inclination; but, after three months and
ten days, the king of Babylon sent and fetched him away captive,
with more of the goodly vessels of the temple. He is here said to
be eight years old, but in <i>Kings</i> he is said to be eighteen
when he began to reign, so that this seems to be a mistake of the
transcriber, unless we suppose that his father took him at eight
years old to join with him in the government, as some think.</p>
</div><scripCom id="iiCh.xxxvii-p0.3" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.36.11-2Chr.36.21" parsed="|2Chr|36|11|36|21" passage="2Ch 36:11-21" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:2Chr.36.11-2Chr.36.21">
<p class="passage" id="iiCh.xxxvii-p4">11 Zedekiah <i>was</i> one and twenty years old
when he began to reign, and reigned eleven years in Jerusalem.
  12 And he did <i>that which was</i> evil in the sight of the
<span class="smallcaps" id="iiCh.xxxvii-p4.1">Lord</span> his God, <i>and</i> humbled not
himself before Jeremiah the prophet <i>speaking</i> from the mouth
of the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiCh.xxxvii-p4.2">Lord</span>.   13 And he also
rebelled against king Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by
God: but he stiffened his neck, and hardened his heart from turning
unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiCh.xxxvii-p4.3">Lord</span> God of Israel.  
14 Moreover all the chief of the priests, and the people,
transgressed very much after all the abominations of the heathen;
and polluted the house of the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiCh.xxxvii-p4.4">Lord</span>
which he had hallowed in Jerusalem.   15 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiCh.xxxvii-p4.5">Lord</span> God of their fathers sent to them by his
messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because he had
compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place:   16 But
they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and
misused his prophets, until the wrath of the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiCh.xxxvii-p4.6">Lord</span> arose against his people, till <i>there
was</i> no remedy.   17 Therefore he brought upon them the
king of the Chaldees, who slew their young men with the sword in
the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion upon young man
or maiden, old man, or him that stooped for age: he gave
<i>them</i> all into his hand.   18 And all the vessels of the
house of God, great and small, and the treasures of the house of
the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiCh.xxxvii-p4.7">Lord</span>, and the treasures of the
king, and of his princes; all <i>these</i> he brought to Babylon.
  19 And they burnt the house of God, and brake down the wall
of Jerusalem, and burnt all the palaces thereof with fire, and
destroyed all the goodly vessels thereof.   20 And them that
had escaped from the sword carried he away to Babylon; where they
were servants to him and his sons until the reign of the kingdom of
Persia:   21 To fulfil the word of the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiCh.xxxvii-p4.8">Lord</span> by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land
had enjoyed her sabbaths: <i>for</i> as long as she lay desolate
she kept sabbath, to fulfil threescore and ten years.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiCh.xxxvii-p5">We have here an account of the destruction
of the kingdom of Judah and the city of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans.
Abraham, God's friend, was called out of that country, from Ur of
the Chaldees, when God took him into covenant and communion with
himself; and now his degenerate seed were carried into that country
again, to signify that they had forfeited all that kindness
wherewith they had been regarded for the father's sake, and the
benefit of that covenant into which he was called; all was now
undone again. Here we have,</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiCh.xxxvii-p6">I. The sins that brought this
desolation.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiCh.xxxvii-p7">1. Zedekiah, the king in whose days it
came, brought it upon himself by his own folly; for he conducted
himself very ill both towards God and towards the king of Babylon.
(1.) If he had but made God his friend, that would have prevented
the ruin. Jeremiah brought him messages from God, which, if he had
given due regard to them, might have secured a lengthening of his
tranquillity; but it is here charged upon him that he <i>humbled
not himself before Jeremiah,</i> <scripRef id="iiCh.xxxvii-p7.1" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.36.12" parsed="|2Chr|36|12|0|0" passage="2Ch 36:12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>. It was expected that this
mighty prince, high as he was, should humble himself before a poor
prophet, when <i>he spoke from the mouth of the Lord,</i> should
submit to his admonitions and be amended by them, to his counsels
and be ruled by them, should lay himself under the commanding power
of the word of God in his mouth; and, because he would not thus
make himself a servant to God, he was made a slave to his enemies.
God will find some way or other to humble those that will not
humble themselves. Jeremiah, as a prophet, was set <i>over the
nations and kingdoms</i> (<scripRef id="iiCh.xxxvii-p7.2" osisRef="Bible:Jer.1.10" parsed="|Jer|1|10|0|0" passage="Jer 1:10">Jer. i.
10</scripRef>), and, as mean a figure as he made, whoever would not
humble themselves before him found that it was at their peril. (2.)
If he had but been true to his covenant with the king of Babylon,
that would have prevented his ruin; but he <i>rebelled against
him,</i> though he had sworn to be his faithful tributary, and
perfidiously violated his engagements to him, <scripRef id="iiCh.xxxvii-p7.3" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.36.13" parsed="|2Chr|36|13|0|0" passage="2Ch 36:13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>. It was this that provoked the
king of Babylon to deal so severely with him as he did. All nations
looked upon an oath as a sacred thing, and on those that durst
break through the obligations of it as the worst of men, abandoned
of God and to be abhorred by all mankind. If therefore Zedekiah
falsify his oath, <i>when, lo, he has given his hand,</i> he
<i>shall not escape,</i> <scripRef id="iiCh.xxxvii-p7.4" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.17.18" parsed="|Ezek|17|18|0|0" passage="Eze 17:18">Ezek. xvii.
18</scripRef>. Though Nebuchadnezzar was a heathen, an enemy, yet
if, having sworn to him, he be false to him, he shall know <i>there
is a God to whom vengeance belongs.</i> The thing that ruined
Zedekiah was not only that he <i>turned not to the Lord God of
Israel,</i> but that he <i>stiffened his neck and hardened his
heart from turning to him,</i> that is, he as obstinately resolved
not to return to him, would not lay his neck under God's yoke nor
his heart under the impressions of his word, and so, in effect, he
<i>would not be healed,</i> he <i>would not live.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="iiCh.xxxvii-p8">2. The great sin that brought this
destruction was idolatry. The priests and people went after <i>the
abominations of the heathen,</i> forsook the pure worship of God
for the lewd and filthy rites of the Pagan superstition, and so
<i>polluted the house of the Lord,</i> <scripRef id="iiCh.xxxvii-p8.1" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.36.14" parsed="|2Chr|36|14|0|0" passage="2Ch 36:14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>. The priests, the chief of the
priests, who should have opposed idolatry, were ring-leaders in it.
That place is not far from ruin in which religion is already
ruined.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiCh.xxxvii-p9">3. The great aggravation of their sin, and
that which filled the measure of it, was the abuse they gave to
God's prophets, who were sent to call them to repentance, <scripRef id="iiCh.xxxvii-p9.1" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.36.15-2Chr.36.16" parsed="|2Chr|36|15|36|16" passage="2Ch 36:15,16"><i>v.</i> 15, 16</scripRef>. Here we have,
(1.) God's tender compassion towards them in sending prophets to
them. Because he was the <i>God of their fathers,</i> in covenant
with them, and whom they worshipped (though this degenerate race
forsook him), therefore he <i>sent to them by his messengers,</i>
to convince them of their sin and warn them of the ruin they would
bring upon themselves by it, <i>rising up betimes and sending,</i>
which denotes not only that he did it with the greatest care and
concern imaginable, as men rise betimes to set their servants to
work when their heart is upon their business, but that, upon their
first deviation from God to idols, if they took but one step that
way, God immediately sent to them by his messengers to reprove them
for it. He gave them early timely notice both of their duty and
danger. Let this quicken us to seek God early, that he rises
betimes to send to us. The prophets that were sent rose betimes to
speak to them, were diligent and faithful in their office, lost no
time, slipped no opportunity of dealing with them; and therefore
God is said to rise betimes. The more pains ministers take in their
work the more will the people have to answer for if it be all in
vain. The reason given why God by his prophets did thus strive with
them is because <i>he had compassion on his people and on his
dwelling-lace,</i> and would by these means have prevented their
ruin. Note, The methods God takes to reclaim sinners by his word,
by ministers, by conscience, by providences, are all instances of
his compassion towards them and his unwillingness <i>that any
should perish.</i> (2.) Their base and disingenuous carriage
towards God (<scripRef id="iiCh.xxxvii-p9.2" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.36.16" parsed="|2Chr|36|16|0|0" passage="2Ch 36:16"><i>v.</i>
16</scripRef>): <i>They mocked the messengers of God</i> (which was
a high affront to him that sent them), <i>despised his word</i> in
their mouths, and not only so, but <i>misused the prophets,</i>
treating them as their enemies. The ill usage they gave Jeremiah
who lived at this time, and which we read much of in the book of
his prophecy, is an instance of this. This was an evidence of an
implacable enmity to God, and an invincible resolution to go on in
their sins. This brought wrath upon them without remedy, for it was
sinning against the remedy. Nothing is more provoking to God than
abuses given to his faithful ministers; for what is done against
them he takes as done against himself. <i>Saul, Saul, why
persecutest thou me?</i> Persecution was the sin that brought upon
Jerusalem its final destruction by the Romans. See <scripRef id="iiCh.xxxvii-p9.3" osisRef="Bible:Matt.23.34-Matt.23.37" parsed="|Matt|23|34|23|37" passage="Mt 23:34-37">Matt. xxiii. 34-37</scripRef>. Those that
mock at God's faithful ministers, and do all they can to render
them despicable or odious, that vex and misuse them, to discourage
them and to keep others from hearkening to them, should be reminded
that a wrong done to an ambassador is construed as done to the
prince that sends him, and that the day is coming when they will
find it would have been better for them if they had been thrown
<i>into the sea</i> with a mill-stone about their necks; for hell
is deeper and more dreadful.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiCh.xxxvii-p10">II. The desolation itself, and some few of
the particular so fit, which we had more largely <scripRef id="iiCh.xxxvii-p10.1" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.25.1" parsed="|2Kgs|25|1|0|0" passage="2Ki 25:1">2 Kings xxv. 1</scripRef>. Multitudes were put to the
sword, even <i>in the house of their sanctuary</i> (<scripRef id="iiCh.xxxvii-p10.2" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.36.17" parsed="|2Chr|36|17|0|0" passage="2Ch 36:17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>), whither they fled for
refuge, hoping that the holiness of the place would be their
protection. But how could they expect to find it so when they
themselves had polluted it with their abominations? <scripRef id="iiCh.xxxvii-p10.3" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.36.14" parsed="|2Chr|36|14|0|0" passage="2Ch 36:14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>. Those that cast off
the dominion of their religion forfeit all the benefit and comfort
of it. The Chaldeans not only paid no reverence to the sanctuary,
but showed no natural pity either to the tender sex or to venerable
age. They forsook God, who had compassion on them (<scripRef id="iiCh.xxxvii-p10.4" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.36.15" parsed="|2Chr|36|15|0|0" passage="2Ch 36:15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>), and would have none
of him; justly therefore are they given up into the hands of cruel
men, for they <i>had no compassion on young man or maiden.</i> 2.
All the remaining vessels of the temple, great and small, and all
the treasures, sacred and secular, the treasures of God's house and
of the king and his princes, were seized, and brought to Babylon,
<scripRef id="iiCh.xxxvii-p10.5" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.36.18" parsed="|2Chr|36|18|0|0" passage="2Ch 36:18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>. 3. The
temple was burnt, the walls of Jerusalem were demolished, the
houses (called here the <i>palaces,</i> as <scripRef id="iiCh.xxxvii-p10.6" osisRef="Bible:Ps.48.3" parsed="|Ps|48|3|0|0" passage="Ps 48:3">Ps. xlviii. 3</scripRef>, so stately, rich, and sumptuous
were they) laid in ashes, and all the furniture, called here <i>the
goodly vessels thereof,</i> destroyed, <scripRef id="iiCh.xxxvii-p10.7" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.36.19" parsed="|2Chr|36|19|0|0" passage="2Ch 36:19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>. Let us see where what woeful
havock sin makes, and, as we value the comfort and continuance of
our estates, keep that worm from the root of them. 4. The remainder
of the people that escaped the sword were carried captives to
Babylon (<scripRef id="iiCh.xxxvii-p10.8" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.36.20" parsed="|2Chr|36|20|0|0" passage="2Ch 36:20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>),
impoverished, enslaved, insulted, and exposed to all the miseries,
not only of a strange and barbarous land, but of an enemy's land,
where those that hated them bore rule over them. They were servants
to those monarchs, and no doubt were ruled with rigour so long as
that monarchy lasted. Now they sat down by the rivers of Babylon,
with the streams of which they mingled their tears, <scripRef id="iiCh.xxxvii-p10.9" osisRef="Bible:Ps.137.1" parsed="|Ps|137|1|0|0" passage="Ps 137:1">Ps. cxxxvii. 1</scripRef>. And though there, it
should seem, they were cured of idolatry, yet, as appears by the
prophet Ezekiel, they were not cured of mocking the prophets. 5.
The land lay desolate while they were captives in Babylon,
<scripRef id="iiCh.xxxvii-p10.10" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.36.21" parsed="|2Chr|36|21|0|0" passage="2Ch 36:21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>. That
fruitful land, the glory of all lands, was now turned into a
desert, not tilled, nor husbanded. The pastures were not clothed as
they used to be with flocks, nor the valleys with corn, but all lay
neglected. Now this may be considered, (1.) As the just punishment
of their former abuse of it. They had served Baal with its fruits;
<i>cursed</i> therefore <i>is the ground for their sakes.</i> Now
the land <i>enjoyed her sabbaths;</i> (<scripRef id="iiCh.xxxvii-p10.11" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.36.21" parsed="|2Chr|36|21|0|0" passage="2Ch 36:21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>), as God had threatened by
Moses, <scripRef id="iiCh.xxxvii-p10.12" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.34" parsed="|Lev|26|34|0|0" passage="Le 26:34">Lev. xxvi. 34</scripRef>, and
the reason there given (<scripRef id="iiCh.xxxvii-p10.13" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.36.35" parsed="|2Chr|36|35|0|0" passage="2Ch 36:35"><i>v.</i>
35</scripRef>) is, "Because <i>it did not rest on your
sabbaths;</i> you profaned the sabbath-day, did not observe the
sabbatical year." They many a time ploughed and sowed their land in
the seventh year, when it should have rested, and now it lay
unploughed and unsown for ten times seven years. Note, God will be
no loser in his glory at last by the disobedience of men: if the
tribute be not paid, he will distrain and recover it, as he speaks,
<scripRef id="iiCh.xxxvii-p10.14" osisRef="Bible:Hos.2.9" parsed="|Hos|2|9|0|0" passage="Ho 2:9">Hos. ii. 9</scripRef>. If they would not
let the land rest, God would make it rest whether they would or no.
Some think they had neglected the observance of seventy sabbatical
years in all, and just so many, by way of reprisal, the land now
enjoyed; or, if those that had been neglected were fewer, it was
fit that the law should be satisfied with interest. We find that
one of the quarrels God had with them at this time was for not
observing another law which related to the seventh year, and that
was the release of servants; see <scripRef id="iiCh.xxxvii-p10.15" osisRef="Bible:Jer.34.14" parsed="|Jer|34|14|0|0" passage="Jer 34:14">Jer.
xxxiv. 13</scripRef>, &amp;c. (2.) Yet we may consider it as giving
some encouragement to their hopes that they should, in due time,
return to it again. Had others come and taken possession of it,
they might have despaired of ever recovering it; but, while it lay
desolate, it did, as it were, lie waiting for them again, and
refuse to acknowledge any other owners.</p>
</div><scripCom id="iiCh.xxxvii-p0.4" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.36.22-2Chr.36.23" parsed="|2Chr|36|22|36|23" passage="2Ch 36:22-23" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:2Chr.36.22-2Chr.36.23">
<p class="passage" id="iiCh.xxxvii-p11">22 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of
Persia, that the word of the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiCh.xxxvii-p11.1">Lord</span>
<i>spoken</i> by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, the
<span class="smallcaps" id="iiCh.xxxvii-p11.2">Lord</span> stirred up the spirit of Cyrus
king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his
kingdom, and <i>put it</i> also in writing, saying,   23 Thus
saith Cyrus king of Persia, All the kingdoms of the earth hath the
<span class="smallcaps" id="iiCh.xxxvii-p11.3">Lord</span> God of heaven given me; and he
hath charged me to build him a house in Jerusalem, which <i>is</i>
in Judah. Who <i>is there</i> among you of all his people? The
<span class="smallcaps" id="iiCh.xxxvii-p11.4">Lord</span> his God <i>be</i> with him, and
let him go up.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiCh.xxxvii-p12">These last two verses of this book have a
double aspect. 1. They look back to the prophecy of Jeremiah, and
show how that was accomplished, <scripRef id="iiCh.xxxvii-p12.1" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.36.22" parsed="|2Chr|36|22|0|0" passage="2Ch 36:22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>. God had, by him, promised the
restoring of the captives and the rebuilding of Jerusalem, at the
end of seventy years; and that time to favour Sion, that set time,
came at last. After a long and dark night the day-spring from on
high visited them. God will be found true to every word he has
spoken. 2. They look forward to the history of Ezra, which begins
with the repetition of <scripRef id="iiCh.xxxvii-p12.2" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.36.22-2Chr.36.23 Bible:Ezra.1.1-Ezra.1.3" parsed="|2Chr|36|22|36|23;|Ezra|1|1|1|3" passage="2Ch 36:22,23,Ezr 1:1-3">these last two verses</scripRef>. They are
there the introduction to a pleasant story; here they are the
conclusion of a very melancholy one; and so we learn from them
that, though God's church be cast down, it is not cast off, though
his people be corrected, they are not abandoned, though thrown into
the furnace, yet not lost there, nor left there any longer than
till the dross be separated. Though God contend long, he will not
contend always. The Israel of God shall be fetched out of Babylon
in due time, and even the dry bones made to live. It may be long
first; but the vision is for an appointed time, and at the end it
shall speak and not lie; therefore, though it tarry, wait for
it.</p>
</div></div2>