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<center><h1>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary
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on the Whole Bible</h1>
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[<A HREF="MHC00000.HTM">Table of Contents</A>]<BR>
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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1708)
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<!-- (Begin Body) -->
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<CENTER>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+3><B>S E C O N D K I N G S</B></FONT>
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<BR>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+2>CHAP. XXIV.</FONT>
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<HR SIZE=1 WIDTH=50>
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<FONT SIZE=-1>
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<P>
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Things are here ripening for, and hastening towards, the utter
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destruction of Jerusalem. We left Jehoiakim on the throne, placed there
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by the king of Egypt: now here we have,
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I. The troubles of his reign, how he was brought into subjection by the
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king of Babylon, and severely chastised for attempting to shake off the
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yoke
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+24:1-6">ver. 1-6</A>),
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and how Egypt also was conquered by Nebuchadnezzar,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+24:7">ver. 7</A>.
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II. The desolations of his son's reign, which continued but three
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months; and then he and all his great men, being forced to surrender at
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discretion, were carried captives to Babylon,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+24:8-16">ver. 8-16</A>.
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III. The preparatives of the next reign (which was the last of all) for
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the utter ruin of Jerusalem, which the next chapter will give us an
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account of,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+24:17-20">ver. 17-20</A>.</P>
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<A NAME="2Ki24_1"> </A>
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<A NAME="2Ki24_2"> </A>
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<A NAME="2Ki24_3"> </A>
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<A NAME="2Ki24_4"> </A>
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<A NAME="2Ki24_5"> </A>
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<A NAME="2Ki24_6"> </A>
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<A NAME="2Ki24_7"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec1"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>Jehoiakim Subdued by Nebuchadnezzar.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1>B. C.</FONT> 599.</TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>1 In his days Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up, and
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Jehoiakim became his servant three years: then he turned and
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rebelled against him.
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2 And the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> sent against him bands of the Chaldees, and
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bands of the Syrians, and bands of the Moabites, and bands of the
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children of Ammon, and sent them against Judah to destroy it,
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according to the word of the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>, which he spake by his servants
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the prophets.
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3 Surely at the commandment of the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> came <I>this</I> upon Judah,
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to remove <I>them</I> out of his sight, for the sins of Manasseh,
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according to all that he did;
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4 And also for the innocent blood that he shed: for he filled
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Jerusalem with innocent blood; which the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> would not pardon.
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5 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, and all that he did,
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<I>are</I> they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings
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of Judah?
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6 So Jehoiakim slept with his fathers: and Jehoiachin his son
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reigned in his stead.
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7 And the king of Egypt came not again any more out of his
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land: for the king of Babylon had taken from the river of Egypt
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unto the river Euphrates all that pertained to the king of Egypt.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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We have here the first mention of a name which makes a great figure
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both in the histories and in the prophecies of the Old Testament; it is
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that of <I>Nebuchadnezzar,</I> king of Babylon
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+24:1"><I>v.</I> 1</A>),
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that head of gold. He was a potent prince, and one that was the terror
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of the mighty in the land of the living; and yet his name would not
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have been known in sacred writ if he had not been employed in the
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destruction of Jerusalem and the captivity of the Jews.</P>
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<P>
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I. He made Jehoiakim his tributary and kept him in subjection three
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years,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+24:1"><I>v.</I> 1</A>.
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Nebuchadnezzar began his reign in the fourth year of Jehoiakim. In his
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eighth year he made him his prisoner, but restored him upon his promise
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of faithfulness to him. That promise he kept about three years, but
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then rebelled, probably in hopes of assistance from the king of Egypt.
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If Jehoiakim had served his God as he should have done, he would not
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have been servant to the king of Babylon; but God would thus make him
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know the difference between his service and <I>the service of the kings
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of the countries,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ch+12:8">2 Chron. xii. 8</A>.
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If he had been content with his servitude, and true to his word, his
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condition would have been no worse; but, rebelling against the king of
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Babylon, he plunged himself into more trouble.</P>
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<P>
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II. When he rebelled Nebuchadnezzar sent his forces against him to
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destroy his country, bands of Chaldeans, Syrians, Moabites, Ammonites,
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who were all now in the service and pay of the king of Babylon
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+24:2"><I>v.</I> 2</A>),
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and withal retained, and now showed, their ancient enmity to the Israel
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of God. Yet no mention is here made of their commission from the king
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of Babylon, but only of that from the King of kings: <I>The Lord sent
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against him</I> all these bands; and again
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+24:3"><I>v.</I> 3</A>),
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<I>Surely at the commandment of the Lord came this upon Judah,</I> else
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the commandment of Nebuchadnezzar could not have brought it. Many are
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serving God's purposes who are not aware of it. Two things God intended
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in suffering Judah to be thus harassed:--
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1. The punishment of the sins of Manasseh, which God now visited upon
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<I>the third and fourth generation.</I> So long he waited before he
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visited them, to see if the nation would repent; but they continued
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impenitent, notwithstanding Josiah's endeavours to reform them, and
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ready to relapse, upon the first turn, into their former idolatries.
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Now that the old bond was put in suit they were called up upon the
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former judgment; that was revived which God had <I>laid up in
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store,</I> and <I>sealed among his treasures</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+32:34,Job+14:17">Deut. xxxii. 34; Job xiv. 17</A>),
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and in remembrance of that he removed Judah out of his sight, and let
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the world know that <I>time will not wear out the guilt of sin</I> and
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that reprieves are not pardons. All that Manasseh did was called to
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mind, but especially the <I>innocent blood that he shed,</I> much of
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which, we may suppose, was the blood of God's witnesses and
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worshippers, <I>which the Lord would not pardon.</I> Is there then any
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unpardonable sin but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost? This is
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meant of the remitting of the temporal punishment. Though Manasseh
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repented, and we have reason to think even the persecutions and murders
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he was guilty of were pardoned, so that he was delivered from the wrath
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to come; yet, as they were national sins, they lay still charged upon
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the land, crying for national judgments. Perhaps some were now living
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who were aiding and abetting; and the present king was guilty of
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innocent blood, as appears
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jer+22:17">Jer. xxii. 17</A>.
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See what a provoking sin murder is, how loud it cries, and how long.
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See what need nations have to lament the sins of their fathers, lest
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they smart for them. God intended hereby the accomplishment of the
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prophecies; it was <I>according to the word of the Lord, which he spoke
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by his servants the prophets.</I> Rather shall Judah be <I>removed out
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of his sight,</I> nay, rather shall <I>heaven and earth pass away,</I>
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than any word of God fall to the ground. Threatenings will be fulfilled
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as certainly as promises, if the sinner's repentance prevent not.</P>
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<P>
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III. The king of Egypt was likewise subdued by the king of Babylon, and
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a great part of his country taken from him,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+24:7"><I>v.</I> 7</A>.
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It was but lately that he had oppressed Israel,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+23:33"><I>ch.</I> xxiii. 33</A>.
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Now he is himself brought down and disabled to attempt any thing for
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the recovery of his losses or the assistance of his allies. He dares
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not <I>come any more out of his land.</I> Afterwards he attempted to
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give Zedekiah some relief, but was obliged to retire,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jer+37:7">Jer. xxxvii. 7</A>.</P>
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<P>
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IV. Jehoiakim, seeing his country laid waste and himself ready to fall
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into the enemy's hand, as it should seem, died of a broken heart, in
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the midst of his days
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+24:6"><I>v.</I> 6</A>).
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So <I>Jehoiakim slept with his fathers;</I> but it is not said that he
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was <I>buried with them,</I> for no doubt the prophecy of Jeremiah was
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fulfilled, that he should not be lamented, as his father was, but
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<I>buried with the burial of an ass</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jer+22:18,19">Jer. xxii. 18, 19</A>),
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and his dead body cast out,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jer+36:30">Jer. xxxvi. 30</A>.</P>
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<A NAME="2Ki24_8"> </A>
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<A NAME="2Ki24_9"> </A>
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<A NAME="2Ki24_10"> </A>
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<A NAME="2Ki24_11"> </A>
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<A NAME="2Ki24_12"> </A>
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<A NAME="2Ki24_13"> </A>
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<A NAME="2Ki24_14"> </A>
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<A NAME="2Ki24_15"> </A>
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<A NAME="2Ki24_16"> </A>
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<A NAME="2Ki24_17"> </A>
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<A NAME="2Ki24_18"> </A>
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<A NAME="2Ki24_19"> </A>
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<A NAME="2Ki24_20"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec2"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>Jehoiachin Carried Captive to Babylon.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1>B. C.</FONT> 599.</TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>8 Jehoiachin <I>was</I> eighteen years old when he began to reign,
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and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. And his mother's name
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<I>was</I> Nehushta, the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem.
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9 And he did <I>that which was</I> evil in the sight of the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>,
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according to all that his father had done.
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10 At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon
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came up against Jerusalem, and the city was besieged.
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11 And Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came against the city,
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and his servants did besiege it.
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12 And Jehoiachin the king of Judah went out to the king of
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Babylon, he, and his mother, and his servants, and his princes,
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and his officers: and the king of Babylon took him in the eighth
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year of his reign.
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13 And he carried out thence all the treasures of the house of
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the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>, and the treasures of the king's house, and cut in
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pieces all the vessels of gold which Solomon king of Israel had
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made in the temple of the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>, as the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> had said.
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14 And he carried away all Jerusalem, and all the princes, and
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all the mighty men of valour, <I>even</I> ten thousand captives, and
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all the craftsmen and smiths: none remained, save the poorest
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sort of the people of the land.
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15 And he carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon, and the king's
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mother, and the king's wives, and his officers, and the mighty of
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the land, <I>those</I> carried he into captivity from Jerusalem to
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Babylon.
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16 And all the men of might, <I>even</I> seven thousand, and
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craftsmen and smiths a thousand, all <I>that were</I> strong <I>and</I> apt
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for war, even them the king of Babylon brought captive to
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Babylon.
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17 And the king of Babylon made Mattaniah his father's brother
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king in his stead, and changed his name to Zedekiah.
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18 Zedekiah <I>was</I> twenty and one years old when he began to
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reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And his mother's
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name <I>was</I> Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.
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19 And he did <I>that which was</I> evil in the sight of the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>,
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according to all that Jehoiakim had done.
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20 For through the anger of the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> it came to pass in
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Jerusalem and Judah, until he had cast them out from his
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presence, that Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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This should have been the history of king Jehoiachin's <I>reign,</I>
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but, alas! it is only the history of king Jehoiachin's
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<I>captivity,</I> as it is called,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Eze+1:2">Ezek. i. 2</A>.
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He came to the crown, not to have the honour of wearing it, but the
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shame of losing it. <I>Ideo tantum venerat, ut exiret--He came in only
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to go out.</I></P>
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<P>
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I. His reign was short and inconsiderable. He reigned but three months,
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and then was removed and carried captive to Babylon, as his father, it
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is likely, would have been if he had lived but so much longer. What an
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unhappy young prince was this, that was thrust into a falling house, a
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sinking throne! What an unnatural father had he, who begat him to
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suffer for him, and by his own sin and folly had left himself nothing
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to bequeath to his son but his own miseries! Yet this young prince
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reigned long enough to show that he justly smarted for his fathers'
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sins, for he trod in their steps
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+24:9"><I>v.</I> 9</A>):
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<I>He did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord,</I> as they had
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done; he did nothing to cut off the entail of the curse, to discharge
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the incumbrances of his crown, and therefore (<I>transit cum onere--the
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incumbrance descends with the crown</I>) with his own iniquity that of
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his fathers shall come into the account.</P>
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<P>
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II. The calamities that came upon him, and his family, and people, in
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the very beginning of his reign, were very grievous.
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1. Jerusalem was besieged by the king of Babylon,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+24:10,11"><I>v.</I> 10, 11</A>.
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He had sent his forces to ravage the country,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+24:2"><I>v.</I> 2</A>.
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Now he came himself, and laid siege to the city. Now the word of God
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was fulfilled
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+28:49-69">Deut. xxviii. 49</A>,
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&c.), <I>The Lord shall bring a nation against thee from far, of fierce
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countenance,</I> that shall first <I>eat of the fruit of thy land</I>
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and then <I>besiege thee in all thy gates.</I>
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2. Jehoiachin immediately surrendered at discretion. As soon as he
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heard the king of Babylon had come in person against the city, his name
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having at this time become very formidable, he beat a parley and went
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out to him,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+24:12"><I>v.</I> 12</A>.
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Had he made his peace with God, and taken the method that Hezekiah did
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in the like case, he needed not to have feared the king of Babylon, but
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might have held out with courage, honour, and success (one should have
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chased a thousand); but, wanting the faith and piety of an Israelite,
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he had not the resolution of a man, of a soldier, of a prince. He and
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his royal family, his mother and wives, his servants and princes,
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delivered themselves up prisoners of war; this was the consequence of
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their being servants of sin.
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3. Nebuchadnezzar rifled the treasuries both of the church and of the
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state, and carried away the silver and gold of both,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+24:13"><I>v.</I> 13</A>.
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Now the word of God by Isaiah was fulfilled
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+20:17"><I>ch.</I> xx. 17</A>),
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<I>All that is in thy house shall be carried to Babylon.</I> Even the
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vessels of the temple which Solomon had made, and laid up in store to
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be used as the old ones were worn out, he cut off from the temple, and
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began to cut them in pieces, but, upon second thoughts, reserved them
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for his own use, for we find Belshazzar drinking wine in them,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Da+5:2,3">Dan. v. 2, 3</A>.
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4. He carried away a great part of Jerusalem into captivity, to weaken
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it, that he might effectually secure to himself the dominion of it and
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prevent its revolt, and to enrich himself with the wealth or service of
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those he took away. There had been some carried away eight years before
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this, in the first year of Nebuchadnezzar and the third of Jehoiakim,
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among whom were Daniel and his fellows. See
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Da+1:1,6">Dan. i. 1, 6</A>.
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They had approved themselves so well that this politic prince coveted
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more of them. Now he carried off,
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(1.) The young king himself and his family
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+24:15"><I>v.</I> 15</A>),
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and we find
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+25:27-29"><I>ch.</I> xxv. 27-29</A>)
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that for thirty-seven years he continued a close prisoner.
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(2.) All the great men, the princes and officers, whose riches were
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<I>kept for the owners thereof to their hurt</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ec+5:13">Eccl. v. 13</A>),
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tempting the enemies to make a prey of them first.
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(3.) All the military men, the <I>mighty men of valour</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+24:14"><I>v.</I> 14</A>),
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<I>the mighty of the land</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+24:15"><I>v.</I> 15</A>),
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<I>the men of might, even all that were strong and apt for war,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+24:16"><I>v.</I> 16</A>.
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These could not defend themselves, and the conqueror would not leave
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them to defend their country, but took them away, to be employed in his
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service.
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(4.) All the craftsmen and smiths who made weapons of war; in taking
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them he did, in effect, disarm the city, according to the Philistines'
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policy,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Sa+13:19">1 Sam. xiii. 19</A>.
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In this captivity Ezekiel the prophet was carried away
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Eze+1:1,2">Ezek. i. 1, 2</A>)
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and Mordecai,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+2:6">Esth. ii. 6</A>.
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This Jehoiachin was also called <I>Jeconiah</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+3:16">1 Chron. iii. 16</A>),
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and in contempt
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jer+22:24">Jer. xxii. 24</A>,
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where his captivity is foretold) <I>Coniah.</I></P>
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<P>
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III. The successor whom the king of Babylon appointed in the room of
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Jehoiachin. God had written him childless
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jer+22:30">Jer. xxii. 30</A>)
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and therefore his uncle was entrusted with the government. The king of
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Babylon made Mattaniah king, the son of Josiah; and to remind him, and
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let all the world know, that he was his creature, he changed his name
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and called him <I>Zedekiah,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+24:17"><I>v.</I> 17</A>.
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God had sometimes charged it upon his people, <I>They have set up
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kings, but not by me</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ho+8:4">Hos. viii. 4</A>),
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and now, to punish them for that, the king of Babylon shall have the
|
|
setting up of their kings. Those are justly deprived of their liberty
|
|
that use it, and insist upon it, against God's authority. This Zedekiah
|
|
was the last of the kings of Judah. The name which the king of Babylon
|
|
gave him signifies <I>The justice of the Lord,</I> and was a presage of
|
|
the glorifying of God's justice in his ruin.
|
|
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|
1. See how impious this Zedekiah was. Though the judgments of God upon
|
|
his three immediate predecessors might have been a warning to him not
|
|
to tread in their steps, yet <I>he did that which was evil,</I> like
|
|
all the rest,
|
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|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+24:19"><I>v.</I> 19</A>.
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2. See how impolitic he was. As his predecessor lost his courage, so he
|
|
his wisdom, with his religion, for he <I>rebelled against the king of
|
|
Babylon</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+24:20"><I>v.</I> 20</A>),
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|
whose tributary he was, and so provoked him whom he was utterly unable
|
|
to contend with, and who, if he had continued true to him, would have
|
|
protected him. This was the most foolish thing he could do, and
|
|
hastened the ruin of his kingdom. This came to pass <I>through the
|
|
anger of the Lord, that he might cast them out from his presence.</I>
|
|
Note, When those that are entrusted with the counsels of a nation act
|
|
unwisely, and against their true interest, we ought to take notice of
|
|
the displeasure of God in it. It is for the sins of a people that God
|
|
<I>removes the speech of the trusty and takes away the understanding of
|
|
the aged,</I> and <I>hides from their eyes the things that belong
|
|
to</I> the public <I>peace.</I> Whom God will destroy he
|
|
infatuates.</P>
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