MPV Commentary

Jerusalem Taken.

At that time, within three months of his accession to the throne, Jehoiachin formed an alliance with Egypt, which was a clear indication of his hostility towards his Assyrian overlord. This move prompted Nebuchadnezzar to send his generals to besiege Jerusalem, as Jeremiah had foretold (Jer 22:28; 34:20). Soon after, Nebuchadnezzar himself arrived on the scene. Convinced that resistance was futile, Jehoiachin surrendered to the besiegers in their camp, likely hoping to retain his throne as a vassal of the Assyrian empire.

However, Nebuchadnezzar's mercy towards the kings of Judah had come to an end, and he sent Jehoiachin into exile in Babylon, just as Jeremiah had predicted (Jer 22:24). The king was accompanied by his mother, the queen, his generals, and officers. This event occurred during Nebuchadnezzar's eighth year of reign, counting from the time when he began sharing power with his father.

Those who remained in Jerusalem were mostly poor people and unskilled laborers. The palace and temple were plundered, and the remaining gold vessels were stripped of their plating. Some of these vessels had been taken earlier and placed in the temple of Nebuchadnezzar's god as symbols of victory. They were later used by Belshazzar at his infamous feast (Da 5:2), where he likely included the golden candlesticks, the ark, and other valuable items.

As the Lord had said (compare 2Ki 20:17; Isa 39:6; Jer 15:13; 17:3), the most skilled and influential members of Judah were taken captive to Babylon. This group consisted of ten thousand people, including warriors (7,000), craftsmen and smiths (1,000), king's wives, officers, princes, priests, and prophets (2,000).