2 Kings 25:27
in 2 Kings 25On the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth month of the thirty-seventh year of the exile of Judah’s King Jehoiachin, in the year Evil-merodach became king of Babylon, he released King Jehoiachin of Judah from prison.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And it came to pass in the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month, that Evil-merodach king of Babylon, in the year that he began to reign, did lift up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah out of prison;
KJV
And it came to pass in the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month, that Evil–merodach king of Babylon in the year that he began to reign did lift up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah out of prison;
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This verse in 2 Kings 25
Commentary
9 notes on this verseJeremiah calls this son of Jehoiakim Jeconiah, and the Pharaoh Neco called the father of this man, though named Eliakim, Jehoiakim, whom Babylon, having carried off, cast forth before the gate, as the present prophet and Josephus in the tenth book of his Antiquities says. And the other editions have given the signet ring as a seal. And every person who through repentance makes shine again what is according to the image becomes a seal, a ring on the "right hand of God."
This site's exposition
the captivity of Jehoiachin
The thirty-seventh year and the twelfth month set the date against Jer 52:31, which gives the twenty-fifth day where this verse gives the twenty-seventh, a two-day variance the commentators name honestly rather than resolve. Evil-merodach, Nebuchadnezzar's son and successor, lifts up the head of Jehoiachin in the very year he begins to reign, the same idiom Pharaoh's butler hears at Gen 40:13, restoration and rank rather than a mere accounting. Thirty-seven years is most of a man's working life spent in a Babylonian prison before this word comes.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
Evil-merodach was the son of Nebuchadnezzar. Since he had ruled the kingdom badly and had, in addition, troubled the land with a severe conflict, when his father came back [from his military campaign], his father imprisoned him, fearing that he might rebel against him. Now …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Seven and twentieth - Or, on the twenty fifth day, as it is, Jer. lii, 31. For then the decree was made, which was executed upon the twenty seventh day.
3 And on the ninth day of the fourth month the famine prevailed in the city, and there was no bread for the people of the land. 4 And the city was broken up, and all the men of war fled by night by the way of the gate between two walls, which is by the king's garden: (now the Chaldees were against the city round about:) and the king went the way toward the plain.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-scripture
And it came to pass in the thirty and seventh year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah,.... Who must then be fifty five years of age: in the twelfth month, on the twenty and seventh day of the month; in Jer 52:31 it is said to be the twenty fifth day; of the reason of which difference; see Gill on Jer 52:31, that Evilmerodach king of Babylon; who is supposed, by some (z)", to be the same with Belshazzar, and his successor Neriglissar, the same with Darius the Mede in Daniel.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
The captivity of Jehoiachin commenced in the year 597 B.C. - the eighth year of Nebuchadnezzar. It terminated 561 B.C. - the first year of Evil-merodach, the son and successor of Nebuchadnezzar. He reigned only two years, being murdered by his brother-in-law, Neriglissar, or Nergal-shar-ezer. He is said to have provoked his fate by lawless government and intemperance.
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
But doubtless the improvement in Zedekiah's condition is to be traced to the overruling providence and grace of Him who still cherished purposes of love to the house of David (2Sa 7:14, 15).
And it came to pass - Nebuchadnezzar was just now dead; and Evil-merodach, his son, succeeded to the kingdom in the thirty-seventh year of the captivity of Jehoiachin: and on the seven and twentieth day [Jeremiah says five and twentieth] of the twelfth month of that year, (Tuesday, April 15, A.M. 3442), he brought the long captivated Jewish king out of prison; treated him kindly; and ever after, during his life, reckoned him among the king’s friends. This is particularly related in the four last verses of the book of Jeremiah.
The words behind it
28 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיְהִי֩ | vayhi | and it was | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| בִשְׁלֹשִׁ֨ים | vishloshim | in thirty | H7970 → | 172 times |
| וָשֶׁ֜בַע | vasheva' | and seven | H7651 → | 394 times |
| שָׁנָ֗ה | shanah | year | H8141 → | 877 times |
| לְגָלוּת֙ | legalut | of [the] exile of | H1546 → | |
| יְהוֹיָכִ֣ין | yehoyakhin | Jehoiachin | H3078 → | 10 times |
| מֶֽלֶךְ־ | melekh- | [the] king of | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| יְהוּדָ֔ה | yehudah | Judah | H3063 → | 819 times |
| בִּשְׁנֵ֤ים | bishneim | in two [plus] | H8147 → | 768 times |
| עָשָׂר֙ | ʾasar | ten | H6240 → | 338 times |
| חֹ֔דֶשׁ | chodesh | month | H2320 → | 284 times |
| בְּעֶשְׂרִ֥ים | beesrim | on [day] twenty | H6242 → | 315 times |
| וְשִׁבְעָ֖ה | veshivah | and seven | H7651 → | 394 times |
| לַחֹ֑דֶשׁ | lachodesh | of the month | H2320 → | 284 times |
| נָשָׂ֡א | nasa' | he lifted up | H5375 → | 656 times |
| אֱוִ֣יל | ʾevil | Evil- | H192 → | |
| מְרֹדַךְ֩ | merodakh | Merodach | H192 → | |
| מֶ֨לֶךְ | melekh | [the] king of | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| בָּבֶ֜ל | bavel | Babylon | H894 → | 262 times |
| בִּשְׁנַ֣ת | bishnat | in [the] year | H8141 → | 877 times |
| מָלְכ֗וֹ | malekho | became king he | H4427 → | 348 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| רֹ֛אשׁ | rosh | [the] head of | H7218 → | 599 times |
| יְהוֹיָכִ֥ין | yehoyakhin | Jehoiachin | H3078 → | 10 times |
| מֶֽלֶךְ־ | melekh- | [the] king of | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| יְהוּדָ֖ה | yehudah | Judah | H3063 → | 819 times |
| מִבֵּ֥ית | mibeit | from [the] house of | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| כֶּֽלֶא׃ | kele' | imprisonment | H3608 → | 10 times |
וַיְהִי֩and it was
vayhiH1961 →3559 times
בִשְׁלֹשִׁ֨יםin thirty
vishloshimH7970 →172 times
וָשֶׁ֜בַעand seven
vasheva'H7651 →394 times
שָׁנָ֗הyear
shanahH8141 →877 times
לְגָלוּת֙of [the] exile of
legalutH1546 →
יְהוֹיָכִ֣יןJehoiachin
yehoyakhinH3078 →10 times
מֶֽלֶךְ־[the] king of
melekh-H4428 →2525 times
יְהוּדָ֔הJudah
yehudahH3063 →819 times
בִּשְׁנֵ֤יםin two [plus]
bishneimH8147 →768 times
עָשָׂר֙ten
ʾasarH6240 →338 times
חֹ֔דֶשׁmonth
chodeshH2320 →284 times
בְּעֶשְׂרִ֥יםon [day] twenty
beesrimH6242 →315 times
וְשִׁבְעָ֖הand seven
veshivahH7651 →394 times
לַחֹ֑דֶשׁof the month
lachodeshH2320 →284 times
נָשָׂ֡אhe lifted up
nasa'H5375 →656 times
אֱוִ֣ילEvil-
ʾevilH192 →
מְרֹדַךְ֩Merodach
merodakhH192 →
מֶ֨לֶךְ[the] king of
melekhH4428 →2525 times
בָּבֶ֜לBabylon
bavelH894 →262 times
בִּשְׁנַ֣תin [the] year
bishnatH8141 →877 times
מָלְכ֗וֹbecame king he
malekhoH4427 →348 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
רֹ֛אשׁ[the] head of
roshH7218 →599 times
יְהוֹיָכִ֥יןJehoiachin
yehoyakhinH3078 →10 times
מֶֽלֶךְ־[the] king of
melekh-H4428 →2525 times
יְהוּדָ֖הJudah
yehudahH3063 →819 times
מִבֵּ֥יתfrom [the] house of
mibeitH1004 →2046 times
כֶּֽלֶא׃imprisonment
kele'H3608 →10 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Proverbs 21:1The king’s heart is a waterway in the hand of the LORD; He directs it where He pleases.
it leads to
- Proverbs 16:9
A man’s heart plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.
- Ezra 6:22
For seven days they kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread with joy, because the LORD had made them joyful and turned the heart of the king of Assyria toward them to strengthen their hands…
- Proverbs 20:24
A man’s steps are from the LORD, so how can anyone understand his own way?
- Acts 7:10
and rescued him from all his troubles. He granted Joseph favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt, who appointed him ruler over Egypt and all his household.
- Proverbs 16:1
The plans of the heart belong to man, but the reply of the tongue is from the LORD.
- Proverbs 16:9
Through
Genesis 40:20On the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, he held a feast for all his officials, and in their presence he lifted up the heads of the chief cupbearer and the chief baker.
it leads to
- Genesis 40:19
Within three days Pharaoh will lift off your head and hang you on a tree. Then the birds will eat the flesh of your body.”
- Genesis 40:13
Within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore your position. You will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand, just as you did when you were his cupbearer.
- Genesis 40:19
Through
2 Kings 24:12Jehoiachin king of Judah, his mother, his servants, his commanders, and his officials all surrendered to the king of Babylon. So in the eighth year of his reign, the king of Babylon took him…
it leads to
- Jeremiah 24:1
After Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried away Jeconiah son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, as well as the officials of Judah and the craftsmen and metalsmiths from Jerusalem, and had brought them to…
- Jeremiah 24:1
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies5
What the record shows
1 entry- Evil-merodach (Amel-Marduk) — attested in contemporary inscriptionundisputed
Babylonian inscriptions
Biblical figure (King of Babylon, 561-560 BC) identified in extra-biblical epigraphy.
About 2 Kings

Who and where
3 names in this verse with a page on the site.
- PersonPatriarchsJudahJacob's fourth son who pledges himself for Benjamin; the tribe that carries the scepter to Shiloh (49:10) and the line to Christ (…
- PersonExileJehoiachinCarried to Babylon after three months' reign; the captive king lifted from prison to the king's table in the book's final scene —…
- PlaceBabil Governorate (archaeological site)BabylonAncient Mesopotamian city and imperial capital; site of the Israelite exile and a recurring biblical symbol of worldly power.
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ishodad of Merv, BOOKS OF SESSIONS 2 KINGS 25:27; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Origen of Alexandria, FRAGMENTS FROM THE CATENA ON JEREMIAH 14.
