2 Kings 25:8
in 2 Kings 25On the seventh day of the fifth month, in the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign over Babylon, Nebuzaradan captain of the guard, a servant of the king of Babylon, entered Jerusalem.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Now in the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month, which was the nineteenth year of king Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, came Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, a servant of the king of Babylon, unto Jerusalem.
KJV
And in the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month, which is the nineteenth year of king Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, came Nebuzar–adan, captain of the guard, a servant of the king of Babylon, unto Jerusalem:
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This verse in 2 Kings 25
Commentary
7 notes on this verseAnd in the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month,.... In Jer 52:12 it is the tenth day of the month; which, how to be reconciled; see Gill on Jer 52:12. which is the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar; who, according to Ptolemy's canon, reigned forty three years; Metasthenes (u) says forty five; and from hence, to the end of 2Ki 25:12 facts are related as in Jer 52:12 whither the reader is referred. (u) De Judicio Temp. & Annal. Pers. fol. 221. 2.
This site's exposition
the seventh day of the fifth month
on 2 Kings 25:8-10
Nebuzaradan burns "the house of the LORD" first, then "the royal palace," the destroyer's order following the builder's own priority of temple before palace. The walls come down last, a formal demolition carried out by "the whole army of the Chaldeans."
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
What think you of Nebuchadnezzar? Have you not heard from Scripture that he was bloodthirsty, fierce, with the disposition of a lion? Have you not heard that he disinterred the kings? Have you not heard that he brought the people away into captivity? Have you not heard that he put the king's sons to the sword before Zedekiah's eyes and then blinded him? Have you not heard that he shattered the cherubim?
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Months, &c. - So the Chaldeans did not put all to fire and sword, as soon as they had taken the city: but about a month after, orders were sent, to compleat the destruction of it. This space God gave them to repent after all the foregoing days of his patience. But in vain; they still hardened their hearts: and therefore execution is awarded to the utmost.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
In the fifth month - On the seventh day of the fifth month, (answering to Wednesday, Aug. 24), Nebuzar-adan made his entry into the city; and having spent two days in making provision, on the tenth day of the same month, (Saturday, Aug. 27), he set fire to the temple and the king’s palace, and the houses of the nobility, and burnt them to the ground; Jer 52:13, compared with Jer 39:
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
His office as captain of the guard (Ge 37:36; 39:1) called him to execute the awards of justice on criminals; and hence, although not engaged in the siege of Jerusalem (Jer 39:13), Nebuzar-adan was despatched to rase the city, to plunder the temple, to lay both in ruins, demolish the fortifications, and transport the inhabitants to Babylon.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
The nineteenth year of king Nebuchadnezzar - 586 B.C., if we count from the real date of his accession (604 B.C.); but 587 B.C., if, with the Jews, we regard him as beginning to reign when he was sent by his father to recover Syria and gained the battle of Carchemish (in 605 B.C.). Captain of the guard - literally, “the chief of the executioners” Gen 37:36.
The words behind it
21 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וּבַחֹ֤דֶשׁ | uvachodesh | and in the month | H2320 → | 284 times |
| הַֽחֲמִישִׁי֙ | hachamishi | <the> fifth | H2549 → | |
| בְּשִׁבְעָ֣ה | beshivah | on [day] seven | H7651 → | 394 times |
| לַחֹ֔דֶשׁ | lachodesh | of the month | H2320 → | 284 times |
| הִ֗יא | hi' | it | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| שְׁנַת֙ | shenat | [was] year | H8141 → | 877 times |
| תְּשַֽׁע־ | tesha'- | nine- | H8672 → | 58 times |
| עֶשְׂרֵ֣ה | ʾesreh | teen | H6240 → | 338 times |
| שָׁנָ֔ה | shanah | year | H8141 → | 877 times |
| לַמֶּ֖לֶךְ | lamelekh | of the king | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| נְבֻכַדְנֶאצַּ֣ר | nevukhadnetzar | Nebuchadnezzar | H5019 → | 60 times |
| מֶֽלֶךְ־ | melekh- | [the] king of | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| בָּבֶ֑ל | bavel | Babylon | H894 → | 262 times |
| בָּ֞א | ba' | he came | H935 → | 2568 times |
| נְבוּזַרְאֲדָ֧ן | nevuzaradan | Nebuzaradan | H5018 → | 16 times |
| רַב־ | rav- | [the] chief of | H7227 → | 454 times |
| טַבָּחִ֛ים | tabachim | [the] bodyguards | H2876 → | 32 times |
| עֶ֥בֶד | ʾeved | [the] servant of | H5650 → | 799 times |
| מֶֽלֶךְ־ | melekh- | [the] king of | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| בָּבֶ֖ל | bavel | Babylon | H894 → | 262 times |
| יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם׃ | yerushalim | Jerusalem | H3389 → | 643 times |
וּבַחֹ֤דֶשׁand in the month
uvachodeshH2320 →284 times
הַֽחֲמִישִׁי֙<the> fifth
hachamishiH2549 →
בְּשִׁבְעָ֣הon [day] seven
beshivahH7651 →394 times
לַחֹ֔דֶשׁof the month
lachodeshH2320 →284 times
הִ֗יאit
hi'H1931 →1879 times
שְׁנַת֙[was] year
shenatH8141 →877 times
תְּשַֽׁע־nine-
tesha'-H8672 →58 times
עֶשְׂרֵ֣הteen
ʾesrehH6240 →338 times
שָׁנָ֔הyear
shanahH8141 →877 times
לַמֶּ֖לֶךְof the king
lamelekhH4428 →2525 times
נְבֻכַדְנֶאצַּ֣רNebuchadnezzar
nevukhadnetzarH5019 →60 times
מֶֽלֶךְ־[the] king of
melekh-H4428 →2525 times
בָּבֶ֑לBabylon
bavelH894 →262 times
בָּ֞אhe came
ba'H935 →2568 times
נְבוּזַרְאֲדָ֧ןNebuzaradan
nevuzaradanH5018 →16 times
רַב־[the] chief of
rav-H7227 →454 times
טַבָּחִ֛ים[the] bodyguards
tabachimH2876 →32 times
עֶ֥בֶד[the] servant of
ʾevedH5650 →799 times
מֶֽלֶךְ־[the] king of
melekh-H4428 →2525 times
בָּבֶ֖לBabylon
bavelH894 →262 times
יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם׃Jerusalem
yerushalimH3389 →643 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
2 Kings 25:27On 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…
it leads to
- Jeremiah 52:31–34
On the twenty-fifth day of the twelfth month of the thirty-seventh year of the exile of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the first year of the reign of Evil-merodach king of Babylon, he pardoned…
- Genesis 40:20
On 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.
- 2 Kings 24:12
Jehoiachin 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…
- 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.
- Proverbs 21:1
The king’s heart is a waterway in the hand of the LORD; He directs it where He pleases.
- Jeremiah 52:31–34
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 52:28
These are the people Nebuchadnezzar carried away: in the seventh year, 3,023 Jews;
- 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…
- 2 Chronicles 36:10
In the spring, King Nebuchadnezzar summoned Jehoiachin and brought him to Babylon, along with the articles of value from the house of the LORD. And he made Jehoiachin’s relative Zedekiah king over Judah and…
- Jeremiah 52:28
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies12
On this verse
What the record shows
2 entries- Fall of Jerusalem (587/586 BC)undisputed
2 Kings 25 + Babylonian data
verse:2ki.25.8
Counterpoint: The two-year notation reflects a real and unresolved split. Whether the city fell in 587 or 586 depends on whether Judah counted regnal years from spring or autumn and whether it used accession-year reckoning — William F. Albright and Abraham Malamat argued 587, Edwin Thiele and Kenneth Kitchen 586. No text settles it directly.
- Nebuzaradan — attested in contemporary inscriptionundisputed
Nebuchadnezzar II Prism (Istanbul)
Biblical figure (Chief officer of Nebuchadnezzar II, early 6th c. BC) identified in extra-biblical epigraphy.
About 2 Kings
Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
- PlaceBabil Governorate (archaeological site)BabylonAncient Mesopotamian city and imperial capital; site of the Israelite exile and a recurring biblical symbol of worldly power.
- PlaceJerusalemJerusalemThe city David took from the Jebusites and made his capital, where Solomon built the temple, where Christ was crucified and rose,…
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lecture 2:17-19; F. W. Farrar, The Second Book of Kings (Expositor's Bible); 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 and Keil, The Books of the Kings.