Catholic Commentary on 2 Kings 24

"Surely these things happened to Judah according to the LORD's command, in order to remove them from his presence because of the sins of Manasseh." (2 Kings 24:3)

The First Deportation

After Josiah, Jehoahaz reigns three months and is deposed by Pharaoh Necho. Jehoiakim reigns eleven years, does evil, and becomes Babylon's vassal, then rebels. Surely these things happened to Judah according to the LORD's command, in order to remove them from his presence because of the sins of Manasseh and all he had done, including the shedding of innocent blood. For he had filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, and the LORD was not willing to forgive. Nebuchadnezzar comes and takes Jehoiachin, the king's mother, the royal officials, the warriors, the craftsmen, and the artisans to Babylon, leaving only the poorest people. He takes all the treasures of the Temple and the palace. Mattaniah, renamed Zedekiah, is installed as king.

The Catechism identifies the Babylonian exile as the climax of the covenant judgment foretold by Moses, warned by prophet after prophet, finally enacted: the land vomits out its inhabitants when the covenant is broken (CCC 1963).

Living the Word

Brothers and sisters, the innocent blood that filled Jerusalem cried out until the LORD could no longer turn away. The shedding of innocent blood always cries to God. Every generation that protects life and every generation that destroys it is accountable to the same God who heard Abel's blood from the ground. The land belongs to the one who made it.

Prayer

Lord God, innocent blood cried to you from Jerusalem until you acted. Hear the cry of every innocent victim in our generation. Act. And give us the courage to protect every innocent life from the fires of Topheth in whatever form they take today. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

24
Babylon Controls Jehoiakim
1 During Jehoiakim’s reign, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon invaded. So Jehoiakim became his vassal for three years, until he turned and rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar.
 
2 And the LORD sent Chaldean,* 24:2 Or Babylonian Aramean, Moabite, and Ammonite raiders against Jehoiakim in order to destroy Judah, according to the word that the LORD had spoken through His servants the prophets. 3 Surely this happened to Judah at the LORD’s command, to remove them from His presence because of the sins of Manasseh and all that he had done, 4 and also for the innocent blood he had shed. For he had filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, and the LORD was unwilling to forgive.
 
5 As for the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, along with all his accomplishments, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?
Jehoiachin Reigns in Judah
(2 Chronicles 36:9-10)
 
6 And Jehoiakim rested with his fathers, and his son Jehoiachin reigned in his place.
 
7 Now the king of Egypt did not march out of his land again, because the king of Babylon had taken all his territory, from the Brook of Egypt to the Euphrates River.
 
8 Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. His mother’s name was Nehushta daughter of Elnathan; she was from Jerusalem. 9 And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, just as his father had done.
The Captivity of Jerusalem
(Lamentations 1:1-22)
 
10 At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched up to Jerusalem, and the city came under siege. 11 And Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to the city while his servants were besieging it. 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 captive. 13 As the LORD had declared, Nebuchadnezzar also carried off all the treasures from the house of the LORD and the royal palace, and he cut into pieces all the gold articles that Solomon king of Israel had made in the temple of the LORD. 14 He carried into exile all Jerusalem-all the commanders and mighty men of valor, all the craftsmen and metalsmiths-ten thousand captives in all. Only the poorest people of the land remained.
 
15 Nebuchadnezzar carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon, as well as the king’s mother, his wives, his officials, and the leading men of the land. He took them into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. 16 The king of Babylon also brought into exile to Babylon all seven thousand men of valor and a thousand craftsmen and metalsmiths-all strong and fit for battle.
 
17 Then the king of Babylon made Mattaniah, Jehoiachin’s uncle, king in his place and changed his name to Zedekiah.
Zedekiah Reigns in Judah
(2 Chronicles 36:11-14; Jeremiah 52:1-3)
 
18 Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years. His mother’s name was Hamutal daughter of Jeremiah; she was from Libnah.
 
19 And Zedekiah did evil in the sight of the LORD, just as Jehoiakim had done. 20 For because of the anger of the LORD, all this happened in Jerusalem and Judah, until He finally banished them from His presence.
 
And Zedekiah also rebelled against the king of Babylon.

*24:2 24:2 Or Babylonian

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