2 Kings 25:11

2Ki 25:11 Now the rest of the people [that were] left in the city, and the fugitives that fell away to the king of Babylon, with the remnant of the multitude, did Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carry away.

Ver. 11. Now the rest of the people.] Who were eight hundred and thirty-two persons. {Jer 40:1; Jer 52:29}

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2Ki 25:11-12. Now the rest of the people that were left in the city — Whom neither the sword nor famine had destroyed, who were eight hundred and thirty-two persons, (Jer 52:29,) being members and traders of that city: for it is likely that there were very many more of the country people fled thither, who were left with others of their brethren to manure the land. And the fugitives that fell away to the king of Babylon — That is, all that fled to him, and put themselves under his protection; with the remnant of the multitudes — Of the inhabitants of the country. For the captain of the guard left of the poor of the land — So while the rich were prisoners in a strange land, the poor had liberty and peace in their own country! Thus Providence sometimes humbles the proud, and favours them of low degree.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

25:11-12 The Babylonians took the majority of the population into exile, even some who willingly defected (Jer 39:9; 52:15). • Because the poorest people were unlikely to cause trouble, they were left behind to work the vineyards and fields.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

While the siege endured.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

(11) The fugitives that fell away—i.e., the deserters. (See Jer_27:12; Jer_37:13 sea., Jer_38:2; Jer_38:4; Jer_38:17; Jer_38:19.)

The multitude.—Probably the rank and file of the fighting-men (Jdg_4:7). The word is hâmôn, strictly a shouting throng. (The Syriac has “the rest of the army.”) Jer_52:15, spells the word with the light breathing (‘âniôn—either a dialectic use, or a mistake, not a distinct word).

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

11. Now the rest [R.V. And the residue] of the people] The change is in accordance with Jer_52:15 where the same people are spoken of.

and the fugitives that fell away to the king of Babylon] R.V. and those that fell away, that fell to the king of Babylon. This alteration is also from A.V. in the parallel passage just referred to, where the Hebrew is the same as here.

with the remnant [R.V. residue] of the multitude] Also R.V. adds captive after ‘carry away’ at the close of the verse. Thus the two parallel and nearly identical passages are brought as closely into agreement in the English as they are in the original.

Nebuzar-adan took the residue of the better sort, both those who still were faithful to their country and those who had gone over to the Babylonian side, and the residue of the common folks, who were likely to prove useful in some settlement or other, and carried both these classes with him.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The fugitives ... - It was from a fear of the treatment which he would receive at the hands of these deserters that Zedekiah persisted in defending the city to the last Jer 38:19.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

The people that were left in the city, whom neither the sword nor famine had destroyed, who were eight hundred and thirty-two persons, Jer 52:29, being members and traders of that city; for it is likely that there were very many more of the country people who were fled thither, who were left with others of their brethren to manure the land, as it here follows.

The remnant of the multitude, to wit, of the inhabitants of the country.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

11. Rest of the people… in the city — Such warriors and leading citizens as had not attempted to escape.

Fugitives… to the king of Babylon — Deserters who had gone over to the Chaldeans.

Remnant of the multitude — The mass of the less important population in and around Jerusalem.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Vers. 11-21. Fate of the inhabitants of Judah, and of the contents of the temple. Having burnt the temple, the royal palace, and the grand residences of the principal citizens, Nebuzar-adan proceeded to divide the inhabitants of the city and country into two bodies those whom he would leave in the land, and those whom he would carry off. The line of demarcation was, in a general way, a social one. The rich and well-to-do he would take with him; the poor and insignificant he would leave behind (vers. 11, 12). Among the former were included the high priest, the "second priest," three of the temple Levites, the commandant of the city, a certain number of the royal councilors, the "principal scribe of the host," and sixty of the "princes" (vers. 18, 19). The latter were chiefly persons of the agricultural class, who were left to be "vinedressers and husbandmen." From the temple, which had been already plundered twice, (2Ch_36:7, 2Ch_36:10) he carried off such vessels in gold and silver and bronze as were still remaining there, together with the bronze of the two pillars Jachin and Boaz, of the great laver, or "molten sea," and of the stands for the smaller layers, all of which he broke up (ver. 13). Having reached Riblah, where Nebuchadnezzar still was, he delivered up to him both the booty and the prisoners. Rather more than seventy of the latter Nebuchadnezzar punished with death (ver. 21). The rest were taken to Babylon.

Now the rest of the people that were left in the cityi.e. , that remained behind when the king and the garrison fledand the fugitives that fen away to the King of Babylon, with the remnant of the multitude; rather, both the fugitives that had fallen away to the King of Babylon, and the remnant of the multitude, The writer means to divide "the rest of the people" into two classes:

(1) those who during the siege, or before it, had deserted to the Babylonians, as no doubt many did, and as Jeremiah was accused of doing; (Jer_37:13)

(2) those who were found inside the city when it was taken. Did Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carry away.

Vers. 11-21. The final deportation.

An end having been made of the city, the next step was to complete the conquest by deporting to Babylon the remnant of the population, and carrying away the spoil. To this task Nebuzar-adan now addressed himself.

I THE PEOPLE CARRIED AWAY.

1. The gleanings taken. Ten or eleven thousand persons had been carried away in the earlier captivity, (2Ki_24:14) including amongst them the best part of the population (cf. Jer_24:3-10) The remnant had since been thinned by famine, pestilence, and war. (Jer_21:7 Jer_24:10) On the most probable view of, (Jer_52:28 ("seventeenth" for "seventh a further large deportation of captives over three thousand took place a year before the conclusion of the siege. Now there were only the gleanings to take away, and these amounted to but eight hundred and thirty-two persons. (Jer_52:29) They were buta small handful compared with those who had perished, but they would comprise all the people of any position and influence. They consisted of those who were in the city, of those who had previously deserted to the Chaldeans, and of the pickings of the multitude outside. The mourning and lamentation occasioned by these captivities is poetically represented by Jeremiah in the well-known description of Rachel weeping for her children, and refusing to be comforted, as she sees the long trains defile away. (Jer_31:15)

2. The poor left. As before, it was only the poorest of the land, those "which had nothing" (Jer_39:10) who were left behind, to till the fields and care for the vineyards. With the exception of these, the country was depopulated. The best even of this poorer class had been removed in the last sifting of the population, so that the residue must have been poor indeed. They formed but a scant remnant; but even they, as we shall see, were unable to hold together, and were soon to be expatriated, leaving the land utterly desolate.

II THE BRAZES VESSELS CARRIED AWAY. The temple plunder. The more valuable of the temple vessels had been carried away in the first captivity, (2Ki_24:13) but there remained a large number of articles and utensils of brass, together with some of the precious metals (ver. 15), either formerly overlooked or subsequently replaced. All these had been gathered out before the temple was burnt, and were now carried away as spoil. They consisted

(1) of the two brazen pillars, Jachin and Boaz, which stood in the porch of the temple, and by their symbolical names, "He shall establish," "In it is strength," witnessed to the fact that God"s dwelling-place was now established in the midst of his people, and that its stability was secured by his presence.

(2) The bases, with their layers, for washing the sacrifices; and the molten sea for the use of the priests.

(3) The common utensils connected with the service of the altar and sanctuary pets, shovels, etc. These brazen pillars, vessels, and utensils were the work of Hiram of Tyro, and were wrought with the utmost artistic skill. (1Ki_7:13-51) The pillars were masterpieces of strength and ornamental beauty; the sea and bases were also exquisitely carved and adorned with figures of cherubim, palms, and flowers. They were the pride and glory of the temple, and as mere works of art stood in the highest place.

2. Treatment of the vessels. The more grievous, for the above reasons, was the treatment to which these beautiful objects were now subjected. Not only were they torn from their places and uses in the temple, but they were ruthlessly broken to pieces, that they might be the more easily carried away. Hiram"s masterpieces had sunk to the level of common brass, and were treated only as such. The lesser vessels were, of course, taken away whole. What could more significantly tell of the departure of God from his house, the rejection of its worship, and the reversal of the promises of stability, etc., he had given in connection with it, than this ignominious treatment of its sacred vessels. They had, indeed, when his presence was withdrawn, become mere "pieces of brass," as did the brazen serpent of Moses, when men turned it into an occasion for sin. (2Ki_18:4) Their house was left unto them desolate. (Mat_23:38)

III THE SLAUGHTER OF THE CHIEF MEN. A final act of vengeance was yet to be perpetrated. Singling out a number of the chief men, Nebuzar-adan brought them to Nebuchadnezzar at Riblah, and there "the King of Babylon smote them, and slew them." The victims were contributed by:

1. The temple. "Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and three keepers of the door.

2. The army and court "An officer that was set over the men of war, and five men of them that were in the king"s presence... and the principal scribe of the host.

3. The citizens. "Three score men of the people of the land that were found in the city." All classes were thus represented, and bore their share, in the expiation of the common guilt. The slaughter was no doubt partly intended to inspire terror in those who were left. J.O.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

People - Whom neither the sword nor famine had destroyed, who were eight hundred and thirty two persons, Jer. lii, 29, being members and traders of that city: for it is likely, there were very many more of the country people fled thither, who were left with others of their brethren to manure the land. Multitude - Of the inhabitants of the country.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

As for the rest of the people ... city, those

"This is what happened to the rest of the people ... city: those"

the rest of the people who were left in the city

"the people who remained in the city"

deserted to the king

"left the city and gone to be with the king"

translationWords

exile

vineyard

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

And the defectors. [Those] who obeyed Nevuchadnetzar and went out to him from the city, as in, “When he went to Tziklag, [members] of Menashe defected to him, etc.”

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.