2 Kings 25:28

2Ki 25:28 And he spake kindly to him, and set his throne above the throne of the kings that [were] with him in Babylon;

Ver. 28. And he spake kindly to him.] Heb., Good things with him: he both spake and did for him such good things as he little expected; but far better digested than Arthur L. Lisle did King Henry VIII’s courtesy; by whom having been cast into the Tower for suspicion of treason, he was afterwards not only acquitted, but comforted with such good words, besides a rich ring sent unto him off his own finger, that at the hearing thereof, a sudden joy overcharged his heart: and was so immoderately received, that the same night it made an end of his life. {a}

{a} Speed, 896.

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.

(28) Set his throne above the throne of the kings . . .—Gave him precedence of the other captive kings who were kept at the Babylonian court by way of enhancing its glory (comp. Jdg_1:7), and probably marked this precedence by allowing him a higher chair of state in the royal hall. So Cyrus kept Croesus king of Lydia at his court (Herod, i. 88). We may remember also the chivalrous behaviour of our own Black Prince towards his royal captive John of France.

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

28. and set his throne above the throne, &c.] i.e. He gave him precedence, perhaps by causing him to sit at the table in a place nearer to himself, and also by manifesting special regard for him. That other kings were in the same condition as Jehoiachin, and had been brought to Babylon because they were troublesome in their own countries, we can see from this verse. Some however were imprisoned, as Jehoiachin had been, while others were at liberty but confined to Babylon and the court.

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 kings that were with him - Probably captive kings, like Jehoiachin himself. Compare Jdg 1:7.

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

Kings, who had been made captives. Adonibezec had 70, Judges i. 7. Alexander kept Porus and Taxilus at his court, as Cyrus and done Crœsus, whom he treated with great distinction. The prosperity of Joachin does not seem to have been of long continuance, as his benefactor did not reign above two (ver. 27.) or three years, Daniel. viii. 1.

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

It seems, though the power of these kings was taken away, yet some honour and respect was given to them, even in the place of their captivity, and to Jehoiachin more than to any of the rest.

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

28. Spake kindly to him — Or, spake with him good things; words of comfort and pledges of honourable treatment.

Set his throne above the throne of the kings — Assigned him a more honourable seat in his court, and regarded him with higher esteem, than he did other vassal kings and royal captives who added dignity and splendour to his court. Doubtless there were many such captive kings with him in Babylon.

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

And he spake kindly to him; literally, he spake good things with him; but the meaning is well expressed by our rendering. Evil-Merodach compassionated the sufferings of the unfortunate monarch, who had grown old in prison, and strove by kind speech to make up to him for them in a certain measure. And set his throne above the throne of the kings that were with him in Babylon. Evil-Merodach had at his court other captured kings besides Jehoiachin, whose presence was considered to enhance his dignity and grandeur. (comp. Jud_1:7) An honorable position and probably a seat of honor was assigned to each; but the highest position among them was now conferred on Jehoiachin. Whether he had actually a more elevated seat, is (as Bahr observes) a mattes of no importance.

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

a seat more honorable than that of the other kings

Giving a good place at the dining table is a metonym for honoring him. AT: "more honor than the other kings" (See: Metonymy)

removed Jehoiachin's prison clothes

The act of removing Jehoiachins' prison clothes represents making him a free man. (See: Metonymy)

at the king's table

"with the king and his officials"

A regular food allowance was given to him

This can be translated in active form. AT: "The king made sure that he had a regular food allowance" (See: Active or Passive)

A regular food allowance

"Money to buy food"

translationWords

honor

prison

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

He spoke kindly with him. Words of consolation.

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.