2 Kings 25:6

2Ki 25:6 So they took the king, and brought him up to the king of Babylon to Riblah; and they gave judgment upon him.

Ver. 6. To Riblah.] A city of Syria, which was afterwards called Apamia; as the Jerusalem Paraphrast on Num 34:11 showeth.

And they gave judgment upon him.] They, by public sentence, pronounced him perfidious, and perjured - see Eze 17:18, - and dealt with him accordingly. Rabbi Solomon undertaketh to tell us how they rated him, and in what terms.

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 25:6. And brought him to the king of Babylon, to Riblah — Where Nebuchadnezzar stayed, that he might both supply the besiegers with men and military provisions, as their occasions required, and have an eye to Chaldea, to prevent or suppress any commotions which might happen there in his absence. They gave judgment upon him — The king’s officers appointed thereunto examined his cause, and passed the following sentence against him.

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

25:6 Riblah, formerly an Assyrian administrative center, served as Nebuchadnezzar’s battle headquarters, as it had for the Egyptians (23:33).

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

Or, condemned him for his perjury and treason, 2 Chron. 36:13.

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

they took the king, and brought him . . . to Riblah--Nebuchadnezzar, having gone from the siege to oppose the auxiliary forces of Pharaoh-hophra, left his generals to carry on the blockade, he himself not returning to the scene of action, but taking up his station at Riblah in the land of Hamath (Kg2 23:33).

they gave judgment upon him--They, that is, the council (Jer 39:3, Jer 39:13; Dan 6:7-8, Dan 6:12), regarding him as a seditious and rebellious vassal, condemned him for violating his oath and neglecting the announcement of the divine will as made known to him by Jeremiah (compare Jer 32:5; Jer 34:2; Jer 38:17). His sons and the nobles who had joined in his flight were slain before his eyes (Jer 39:6; Jer 52:10). In conformity with Eastern ideas, which consider a blind man incapable of ruling, his eyes were put out, and being put in chains, he was carried to perpetual imprisonment in Babylon (Jer 52:11), which, though he came to it, as Ezekiel had foretold, he did not see (Jer 32:5; Eze 12:13; Eze 17:16).

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

(6) To the king of Babylon, to Riblah.—2Ki_23:33. Nebuchadnezzar was not present at the storm of Jerusalem (Jer_39:3). He awaited the result in his headquarters.

And they gave judgment upon him.—Or, brought him to trial. (Comp. Jer_1:16; Jer_4:12.) Nebuchadnezzar with the grandees of his court, perhaps including some dependent princes of the country, held a solemn trial of Zedekiah, as a rebel against his liege lord, in which, no doubt, his breach of oath was made prominent (2Ch_36:13; Eze_17:15; Eze_17:18). The verb is singular in Jeremiah, and the versions. (See next Note.)

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

6. So [R.V. Then] they took the king, and brought him up to [R.V. unto] the king of Babylon] Nebuchadnezzar was stationed at some distance, and was awaiting the issue of the campaign. The verb rendered ‘take’ implies seizure as a prisoner. It is used before (2Ki_10:14) ‘Take them alive’.

to Riblah] See on 2Ki_23:33.

and they gave judgement upon him] Jer_39:5 says, ‘He gave judgement upon him’. No doubt the proceeding was of this kind. The king appointed a committee to try Zedekiah, and when they had given their sentence, Nebuchadnezzar commanded it to be carried into effect.

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.

To Riblah - See 2Ki 23:33 note. A position from where Nebuchadnezzar could most conveniently superintend the operations against Tyre and Jerusalem. In the absence of the monarch, the siege of Jerusalem was conducted by a number of his officers, the chief of whom were Nebuzar-adan, the captain of the guard, and Nergal-shar-ezer (Neriglissar), the Rab-mag Jer 39:3, Jer 39:13.

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

Rablatha, the Antioch of Syria, (St. Jerome) which was styled also Ephiphania, (Tirinus) or more probably Apamea, where Nabuchodonosor was, when Jerusalem was taken. --- Upon him, by the advice of his council, Jeremias xxxix. 3, 13. Syriac, "they made him answer the charges brought against him," (Calmet) of ingratitude and rebellion, as he had been appointed by the king of Babylon, and had sworn to be faithful to him. (Menochius) --- This repeated infidelity made Nabuchodonosor resolve to remove the people from their own country. (Calmet) --- He sentenced the last of the kings of Juda to see his children slain, (Haydock) to have his eyes put out, and to remain in prison till his death, Jeremias lii. 11., &c. (Calmet) --- Hebrew, he "spake judgments with him." Thus was accomplished the prediction of Jeremias, (xxxiv. 3.) "thine eyes shall behold the eyes of the king of Babylon, and he shall speak to thee." (Watson) --- The same prophet had said the same (Jeremias xxxii. 4.) before he was throne into prison. The sight of an angry judge is no small punishment. (Haydock)

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).

To Riblah; of which See Poole "2Ki 23:33", and See Poole "2Ki 25:21", where Nebuchadnezzar staid, that he might both supply the besiegers with more men, and military provisions, as their occasions required; and have an eye to Chaldea, to prevent or suppress any commotions which might happen there in the time of his absence.

They gave judgement upon him; the king’s officers appointed thereunto examined his cause, and passed the following sentence against him.

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

6. To Riblah — See note on 2Ki_23:33. “Nebuchadnezzar had commenced the siege of Jerusalem in person, (2Ki_25:1,) but afterwards, (possibly not till after the Egyptians who came to relieve the besieged city had been repulsed,) he transferred the continuance of the siege, which was a prolonged one, to his generals, and retired to Riblah, to conduct the operations of the whole campaign from thence.” — Keil.

Gave judgment upon him — Josephus says: “When he was come, Nebuchadnezzar began to call him a wicked wretch, and a covenant breaker, and one that had forgotten his former words, when he promised to keep the country for him.

He also reproached him for his ingratitude, that when he had received the kingdom from him, who had taken it from Jehoiachin and given it to him, he had made use of his power against his benefactor.” It was surely no difficult matter for all who had a voice in this judgment to find the captive king guilty, and worthy of severest punishment.

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

So they took the king Zedekiah, and brought him up to the King of Babylon. The presentation of rebel kings, when captured, to their suzerain, seated on his throne, is one of the most common subjects of Assyrian and Babylonian sculptures (see "Ancient Monarchies," vol. 1. p. 292; vol. 3. p. 7; Layard, "Monuments of Nineveh," second series, pls. 23, 36, etc.). The Egyptian and Persian artists also represent it. To Riblah. (For the situation of Riblah, see the comment on 2Ki_23:33) As Nebuchadnezzar was engaged at one and the same time in directing the sieges both of Tyro and of Jerusalem, it was a most convenient position for him to occupy. And they gave judgment upon him. As a rebel, who had broken his covenant and his oath, (Eze_17:16, Eze_17:18) Zedekiah was brought to trial before Nebuchadnezzar and his great lords. The facts could not be denied, and sentence was therefore passed upon him, nominally by the court, practically by Nebuchadnezzar. (Jer_52:9) By an unusual act of clemency, his life was spared; but the judgment was still sufficiently severe (see the next verse).

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

Riblah - Where Nebuchadnezzar staid, that he might both supply the besiegers with men, and military provisions, as their occasions required; and have an eye to Chaldea, to prevent or suppress any commotions which might happen there in his absence. They - The king's officers appointed thereunto, examined his cause, and passed the following sentence against him.

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

Riblah

This is the name of a place. (See: How to Translate Names)

passed sentence on him

"decided what they would do to punish him"

they slaughtered them before his eyes

The eyes are synecdoche for the whole person. AT: "they forced king Zedekiah to watch them kill his sons" (See: Synecdoche)

he put out his eyes

"Nebuchadnezzar put out Zedekiah's eyes." It might be best to translate so that the reader understands that other people might have helped Nebuchadnezzar do this. (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

translationWords

slaughter

bronze

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 called him to account. He debated with him concerning the oath.

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.