Useful Bible Studies > 2 Kings Commentary > chapter 24
In 2 Kings 20:16-19, God told Hezekiah how much the future members of his family would suffer in Babylon. Hezekiah actually considered that to be good news, because during his life, God, in his kindness, would delay the punishment. However, when it actually happened, nobody from Judah considered it to be good news. It was truly terrible.
The first member of Hezekiah’s family who suffered in Babylon was his son, Manasseh. He suffered there before the proper time, because Babylon’s kings had not yet become truly powerful. When he turned back to God, God rescued him from his prison in Babylon. God brought him back to Judah, where he again ruled as king (2 Chronicles 33:10-19).
Babylon’s kings were increasing in power during the rule of Manasseh’s grandson, Josiah. However, Josiah turned to God with his (Josiah’s) whole heart, so God would not permit the punishment to happen then (22:11-20).
During the rule of Jehoiakim, Josiah’s son, Nebuchadnezzar, Babylon’s greatest king, began his rule. In the third year of Jehoiakim’s rule, Babylon’s army attacked Jerusalem. They took back to Babylon several young men from important families, including Daniel (Daniel 1:1-2).
Jehoiakim himself also became a prisoner of Babylon’s army, probably after he chose to oppose it (2 Chronicles 36:6), Jeremiah 22:18-19 describes his death, and the fact that he would not receive a proper funeral.
Jehoiakim’s son, who was called Jehoiachin, Coniah or Jeconiah, also suffered as a prisoner in Babylon. We will soon read about his brief rule (24:8-16). At the end of his rule, Babylon’s army forced everyone except the poorest and weakest people to leave Jerusalem. They all had to go to Babylon, to work for the king of Babylon. Jehoiachin remained in prison in Babylon for the next 37 years (25:27-30).
Next part: Babylon becomes more powerful than Egypt (2 Kings 24:7)
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