2 Kings Chapter 19
19:1. Hezekiah puts on the traditional garments of mourning and grief. (cf. Joel 1:13).
19:2. Isaiah the prophet had full access to the king (chs. 18-20 are paralleled in Is. 36-39).
19:6, 7. Isaiah assured Hezekiah that God would deal with the blasphemous Sennacherib. The king of Assyria would
not capture Jerusalem and would subsequently be assassinated after returning to his own country (vv. 32-34). Both
predictions literally came to pass (vv. 35-37).
19:9. Tirhakah was the field commander of the Egyptian forces for his brother Shebitku, the king of Egypt's Twenty-
fifth (Ethiopian) Dynasty. Tirhakah is given his subsequent royal title by the author of Kings. The Assyrian king has
another message of psychological warfare for Hezekiah (vv. 10-13).
19:15-19. Hezekiah was truly a man of trust. He takes his concerns to God in prayer, believing that God would
vindicate His name and deliver Jerusalem.
19:20, 21. God hears the prayer of faith and sends His message to Sennacherib. God knows Sennacherib's
innermost thoughts and is about to deal in judgment with the proud king (vv. 22-28).
19:29-31. God reassures Hezekiah of Jerusalem's survival by giving him a sign.
19:34. Sennacherib's defeat will vindicate God's name, which had been blasphemed, and will attest God's
faithfulness in fulfilling the terms of the covenant with David. A righteous king on the throne of the house of David
could expect God's full blessing (2 Sam. 23:3-5).
19:35. Although in his annals Sennacherib claims the capture of 46 of Judah's cities, he can claim to have initiated a
siege only in the case of Jerusalem, a purely face-saving statement.
19:37. Some 20 years later two of Sennacherib's own sons assassinated him. A third son, Esar-haddon (681-668 B.
C.) succeeded him.
2 Kings Chapter 20
20:1. In those days is taken by many commentators to be general designation for the time of Hezekiah's reign, the
events of chapter 20 actually having taken place before those of 18:8-19:37. Others suggest that the phrase refers
to the time either slightly before or shortly after the siege of Jerusalem.
20:2, 3. Hezekiah was sorrowful at Isaiah's news (v. 1). However, he knew how to plead his case, for he was on
praying terms with the Lord. His concern seems genuinely to be more for his country and its needs than for himself
(cf. vv. 5, 6).
20:7. The application of figs to ulcerated sores is widely attested in the literature of the ancient world.
20:8. The third day is often one of special spiritual experience and service (Ex. 19:11, 15; Ezra 6:15), as well as
newness of life before God (cf. Lev. 7:17 with Luke 13:32; 24:5-7, 21, 44-49; Acts 10:40; 1 Cor. 15:4).
20:11. Evidently the supernatural turning backward of the sun's shadow was a localized happening, but it was no
less of a miracle.
20:12. Berodach-baladan is poperly spelled Merodach-baladan (from the Baylonian Marduk Apal Idinna, "Marduk
Has Given a Son") in Isaiah 39:1. This Chaldean king had two periods of rule in Babylon: 721-710 B.C. and a short
time in 703 B.C. Both periods were ended by Assyrian invasions. A perennial enemy of the Assyrians, Merodach-
baladan constantly sought for allies to help in his resistance to Assyria.
20:13. Hezekiah was carried away by his good fortune in recovering from illness and by the flattery of the
ambassadors. For this prideful response, he was rebuked by Isaiah, who predicted that the information learned by
the Babylonian embassy would contribute to Jerusalem's eventual capture (vv. 14-18).
20:19. Hezekiah responded in humility, sorrow, and thankfulness that the prophecy would be fulfilled in a time
beyond his own.
20:20. The conduit of water would provide a ready water supply within the city walls during the predicted siege of
Jerusalem (cf. 2 Chr. 32:30). Confirmation of this great engineering feat came with the discovery of a 1,777-foot-long
water shaft between the spring of Gihon and the pool of Siloam. An inscription found near the Siloam side tells of the
excitement of the workers on the project, who worked from opposite ends, as they drew near to one another.
2 Kings Chapter 21
21:1, 2. Manasseh' s 55-year reign was the longest of any of the Old Testament kings. Unlike his godly father,
Hezekiah, he reproduced the wickedness of his grandfather Ahaz. He emulated Ahaz's spiritual evil by bringing
pagan altars into various places of the temple complex and placing the Asherah symbol within the temple itself (vv. 3-
7). For Asherah, see the note on Judges 3:6,
21:9. God sent repeated warnings to Manasseh and the people, but to no avail (cf. 2 Chr. 33:10).
21:11. Amorites is here a collective term for the original inhabitants of Canaan.
21:16. Jewish and Christian tradition alike declare that Manasseh had Isaiah sawed in two (Heb. 11:37).
21:17. The author of Chronicles records that Manasseh was later captured by the Assyrians and that upon his
release he repented (2 Chr. 33:11-17). This may have occured during the late campaigning of Ashurbanipal (668-
626 B.C.) in 652-648 B.C. He may have been brought to Babylon in the year that Ashurbanipal himself occupied the
throne (648-647 B.C.). If so, his reforms were too few and too late to stop Judah's growing apostasy.
21:23. No reason is assigned for the assassination of the wicked Amon (cf. 2 Chr. 33:22-24). Perhaps the renewed
religious conservatism in the Manasseh' s later day had produced a spark of spirituality that could not tolerate his
extreme wickedness. At any rate, with the installation of Amon' s eight-year-old son Josiah, a final period of spiritual
concern arose in Judah (cf. 22:2 with 2 Chr. 34:2).
2 Kings Chapter 22
22:3-7. The account of Josiah's life in 2 Chronicles 34:3-7 tells of Josiah's spiritual reforms before this program for
the repair of the temple. Josiah had a consistent testimony for righteousness and spiritual concern.
22:8. Liberal scholars have tended to associate the book of the law with the basic material of the Book of
Deuteronomy, much of which they suppose had been written. Such a position cannot stand the tests of literary and
historical accuracy, Josiah's reaction to the reading of the book and the nature of his later reforms (cf. 23:4-20; 2
Chr. 35:1-19) suggest that a copy of the whole Pentateuch had been found, one which possibly had been deposited
beside the ark of the covenant (cf. Deut. 31:26), or had been hidden during a purge of the Word of God by the
previous kings.
22:11. The king's reaction was one of genuine repentance for himself and his people. The entrance of God's Word
brings correction and guidance to a man of godliness and true wisdom (Ps. 119:9-11, 129-136).
22:14-20. Huldah is not otherwise mentioned in the Old Testament. Her words relative to the king (v. 20) refer to
Josiah's spiritual well-being with God and the present withholding of Jerusalem's final judgment, for Josiah died in
battle (23:29, 30). The Hebrew word translated college probably means "second district."
2 Kings Chapter 23
23:2. The godly Josiah did what a righteous ruler in Israel was expected to do (Deut. 31:10-13), He may have read to
the people those texts that dealt with Israel’s covenant responsibilities to God (i.e., Lev. 26; Deut. 28).
23:4-6. For the introduction of these abominations into the temple precincts, see 21:3-7. For the taking of such cult
objects to the Kidron (v.12), see 1 Kings 15:13; 2 Chronicles 29:16; 30:14.
23:10. Topheth was a sacred enclosure for the Molech rites. For the nature of this sacrifice, see the note on 16:3,4
23:15 Josiah’s reforms spilled ever into the northern kingdom (vv. 19, 20), including the destruction of the altar at
Beth-el which had been set up by Jeroboam I (1 Kin. 12:28,29).
23:16-18. Josiah’s actions here fulfilled the prophecy made some three centuries earlier (1 Kin. 13:26-32).
23:21-23 Full details of Josiah’s strict observance of the Passover are given in 2 Chronicles 35:1-19.
23:25 Just as Hezekiah was commended for his faith, so Josiah was recognized as having no peer in his stand for
the strict application of the law of Moses.
23:26, 27. Despite all of the reforms that Josiah had led the people to observe, Judah’s basic rejection of God was
too entrenched. Judah’s sin was irremediable. Therefore, its demise could not be long in coming (cf. 17:19; 24:3, 19,
20; 25:14-16).
23:28,29. The Egyptian Pharaoh-nechoh was on the way to assist his Assyrian allies at Haran. When the Assyrian
capital at Nineveh fell in 612 B.C. to an allied force that included the Chaldeans (or Neo-Babylonians) and Medes,
the Assyrians fell back westward to Haran. Pharaoh-nechoh had just come to the throne of Egypt’s Twenty-sixth
Dynasty. This kingdom had emerged from the previous Assyrian vassalage and would become Egypt’s last important
dynasty (663-525 B.C.). Because of Egypt’s long-standing allegiance to Assyria and a fear of the new Medo-
Babylonian alliance, Pharaoh-nechoh was leading his forces to Haran to link up with the Assyrian army there. Josiah’
s attempt to prevent the Egyptians from reaching Haran cost him his life (cf. 2 Chr 35:20-25), but did delay them long
enough so that Haran fell before Pharaoh-nechoh could arrive (609 B.C.). The Assyrian forces subsequently moved
still further westward to Carchemish, where Nebuchadnezzar finally defeated them in 605 B.C.
23:30 Jehoahaz was not Josiah’s eldest son (cf. 1 Chr. 3:15 with Jer. 22:11).
23:33-35. A disgruntled Pharaoh-nechoh took the newly crowned Jehoahaz to Egypt as a spoil of war. He installed
on the throne Eliakim (or Jehoiakim), who was forced to raise a heavy tribute.
2 Kings Chapter 24
24:1. Following the defeat of the combined Assyrian and Egyptian forces at Carchemish in 605 B.C. (see the not on
23:28, 29), Nebuchadnezzar took all of Syro-Palestine. He made Judah his vassal. The death of his father, King
Nabopolassar, in that year forced Nebuchadnezzar to return home without accomplishing all of his goals in the west.
At that time he took Daniel and others as captives to Babylon (Dan. 1:1-6). A later defeat of Nebuchadnexxar’s
forces by the Egyptians in 601 B.C. lured Jehoiakim into an anti-Babylonian alliance with Eqypt.
24:2. In anticipation of a subsequent strike against Jerusalem, Nebuchadnezzar made raids against Judah’s
surround territories, subsequently using them to make forays against the Judean flanks.
24:8. See the note on 2 Chronicles 36:9.
24:10-16. Nebuchadnezzar sent a major sticking force against Judah in 598 B.C. Jehoiakim had died before
Nebuchadnezzar could reach Jerusalem. Accordingly, his son Jehoiachin was led away captive to Babylon.
Nebuchadnezzar took away much booty as a spoil of war. He also seized and deported the leadership of Jerusalem,
among whom was the prophet Ezekiel (Ezek 1:1).
24:17-20. Mattaniah (or Zedekiah) was Josiah’s last remaining son. He was totally apostate.
2 Kings Chapter 25
25:2-4. With Jerusalem under siege (cf. Jer. 39:1), Nebuchadnezzar took all of Judah (cf. Jer. 21:3-7; 34:7).
25:3,4. The proud city fell, even as God had warned through Jeremiah the prophet (Jer. 19, 20, 25:1-11; 27, 28, 37:
8-10, 17; 38:17-27).
25:7. The dreadful prophecies of Jeremiah (Jer. 32:3-5; 34:1-3) and Ezekiel (Ezek. 12:12, 13) concerning Zedekiah
came to pass completely. Zedekiah was to die as a prisoner in Babylon (Jer. 52:11).
25:8-17 The capture and systematic plunder of Jerusalem is also recorded in 2 Chronicles 36:17-19; Jeremiah 39:1-
10; and Jeremiah 52:1-23.
25:18 Seraiah’s sons were not executed (cf. 1 Chr. 6:15); the godly Ezra would descend from Seraiah (Ezra 7:1).
25:22 Jeremiah was spared by the King of Babylon and went to assist Gedaliah who became the provisional
governor of Judah for Babylon (Jer. 39:11-14; 40:1-6). Confirmation of Gedaliah’s importance comes from an imprint
on a clay seal found at Lachish.
25:23-26 Full details relative to the governorship of Gedaliah, his murder, and the subsequent flight of the Jewish
refugees to Egypt are given in Jeremiah 40:7-43:7.
25:27-30 Nebuchadnezzar died in 561 B.C. After his death, Jehoiachin was released and given royal privileges until
his death. Ration tablets from the later reign of King Nabonidus of Babylon (555-539 B.C.) record the name of
Jehoiachin among the recipients.