8 A son of eighteen years 'is' Jehoiachin in his reigning, and three months he hath reigned in Jerusalem, and the name of his mother 'is' Nehushta, daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem, 9 and he doth the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah, according to all that his fathers did. 10 At that time come up have servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to Jerusalem, and the city goeth into siege, 11 and Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon cometh against the city, and his servants are laying siege to it, 12 and Jehoiachin king of Judah goeth out unto the king of Babylon, he, and his mother, and his servants, and his chiefs, and his eunuchs, and the king of Babylon taketh him in the eighth year of his reign, 13 and bringeth out thence all the treasures of the house of Jehovah, and the treasures of the house of the king, and cutteth in pieces all the vessels of gold that Solomon king of Israel made in the temple of Jehovah, as Jehovah had spoken. 14 And he hath removed all Jerusalem, and all the chiefs, and all the mighty ones of valour—ten thousand 'is' the removal—and every artificer and smith, none hath been left save the poor of the people of the land. 15 And he removeth Jehoiachin to Babylon, and the mother of the king, and the wives of the king, and his eunuchs, and the mighty ones of the land—he hath caused a removal to go from Jerusalem to Babylon, 16 and all the men of valour seven thousand, and the artificers and the smiths a thousand, the whole 'are' mighty men, warriors; and the king of Babylon bringeth them in a captivity to Babylon. 17 And the king of Babylon causeth Mattaniah his father's brother to reign in his stead, and turneth his name to Zedekiah.
18 A son of twenty and one years 'is' Zedekiah in his reigning, and eleven years he hath reigned in Jerusalem, and the name of his mother 'is' Hamutal daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah, 19 and he doth the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah according to all that Jehoiakim did, 20 for, by the anger of Jehovah it hath been against Jerusalem and against Judah, till he cast them out from His presence, that Zedekiah rebelleth against the king of Babylon.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 2 Kings 24:8-21
Commentary on 2 Kings 24:8-20
(Read 2 Kings 24:8-20)
Jehoiachin reigned but three months, yet long enough to show that he justly smarted for his fathers' sins, for he trod in their steps. His uncle was intrusted with the government. This Zedekiah was the last of the kings of Judah. Though the judgments of God upon the three kings before him might have warned him, he did that which was evil, like them. When those intrusted with the counsels of a nation act unwisely, and against their true interest, we ought to notice the displeasure of God in it. It is for the sins of a people that God hides from them the things that belong to the public peace. And in fulfilling the secret purposes of his justice, the Lord needs only leave men to the blindness of their own minds, or to the lusts of their own hearts. The gradual approach of Divine judgments affords sinners space for repentance, and believers leisure to prepare for meeting the calamity, while it shows the obstinacy of those who will not forsake their sins.