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We have here, I. A short but sad account of the utter ruin of Judah and Jerusalem within a few years after Josiah's death. 1. The history of it in the unhappy reigns of Jehoahaz for three months (2Ch 36:1-4), Jehoiakim (2Ch 36:5-8) for eleven years, Jehoiach in three months (2Ch 36:9,10), and Zedekiah eleven years, 2Ch 36:11. Additions were made to the national guilt, and advances towards the national destruction, in each of those reigns. The destruction was, at length, completed in the slaughter of multitudes (2Ch 36:17), the plundering and burning of the temple and all the palaces, the desolation of the city (2Ch 36:18,19), and the captivity of the people that remained, 2Ch 36:20. 2. Some remarks upon it—that herein sin was punished, Zedekiah's wickedness (2Ch 36:12,13), the idolatry the people were guilty of (2Ch 36:14), and their abuse of God's prophets, 2Ch 36:15,16. The word of God was herein fulfilled, 2Ch 36:21. II. The dawning of the day of their deliverance in Cyrus's proclamation, 2Ch 36:22,23.
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The Destruction of Jerusalem (588 BC)
耶路撒冷的毁灭（主前588年）
¹ 国内的百姓立约西亚的儿子约哈斯接续他父亲作王，在耶路撒冷。
² 约哈斯登基的时候年二十三岁，在耶路撒冷作王三个月。
³ 埃及王在耶路撒冷废了他，又罚这地银子一百他连得、金子一他连得。
⁴ 埃及王尼哥立他的哥哥以利亚敬接续他父亲作犹大和耶路撒冷王，又给他改名叫约雅敬。尼哥却把约哈斯带到埃及去了。
⁵ 约雅敬登基的时候年二十五岁，在耶路撒冷作王十一年，行耶和华他神眼中看为恶的事。
⁶ 巴比伦王尼布甲尼撒上来攻击他，用铜链锁住他，要带到巴比伦去。
⁷ 尼布甲尼撒又将耶和华殿里的器皿带到巴比伦，放在他巴比伦的庙里。
⁸ 约雅敬其余的事、和他所行可憎的事、并他所遭遇的一切事，都写在以色列和犹大列王纪上；他儿子约雅斤接续他作王。
⁹ 约雅斤登基的时候年八岁（注：《列王纪》作十八岁），在耶路撒冷作王三个月零十天，行耶和华眼中看为恶的事。
¹⁰ 过了一年，尼布甲尼撒王差遣人将约雅斤带到巴比伦，并将耶和华殿里的美器一同带去，又立约雅斤的叔叔西底家作犹大和耶路撒冷王。
犹大和耶路撒冷的毁灭，在这里是一步步逼近的。神如此安排，是要表明他并不喜悦罪人灭亡，宁愿他们回头而活；所以他既给他们悔改的时间，也给他们悔改的诱因，并等候着要施恩。这几朝的历史，在《列王纪下》最后三章有更详尽的记载。1. 约哈斯被百姓拥立（代下36:1），但不满一个季度，就被埃及王尼哥废黜，被掳到埃及为囚，全地因立他为王而被罚款（代下36:2-4）。这年轻的王子此后再无下文。他若肯行他父亲所行的敬虔之道，本可长治久安；但《列王纪》告诉我们「他行耶和华眼中看为恶的事」，所以他的夸胜原是短暂，他的喜乐不过是片刻。2. 约雅敬被埃及王立为王——这埃及王本是他们那地的旧仇敌，竟任意给这国派立所要的王，又任意给王起名号！（代下36:4）。他立以利亚敬为王，又给他改名叫「约雅敬」，作为对他拥有主权的标记。「约雅敬行……恶」（代下36:5），不，我们所读到的是他所行的「可憎之事」（代下36:8）；他放荡邪恶至极。拜偶像之事通常被称为「可憎之事」。埃及王此后再无下文，倒是巴比伦王上来攻击他（代下36:6），拿住他，用链子锁住他，要带往巴比伦；但似乎尼布甲尼撒或改变了心意，仍容他作藩属继续在位，或死亡在掳走之前释放了这囚犯。无论如何，圣殿中最精美、最宝贵的器皿此刻被掳走，放在巴比伦尼布甲尼撒的庙里使用（代下36:7）；因为我们可以推想，世上没有一座圣殿像耶路撒冷圣殿那样陈设丰富。犹大的罪在于他们把外邦的偶像搬进了神的殿；如今他们的刑罚，便是圣殿的器皿被搬走，去服事列国的神。人若因罪亵渎神的制度，神便任凭仇敌来亵渎，原是公义的。这些器皿正是假先知用以奉承百姓、使他们盼望其归还的器皿（耶27:16）；但耶利米告诉他们，其余的也要随之而去（耶27:21-22），后来果真如此。然而，正如把这些器皿掳到巴比伦是耶路撒冷灾祸的开端，伯沙撒在那里胆敢亵渎这些器皿，便使巴比伦的罪孽满盈；因为当他用这些器皿饮酒，敬奉他的众神之时，墙上的指头写字便宣布了他的厄运（但5:3-6等）。在《列王纪》关于这位约雅敬的引用中，提到「在他里面所寻见的」（代下36:8），这似乎是指他对巴比伦王的背叛；但有些犹太作者却理解为在他尸体上所发现的某些记号或印记，是为尊荣偶像而刺的，正是利19:28所禁止的刀刺之印。3. 约雅斤（又名哥尼雅），就是约雅敬的儿子，试图继位为王；他作王的日子足以显明他作恶的倾向；但过了三个月零十天，巴比伦王便派人把他掳去，连同圣殿更多的美器一并带去。这里说他登基时年八岁，但《列王纪》说他是十八岁登基；所以这似乎是抄写人的错误，除非我们认为他父亲在他八岁时就让他一同参与治理，如某些人所想。
¹¹ 西底家登基的时候年二十一岁，在耶路撒冷作王十一年。
¹² 他行耶和华他神眼中看为恶的事，没有在先知耶利米面前自卑，耶利米是奉耶和华的名向他说话。
¹³ 他又背叛巴比伦王尼布甲尼撒；尼布甲尼撒曾叫他指着神起誓，他却强硬颈项，心里刚硬，不归向耶和华以色列的神。
¹⁴ 此外，众祭司长和百姓也大大犯罪，效法外邦人一切可憎的事；他们污秽了耶和华在耶路撒冷所分别为圣的殿。
¹⁵ 耶和华他们列祖的神因为怜恤自己的百姓和他的居所，从早起来差遣他的使者去警戒他们。
¹⁶ 他们却嬉笑神的使者，藐视他的言语，讥诮他的先知，以致耶和华的烈怒向他的百姓发作，无法可救。
¹⁷ 所以耶和华使迦勒底人的王上来攻击他们，用刀剑在他们的圣所里杀了他们的壮丁，不怜恤少男少女、老人和白发人；耶和华将他们都交在他手中。
¹⁸ 神殿里大小一切的器皿，无论是耶和华殿里的珍宝，还是王和众首领的珍宝，他都带到巴比伦去了。
¹⁹ 他们又焚烧神的殿，拆毁耶路撒冷的城墙，用火焚烧城里的宫殿，毁坏了城里一切美器。
²⁰ 凡脱离刀剑的，迦勒底王都把他掳到巴比伦去，在那里作他和他的子孙的仆人，直到波斯国掌权。
²¹ 这就应验了耶和华借耶利米口中所说的话：地享受了安息；因为地什么时候荒凉，就什么时候守安息，直守满了七十年。
我们在此读到犹大国和耶路撒冷城被迦勒底人毁灭的记述。亚伯拉罕，神的朋友，原是从那地——迦勒底的吾珥——被神召出来，蒙神领他进入与自己立约相交的交通之中；如今他败坏的后裔却又被掳回那地，正表明他们已经失去了因先祖的缘故而蒙的恩眷，也失去了亚伯拉罕蒙召所进入的那约之恩惠；这一切如今尽都败落了。这里我们有：
一、招致这场荒凉的罪。
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西底家，就是这灾祸发生之日在位的王，因自己的愚昧把灾祸招到自己身上；因为他对神、对巴比伦王，行事都很不好。（1）他若肯使神成为他的朋友，便能避免这场败亡。耶利米把神的信息带给他，他若加以重视，本可得着太平的延长的；但此处指控他「没有在耶利米面前自卑」（代下36:12）。人原期待这位权势显赫的君王，地位如此之高，竟要在一个贫寒的先知面前自卑——「奉耶和华的名向他说话」之时——要顺服先知的劝诫，因这些劝诫而改正，要听从他的谋略，受他的引导，要把自己置于他口中神之话语的权能之下；正因他不愿这样作神的仆人，他就被交为仇敌的奴仆。神必设法使那不愿自卑的人降卑。耶利米作先知，是被设立「在列国列邦之上」（耶1:10），所以他地位看似卑微，但凡不愿在他面前自卑的，都发觉这样作必自取灭亡。（2）他若肯对他与巴比伦王所立的约守信，也能避免败亡；但他却「背叛」了他，虽然他曾起誓要作他忠心的藩属，背信弃义地违背了他对他的承诺（代下36:13）。正是这事激怒了巴比伦王，使他对西底家那样严厉地处置。各国都看誓约为神圣，看那些敢于撕毁誓约约束之人为最坏的人，是神所弃绝、为人所憎恶的。所以西底家若背了他所起的誓，「看哪，他既伸手」（结17:18），「就不得逃脱」。尼布甲尼撒虽是外邦人，是仇敌，但西底家既已向他起誓，又向他背信，他必知道『有一位神，报应属乎他』。使西底家败亡的，不仅是他「不归向耶和华以色列的神」，更是他「硬着颈项、心里刚硬，不肯归向他」；意即他顽固地决意不归向他，不愿把自己的颈项服在神的轭下，也不愿把自己的心服在他话语的感动之下，所以实际上他是「不愿得医治」，「不愿存活」。
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招致这场毁灭的大罪便是拜偶像。众祭司和百姓随从「外邦人一切可憎的事」，离弃了神纯正的敬拜，去随从异教迷信中污秽淫邪的礼仪，因而「污秽了耶和华的殿」（代下36:14）。祭司们，就是众祭司长，本该抵挡拜偶像之事，反倒成了其中的魁首。一个国在信仰上已经败坏，离败亡也就不远了。
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他们罪孽的极大加重之因，也是使罪孽满盈之事，便是他们虐待神的先知——这些先知原是被差去呼召他们悔改的（代下36:15-16）。这里我们有：（1）神差遣先知到他们那里，对他们所存的温柔怜悯。因为他是「他们列祖的神」，与他们立约，也是他们所当敬拜的（虽然这败坏的一代离弃了他），所以神「差遣使者到他们那里」，要使他们认识自己的罪，并警戒他们因罪所要招致的败亡，「从早起来差遣」——这话不仅表示神以人所能想象的最大的关怀与挂念去行这事，正如人心里切慕自己的事业，便早早起来催促仆人作工；更是说，他们一偏离神去拜偶像，只要迈出一步，神就立即差遣使者去责备他们。神及早地把他们当尽的本分和所面临的危险都告诉了他们。这要激励我们早早寻求神，因为神也是「从早起来」差遣到我们这里。被差的先知也「从早起来」向他们说话，在他们的职分上殷勤忠心，不耽误时机，不放过与他们打交道的机会；所以神被说成是「从早起来」。仆人们在自己工作上越是劳苦，百姓若全无所得，所要承担的罪责便越重。神借着先知如此与他们相争，其理由乃是「他怜恤自己的百姓和他的居所」，并要借着这些方法阻止他们的败亡。请留意：神用他的话语、用仆人们、用良心、用护理之事来挽回罪人的种种方法，都是他对他们的怜悯，也表明他「不愿有一人灭亡」。（2）他们对神卑鄙不诚实的态度（代下36:16）：「他们嬉笑神的使者」（这是对差遣他们的主极大的侮辱），「藐视他」在他们口中的「言语」，不仅如此，还「讥诮先知」，把他们当作仇敌对待。他们当时对在世的耶利米所行的恶待——我们在《耶利米书》中读到许多——便是其中一例。这表明他们对神怀着不可化解的敌意，并具有继续行罪的顽固决心。这就使神的烈怒无可挽回地临到他们，因为这是明知有解药却仍去犯罪。再没有比虐待神忠心仆人更激怒神的事了；因为凡向他们所作的，他都算为向他作的。「扫罗，扫罗，你为什么逼迫我？」逼迫正是招致罗马人最终毁灭耶路撒冷的罪。参太23:34-37。那些嬉笑神忠心仆人、竭力叫他们被人轻看或被人憎恶、又扰乱虐待他们，要使他们灰心并拦阻别人听从他们的人，当受提醒：伤害一位大使就是伤害那差遣他的君王；那日子要来到，他们必发觉自己当初宁可「脖子上拴着磨石扔在海里」倒好；因为地狱更深更可怕。
二、荒凉本身，以及所记的几个具体情况，这些在王下25:1有更详尽的记载。1. 许多人被刀剑所杀，甚至「在他们的圣所里」（代下36:17）——他们逃到那里避难，指望那地方的圣洁能保护他们。但他们自己既已用可憎的事污秽了那地（代下36:14），又怎能指望得着保护呢？离弃信仰管辖的人，便失去了信仰的一切益处与安慰。迦勒底人不仅不尊重圣所，对柔弱的性别或可敬的老年人也无丝毫天然的怜悯。他们离弃了那怜恤他们的神（代下36:15），不愿与他有任何相干；所以他们公义地被交在残忍之人手中，因为这些人「不怜恤少男少女」。2. 圣殿里所剩下的大小器皿，以及一切珍宝——无论圣的俗的，神殿的珍宝和王及众首领的珍宝——都被没收，带到巴比伦去了（代下36:18）。3. 圣殿被焚，耶路撒冷的城墙被拆毁，城里的房屋（这里称为「宫殿」，如诗48:3，因它们如此华丽、富有、豪奢）被化为灰烬，其中一切的陈设——这里称为「美器」——都被毁坏（代下36:19）。让我们看看罪所造成的可怕荒凉；我们若珍视自己产业的安慰与延续，就当除掉蛀蚀其根的虫。4. 那些逃脱刀剑的余民，被掳到巴比伦去（代下36:20），贫穷、为奴、受辱、受尽苦难，不仅身处异乡野蛮之地，更是住在仇敌之地，恨恶他们的人在那里掌权辖管他们。他们作那些君王的仆人，那王朝一日存留，他们便一日受严酷的辖管。如今他们坐在巴比伦的河边，眼泪与那里的河水相混（诗137:1）。虽然在那里他们似乎被治好了拜偶像的病，但正如先知以西结所表明的，他们讥诮先知的病却未被治好。5. 他们被掳巴比伦之时，那地便荒凉了（代下36:21）。那块丰饶之地，万国之荣美，如今成了荒漠，无人耕种，无人料理。牧场不再像往日那样被羊群所披盖，山谷也不再有谷物，一切都荒废了。这可以从两方面思想：（1）作为对他们从前滥用之地的公义刑罚。他们曾用地的果子事奉巴巴力；「所以地为他们的缘故受咒诅」。如今地「享受了安息」（代下36:21），正如神借着摩西所警戒的（利26:34），那里的理由（利26:35）是：「因为地在你们歇息的安息年上没有歇息；你们亵渎了安息日，没有守安息年。」他们在第七年本该让地歇息的时候，却多次犁地撒种；如今地便七十年不得犁不得撒，正是十倍的七年。请留意：神至终必不因人的不顺服而失自己的荣耀；若进贡的不肯纳贡，他就要扣押并追讨，正如他所说（何2:9）。他们若不让地歇息，神便要使地歇息，不论他们愿意与否。有人认为他们一共忽略了七十个安息年没有守，如今地便照样享受七十个安息年作为追讨；或者，若所忽略的较少，律法也当加上利息才得满足。我们发现神当时对他们另有一项控告，就是不守另一条与第七年有关的律法，即释放仆婢之律；参耶34:14等。（2）但我们也可以把这看作对他们将来必归回之地的一些鼓励。若有人来占据了那地，他们或许对归回无望；但地既仍荒凉，便仿佛仍在等候他们，不肯承认别的地主。
²² 波斯王居鲁士元年，为要应验耶和华借耶利米口所说的话，耶和华激动波斯王居鲁士的心，使他下诏通告全国，又写成谕旨，说：
²³ 「波斯王居鲁士如此说：耶和华天上的神已将天下万国赐给我，又嘱咐我在犹大的耶路撒冷为他建造殿宇。你们中间凡作他子民的，可以上去，愿耶和华他的神与他同在。」
本书末了这两节，含义有双重指向。1. 它们回顾耶利米的预言，并表明那预言如何得着应验（代下36:22）。神曾借着他应许，七十年期满之时，要使被掳的人归回，重建耶路撒冷；那「施恩给锡安的时候」，那「定了的日期」，终于到了。漫长的黑夜之后，从高天而来的晨光临到他们。神必向他所说过的每一句话显为真实。2. 它们前瞻《以斯拉记》的历史，那卷书的开头便是重复代下36:22-23（拉1:1-3）。在那卷书里，这两节是一段可喜故事的引言；在这里，它们却是一段极其忧伤的故事的结语；我们由此学到：虽然神的教会倾倒，却未被丢弃；虽然他的百姓受惩治，却未被弃绝；虽然被扔进火炉，却未在其中失丧，也未在其中久留——只等到渣滓被炼净为止。神虽长久相争，却不会永远相争。神的以色列民必在所定的日期从巴比伦被领出来，连枯骨也要复活。这或许要等许久；但异象是为所定的日期，到了末了必要应验，并不虚谎；所以「虽然迟延，还要等候」。
英文原文
The Destruction of Jerusalem (588 BC)
¹ Then the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and made him king in his father's stead in Jerusalem.
² Jehoahaz was twenty and three years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem.
³ And the king of Egypt put him down at Jerusalem, and condemned the land in a hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold.
⁴ And the king of Egypt made Eliakim his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem, and turned his name to Jehoiakim. And Necho took Jehoahaz his brother, and carried him to Egypt.
⁵ Jehoiakim was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem: and he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD his God.
⁶ Against him came up Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and bound him in fetters, to carry him to Babylon.
⁷ Nebuchadnezzar also carried of the vessels of the house of the LORD to Babylon, and put them in his temple at Babylon.
⁸ Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, and his abominations which he did, and that which was found in him, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah: and Jehoiachin his son reigned in his stead.
⁹ Jehoiachin was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem: and he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD.
¹⁰ And when the year was expired, king Nebuchadnezzar sent, and brought him to Babylon, with the goodly vessels of the house of the LORD, and made Zedekiah his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem.
The destruction of Judah and Jerusalem is here coming on by degrees. God so ordered it to show that he has no pleasure in the ruin of sinners, but had rather they would turn and live, and therefore gives them both time and inducement to repent and waits to be gracious. The history of these reigns was more largely recorded in the last three chapters of the second of Kings. 1. Jehoahaz was set up by the people (2Ch 36:1), but in one quarter of a year was deposed by Pharaoh-necho, and carried a prisoner to Egypt, and the land fined for setting him up, 2Ch 36:2-4. Of this young prince we hear no more. Had he trodden in the steps of his father's piety he might have reigned long and prospered; but we are told in the Kings that he did evil in the sight of the Lord, and therefore his triumphing was short and his joy but for a moment. 2. Jehoiakim was set up by the king of Egypt, an old enemy to their land, gave what king he pleased to the kingdom and what name he pleased to the king! 2Ch 36:4. He made Eliakim king, and called him Jehoiakim, in token of his authority over him. Jehoiakim did that which was evil (2Ch 36:5), nay, we read of the abominations which he did (2Ch 36:8); he was very wild and wicked. Idolatries generally go under the name of abominations. We hear no more of the king of Egypt, but the king of Babylon came up against him (2Ch 36:6), seized him, and bound him with a design to carry him to Babylon; but, it seems, he either changed his mind, and suffered him to reign as his vassal, or death released the prisoner before he was carried away. However the best and most valuable vessels of the temple were now carried away and made use of in Nebuchadnezzar's temple in Babylon (2Ch 36:7); for, we may suppose, no temple in the world was so richly furnished as that of Jerusalem. The sin of Judah was that they had brought the idols of the heathen into God's temple; and now their punishment was that the vessels of the temple were carried away to the service of the gods of the nations. If men will profane God's institutions by their sins, it is just with God to suffer them to be profaned by their enemies. These were the vessels which the false prophets flattered the people with hopes of the return of, Jer 27:16. But Jeremiah told them that the rest should go after them (Jer 27:21,22), and they did so. But, as the carrying away of these vessels to Babylon began the calamity of Jerusalem, so Belshazzar's daring profanation of them there filled the measure of the iniquity of Babylon; for, when he drank wine in them to the honour of his gods, the handwriting on the wall presented him with his doom, Da 5:3-6, etc. In the reference to the book of the Kings concerning this Jehoiakim mention is made of that which was found in him (2Ch 36:8), which seems to be meant of the treachery that was found in him towards the king of Babylon; but some of the Jewish writers understand it of certain private marks or signatures found in his dead body, in honour of his idol, such cuttings as God had forbidden, Le 19:28. 3. Jehoiachin, or Jeconiah, the son of Jehoiakim, attempted to reign in his stead, and reigned long enough to show his evil inclination; but, after three months and ten days, the king of Babylon sent and fetched him away captive, with more of the goodly vessels of the temple. He is here said to be eight years old, but in Kings he is said to be eighteen when he began to reign, so that this seems to be a mistake of the transcriber, unless we suppose that his father took him at eight years old to join with him in the government, as some think.
¹¹ Zedekiah was one and twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned eleven years in Jerusalem.
¹² And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD his God, and humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet speaking from the mouth of the LORD.
¹³ And he also rebelled against king Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God: but he stiffened his neck, and hardened his heart from turning unto the LORD God of Israel.
¹⁴ Moreover all the chief of the priests, and the people, transgressed very much after all the abominations of the heathen; and polluted the house of the LORD which he had hallowed in Jerusalem.
¹⁵ And the LORD God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place:
¹⁶ But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against his people, till there was no remedy.
¹⁷ Therefore he brought upon them the king of the Chaldees, who slew their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion upon young man or maiden, old man, or him that stooped for age: he gave them all into his hand.
¹⁸ And all the vessels of the house of God, great and small, and the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king, and of his princes; all these he brought to Babylon.
¹⁹ And they burnt the house of God, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem, and burnt all the palaces thereof with fire, and destroyed all the goodly vessels thereof.
²⁰ And them that had escaped from the sword carried he away to Babylon; where they were servants to him and his sons until the reign of the kingdom of Persia:
²¹ To fulfil the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths: for as long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath, to fulfil threescore and ten years.
We have here an account of the destruction of the kingdom of Judah and the city of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans. Abraham, God's friend, was called out of that country, from Ur of the Chaldees, when God took him into covenant and communion with himself; and now his degenerate seed were carried into that country again, to signify that they had forfeited all that kindness wherewith they had been regarded for the father's sake, and the benefit of that covenant into which he was called; all was now undone again. Here we have,
I. The sins that brought this desolation.
1. Zedekiah, the king in whose days it came, brought it upon himself by his own folly; for he conducted himself very ill both towards God and towards the king of Babylon. (1.) If he had but made God his friend, that would have prevented the ruin. Jeremiah brought him messages from God, which, if he had given due regard to them, might have secured a lengthening of his tranquillity; but it is here charged upon him that he humbled not himself before Jeremiah, 2Ch 36:12. It was expected that this mighty prince, high as he was, should humble himself before a poor prophet, when he spoke from the mouth of the Lord, should submit to his admonitions and be amended by them, to his counsels and be ruled by them, should lay himself under the commanding power of the word of God in his mouth; and, because he would not thus make himself a servant to God, he was made a slave to his enemies. God will find some way or other to humble those that will not humble themselves. Jeremiah, as a prophet, was set over the nations and kingdoms (Jer 1:10), and, as mean a figure as he made, whoever would not humble themselves before him found that it was at their peril. (2.) If he had but been true to his covenant with the king of Babylon, that would have prevented his ruin; but he rebelled against him, though he had sworn to be his faithful tributary, and perfidiously violated his engagements to him, 2Ch 36:13. It was this that provoked the king of Babylon to deal so severely with him as he did. All nations looked upon an oath as a sacred thing, and on those that durst break through the obligations of it as the worst of men, abandoned of God and to be abhorred by all mankind. If therefore Zedekiah falsify his oath, when, lo, he has given his hand, he shall not escape, Eze 17:18. Though Nebuchadnezzar was a heathen, an enemy, yet if, having sworn to him, he be false to him, he shall know there is a God to whom vengeance belongs. The thing that ruined Zedekiah was not only that he turned not to the Lord God of Israel, but that he stiffened his neck and hardened his heart from turning to him, that is, he as obstinately resolved not to return to him, would not lay his neck under God's yoke nor his heart under the impressions of his word, and so, in effect, he would not be healed, he would not live.
2. The great sin that brought this destruction was idolatry. The priests and people went after the abominations of the heathen, forsook the pure worship of God for the lewd and filthy rites of the Pagan superstition, and so polluted the house of the Lord, 2Ch 36:14. The priests, the chief of the priests, who should have opposed idolatry, were ring-leaders in it. That place is not far from ruin in which religion is already ruined.
3. The great aggravation of their sin, and that which filled the measure of it, was the abuse they gave to God's prophets, who were sent to call them to repentance, 2Ch 36:15,16. Here we have, (1.) God's tender compassion towards them in sending prophets to them. Because he was the God of their fathers, in covenant with them, and whom they worshipped (though this degenerate race forsook him), therefore he sent to them by his messengers, to convince them of their sin and warn them of the ruin they would bring upon themselves by it, rising up betimes and sending, which denotes not only that he did it with the greatest care and concern imaginable, as men rise betimes to set their servants to work when their heart is upon their business, but that, upon their first deviation from God to idols, if they took but one step that way, God immediately sent to them by his messengers to reprove them for it. He gave them early timely notice both of their duty and danger. Let this quicken us to seek God early, that he rises betimes to send to us. The prophets that were sent rose betimes to speak to them, were diligent and faithful in their office, lost no time, slipped no opportunity of dealing with them; and therefore God is said to rise betimes. The more pains ministers take in their work the more will the people have to answer for if it be all in vain. The reason given why God by his prophets did thus strive with them is because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling-lace, and would by these means have prevented their ruin. Note, The methods God takes to reclaim sinners by his word, by ministers, by conscience, by providences, are all instances of his compassion towards them and his unwillingness that any should perish. (2.) Their base and disingenuous carriage towards God (2Ch 36:16): They mocked the messengers of God (which was a high affront to him that sent them), despised his word in their mouths, and not only so, but misused the prophets, treating them as their enemies. The ill usage they gave Jeremiah who lived at this time, and which we read much of in the book of his prophecy, is an instance of this. This was an evidence of an implacable enmity to God, and an invincible resolution to go on in their sins. This brought wrath upon them without remedy, for it was sinning against the remedy. Nothing is more provoking to God than abuses given to his faithful ministers; for what is done against them he takes as done against himself. Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? Persecution was the sin that brought upon Jerusalem its final destruction by the Romans. See Mt 23:34-37. Those that mock at God's faithful ministers, and do all they can to render them despicable or odious, that vex and misuse them, to discourage them and to keep others from hearkening to them, should be reminded that a wrong done to an ambassador is construed as done to the prince that sends him, and that the day is coming when they will find it would have been better for them if they had been thrown into the sea with a mill-stone about their necks; for hell is deeper and more dreadful.
II. The desolation itself, and some few of the particular so fit, which we had more largely 2Ki 25:1. Multitudes were put to the sword, even in the house of their sanctuary (2Ch 36:17), whither they fled for refuge, hoping that the holiness of the place would be their protection. But how could they expect to find it so when they themselves had polluted it with their abominations? 2Ch 36:14. Those that cast off the dominion of their religion forfeit all the benefit and comfort of it. The Chaldeans not only paid no reverence to the sanctuary, but showed no natural pity either to the tender sex or to venerable age. They forsook God, who had compassion on them (2Ch 36:15), and would have none of him; justly therefore are they given up into the hands of cruel men, for they had no compassion on young man or maiden. 2. All the remaining vessels of the temple, great and small, and all the treasures, sacred and secular, the treasures of God's house and of the king and his princes, were seized, and brought to Babylon, 2Ch 36:18. 3. The temple was burnt, the walls of Jerusalem were demolished, the houses (called here the palaces, as Ps 48:3, so stately, rich, and sumptuous were they) laid in ashes, and all the furniture, called here the goodly vessels thereof, destroyed, 2Ch 36:19. Let us see where what woeful havock sin makes, and, as we value the comfort and continuance of our estates, keep that worm from the root of them. 4. The remainder of the people that escaped the sword were carried captives to Babylon (2Ch 36:20), impoverished, enslaved, insulted, and exposed to all the miseries, not only of a strange and barbarous land, but of an enemy's land, where those that hated them bore rule over them. They were servants to those monarchs, and no doubt were ruled with rigour so long as that monarchy lasted. Now they sat down by the rivers of Babylon, with the streams of which they mingled their tears, Ps 137:1. And though there, it should seem, they were cured of idolatry, yet, as appears by the prophet Ezekiel, they were not cured of mocking the prophets. 5. The land lay desolate while they were captives in Babylon, 2Ch 36:21. That fruitful land, the glory of all lands, was now turned into a desert, not tilled, nor husbanded. The pastures were not clothed as they used to be with flocks, nor the valleys with corn, but all lay neglected. Now this may be considered, (1.) As the just punishment of their former abuse of it. They had served Baal with its fruits; cursed therefore is the ground for their sakes. Now the land enjoyed her sabbaths; (2Ch 36:21), as God had threatened by Moses, Le 26:34, and the reason there given (2Ch 36:35) is, "Because it did not rest on your sabbaths; you profaned the sabbath-day, did not observe the sabbatical year." They many a time ploughed and sowed their land in the seventh year, when it should have rested, and now it lay unploughed and unsown for ten times seven years. Note, God will be no loser in his glory at last by the disobedience of men: if the tribute be not paid, he will distrain and recover it, as he speaks, Ho 2:9. If they would not let the land rest, God would make it rest whether they would or no. Some think they had neglected the observance of seventy sabbatical years in all, and just so many, by way of reprisal, the land now enjoyed; or, if those that had been neglected were fewer, it was fit that the law should be satisfied with interest. We find that one of the quarrels God had with them at this time was for not observing another law which related to the seventh year, and that was the release of servants; see Jer 34:14, etc. (2.) Yet we may consider it as giving some encouragement to their hopes that they should, in due time, return to it again. Had others come and taken possession of it, they might have despaired of ever recovering it; but, while it lay desolate, it did, as it were, lie waiting for them again, and refuse to acknowledge any other owners.
²² Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying,
²³ Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, All the kingdoms of the earth hath the LORD God of heaven given me; and he hath charged me to build him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all his people? The LORD his God be with him, and let him go up.
These last two verses of this book have a double aspect. 1. They look back to the prophecy of Jeremiah, and show how that was accomplished, 2Ch 36:22. God had, by him, promised the restoring of the captives and the rebuilding of Jerusalem, at the end of seventy years; and that time to favour Sion, that set time, came at last. After a long and dark night the day-spring from on high visited them. God will be found true to every word he has spoken. 2. They look forward to the history of Ezra, which begins with the repetition of 2Ch 36:22,23, Ezr 1:1-3. They are there the introduction to a pleasant story; here they are the conclusion of a very melancholy one; and so we learn from them that, though God's church be cast down, it is not cast off, though his people be corrected, they are not abandoned, though thrown into the furnace, yet not lost there, nor left there any longer than till the dross be separated. Though God contend long, he will not contend always. The Israel of God shall be fetched out of Babylon in due time, and even the dry bones made to live. It may be long first; but the vision is for an appointed time, and at the end it shall speak and not lie; therefore, though it tarry, wait for it.
本章所记的有：一、约西亚死后短短几年之内，犹大和耶路撒冷彻底倾覆的简短而悲惨的记述。1. 这段历史记在几位不幸君王的在位时期：约哈斯三个月（代下36:1-4）、约雅敬十一年（代下36:5-8）、约雅斤（哥尼雅）三个月（代下36:9-10）、西底家十一年（代下36:11）。在每一朝统治中，国民的罪过都在加增，也朝着亡国灭亡一步步推进。终于，毁灭大功告成：多人被杀（代下36:17），圣殿与众王宫殿被劫掠焚烧，城池荒凉（代下36:18-19），余民被掳（代下36:20）。2. 对此事的几点说明——这里所惩罚的是罪，即西底家的恶行（代下36:12-13）、百姓所犯的拜偶像之罪（代下36:14），以及他们虐待神的众先知（代下36:15-16）。神的言语在此得着应验（代下36:21）。二、他们蒙拯救之日初露曙光，记在居鲁士的谕旨中（代下36:22-23）。