The History of the Old Testament Methodized, Chapter 5 · Section 19 · Concurrent kings · Judah · Jehoiakam
The 18th that reigned in Judah, JEHOIAKIM.JEHOIAKIM was twenty five years old when he began to reign, and reigned eleven years in Ieruſalem. He did that which was evil in the ſight of the Lord, being an Idolater and a cruel oppreſſer of the people, and poſſibly the more out of revenge, becauſe they had preferred his younger brother before him; his oppreſſions are notably ſet forth, Ier. 22. from 13, to 20. and Ezek. 19. from 5, to 10. But herein he manifeſted the greatneſs of his impiety that when the Prophets denounced the judgments of God againſt him and his people for their evil ways, he would not endure it, but perſecuted them for it, as we ſhall ſhew afterwards. He pays the King of Egypt the hundred talents of ſilver, and one talent of gold which he had impoſed upon him, but he taxed the land for it, and exacted it of the people.
2 King. 23.35, 36, 37.
2 Chron. 36. v. 5.
In the beginning of his reign Ieremy was commanded by God to ſtand in the Court of the Temple, and there to exhort the people aſſembled together out of all the Cities of Iudah to repentance, it being then the Feaſt of Tabernacles, Thus ſaith the Lord ſtand in the Court of the Lords houſe, and ſpeak unto all the Cities of Iudah which come to worſhip in the Lords houſe, all the words that I command thee to ſpeak unto them, diminiſh not a word. If ſo be they will hearken, and turn every man from his evil way, that I may repent me of the evil which I purpoſe to do unto them, becauſe of the evil of their doings; and thou ſhalt ſay unto them, Thus ſaith the Lord, if ye will not hearken to me to walk in my Law which I have ſet before you; to hearken to the words of my ſervants the Prophets whom I ſent unto you riſing up early and ſending them *That is, continually and carefully ſending them; a Metaphor taken from careful houſholders who with the ſooneſt, ſeek to redreſs miſchiefs, cauſing their ſervants for that end to riſe betimes., then will I make this houſe like Shiloh, and will make this City a curſe to all the Nations of the earth. So the Prieſts and the Prophets and all the people heard Ieremiah ſpeaking theſe words in the houſe of the Lord. And it came to paſs when Ieremiah had made an end of ſpeaking all that the Lord had commanded him to ſpeak unto the people, the Prieſts and the Prophets and the people took him, ſaying thou ſhalt ſurely die. Why haſt thou propheſied in the name of the Lord, ſaying, This houſe ſhall be like Shiloh, and this City ſhall be deſolate without an inhabitant? And all the people were gathered againſt Jeremiah in the houſe of the Lord. When the Princes of Judah heard theſe things, they came up from the Kings houſe unto the houſe of the Lord, and ſat down in the entry of the new gate of the Lords houſe to underſtand what the matter was. Then ſpake the Prieſts and the Prophets unto the Princes and to all the people, ſaying, This man is worthy to die, for he hath propheſied againſt this City, and ye have heard it with your ears. Then ſpake Jeremiah unto the Princes, and to all the people, ſaying, The Lord ſent me to propheſie againſt this houſe, and againſt this City all the words that ye have heard. Therefore now amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the Lord your God, and the Lord will repent him of the evil he hath pronounced againſt you. As for me, behold I am in your hands, do with me as ſeemeth good and meet unto you. But know ye for certain that if ye put me to death, ye ſhall ſurely bring innocent blood upon your ſelves, and upon this City, and upon the inhabitants thereof, for of a truth the Lord hath ſent me unto you to ſpeak all theſe words in your ears. Then ſaid the Princes and the people unto the Prieſts and Prophets, This man is not worthy to die, for he hath ſpoken to us in the name of the Lord our God. Then roſe up certain of the Elders of the land and ſpake to all the aſſembly of the people ſaying, Micah the Moraſthite propheſied in the days of Hezekiah King of Judah, and ſpake to all the people of Judah, ſaying, Thus ſaith the Lord of hoſts, Zion ſhall be plowed like a field, and Jeruſalem ſhall become heaps, and the mountain of the houſe as the high places of the forreſt. Did Hezekiah King of Judah and all Judah put him at all to death? did he not fear the Lord, and beſought the Lord, and the Lord repented him of the evil which he had pronounced againſt them? Therefore if we ſhould proceed with that rigour you would have us againſt Jeremy we might procure great evil againſt our own ſouls.
Ʋriah alſo about the ſame time Propheſied againſt Judah and Jeruſalem, agreeably to what Jeremy had done, for which the King ſought to put him to death, but he flying thereupon into Egypt, the King by his meſſengers fetcht him back again, and ſlew him with the ſword, and caſt his dead body among the vileſt ſepulchres of the common people; but Ahikam who had been of great authority with King Joſiah (2 King. 22.12.) ſtickled ſo for Jeremy that he was not delivered over to the people to be put to death.
Jer. 26. whole Chapter.
In the beginning alſo of this Kings reign the word of the Lord came to Jeremy, and gave him a Propheſie which was afterwards to be executed in the days of Zedekiah, whereby he intimated to him that Zedekiah ſhould be King of Judah, and Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon, and that he ſhould ſubdue the neighbouring Nations, and bring them under his power. In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the Son of Joſiah King of Judah (ſays he) came this word unto me from the Lord, Make thee bonds and yokes, and put them upon thy neck, and ſend them to the King of Edom, and to the King of Moab, and to the King of the Ammonites, and to the King of Tyrus, and to the King of Zidon, by the hand of the meſſengers which came to Jeruſalem unto Zedekiah King of Judah, and command them to ſay unto their Maſters, thus ſaith the Lord of hoſts the God of Iſrael, I have made the earth, the man and the beaſt that are upon the ground by my great power, and by my out-ſtretched arm, and have given it unto whom it ſeemed meet unto me; and now I have given all theſe lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon my ſervant (a)That is, whom I am reſolv'd to make uſe of for the executing my judgments upon many Nations., and the beaſts of the field (b)That is, I have given him power over theſe Nations, and all that they have.have I given him alſo to ſerve him. And all Nations ſhall ſerve him and his ſon, and his ſons ſon, until the very time of his land come (c)The time appointed by God for his viſitation., and then many Nations and great Kings ſhall ſerve themſelves of him (d)Such as ſerv'd that State before ſhall then ſubdue it.. And it ſhall come to paſs that the Nation and Kingdom which will not ſerve Nebuchadnezzar, and will not put their neck under his yoke, that Nation will I puniſh, ſaith the Lord, with the ſword, and with the famine, and with the peſtilence, until I have conſumed them. Therefore hearken not to your Prophets, nor to your diviners, nor to your dreamers, nor to your enchanters, no to your ſorcerers which ſpeak unto you, ſaying, Ye ſhall not ſerve the King of Babylon; for they propheſie a lye unto you, to remove you far from your land (e)Not that they properly intended it, but that would undoubtedly be the iſſue of what they animated them unto., and that I ſhould drive you out and ye ſhould periſh. But the Nations that bring their neck under his yoke, and ſerve him, thoſe will I let remain ſtill in their own land, ſaith the Lord, and they ſhall till it and dwell therein.
Jer. 27. from v. 1, to 12.
Jehoiakim in the ſecond year of his reign according to the accuſtomed policy of his forefathers (the better to prevent all changes, and ſettle the Kingdom in his line) made his Son Jehoiakin or Jeconiah King with him, being then but eight years old, 2 Chron. 36.9.
In the latter end of the third, and beginning of the fourth year of Jehoiakim, Nebuchadnezzar being joined with his father in the adminiſtration of the Kingdom of Babylon, the things that he was to act are preſently revealed to the Prophet Jeremy; namely that he ſhould overthrow the Egyptians, firſt at the river Euphrates, (which immediately after followed, he cutting off the forces that Pharoah Necoh left at Carchemiſh that very year) and then that he ſhould conquer the Egyptians in their own Country, which came not to paſs till after the taking of Tyre in the 27th. year of the captivity of Jeconiah, as we find Ezek. 29. from 17, to 21. Jer. 46. from 1, to 27.
In the ſelf-ſame fourth year of Jehoiakim, (which was the firſt of Nebuchadnezzar *It ſeems the firſt year of Nebuchadnezzar concurred with the end of the third, and beginning of the fourth year of Jehoiakim, ſee Dan. 1.1.King of Babylon) the Prophet Ieremy reproving the Iews for not hearkning to the word of the Lord, which from time to time he had ſpoken to them even from the thirteenth year of King Ioſiah to that preſent fourth year of Iehoiakim (which was three and twenty years) and for that they had ſhewed themſelves ſtubborn and refractory to his admonitions, as alſo to the warnings of all the other Prophets the Lord had ſent unto them, he then again told them of the coming of Nebuchadnezzar upon them, and that they ſhould be carried away captive to Babylon, and that captivity ſhould laſt ſeventy years, which term Judah firſt, and then the other Nations there mentioned, every one in their order were to ſerve the King of Babylon; and at laſt the Kingdom of Babylon it ſelf ſhould be deſtroyed. An intimation of which ſeventy years captivity was long before made by the Prophet, Iſa. 23.15. And it ſhall come to paſs in that day that Tyre ſhall be forgotten ſeventy years according to the days of one King (a)That is, ſo long as one King and his …ace ſhall reign, viz. Nebuchadnezzar and his ſeed.. And it ſhall come to paſs after the end of ſeventy years, that the Lord will viſit Tyre, and ſhe ſhall turn to her hire, and ſhall commit fornication (b)That is, ſhall trade and traffick, and merchandize with all the Kingdoms of the world.with all the Kingdoms of the world upon the face of the earth. Jer. 25. wh. Ch.
In the ſame year alſo Baruch wrote in a roll or ſcrole of parchment from the mouth of the Prophet Jeremy, all the words of the Lord which he had ſpoken to him concerning Iſrael and Iudah from the time of Ioſiah to that day, and he read them in the Court of the houſe of the Lord in the audience of all the people which were there aſſembled out of all their Cities on the day of their ſolemn faſt, which they yearly kept upon the tenth day of the ſeventh month. As for Baruch himſelf (who was extreamly afflicted in his ſoul with the apprehenſion of thoſe direful judgments he had written) the Prophet Ieremy comforted him, and aſſured him of his own life amidſt all theſe calamities. Ier. 36. from 1, to 9. Ier. 45. wh. Ch.
Nebuchadnezzar having vanquiſhed the Egyptians about the banks of Euphrates, [Ier. 46.1, 2.] and approaching now with his forces towards Iudea to beſiege Ieruſalem, the Recabites of the poſterity of Ionadab the Son of Recab (2 King. 10.15.) leaving their Tents (wherein by the rule of their forefather Ionadab they were wont to dwell) came into Ieruſalem, and by their obedience in refuſing to drink wine, God condemneth the diſobedience of the Iews. Ier. 35. wh. Ch.
Nebuchadnezzar having brought his forces before Ieruſalem in a ſhort time takes it, and Iehoiakim priſoner, whom he bound in chains, intending at firſt as it ſhould ſeem to carry him to Babylon, but was afterwards intreated upon his ſubmiſſion and promiſes of ſubjection, to leave him as his vaſſal, and ſo Iehoiakim became his ſervant and tributary three years, to wit the fifth, ſixth and ſeventh years of his reign. From which entring of the King and people of the Iews into ſubjection to Nebuchadnezzar, The beginning of the ſeventy years Captivity according to the Learned Uſher.ſome think the ſeventy years of the Captivity are to be reckoned, which were foretold by the Prophet Ieremy, Chap. 25.11. And this whole land ſhall be a deſolation and an aſtoniſhment, and theſe Nations ſhall ſerve the King of Babylon ſeventy years. Ver. 12. And it ſhall come to paſs when ſeventy years are accompliſhed that I will puniſh the King of Babylon, and that Nation (ſaith the Lord) for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans, and will make it perpetual deſolations. And Chap. 29.10. Thus ſaith the Lord, after ſeventy years be accompliſhed at Babylon, I will viſit you, and perform my good word towards you in cauſing you to return to this place. 2 Chron. 36.6. 2 King. 24.1.
Nebuchadnezzar carried away at this time part*Some were left and carried away in Jehoiakim's time, 2 King. 24.13. and ſome in Zedekiah's, Jer. 52.17, &c. of the veſſels and furniture of the Lords houſe, and gave command to Aſhpenaz the Overſeer of the Eunuchs or Pages, that he ſhould carry from thence ſome of the choiceſt boys both for beauty and wit that he could find, and ſuch as were of the Royal blood, and of the nobleſt families (as had been expreſly foretold by the Prophet, Iſa. 39.7. And of thy Sons that ſhall iſſue from thee which thou ſhalt beget, ſhall they take away, and they ſhall be Eunuchs in the palace of the King of Babylon); which being by his care educated for three years in the language and ſciences of the Chaldeans, might be fit afterwards to wait upon him in his Palace. Among whom of the Tribe of Judah were Daniel, whom the overſeer of the Eunuchs call'd Belteſhazzar, and Hananiah whom he call'd Shadrach, Miſhael whom he call'd Meſhach, and Ananiah whom he call'd Abednego, every one of them having his name changed at his diſcretion. Theſe with ſeveral others Nebuchadnezzar carried away at this time. Dan. 1. from 1, to 8. 1 Chron. 36.7.
In the ninth month of the fifth year of Jehoiakim there was a ſolemn faſt proclaimed to all the people at Ieruſalem, in remembrance (as it ſeems) of the taking of the City a year before in the ſame month, at which time Baruc ſtanding at the Gate of the houſe of the Lord, read out of a roll or book all the words of the Lord which he had taken from the mouth of Jeremy the Prophet, in the audience of all the people, who were then aſſembled out of all the Cities of Judah; whereof the Princes being advertis'd, called Baruc unto them, and cauſed him to read to them the ſame book; but when they heard the contents thereof, they adviſed him and Jeremy to hide themſelves out of the way for fear of the Kings diſpleaſure. But the King himſelf having heard ſome inkling of it, would needs have the roll or book read unto him, and having heard ſome part of it, he was ſo inrag'd at it that he cut the roll through with a pen-knife, and then threw it into the fire and burnt it. Jer. 36. from 9, to 26.
The King having thus burnt the Book, he gave order for the apprehending of Baruc the writer, and Jeremy the Prophet, but God hid them, and denounced a heavy judgment againſt that impious King for it. And God commands Ieremy to take another roll, and Baruc wrote therein from the mouth of the Prophet all the words of the Book which Jehoiakim had burnt, adding many like things thereunto. Jer. 36. from v. 26, to the end.
Nebuchadnezzar purſuing the victory he had gotten over the Egyptians, took from them all that they poſſeſſed between Egypt and Euphrates, ſo that from thence forward Necho was fain to keep himſelf within his own bounds in Egypt. 2 King. 24.7.
While theſe things were doing Nabopolaſſar the father of Nebuchadnezzar dies, which news coming to Nebuchadnezzar he made no delay but after he had given order for the bringing away of the captives as well Jews as others, he poſted with a ſmall company the neareſt way through the deſert, and came to Babylon before them, and being received there as ſole Lord of all his fathers large Dominions, he afterwards diſpoſed of the captives (when they were brought thither) here and there as he thought fit. And the Sacred veſſels and other furniture of the Temple which he had taken away from Jeruſalem, he diſpoſed into the Temple†By the Divine Providence they were there reſerved to be carried back again to Jeruſalem. See Ezra 1.7, 8, &c. But Nebuchadnezzar intended ſervice of his Idol, and Belſhazzar his Grandchild moſt profanely abuſed them. Dan. 5.2. of his god Belus. Dan. 1.2. 2 Chron. 36.7.
Daniel and his three fellow Nobles being brought to Babylon, refuſe the Court-diet provided for them, and content themſelves with pulſe and water, and yet were found to look better than thoſe that did eat of the Kings fare. And when afterwards at the time appointed they were brought to attend the King, they appeared in all matters of knowledg, wiſdom and ſciences to excell all the Magicians and Aſtronomers that were in the Kingdom. And Daniel had underſtanding in all viſions and dreams. Dan. 1. from 8, to the end.
Nebuchadnezzar in the ſecond*See Richardſon on Dan. 2.1. Anno ſecundo cum vixi tanquam conſiliarius in regno Nebuchadneſſaris non autem cum vixi in regno Cyrl cujus mentio proxime praeceſſit v. ult. cap. praeced. year after the three years of Daniels education were paſt, and he brought to ſtand before the King (which falls in with the fifth year of his reign) dreamt his dream of the great image made of divers metals, and forgetting the particulars of his dream, (though in the general it much affected him) he would needs know of his Magicians and Aſtronomers both what his dream was, and what it meant. And when they could not ſatisfie him in ſo unreaſonable a demand, he like a great Tyrant commanded them all to be put to death. But Daniel when he ſaw the execution preparing, and underſtood the cauſe thereof, humbly moved the King to forbear a while, and joining in prayer with his fellows unto God, obtained both to have the dream it ſelf, and the interpretation thereof revealed to him. And accordingly he declared to the King firſt the particulars of his dream, and then the interpretation thereof, ſhewing him how the four Monarchies which were in their order to ſucceed one another was the thing ſignified by that great image made up of divers metals, which he ſaw in his dream. Whereupon the King enriched him preſently with great gifts, and made him Governour of all the Province of Babylon, and chief over all the wiſemen thereof. And moreover at his requeſt made his three Companions Shadrach, Meſhach, and Abednego, principal officers in all that Province. Dan. 2. wh. Chap.
Jehoiakim for three years, viz. the fifth, ſixth and ſeventh of his reign, was Tributary to Nebuchadnezzar, but the King of Egypt (who had ſet him up) could not bear this, and therefore threatned (as it ſeems) to reſtore Jehoahaz his Brother whom he ſtill held priſoner in Egypt. And though Jeremy had Propheſied it ſhould never come to paſs, as we find Jer. 22.11. Thus ſaith the Lord touching Shallum the Son of Joſiah King of Judah, which reigned inſtead of Joſiah his Father, and who went forth out of this place, he ſhall not return hither any more, but ſhall die in the place whither they have led him captive, and ſhall ſee this land no more); yet the fear of it did much perplex him, ſo that he was now in a great ſtraight; he was in danger of the Egyptians if he kept faith with the Babylonians, and of the Babylonians if he ſhould revolt again to the Egyptians; at length, namely in the eighth year of his reign, (hearing perhaps of great preparations made by the Egyptians againſt the Babylonians) he renounced his ſubjection to the Babylonians, and ſided with the Egyptians again. 2 King. 24.1.
Nebuchadnezzar in the ſixth year of his reign ſeems to have erected that huge golden image in the plains of Dura (a Province of Babylon) to be worſhipped. Daniel's three companions (that were newly advanced) are accuſed for not worſhipping of it. 'Tis like out of envy to them, and to entrap them, ſome of the Babylonians got the King to erect this idolatrous image. Theſe three worthies being brought before Nebuchadnezzar, make a ſtout profeſſion of their reſolution to own and ſerve only the true God. Hereupon they are caſt into a fiery furnace, but are miraculouſly preſerved and delivered by God. The King ſeeing the miracle was exceedingly aſtoniſhed at it, and bleſſed and praiſed God. Dan. 3. wh. Ch.
Nebuchadnezzar being detained for three years after Jehoiakim's revolt by other occaſions, at laſt in the ſeventh year of his reign, and the eleventh of Jehoiakim's, with an army conſiſting of ſeveral Nations he invades Judea and beſieges Jeruſalem, and takes it, and Jehoiakim in it, and being enraged againſt him for his perfidiouſneſs, he cauſed him to be bound in chains, intending to carry him captive to Babylon. But Jehoiakim through grief (as 'tis probable) ſuddenly after dying, he cauſed his dead body to be dragged out of the Gate of Jeruſalem and caſt into the fields to be devoured by birds and beaſts; ſo that having no burial he may be ſaid to be buried like an Aſs, as Jeremy had before propheſied of him, [Jer. 22.18, 19 & Ch. 36.30.] though he dying of himſelf and not by violence; he alſo may be ſaid to have ſlept with his Fathers, or to have fallen aſleep and died as his fathers did. Now the reſt of the acts of Jehoiakim, and the abominations that he did, viz. his killing of Ʋriah the Prophet, and his perfidiouſneſs to Nebuchadnezzar, and other evils that were found in him, behold they are written in the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah. 2 King. 24. from 1, to 7. 2 Chron. 36.6.
Nebuchadnezzar carried away at this time three thouſand twenty and three Jews priſoners in the latter end of the ſeventh year of his reign. Jer. 52.28.
JEhoiakin was called Jeconiah *In the Genealogy of Chriſt Jehoiakim the Son of Joſiah ſeems quite to be left out, Mat. 1.11. And Joſias begat Jeconias and his brethren, &c. for the reſolving of which doubt ſome conceive that Jehoiakim the Father was called Jeconiah as well as Jehoiakin the Son; and ſo whereas it is ſaid that Joſias begat Jeconias and his brethren, it muſt be underſtood of Jehoiakin the Son of Joſias, who had ſeveral brethren, whereas Jehoiakim had none. And then that which follows (ver. 12. And after they were brought to Babylon Jeconias begat Salathiel), muſt be underſtood of Jehoiakin the Son, ſome learned men (viz. Beza and Pareus) have been ready to think there is an errour in the generallty of the Greek copies crept in by ſome unadviſed ſcribe, leaving out Jehoiakim the father of Jeconias. And Rob. Stephen in his Diverſae Lectiones, collected out of old Copies, readeth that eleventh ver. thus, Joſias begat Jakim (which is the contract of Jehoiakim) and Jakim begat Ieconias and his brethren; and ſome colour there may ſeem to be for it, becauſe otherwiſe there is one wanting to make up the third or laſt fourteenth generation mentioned by the Evangeliſt, which he intended as appears ver. 18. So all the Generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen Generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Chriſt are fourteen Generations., 1 Chron. 3.16. and Coniah by way of contempt,The 19th. that reigned in Judah was JEHOIAKIN. Son of JEHOIAKIM. Jer. 22.24. As I live ſaith the Lord though Coniah the ſon of Jehoiakim King of Judah were as the ſignet upon my right hand, yet would I pluck him thence. This Jehoiakin was eighteen years old when he began to reign, that is when he began to reign alone after his fathers death; for in his fathers life-time (as it ſeems) he was crowned King ten-years before this when he was but eight years old as we have ſhewed before in the life of Jehoiakim. He reigned only three months and ten days, and did that which was evil in the ſight of the Lord as his father had done before him. Againſt him therefore a dreadful decree went out from the Lord dooming him childleſs, that is, as ſome interpret it, that none of his race ſhould ſucceed him in the Regality to ſit on the throne of David, though in a kind of Soveraignty Zerubbabel the ſon or Grandchild rather of Salathiel by Pedaiah did ſucceed him. 2 King. 24.8, 9. 2 Chron. 36.9. Jer. 22. from 24, to the end.
'Tis not expreſſed whether Jehoiakin were made King by Nebuchadnezzar when he laſt took Jeruſalem, and bound his Father in chains, or was ſet up by the people when the Babylonians were marched away from the City. If he were ſet in the throne by Nebuchadnezzar it may well be (as Joſephus thinks) that the King of Babylon ſhortly after his departure bethinking himſelf how dangerous it might be to leave the Son in the Throne, whoſe Father he had lately taken and caſt his dead body out unburied, he changed his purpoſe and preſently ſent his Captains back with an Army againſt Jeruſalem, to whom himſelf in perſon came a while after, and being come again before the City, Jehoiakin and his mother, and his ſervants and courtiers went out to him (as the Prophet Jeremy adviſed) and yielded themſelves to him. 2 King. 24.10, 11, 12.
Nebuchadnezzar therefore in the eighth year of his reign taking Jehoiakin with his mother, and his wives, and his courtiers, carried them away captive to Babylon; alſo out of Jeruſalem he took the Magiſtrates, and every man of ſtrength, to the number of ten thouſand men, and all the Carpenters and Smiths, leaving none behind but the poorer ſort of people. And out of other parts of the land he carried away ſeven thouſand men of able bodies, and of Smiths and Carpenters one thouſand, all ſtrong men, and fit for the wars. Among which captives Kiſh Grandfather to Mordecai of the Tribe of Benjamin was one, [Eſth. 2.5, 6.] and Ezekiel the Prieſt another, who therefore in his Propheſie reckons the time all along from this captivity, Ezek. 1.2, 3. and calls it his deportation, Ezek. 33.21. and Ch. 40.1. with theſe captives Nebuchadnezzar now carried away the treaſures of the Lords houſe †2 King. 24.13. 'tis ſaid, He carried away all the treaſures of the Lords houſe, viz. all that he pleaſed. For this all muſt be underſtood with ſome limitation for he carried not away all now as may appear from Ier. 27.18., and the treaſures of the Kings houſe, and brake in pieces many of the Golden veſſels and furniture which Solomon had made for the Temple of the Lord, as Iſaiah had Propheſied, Chap. 39.6. Behold the days come that all that is in thine houſe, and that which thy fathers have laid up in ſtore until this day, ſhall be carried to Babylon: nothing ſhall be left ſaith the Lord. 2 King. 24. from 13, to 17. 2 Chron. 36.10. Ier. 29.1, 2.
The King of Babylon having thus carried away Jehoiakin, he ſet up his Uncle Zedekiah in his place, and Iehoiakin after thirty ſeven years of captivity was highly honoured and raiſed up by Evil-merodach, as we ſhall ſee hereafter. 1 King. 24.17. 2 Chron. 36.10.
The beginning of the Babyloniſh Captivity of 70 years, according to Helvicus.From this carrying away of Jeconiah, Helvicus begins the Babylonian captivity that was to laſt ſeventy years, grounding his opinion on theſe Scriptures, Ezek. 1.2. In the fifth day of the month (which was the fifth year of King Jehoiakins captivity) Jer. 29.1. now theſe are the words of the Letter that Jeremiah the Prophet ſent from Jeruſalem unto the reſidue of the Elders which were carried away captives, and to the Prieſts and Prophets, and to all the People whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive from Jeruſalem to Babylon (after that Jeconiah the King, and the Queen, and the Eunuchs, the Princes of Judah, and the Carpenters and Smiths were departed from Jeruſalem) by the hand of Elaſah the Son of Shaphan and Gemariah the Son of Hilkiah (whom Zedekiah King of Judah ſent unto Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon) ſaying, For thus ſaith the Lord, after ſeventy years be accompliſhed at Babylon, I will viſit you, and perform my good words towards you in cauſing you to return to this place. And Jer. 24.5. Thus ſaith the Lord the God of Iſrael, like theſe good figs, ſo will I acknowledg them that are carried away captive of Judah, whom I have ſent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans for their good.
But to go on, whilſt Nebuchadnezzar thus prevailed againſt the Jews, God prepared a worm which ſhould eat into this ſpreading tree, Pſal. 137.8. O daughter of Babylon who art to be deſtroyed, happy ſhall he be that rewardeth thee as thou haſt ſerved us. For in this year was Cyrus the Perſo-median born (whoſe Father was a Perſian, and his mother a Mede) and he was by the Prophet Iſaiah called by his proper name of Cyrus, and ſtiled the deliverer of the Jews ſo many years before, as we may ſee Iſa. 44.28. Thus ſaith the Lord thy Redeemer, that ſaith of Cyrus, he is my ſhepherd, and ſhall perform all my pleaſure, ſaying to Jeruſalem, thou ſhalt be built, and to the Temple, thy foundation ſhall be laid. And Chap. 45.1. Thus ſaith the Lord to his anointed (a)That is, whom he intended to make a great King., to Cyrus, whoſe right hand I have (b)That is, whoſe right hand I will hold (Enallage Temporis) that is, ſtrengthen to ſubdue Nations.holden to ſubdue Nations before him; and I will looſe the loyns (c)i. e. For whoſe ſake I will ſtrike fear and terrror into Kings, that they may open to him the Gates of their Cities, they ſhall not be ſhut againſt him.of Kings to open before him the two leaved gates, and the gates ſhall not be ſhut. And God himſelf gives the reaſon of this ſo unuſual a revelation at the fourth verſe, For Jacob my ſervants ſake, and Iſrael mine Elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have ſirnamed thee, though thou haſt not known me (d)Cyrus at firſt was ignorant of the Lord, but afterwards he came to know ſo much by the Iews that he acknowledged the Lord for the true God, Creator of Heaven and earth, Ezra 1.2..