18The chief of the guards also took Seraiah, the chief priest, Zephaniah, the deputy priest, and the three guardians of the threshold. 19And from the city he took a eunuch who was in command of the soldiers; five royal privy councillors who were present in the city; the scribe of the army commander, who was in charge of mustering the people of the land; and sixty of the common people who were inside the city. 20Nebuzaradan, the chief of the guards, took them and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah. 21The king of Babylon had them struck down and put to death at Riblah, in the region of Hamath.
Thus Judah was exiled from its land. 22King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon put Gedaliah son of Ahikam son of Shaphan in charge of the people whom he left in the land of Judah. 23When the officers of the troops and their men heard that the king of Babylon had put Gedaliah in charge, they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah with Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan son of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah son of the Maachite, together with their men. 24Gedaliah reassurede them and their men, saying, “Do not be afraid f-of the servants of the Chaldeans.-f Stay in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will go well with you.”
25In the seventh month, Ishmael son of Nethaniah son of Elishama, who was of royal descent, came with ten men, and they struck down Gedaliah and he died; [they also killed] the Judeans and the Chaldeans who were present with him at Mizpah. 26And all the people, young and old, and the officers of the troops set out and went to Egypt because they were afraid of the Chaldeans.
27In the thirty-seventh year of the exile of King Jehoiachin of Judah, on the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth month, King Evil-merodach of Babylon, in the year he became king, g-took note of-g King Jehoiachin of Judah and released him from prison. 28He spoke kindly to him, and gave him a throne above those of other kings who were with him in Babylon. 29His prison garments were removed, and [Jehoiachin] received regular rations by his favor for the rest of his life. 30A regular allotment of food was given him at the instance of the king—an allotment for each day— all the days of his life.
a-a Lit. “descend from the bed you have mounted.”
b Heb. “him.”
c-c Emendation yields “went up and said to him,” cf. v. 9.
d Lit. “fifties.”
e Brother of Ahaziah.
a-a Lit. “from your head.”
b-b Lit. “two-thirds”; cf. Zech. 13.8.
a-a Or “the wool of 100,000 lambs and of 100,000 rams.”
b-b I.e., personally attended.
c-c Lit. “from all those old enough to gird on a sword.”
d-d Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
e-e Lit. “Until the stones in”; meaning of Heb. uncertain.
f Emendation yields “Aram.”
a-a Or “upper wall-chamber”; lit. “an upper chamber of wall(s).”
b-b Heb. Shalom.
c The servant runs behind the donkey and urges it on with a stick.
d-d Lit. “Gird your loins”; cf. 1 Kings 18.46.
e The wild gourds cause severe cramps.
f-f Or “on the stalk”; perhaps connected with Ugaritic bsql.
a Cf. note on Lev. 13.3.
b Lit. “[My] father.”
c-c Lit. “has prevented that Aramean Naaman from having what he brought accepted.”
d Lit. “heart.”
a-a Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
b-b Lit. “not once or twice.”
c-c Heb. “it.”
d-d Apparently a popular term for “carob pods,” as in Akkadian.
e-e Lit. “him.”
f Emendation yields “king.”
a Cf. 1 Kings 10.28 and note g there.
b Lit. “five.”
c-c Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
a-a Lit. “wherever you may sojourn.”
b-b Brought up from v. 8 for clarity.
c-c Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
d Throughout this chapter, the name Joram is sometimes written Jehoram.
e Emendation yields “sister”; cf. v. 26.
a See note at 4.29.
b-b See note at 1 Kings 14.10.
c I.e., Jehu.
d-d Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
e Lit. “hands”; see note at 1 Kings 22.34.
f Lit. “arms.”
g See 1 Kings 16.8–10.
a Emendation yields “of the city.”
b Targum and Septuagint read “and bring them.”
c Or “You are blameless.”
d Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
e Lit. “city.”
f Emendation yields “sacred posts”; cf. Deut. 12.3.
g Emendation yields “altar.”
a Cf. 2 Chron. 22.11.
b 2 Chron. 22.11 reads “she.”
c Jehosheba was the wife of the high priest Jehoiada; cf. 2 Chron. 22.11.
d Perhaps the Cherethites (cf. 2 Sam. 20.23) or the Carians. They were members of the king’s bodyguard.
e-e Heb. “and who keep guard.”
f-f 2 Chron. 23.5 reads “Foundation Gate.”
g-g Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
h 2 Chron. 23.9 adds “and shields.”
a-a See Lev. 27.2–8.
b-b Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
c-c See Lev. 5.15.
a This verse would read well after v. 3.
b-b On Elisha as defender of Israel, see chapters 6–8.
c-c Lit. “to strike.”
d-d Meaning of Heb. uncertain; emendation yields “year by year.”
e Heb. “the man.”
f-f Heb. “he made off.”
a Deut. 24.16.
b I.e., in battle.
c Heb. “at.”
d-d See note at 1 Kings 14.10.
e-e Emendation yields “for Israel.”
a-a Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
b-b Some Septuagint mss. read “at Ibleam.”
c Cf. 10.30.
d-d Heb. “them.”
a Emendation yields “Edom.”
b-b Heb. “it.”
c-c Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
d I.e., the new one.
e I.e., the old one, cf. v. 14.
f I.e., because of the metal given him in tribute.
a Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
b Heb. “them.”
c Heb. “He.”
a 2 Chron. 29.1 reads “Abijah.”
b So some mss. and ancient versions; most mss. and editions read “they.”
c-c Lit. “led them to.”
d Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
e-e Assyrian titles.
f So several mss. and ancient versions; most mss. and editions read “his.”
g I.e., to my representative the Rabshakeh.
h I.e., the gods of Samaria.
a-a I.e., the situation is desperate and we are at a loss.
b Lit. “put a spirit in.”
c Lit. “fathers.”
d-d Isa. 37.24 reads “highest peak.”
e-e Lit. “Its farmland forest”; exact meaning of Heb. uncertain.
f Or “dug”; meaning of Heb. uncertain.
g-g Emendation yields “east wind”; see note at Isa. 37.27.
h I.e., Hezekiah.
a Cf. Targum.
b Heb. “steps.” A model of a dial with steps has been discovered in Egypt.
c Several mss. and the parallel Isa. 39.1 read “Merodach.”
d-d Isa. 39.2 reads “Hezekiah was pleased by their coming.”
e-e Lit. “there shall be safety and faithfulness in.”
a-a I.e., I will bring the same fate upon it.
a Meaning of Heb. uncertain. Emendation yields “melt down,” cf. v. 9.
b A quarter in Jerusalem; cf. Zeph. 1.10.
a-a Or “on a platform,” cf. Targum.
b-b Cf. Targum.
c For this goddess, cf. 1 Kings 18.19; ordinarily asherah is rendered “sacred post,” e.g., 2 Kings 17.16.
d Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
e-e Lit. “and he offered.”
f-f This verse may be understood in connection with vv. 21–23.
g-g Heb. “from entering.”
h-h Heb. “ran from there.” Emendation yields “smashed them there.”
i-i Heb. har ha-mashhith: a derogatory play on har ha-mishhah (“Mount of Ointment”); Mishnah Middoth 2.4.
j Cf. 1 Kings 11.5, 7.
k Cf. 1 Kings 13.2–3.
l See 1 Kings 13.31–32 and note m below.
m The prophet lived in Bethel, which, in Josiah’s time, was part of the Assyrian province of Samaria.
n-n Lit. “the ghosts and the familiar spirits.”
o I.e., the Chaldean Empire; cf. Isa. 52.4 and note.
p-p So 2 Chron. 36.4; Heb. here “he came.”
a Heb. “servants.”
b-b Heb. “from there.”
c Heb. “his.”
d For the rest of this book cf. Jer. 39 and 52.
e-e Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
a I.e., Zedekiah’s.
b Cf. Jer. 52.6
c Hoping to escape across the Jordan.
d-d Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
e Lit. “took an oath to them.”
f-f Jer. 40.9 reads “to serve the Chaldeans.”
g-g Lit. “raised the head of.”
Isaiah
1 The prophecies of Isaiah son of Amoz, who prophesied concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
2Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth,
For the LORD has spoken:
“I reared children and brought them up—
And they have rebelled against Me!
3An ox knows its owner,
An ass its master’s crib:
Israel does not know,
My people takes no thought.”
4Ah, sinful nation!
People laden with iniquity!
Brood of evildoers!
Depraved children!
They have forsaken the LORD,
Spurned the Holy One of Israel,
Turned their backs [on Him].
5Why do you seek further beatings,
That you continue to offend?
Every head is ailing,
And every heart is sick.
6From head to foot
No spot is sound:
All bruises, and welts,
And festering sores—
Not pressed out, not bound up,
Not softened with oil.
7Your land is a waste,
Your cities burnt down;
Before your eyes, the yield of your soil
Is consumed by strangers—
A wasteland a-as overthrown by strangers!-a
8Fairb Zion is left
Like a booth in a vineyard,
Like a hut in a cucumber field,
Like a city beleaguered.
9Had not the LORD of Hosts
Left us some survivors,
We should be like Sodom,
Another Gomorrah.
10Hear the word of the LORD,
You chieftains of Sodom;
Give ear to our God’s instruction,
You folk of Gomorrah!
11“What need have I of all your sacrifices?”
Says the LORD.
“I am sated with burnt offerings of rams,
And suet of fatlings,
And blood of bulls;
And I have no delight
In lambs and he-goats.
12That you come to appear before Me—
Who asked that c-of you?
Trample My courts
13 no more;
Bringing oblations is futile, -c
Incense is offensive to Me.
New moon and sabbath,
Proclaiming of solemnities,
d-Assemblies with iniquity,-d
I cannot abide.
14Your new moons and fixed seasons
Fill Me with loathing;
They are become a burden to Me,
I cannot endure them.
15And when you lift up your hands,
I will turn My eyes away from you;
Though you pray at length,
I will not listen.
Your hands are stained with crime—
16Wash yourselves clean;
Put your evil doings
Away from My sight.
Cease to do evil;
17Learn to do good.
Devote yourselves to justice;
e-Aid the wronged.-e
Uphold the rights of the orphan;
Defend the cause of
