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Selected Verse: 2 Kings 25:7 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
2Ki 25:7	Strong Concordance	And they slew [07819] the sons [01121] of Zedekiah [06667] before his eyes [05869], and put out [05786] the eyes [05869] of Zedekiah [06667], and bound [0631] him with fetters [05178] of brass [05178], and carried [0935] him to Babylon [0894].
	King James	And they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him with fetters of brass, and carried him to Babylon.

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Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
Before his eyes - This refinement of cruelty seems to have especially shocked the Jews, whose manners were less barbarous than those of most Orientals. It is noted by Jeremiah in two places Jer 39:6; Jer 52:10. And put out the eyes of Zedekiah - Blinding has always been among the most common of secondary punishments in the East (compare Jdg 16:2 l). The blinding of Zedekiah reconciled in a very remarkable way prophecies, apparently contradictory, which had been made concerning him. Jeremiah had prophesied distinctly that he would be carried to Babylon Jer 32:5; Jer 34:3. Ezekiel had said that he should not "see Babylon" Eze 12:13. His deprivation of sight before he was carried to the conqueror's capital fulfilled the predictions of both prophets. With fetters of brass - literally, (see Jer 39:7 margin), "with two chains of brass." The Assyrians' captives are usually represented as bound hand and foot - the two hands secured by one chain, the two feet by another. According to Jewish tradition Zedekiah was, like other slaves, forced to work in a mill at Babylon. Jeremiah tells us that he was kept in prison until he died Jer 52:11.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]

Before his eyes - This refinement of cruelty seems to have especially shocked the Jews, whose manners were less barbarous than those of most Orientals. It is noted by Jeremiah in two places Jer 39:6; Jer 52:10.

And put out the eyes of Zedekiah - Blinding has always been among the most common of secondary punishments in the East (compare Jdg 16:2 l). The blinding of Zedekiah reconciled in a very remarkable way prophecies, apparently contradictory, which had been made concerning him. Jeremiah had prophesied distinctly that he would be carried to Babylon Jer 32:5; Jer 34:3. Ezekiel had said that he should not "see Babylon" Eze 12:13. His deprivation of sight before he was carried to the conqueror's capital fulfilled the predictions of both prophets.

With fetters of brass - literally, (see Jer 39:7 margin), "with two chains of brass." The Assyrians' captives are usually represented as bound hand and foot - the two hands secured by one chain, the two feet by another. According to Jewish tradition Zedekiah was, like other slaves, forced to work in a mill at Babylon. Jeremiah tells us that he was kept in prison until he died Jer 52:11.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
Slew, &c. - Tho' they were but children, that this spectacle, the last he was to behold, might leave a remaining impression of grief and horror upon his spirit. And in slaying his sons they in effect declared, that the kingdom was no more, and that he nor any of his breed were fit to be trusted: therefore not fit to live. Babylon - Thus two prophecies were fulfilled, which seemed contrary one to the other, that he should go to Babylon, Jer 32:5, Jer 34:3, and that he should never see Babylon: which seeming contradiction, because Zedekiah the false prophet could not reconcile, he concluded both were false, and it seems Zedekiah the king might stumble at this difficulty.

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¹¹ Then he put out [05786] the eyes [05869] of Zedekiah [06667]; and the king [04428] of Babylon [0894] bound [0631] him in chains [05178], and carried [0935] him to Babylon [0894], and put [05414] him in prison [01004] [06486] till the day [03117] of his death [04194].

⁷ Moreover he put out [05786] Zedekiah's [06667] eyes [05869], and bound [0631] him with chains [05178], to carry [0935] him to Babylon [0894].

¹³ My net [07568] also will I spread [06566] upon him, and he shall be taken [08610] in my snare [04686]: and I will bring [0935] him to Babylon [0894] to the land [0776] of the Chaldeans [03778]; yet shall he not see [07200] it, though he shall die [04191] there.

³ And thou shalt not escape out [04422] of his hand [03027], but shalt surely [08610] be taken [08610], and delivered [05414] into his hand [03027]; and thine eyes [05869] shall behold [07200] the eyes [05869] of the king [04428] of Babylon [0894], and he shall speak [01696] with thee mouth [06310] to mouth [06310], and thou shalt go [0935] to Babylon [0894].

⁵ And he shall lead [03212] Zedekiah [06667] to Babylon [0894], and there shall he be until I visit [06485] him, saith [05002] the LORD [03068]: though ye fight [03898] with the Chaldeans [03778], ye shall not prosper [06743].

² And it was told the Gazites [05841], saying [0559], Samson [08123] is come [0935] hither. And they compassed him in [05437], and laid wait [0693] for him all night [03915] in the gate [08179] of the city [05892], and were quiet [02790] all the night [03915], saying [0559], In the morning [01242], when it is day [0216], we shall kill [02026] him.

¹⁰ And the king [04428] of Babylon [0894] slew [07819] the sons [01121] of Zedekiah [06667] before his eyes [05869]: he slew [07819] also all the princes [08269] of Judah [03063] in Riblah [07247].

⁶ Then the king [04428] of Babylon [0894] slew [07819] the sons [01121] of Zedekiah [06667] in Riblah [07247] before his eyes [05869]: also the king [04428] of Babylon [0894] slew [07819] all the nobles [02715] of Judah [03063].