2 Kings 25:6

So they took the king, and brought him up to the king of Babylon to Riblah; and they gave judgment upon him.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(6) To the king of Babylon, to Riblah.—2Kings 23:33. Nebuchadnezzar was not present at the storm of Jerusalem (Jeremiah 39:3). He awaited the result in his headquarters.

And they gave judgment upon him.—Or, brought him to trial. (Comp. Jeremiah 1:16; Jeremiah 4:12.) Nebuchadnezzar with the grandees of his court, perhaps including some dependent princes of the country, held a solemn trial of Zedekiah, as a rebel against his liege lord, in which, no doubt, his breach of oath was made prominent (2Chronicles 36:13; Ezekiel 17:15; Ezekiel 17:18). The verb is singular in Jeremiah, and the versions. (See next Note.)

Benson Commentary

2 Kings 25:6. And brought him to the king of Babylon, to Riblah — Where Nebuchadnezzar stayed, that he might both supply the besiegers with men and military provisions, as their occasions required, and have an eye to Chaldea, to prevent or suppress any commotions which might happen there in his absence. They gave judgment upon him — The king’s officers appointed thereunto examined his cause, and passed the following sentence against him.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

25:1-7 Jerusalem was so fortified, that it could not be taken till famine rendered the besieged unable to resist. In the prophecy and Lamentations of Jeremiah, we find more of this event; here it suffices to say, that the impiety and misery of the besieged were very great. At length the city was taken by storm. The king, his family, and his great men escaped in the night, by secret passages. But those deceive themselves who think to escape God's judgments, as much as those who think to brave them. By what befell Zedekiah, two prophecies, which seemed to contradict each other, were both fulfilled. Jeremiah prophesied that Zedekiah should be brought to Babylon, Jer 32:5; 34:3; Ezekiel, that he should not see Babylon, Eze 12:13. He was brought thither, but his eyes being put out, he did not see it.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

To Riblah - See 2 Kings 23:33 note. A position from where Nebuchadnezzar could most conveniently superintend the operations against Tyre and Jerusalem. In the absence of the monarch, the siege of Jerusalem was conducted by a number of his officers, the chief of whom were Nebuzar-adan, the captain of the guard, and Nergal-shar-ezer (Neriglissar), the Rab-mag Jeremiah 39:3, Jeremiah 39:13.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

6, 7. they took the king, and brought him … to Riblah—Nebuchadnezzar, having gone from the siege to oppose the auxiliary forces of Pharaoh-hophra, left his generals to carry on the blockade, he himself not returning to the scene of action, but taking up his station at Riblah in the land of Hamath (2Ki 23:33).

they gave judgment upon him—They, that is, the council (Jer 39:3, 13; Da 6:7, 8, 12), regarding him as a seditious and rebellious vassal, condemned him for violating his oath and neglecting the announcement of the divine will as made known to him by Jeremiah (compare Jer 32:5; 34:2; 38:17). His sons and the nobles who had joined in his flight were slain before his eyes (Jer 39:6; 52:10). In conformity with Eastern ideas, which consider a blind man incapable of ruling, his eyes were put out, and being put in chains, he was carried to perpetual imprisonment in Babylon (Jer 52:11), which, though he came to it, as Ezekiel had foretold, he did not see (Jer 32:5; Eze 12:13; 17:16).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

To Riblah; of which See Poole "2 Kings 23:33", and See Poole "2 Kings 25:21", where Nebuchadnezzar staid, that he might both supply the besiegers with more men, and military provisions, as their occasions required; and have an eye to Chaldea, to prevent or suppress any commotions which might happen there in the time of his absence.

They gave judgement upon him; the king’s officers appointed thereunto examined his cause, and passed the following sentence against him.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign,.... Of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah. From hence to the end of 2 Kings 25:7, the account exactly agrees with Jeremiah 52:4.

Geneva Study Bible

So they took the king, and brought him up to the king of Babylon to Riblah; and they {e} gave judgment upon him.

(e) Or, condemned him for his perjury and treason, 2Ch 36:13.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

6. So [R.V. Then] they took the king, and brought him up to [R.V. unto] the king of Babylon] Nebuchadnezzar was stationed at some distance, and was awaiting the issue of the campaign. The verb rendered ‘take’ implies seizure as a prisoner. It is used before (2 Kings 10:14) ‘Take them alive’.

to Riblah] See on 2 Kings 23:33.

and they gave judgement upon him] Jeremiah 39:5 says, ‘He gave judgement upon him’. No doubt the proceeding was of this kind. The king appointed a committee to try Zedekiah, and when they had given their sentence, Nebuchadnezzar commanded it to be carried into effect.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 6. - So they took the king [Zedekiah], and brought him up to the King of Babylon. The presentation of rebel kings, when captured, to their suzerain, seated on his throne, is one of the most common subjects of Assyrian and Babylonian sculptures (see 'Ancient Monarchies,' vol. 1. p. 292; vol. 3. p. 7; Layard, 'Monuments of Nineveh,' second series, pls. 23, 36, etc.). The Egyptian and Persian artists also represent it. To Riblah. (For the situation of Riblah, see the comment on 2 Kings 23:33.) As Nebuchadnezzar was engaged at one and the same time in directing the sieges both of Tyro and of Jerusalem, it was a most convenient position for him to occupy. And they gave judgment upon him. As a rebel, who had broken his covenant and his oath (Ezekiel 17:16, 18), Zedekiah was brought to trial before Nebuchadnezzar and his great lords. The facts could not be denied, and sentence was therefore passed upon him, nominally by the court, practically by Nebuchadnezzar (Jeremiah 52:9). By an unusual act of clemency, his life was spared; but the judgment was still sufficiently severe (see the next verse). 2 Kings 25:6

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

Zedekiah having been seized by the Chaldaeans, was taken to the king of Babel in the Chaldaean headquarters at Riblah (see at 2 Kings 23:33), and was there put upon his trial. According to 2 Kings 25:1, Nebuchadnezzar had commenced the siege of Jerusalem in person; but afterwards, possibly not till after the Egyptians who came to relieve the besieged city had been repulsed, he transferred the continuance of the siege, which was a prolonged one, to his generals, and retired to Riblah, to conduct the operations of the whole campaign from thence. את־פל משׁפּט דּבּר, to conduct judicial proceedings with any one, i.e., to hear and judge him. For this Jeremiah constantly uses the plural משׁפּטם, not only in Jeremiah 52:9 and Jeremiah 39:5, but also in Jeremiah 1:16 and Jeremiah 4:12.