The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Kings — Section 443

sins, would relent at l&Bt, 11nd put an end released moMrch insteCLd of hie "prison to their banishment, and give them rest and gN-ments," and Jehoiachiu arrayed himself peR08 in their native country. in the comely appurel before taking his seo.t an iong his equCL!s. Dresses of honour are Ver. 27.-And it oame to pasa in the seven among the most common gifts which au and thirtieth year of the oaptivity of J'ehoie.- Oriental monaroh mCLkes to his subjects ohin King of J'nde.h. Aooording to Berosus (see Gen. xii. 42; Esth. vi. 8, 11; viii. 15; and the Canon of Ptolemy, Nebuche.<'lnezzar Da.n. v. 29; Xeu., • Cyrop.,' v. I. § 1). And reigned forty-four years. He carried off he--i.e. Jehoiachin-did eat bread continu- Jehoiaohin to Babylon in his eighth yee.r ally before him. Besides giving ocoCLsionCLl (oh. mv. 12), and thus the year of his great feasts (see Esth. i. 3-9), Oriental death would exactly ooincidc with the thirty- monarchs usually entertain at their table seventh yenr of the captinty of the Jewish daily a large number of guests, some of prince. In the twelfth month, on the seven whom are specially invited, while others and twentieth day of the month. The five have the privilege of daily attendance (see and twentieth day, according to Jeremiah • Ancient Monarcl!ies,' vol. iii. pp. 214,215). (lii. 31). (On the rarity of such exact dates It w&B to this latter olass that Jehoi11chin in the historical Scriptures, see the comment was admitted. Comp. 2 Sam. ix. 7-13, on ver. I.) That Evil- llrlerodaoh Xing which shows that the custom was one not of Babylon. The native name, which is unknown at the Jewish court. All the daya thus cxpre,sed, seems to have been" Avil- of his--i.e. Jehoiachin's-life. Jehoiachin Marduk." The meaning of ar,il is uncertain; enjoyed this privilege till his death. but the name probably placed the prince Whether this fell in the lifetime of Evil- under the protection of Merodach, who was 1\lerodach or not, is scarcely in the writer's Nebuchadnezzar's favourite god. Avil- thoughts. He merely means to tell us that Mardnk ascended ths Babylonian throne the comparative comfort and dignity which in B.O. 561, and rC'igned two years only, J ehoiachin enjoyed after the accession of when he was murdered by Neriglissar, or Evil-Merodach to the throne was not sub- Nergal-sar-uzur, his brother-in-law. In the sequently clouded over or disturbed. He year that he began to reign-the year continued a privileged person at the Baby- B.c. 561-did lift up the head of J'ehoiachin lonian court so long as he lived. King of J'ndah out of prison. (For the Ver. 80.-And his e.llowanoe was a oon• phrase used, sec Gen. xl. 13, 19, 20.) The tinnal allowance, Keil supposes that this act was probably part of a larger measure "allowance" was a daily "ration of food," of pardon and amnesty, intended to in- intended for the maintenance of a certain augurate favourably the new reign. number of servants or retainers. But it is Ver. 28.-.And he spake kindly to him; quite as likely to have been a money pay- literally, he Bpake good tki1llJ• with him; but ment. The word translated by "allowance" the meaning is well expressed by our ren- -Mt'l~~-does not point necessarily to food. dering. Evil-Merodach compassionated the It is a "portion" of any kind. Given him sufferings of the unfortunate monarch, who of the king-i.e. out of the privy purse, by had grown old in prison, and strove by kind the king's command-a daily re.ta for every speech to make up to him for them in a day-or, a certain amount day by day-all certain measure. And set his throne above the days of his life (see the oomment on the the throne of the kings that were with him in preceding verse). Both the privileges ac- Babylon. Evil-Merodach had at his court corded to Jehoiachin, his sustenance at the other captured kings besides J ehoiachin, king's table, and his allowance, whether in whose presence was considered to enhance money or in kind, continued to the day of his his dignity and grandeur (comp. Judg. i. 7). death. Neither of them was ever revoked An honourable position and probably a seat or forfeited. Thus this last representative of honour was assigned to each; but the of the Davidio monarchy, after thirty-six highest position among tbem was now con- years of chastisement, experienced a happy ferred on Jehoiacbin. Whether he hnd change of ciroumstances, and died in peace e.ctually a more elevated seat, is (as Bii.hr and comfort. Probably, as Keil says,'' this observes) a matter of no importance. event wae intended as a comforting sign to Ver. 29.-And changed his prison gal'• the whole of the captive people, that the ments. The subject to "changed" may Lord would one day put an end to their be either" Jehoiachin" or" Evil-Merodach." banishment, if they would acknowledge Our tre.nslatore preferred tlie latter, our that it was a well-mel'ited punishment for Revisem the former. In either case the their sins that they he.d been driven away general meaning is the same. Evil-1\lero- from before his face, and would turn again dach suppliod snitable garments to the to the Lord tl!cir God with all their heart." CIR, XXV. 1-30.] THE SECOND BOOK OF THE KINGS. 4,95