2 Kings 24-25
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Chapter 24
1 During Jehoiakim’s reign Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, attacked, and Jehoiakim became his vassal for three years. Then Jehoiakim turned and rebelled against him. 2 The Lord loosed against him bands of Chaldeans, Arameans, Moabites, and Ammonites; he unleashed them against Judah to destroy him, according to the Lord’s word spoken through his servants the prophets. 3 This befell Judah because the Lord had stated that he would put them out of his sight for the sins Manasseh had committed in all that he did, 4 and especially because of the innocent blood he shed; he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, and the Lord would not forgive.(A)
5 The rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, with all that he did, are recorded in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah. 6 Jehoiakim rested with his ancestors, and his son Jehoiachin succeeded him as king. 7 The king of Egypt did not again leave his own land, for the king of Babylon had taken all that belonged to the king of Egypt from the wadi of Egypt to the Euphrates River.
Reign of Jehoiachin. 8 Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Nehushta, daughter of Elnathan, from Jerusalem.
9 He did what was evil in the Lord’s sight, just as his father had done.
10 (B)At that time officers of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, attacked Jerusalem, and the city came under siege. 11 Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, himself arrived at the city while his officers were besieging it. 12 Then Jehoiachin, king of Judah, together with his mother, his ministers, officers, and functionaries, surrendered to the king of Babylon, who, in the eighth year of his reign,[a] took him captive. 13 He carried off all the treasures of the house of the Lord and the treasures of the king’s house, and broke up all the gold utensils that Solomon, king of Israel, had provided in the house of the Lord, as the Lord had decreed.(C) 14 He deported all Jerusalem: all the officers and warriors of the army, ten thousand in number, and all the artisans and smiths. Only the lowliest of the people of the land[b] were left. 15 He deported Jehoiachin to Babylon, and the king’s mother, his wives, his functionaries, and the chiefs of the land he led captive from Jerusalem to Babylon.(D) 16 All seven thousand soldiers of the army, and a thousand artisans and smiths, all of them trained warriors, these too the king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon. 17 In place of Jehoiachin the king of Babylon made Mattaniah, Jehoiachin’s uncle, king; he changed his name to Zedekiah.(E)
Reign of Zedekiah. 18 [c]Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Hamutal, daughter of Jeremiah, from Libnah.(F)
19 He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, just as Jehoiakim had done. 20 This befell Jerusalem and Judah because the Lord was so angry that he cast them out of his sight.
Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.
Chapter 25
1 In the tenth month of the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign, on the tenth day of the month, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, and his whole army advanced against Jerusalem, encamped around it, and built siege walls on every side. 2 The siege of the city continued until the eleventh year of Zedekiah. 3 On the ninth day of the month,[d] when famine had gripped the city, and the people of the land had no more food, 4 the city walls were breached. That night, all the soldiers came to the gate between the two walls near the king’s garden (the Chaldeans had the city surrounded), while the king went toward the Arabah.[e] 5 But the Chaldean army pursued the king and overtook him in the desert near Jericho, abandoned by his whole army. 6 The king was therefore arrested and brought to Riblah to the king of Babylon, who pronounced sentence on him. 7 They slew Zedekiah’s sons before his eyes; then they put out his eyes, bound him with fetters, and brought him to Babylon.
8 On the seventh day of the fifth month (this was in the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon), Nebuzaradan, captain of the bodyguard, came to Jerusalem as the agent of the king of Babylon. 9 He burned the house of the Lord, the house of the king, and all the houses of Jerusalem (every noble house); he destroyed them by fire.(G) 10 The Chaldean troops who were with the captain of the guard tore down the walls that surrounded Jerusalem, 11 and Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, led into exile the last of the army remaining in the city, and those who had deserted[f] to the king of Babylon, and the last of the commoners. 12 But some of the country’s poor the captain of the guard left behind as vinedressers and farmers.
13 The bronze columns that belonged to the house of the Lord, and the stands and the bronze sea in the house of the Lord, the Chaldeans broke into pieces; they carried away the bronze to Babylon.(H) 14 They took also the pots, the shovels, the snuffers, the cups and all the bronze articles used for service.(I) 15 The fire pans and the bowls that were of solid gold or silver the captain of the guard also carried off.(J) 16 The two columns, the one bronze sea, and the stands, which Solomon had made for the house of the Lord—the weight in bronze of all these articles was never calculated.(K) 17 Each of the columns was eighteen cubits high; a bronze capital three cubits high surmounted each column, and a netting with pomegranates encircled the capital, all of bronze; and they were duplicated on the other column, on the netting.(L)
18 The captain of the guard also took Seraiah, the chief priest, Zephaniah, an assistant priest, and the three doorkeepers. 19 And from the city he took one officer who was a commander of soldiers, five courtiers in the personal service of the king who were still in the city, the scribe in charge of the army who mustered the people of the land,[g] and sixty of the people of the land still remaining in the city. 20 The captain of the guard, Nebuzaradan, arrested these and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah, and 21 the king of Babylon struck them down and put them to death in Riblah, in the land of Hamath. And thus Judah went into exile from their native soil.
Governorship of Gedaliah. 22 (M)As for the people whom he had allowed to remain in the land of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, appointed Gedaliah, son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, over them. 23 Hearing that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah over them, all the army commanders and the troops came to him at Mizpah: Ishmael, son of Nethaniah, Johanan, son of Kareah, Seraiah, son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah, son of the Maakite, each with his troops. 24 Gedaliah gave the commanders and their troops his oath. He said to them, “Do not be afraid of the Chaldean officials. Remain in the country and serve the king of Babylon, so that all will be well with you.”
25 But in the seventh month Ishmael, son of Nethaniah, son of Elishama, of royal descent, came with ten others, attacked Gedaliah and killed him, along with the Judahites and Chaldeans who were in Mizpah with him. 26 Then all the people, great and small, left with the army commanders and went to Egypt for fear of the Chaldeans.
Release of Jehoiachin. 27 In the thirty-seventh year of the exile of Jehoiachin, king of Judah, on the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth month, Evil-merodach, king of Babylon, in the inaugural year of his own reign, raised up Jehoiachin, king of Judah, from prison. 28 He spoke kindly to him and gave him a throne higher than that of the other kings who were with him in Babylon. 29 Jehoiachin took off his prison garb; he ate regularly in the king’s presence as long as he lived; 30 and for his allowance the king granted him a regular allowance, in fixed daily amounts, for as long as he lived.
Footnotes
- 24:12 The eighth year of his reign: that is, of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, not Jehoiachin’s. The year was 597 B.C.
- 24:14 People of the land: see note on 11:14.
- 24:18–25:30 Much of this material closely parallels Jer 52; some of the events are also recounted in Jer 39.
- 25:3 Ninth day of the month: the text does not say which month, but Jer 39:2 and 52:6 set the breaching of the city walls in the fourth month; in later times that was the date of a fast commemorating the event (cf. Zec 8:19). People of the land: the influential citizens (see note on 11:14); even they, whose resources went beyond those of the ordinary people, were starving.
- 25:4 The Hebrew text of this verse is missing some words. The present translation is based on a likely reconstruction.
- 25:11 Those who had deserted: perhaps on the advice of Jeremiah; cf. Jer 38:2–3.
- 25:19 People of the land: see note on 11:14.
Proverbs 11:1-15
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Chapter 11
1 False scales are an abomination to the Lord,
but an honest weight, his delight.[a](A)
2 When pride comes, disgrace comes;
but with the humble is wisdom.[b]
3 The honesty of the upright guides them;
the faithless are ruined by their duplicity.
4 Wealth is useless on a day of wrath,[c](B)
but justice saves from death.
5 The justice of the honest makes their way straight,
but by their wickedness the wicked fall.[d](C)
6 The justice of the upright saves them,
but the faithless are caught in their own intrigue.
7 When a person dies, hope is destroyed;(D)
expectation pinned on wealth is destroyed.[e]
8 The just are rescued from a tight spot,
but the wicked fall into it instead.
9 By a word the impious ruin their neighbors,(E)
but through their knowledge the just are rescued.[f]
10 When the just prosper, the city rejoices;(F)
when the wicked perish, there is jubilation.
11 Through the blessing of the upright the city is exalted,
but through the mouth of the wicked it is overthrown.
12 Whoever reviles a neighbor lacks sense,
but the intelligent keep silent.
13 One who slanders reveals secrets,(G)
but a trustworthy person keeps a confidence.
14 For lack of guidance a people falls;
security lies in many counselors.(H)
15 Harm will come to anyone going surety for another,(I)
but whoever hates giving pledges is secure.[g]
Footnotes
- 11:1 The word pair “abomination” and “delight” (= acceptable) to God is common in Proverbs. Originally the language of ritual, the words came to be applied to whatever pleases or displeases God (cf. also 11:20). False weights were a constant problem even though weights were standardized. Cf. 20:23; Hos 12:8; Am 8:5.
- 11:2 Disgrace is the very opposite of what the proud so ardently want. Those who do not demand their due receive wisdom.
- 11:4 Cf. note on 10:2. A day of wrath is an unforeseen disaster (even death). Only one’s relationship to God, which makes one righteous, is of any help on such a day.
- 11:5 In Hebrew as in English, “way” means the course of one’s life; similarly, “straight” and “crooked” are metaphors for morally straightforward and for bad, deviant, perverted.
- 11:7 An ancient scribe added “wicked” to person in colon A, for the statement that hope ends at death seemed to deny life after death. The saying, however, is not concerned with life after death but with the fact that in the face of death all hopes based on one’s own resources are vain. The aphorism is the climax of the preceding six verses; human resources cannot overcome mortality (cf. Ps 49:13).
- 11:9 What the wicked express harms others; what the righteous leave unsaid protects. Verses 9–14 are related in theme: the effect of good and bad people, especially their words, on their community.
- 11:15 Proverbs is opposed to providing surety for another’s loan (see note on 6:1–5) and expresses this view throughout the book.
2 Corinthians 6
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Chapter 6
The Experience of the Ministry. 1 [a]Working together,(A) then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain.[b] 2 For he says:
Behold, now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 3 (C)We cause no one to stumble[d] in anything, in order that no fault may be found with our ministry; 4 [e]on the contrary, in everything we commend ourselves as ministers of God, through much endurance,[f] in afflictions, hardships, constraints,(D) 5 beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, vigils, fasts;(E) 6 [g]by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, in a holy spirit, in unfeigned love,(F) 7 in truthful speech, in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness at the right and at the left;(G) 8 through glory and dishonor, insult and praise. We are treated as deceivers and yet are truthful;[h] 9 as unrecognized and yet acknowledged; as dying and behold we live; as chastised and yet not put to death;(H) 10 as sorrowful yet always rejoicing; as poor yet enriching many; as having nothing and yet possessing all things.(I)
11 [i]We have spoken frankly to you, Corinthians; our heart is open wide. 12 You are not constrained by us; you are constrained by your own affections.(J) 13 As recompense in kind (I speak as to my children), be open yourselves.(K)
Call to Holiness. 14 [j]Do not be yoked with those who are different, with unbelievers.[k] For what partnership do righteousness and lawlessness have? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness? 15 What accord has Christ with Beliar? Or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? 16 (L)What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said:
“I will live with them and move among them,[l]
and I will be their God
and they shall be my people.
17 Therefore, come forth from them
and be separate,” says the Lord,
“and touch nothing unclean;
then I will receive you(M)
18 and I will be a father to you,
and you shall be sons and daughters to me,
says the Lord Almighty.”(N)
Footnotes
- 6:1–10 This paragraph is a single long sentence in the Greek, interrupted by the parenthesis of 2 Cor 5:2. The one main verb is “we appeal.” In this paragraph Paul both exercises his ministry of reconciliation (cf. 2 Cor 5:20) and describes how his ministry is exercised: the “message of reconciliation” (2 Cor 5:19) is lived existentially in his apostolic experience.
- 6:1 Not to receive…in vain: i.e., conform to the gift of justification and new creation. The context indicates how this can be done concretely: become God’s righteousness (2 Cor 5:21), not live for oneself (2 Cor 5:15) be reconciled with Paul (2 Cor 6:11–13; 7:2–3).
- 6:2 In an acceptable time: Paul cites the Septuagint text of Is 49:8; the Hebrew reads “in a time of favor”; it is parallel to “on the day of salvation.” Now: God is bestowing favor and salvation at this very moment, as Paul is addressing his letter to them.
- 6:3 Cause no one to stumble: the language echoes that of 1 Cor 8–10 as does the expression “no longer live for themselves” in 2 Cor 5:15. That no fault may be found: i.e., at the eschatological judgment (cf. 1 Cor 4:2–5).
- 6:4a This is the central assertion, the topic statement for the catalogue that follows. We commend ourselves: Paul’s self-commendation is ironical (with an eye on the charges mentioned in 2 Cor 3:1–3) and paradoxical (pointing mostly to experiences that would not normally be considered points of pride but are perceived as such by faith). Cf. also the self-commendation in 2 Cor 11:23–29. As ministers of God: the same Greek word, diakonos, means “minister” and “servant”; cf. 2 Cor 11:23, the central assertion in a similar context, and 1 Cor 3:5.
- 6:4b–5 Through much endurance: this phrase functions as a subtitle; it is followed by an enumeration of nine specific types of trials endured.
- 6:6–7a A list of virtuous qualities in two groups of four, the second fuller than the first.
- 6:8b–10 A series of seven rhetorically effective antitheses, contrasting negative external impressions with positive inner reality. Paul perceives his existence as a reflection of Jesus’ own and affirms an inner reversal that escapes outward observation. The final two members illustrate two distinct kinds of paradox or apparent contradiction that are characteristic of apostolic experience.
- 6:11–13 Paul’s tone becomes quieter, but his appeal for acceptance and affection is emotionally charged. References to the heart and their mutual relations bring the development begun in 2 Cor 2:14–3:3 to an effective conclusion.
- 6:14–7:1 Language and thought shift noticeably here. Suddenly we are in a different atmosphere, dealing with a quite different problem. Both the vocabulary and the thought, with their contrast between good and evil, are more characteristic of Qumran documents or the Book of Revelation than they are of Paul. Hence, critics suspect that this section was inserted by another hand.
- 6:14–16a The opening injunction to separate from unbelievers is reinforced by five rhetorical questions to make the point that Christianity is not compatible with paganism. Their opposition is emphasized also by the accumulation of five distinct designations for each group. These verses are a powerful statement of God’s holiness and the exclusiveness of his claims.
- 6:16c–18 This is a chain of scriptural citations carefully woven together. God’s covenant relation to his people and his presence among them (2 Cor 6:16) is seen as conditioned on cultic separation from the profane and cultically impure (2 Cor 6:17); that relation is translated into the personal language of the parent-child relationship, an extension to the community of the language of 2 Sm 7:14 (2 Cor 6:18). Some remarkable parallels to this chain are found in the final chapters of Revelation. God’s presence among his people (Rev 21:22) is expressed there, too, by applying 2 Sm 7:14 to the community (Rev 21:7). There is a call to separation (Rev 18:4) and exclusion of the unclean from the community and its liturgy (Rev 21:27). The title “Lord Almighty” (Pantokratōr) occurs in the New Testament only here in 2 Cor 6:18 and nine times in Revelation.
Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.