Verse 2

And he did that which was evil in the eyes of the LORD, according to all that Jehoiakim had done.

Zedekiah — It is generally thought that this chapter was not penned by Jeremiah, who, it is not probable, would have so largely repeated what he had related before; and could not historically relate what happened after his time, as some things did which are mentioned towards the end of the chapter. Probably it was penned by some of those in Babylon, and put in here as a preface to the book of Lamentations.

Verse 24

And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the door:

Three — It is probable there were more keepers of the door, but the captain of the guard took only three of the chief.

Verse 30

In the three and twentieth year of Nebuchadrezzar Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive of the Jews seven hundred forty and five persons: all the persons were four thousand and six hundred.

All the persons were four thousand and six hundred — How amazingly were the Jews diminished, that this handful was all who were carried captive!

Verse 34

And for his diet, there was a continual diet given him of the king of Babylon, every day a portion until the day of his death, all the days of his life.

All the days of his life — Here ends the history of the kingdom of Judah. I shall only observe the severe judgment of God upon this people, whose kingdom was made up of the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin, and half the tribe of Manasseh. In the numbering of the persons belonging to these two tribes, Numbers 1:27,35,37, (counting half of the number of the tribe of Manasseh) we find one hundred twenty-six thousand one hundred: Numbers 26:22,34,41, we find of them one hundred forty-eight thousand four hundred and fifty. Here, verse52:30, we find no more of them carried into captivity, than four thousand and six hundred. From whence we may judge what a multitude of them were slain by the sword, by the famine, and pestilence! It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God, to mock his messengers, despise his words, and misuse his prophets, 'till there be no remedy, 2 Chronicles 36:16.