12 Now on the tenth day of the fifth month , which was the nineteenth e year of King Nebuchadnezzar , king of Babylon , Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard , who was in the service e of the king of Babylon , came to Jerusalem . 13 He burned the house of the Lord , the king's house and all the houses of Jerusalem ; even every large house he burned with fire . 14 So all the army of the Chaldeans who were with the captain of the guard broke down all the walls around Jerusalem . 15 Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away into exile some of the poorest of the people , the rest of the people who were left in the city , the deserters who had deserted to the king of Babylon and the rest of the artisans . 16 But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left some of the poorest of the land to be vinedressers and plowmen . 17 Now the bronze pillars which belonged to the house of the Lord and the stands and the bronze sea , which were in the house of the Lord , the Chaldeans broke in pieces and carried all their bronze to Babylon . 18 They also took away the pots , the shovels , the snuffers , the basins , the pans and all the bronze vessels which were used in temple service . 19 The captain of the guard also took away the bowls , the firepans , the basins , the pots , the lampstands , the pans and the drink offering bowls , what was fine gold and what was fine silver . 20 The two pillars , the one sea , and the twelve e bronze bulls that were under the sea , and the stands , which King Solomon had made for the house of the Lord -the bronze of all these vessels was beyond weight . 21 As for the pillars , the height of each pillar was eighteen e cubits , and it was twelve e cubits in circumference e and four fingers in thickness , and hollow . 22 Now a capital of bronze was on it; and the height of each capital was five cubits , with network and pomegranates upon the capital all around , all of bronze . And the second pillar was like these , including pomegranates . 23 There were ninety-six exposed pomegranates ; all the pomegranates numbered a hundred on the network all around .
24 Then the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest and Zephaniah the second priest , with the three officers of the temple .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Jeremiah 52:12-24
Commentary on Jeremiah 52:12-23
(Read Jeremiah 52:12-23)
The Chaldean army made woful havoc. But nothing is so particularly related here, as the carrying away of the articles in the temple. The remembrance of their beauty and value shows us the more the evil of sin.
Commentary on Jeremiah 52:24-30
(Read Jeremiah 52:24-30)
The leaders of the Jews caused them to err; but now they are, in particular, made monuments of Divine justice. Here is an account of two earlier captivities. This people often were wonders both of judgment and mercy.