And the rest of the people who were left in the city and the deserters who had deserted to the king of Babylon, together with the rest of the multitude, Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried into exile.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Notice that it wasn't just the "enemy" who was exiled, but also those who had deserted to the Babylonians. This reveals a stark reality: even those who switch sides aren't necessarily welcomed or spared when the true power shifts; loyalty to God's covenant and people ultimately mattered more.
And the rest of the people who were left in the city and the deserters who had deserted to the king of Babylon, together with the rest of the multitude, Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried into exile.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse describes the final, devastating act of Jerusalem's destruction. After King Zedekiah's capture and the brutal killing of his sons, the remaining inhabitants of the city, including those who had switched sides, were rounded up. Nebuzaradan then carried them off into exile, effectively depopulating Jerusalem and fulfilling God's judgment for Israel's unfaithfulness.
Imagine your home, your city, everything you've ever known, gone. This verse describes the final, devastating act of a conquered people.
This verse marks the end of Jerusalem's sovereignty and the complete subjugation of Judah. Nebuzaradan, an official of the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar, carried out the final deportation. It wasn't just the leaders or the rebels; 'the rest of the people' and even those who had previously surrendered ('deserters') were taken. This wasn't a lenient transfer; it was exile, a stripping away of homeland and identity, a severe consequence for national sin and rebellion against God.
This was the ultimate consequence of ignoring God's prophets and breaking the covenant. The people were scattered, their kingdom dismantled, and their temple, the center of their worship, was destroyed.
What happened to those who remained? This verse tells a story of loss, but also hints at a future God had in mind.
While Nebuzaradan carried the majority into exile, the narrative of 2 Kings often includes a detail about a small group left behind. In 2 Kings 25:12, it states that some of the poorest of the land were left as vinedressers and farmers. This 'remnant' was not destined for exile, but their status was that of the lowest class, stripped of power and influence.
This group, though seemingly insignificant, becomes crucial in the biblical narrative. God's promises are not entirely extinguished. This small remnant, though under foreign rule, represented a thread of continuity, a basis upon which God would later rebuild and restore His people.
Understand the original words
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galah · Hebrew Noun/Verb
A forced relocation of a people group from their homeland to a foreign land, often as a judgment from God for covenant unfaithfulness. It signifies spiritual alienation and the loss of covenant blessings.
rab tabbachim · Hebrew Noun phrase
The high-ranking official responsible for the king's safety; here, the agent of the Babylonian king executing the judgment of God upon Jerusalem.
This verse describes the final, devastating act of the Babylonian conquest. It highlights that the exile wasn't just a single event but a series of deportations, with this final one stripping Jerusalem of nearly everyone, leaving only the poorest behind.
722 BC
Fall of Samaria and Assyrian Exile
The northern kingdom of Israel falls to the Assyrian Empire, leading to a mass deportation of its population. This event serves as a precedent for later exiles.
605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon defeats the Egyptians at Carchemish and then besieges Jerusalem. He carries off some of the temple treasures and prominent Judeans, including Daniel.
597 BC
Second Deportation to Babylon
Following a rebellion, Nebuchadnezzar returns and deports more people from Jerusalem, including King Jehoiachin and the prophet Ezekiel. This further weakens the kingdom.
586 BC— this verse
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
After a prolonged siege and rebellion, the Babylonians breach Jerusalem's walls, destroy the city and Solomon's Temple, and carry off the remaining population into exile.
c. 582 BC
Third Deportation to Babylon
Nebuzaradan conducts another, smaller deportation from the Judean countryside, removing more potential leaders and skilled workers.
539 BC
Fall of Babylon to Persia
Cyrus the Great conquers the Babylonian Empire. This marks a shift in power and opens the door for the return of exiled peoples.
This passage shows a vision of two baskets of figs, representing the exiled people (good figs) and those remaining in Jerusalem (bad figs), directly paralleling the concept of exile described in 2 Kings.
Jeremiah 39:9This verse from Jeremiah describes the same event of Nebuzaradan taking people into exile, offering a prophetic perspective on the Babylonian conquest and its consequences.
Jeremiah 52:15This chapter, which largely retells the events of 2 Kings 24-25, reiterates Nebuzaradan's role in carrying the remaining people and deserters into exile, reinforcing the historical account.
2 Chronicles 36:20This passage summarizes the exile of Judah, stating that those who escaped the sword were taken to Babylon and became servants, mirroring the fate of the people exiled in 2 Kings 25.
Notice that it wasn't just the "enemy" who was exiled, but also those who had deserted to the Babylonians. This reveals a stark reality: even those who switch sides aren't necessarily welcomed or spared when the true power shifts; loyalty to God's covenant and people ultimately mattered more.
This verse describes the final, devastating act of Jerusalem's destruction. After King Zedekiah's capture and the brutal killing of his sons, the remaining inhabitants of the city, including those who had switched sides, were rounded up. Nebuzaradan then carried them off into exile, effectively depopulating Jerusalem and fulfilling God's judgment for Israel's unfaithfulness.
This verse describes the final, devastating act of Jerusalem's destruction. After King Zedekiah's capture and the brutal killing of his sons, the remaining inhabitants of the city, including those who had switched sides, were rounded up. Nebuzaradan then carried them off into exile, effectively depopulating Jerusalem and fulfilling God's judgment for Israel's unfaithfulness.
"And the rest of the people who were left in the city and the deserters who had deserted to the king of Babylon, together with the rest of the multitude, Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried into exile." — Notice that it wasn't just the "enemy" who was exiled, but also those who had deserted to the Babylonians. This reveals a stark reality: even those who switch sides aren't necessarily welcomed or s…
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Last reviewed October 2026