The Way
By the Rivers of Babylon
The day the prison door opened
Story
Only a few poor people were left in the ruined land of Judah, and the king of Babylon appointed Gedaliah, grandson of Shaphan, to govern them. When the army commanders who had scattered came to him at Mizpah, Gedaliah gave them his promise: “Do not be afraid of the Babylonians. Stay in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and all will go well with you.” But in the seventh month of that year, Ishmael, a man of the royal family, came with ten men and killed Gedaliah.
The people who were left were afraid that Babylon would take revenge for this, so they all fled down to Egypt. At that time, far away in a Babylonian prison, Jehoiachin king of Judah was locked up. He had become king at eighteen, and after only three months he had been carried off to Babylon. Thirty-seven years passed for him in prison that way.
It was the last month of the year that Evil-merodach became the new king of Babylon. The new king brought Jehoiachin out of prison, treated him kindly, and gave him a seat higher than those of the other kings held captive in Babylon. Jehoiachin took off his prison clothes, and for the rest of his life he ate at the king's table. The people carried off to Babylon sang this song: by the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept as we remembered Zion.
Walk this scene on the map →Words of God and the Prophets
Do not be afraid of the Babylonian officials. Live in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will go well with you.
In the year Evil-merodach became king of Babylon, he released Jehoiachin king of Judah from prison. He spoke kindly to him and gave him a seat higher than the other kings who were with him.
Jehoiachin took off his prison clothes, and every day for the rest of his life he ate in the king's presence.
The sayings are fresh renderings of the original meaning in today's language. Text: 2 Kgs 25:22–30
Background
Clay tablets found at the site of the palace in Babylon record rations of oil given to “Ya'ukin, king of Judah” and his sons. Jehoiachin had been carried from Jerusalem to Babylon in 597 BC.
Pause and Reflect
Even when it all seems over, can I keep holding on to God's promise?