Chapter 25

Now it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army came against Jerusalem and encamped against it; and they built a siege wall against it all around. (2 Kings 25:1)

In those days, when towns were often protected by walls, Nebuchadnezzar employed the standard technique of assault known as a siege wall. It was the purpose of a siege to encircle a city, stop any and all commerce from entering or leaving the city, and finally starve the populace into submission so that they would submit.

But the army of the Chaldeans pursued the king, and they overtook him in the plains of Jericho. All his army was scattered from him. (2 Kings 25:5)

This location was quite a fair distance from Jerusalem. It is likely that Zedekiah believed that his plan was effective and that he had evaded the wrath that prophets like Jeremiah had said would come upon him. On the other hand, the Word of God was proven to be accurate, and he was apprehended in the plains of Jericho.

Then they killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, put out the eyes of Zedekiah, bound him with bronze fetters, and took him to Babylon. (2 Kings 25:7)

The last sight King Zedekiah saw was the murder of his own sons, and then he spent the rest of his life in darkness.

And all the army of the Chaldeans who were with the captain of the guard broke down the walls of Jerusalem all around. (2 Kings 25:10)

The city of Jerusalem had lost its physical defences, which meant that its inhabitants were no longer safe. Jerusalem was no longer a location that could be trusted to provide safety and protection. The city walls would remain in disrepair until the days of Nehemiah, when they were repaired by exiles who had returned.