And they burnt the house of God, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem, and burnt all the palaces thereof with fire, and destroyed all the goodly vessels thereof.

2 CHRONICLES 36:19KJV
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2 Chronicles 36:19 (KJV)

What does 2 Chronicles 36:19 mean?

2 Chronicles 36:19 describes the destruction of Jerusalem by enemy forces, who burned the temple (the house of God), tore down the city walls, set fire to the royal palaces, and ruined all the valuable items inside. This verse highlights the complete devastation brought upon Jerusalem at the end of the kingdom of Judah.

The verse is part of a historical account written by the Chronicler, describing how the Babylonians conquered Jerusalem after years of the people turning away from God. The focus is on the physical and symbolic loss: the burning of the temple (the center of worship), the destruction of defenses, and the loss of treasures. This marks a turning point, showing the seriousness of the judgment that had been warned by prophets.

The Hebrew behind 2 Chronicles 36:19

  • "burnt" (שָׂרַף, saraph): This word is used twice in the verse, once for burning the house of God and once for the palaces. It means to completely consume with fire, emphasizing the total destruction.
  • "house" (בַּיִת, bayith): Refers specifically to the temple, the central place of worship for Israel. Its destruction was not just physical but deeply spiritual for the people.
  • "destroyed" (שָׁחַת, shachath): This word means to ruin or spoil, used here for the valuable vessels. It suggests not just breaking but making something useless or defiled.
  • "goodly" (חֶמְדָּה, chemdah): Means desirable or precious, describing the temple vessels. The loss of these items points to the loss of both material wealth and spiritual significance.

Why 2 Chronicles 36:19 matters

  • This verse clears up that the destruction was not partial or accidental; every important structure and object in Jerusalem was deliberately ruined.
  • The verse emphasizes the seriousness of the exile, showing that the loss was both physical (city, walls, treasures) and spiritual (the temple, the center of worship).
  • In the wider context, this verse marks the fulfillment of repeated prophetic warnings and sets the stage for the exile, which is a major turning point in the story of Israel.

Where else these words appear

“goodly” Hebrew H4261 · used in 13 verses

  • 1 Kings 20:6 Yet I will send my servants unto thee to morrow about this time, and they shall search thine house, and the houses of thy servants; and it shall be, that whatsoever is pleasant in thine eyes, they shall put it in their hand, and take it away.
  • Lamentations 1:11 All her people sigh, they seek bread; they have given their pleasant things for meat to relieve the soul: see, O LORD, and consider; for I am become vile.
  • Ezekiel 24:25 Also, thou son of man, shall it not be in the day when I take from them their strength, the joy of their glory, the desire of their eyes, and that whereupon they set their minds, their sons and their daughters,

“palaces” Hebrew H759 · used in 31 verses

  • 1 Kings 16:18 And it came to pass, when Zimri saw that the city was taken, that he went into the palace of the king's house, and burnt the king's house over him with fire, and died,
  • Jeremiah 6:5 Arise, and let us go by night, and let us destroy her palaces.
  • Amos 1:10 But I will send a fire on the wall of Tyrus, which shall devour the palaces thereof.

“down” Hebrew H5422 · used in 41 verses

  • Exodus 34:13 But ye shall destroy their altars, break their images, and cut down their groves:
  • 2 Kings 10:27 And they brake down the image of Baal, and brake down the house of Baal, and made it a draught house unto this day.
  • Psalms 52:5 God shall likewise destroy thee for ever, he shall take thee away, and pluck thee out of thy dwelling place, and root thee out of the land of the living. Selah.

“burnt” Hebrew H8313 · used in 107 verses

  • Genesis 11:3 And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them throughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter.
  • Joshua 7:15 And it shall be, that he that is taken with the accursed thing shall be burnt with fire, he and all that he hath: because he hath transgressed the covenant of the LORD, and because he hath wrought folly in Israel.
  • Psalms 46:9 He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire.