And all the men of might, even seven thousand, and craftsmen and smiths a thousand, all that were strong and apt for war, even them the king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon.

2 KINGS 24:16KJV
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2 Kings 24:16 (KJV)

What does 2 Kings 24:16 mean?

2 Kings 24:16 describes how the king of Babylon took into captivity seven thousand strong and capable men, along with one thousand skilled craftsmen and metalworkers, removing all those who were strong and fit for war from Jerusalem to Babylon. This verse highlights the thoroughness of the Babylonian exile, targeting not just leaders but also those with skills and strength.

This verse is part of the account of King Nebuchadnezzar’s conquest of Judah. The Babylonians did not just take the royal family or the wealthy; they also captured those who could contribute to Babylon’s strength—men able to fight and those with valuable trades. This left Jerusalem without its defenders and skilled workers, weakening the nation further.

The Hebrew behind 2 Kings 24:16

  • The word for "men" (אֲנָשִׁים, ʾanashim, H582) is a general term for people, but here it is paired with "of might" (חַיִל, ḥayil, H2428), which often means strength, ability, or valor, emphasizing these were not just any men but the capable and strong.
  • "Craftsmen" (חָרָשִׁים, ḥarashim, H2796) and "smiths" (מַסְגֵּרִים, masgerim, H4525) refer to skilled workers, especially those who worked with metal or wood, essential for making weapons and tools.
  • The phrase "apt for war" uses the word עֹשֵׂי (ʿose, H6213) meaning "doers" or "makers," and "war" (מִלְחָמָה, milḥamah, H4421), showing these were men experienced or capable in battle, not just physically strong.

Why 2 Kings 24:16 matters

  • This verse shows the strategy of the Babylonian conquest: by removing not just leaders but also skilled workers and fighters, Babylon aimed to prevent any future rebellion and to strengthen their own society with these captives.
  • It clarifies that the exile was not limited to the elite; ordinary but capable people were also targeted, which would have deeply affected the daily life and future of Judah.
  • In the wider passage, this verse helps explain why Jerusalem and Judah were left so vulnerable after the exile, setting the stage for the destruction that would follow.

Where else these words appear

“smiths” Hebrew H4525 · used in 7 verses

  • 2 Kings 24:14 And he carried away all Jerusalem, and all the princes, and all the mighty men of valour, even ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and smiths: none remained, save the poorest sort of the people of the land.
  • Isaiah 24:22 And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be visited.
  • Jeremiah 24:1 The LORD shewed me, and, behold, two baskets of figs were set before the temple of the LORD, after that Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon had carried away captive Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, and the princes of Judah, with the carpenters and smiths, from Jerusalem, and had brought them to Babylon.

“craftsmen” Hebrew H2796 · used in 32 verses

  • Exodus 28:11 With the work of an engraver in stone, like the engravings of a signet, shalt thou engrave the two stones with the names of the children of Israel: thou shalt make them to be set in ouches of gold.
  • 1 Chronicles 22:15 Moreover there are workmen with thee in abundance, hewers and workers of stone and timber, and all manner of cunning men for every manner of work.
  • Isaiah 44:13 The carpenter stretcheth out his rule; he marketh it out with a line; he fitteth it with planes, and he marketh it out with the compass, and maketh it after the figure of a man, according to the beauty of a man; that it may remain in the house.

“captive” Hebrew H1473 · used in 41 verses

  • 2 Kings 24:15 And he carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon, and the king's mother, and the king's wives, and his officers, and the mighty of the land, those carried he into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon.
  • Ezra 10:16 And the children of the captivity did so. And Ezra the priest, with certain chief of the fathers, after the house of their fathers, and all of them by their names, were separated, and sat down in the first day of the tenth month to examine the matter.
  • Ezekiel 1:1 Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river of Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.