What does 2 Chronicles 36:13 mean?
"And he also rebelled against king Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God: but he stiffened his neck, and hardened his heart from turning unto the LORD God of Israel." - 2 Chronicles 36:13
The verse 2 Chronicles 36:13 in the King James Version (KJV) reads, "And he also rebelled against king Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God: but he stiffened his neck, and hardened his heart from turning unto the Lord God of Israel."
This verse is found in the final chapter of 2 Chronicles, which chronicles the history of the kings of Judah from the time of Solomon's reign to the Babylonian captivity. In this particular verse, the focus is on King Zedekiah, who was the last king of Judah before the Babylonian exile. The verse describes how he rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, despite having sworn an oath before God to remain loyal to him.
The broader context of this verse is the repeated disobedience and rebellion of the kings of Judah against God, which ultimately led to the downfall of the nation and their exile to Babylon. Throughout the book of 2 Chronicles, the recurring theme is the pattern of idolatry, disobedience, and unfaithfulness of the kings and the people of Judah. Despite God's warnings and calls for repentance, the nation continuously turned away from Him, leading to their eventual destruction.
In this specific verse, the rebellion of King Zedekiah serves as a prime example of the people's stiff-necked and hardened-hearted attitude towards God. Despite his oath before God and the consequences laid out by King Nebuchadnezzar, Zedekiah refused to humble himself and turn back to the Lord. His decision to rebel against Nebuchadnezzar was not only an act of political defiance, but also a spiritual rebellion against God.
The themes present in this verse include the consequences of disobedience, the importance of remaining faithful to God, and the concept of divine judgment. The verse serves as a sobering reminder of the dangers of stubbornness and pride, and the fatal consequences of turning away from God.
The symbolism in this verse can also be seen in the imagery of a stiff-necked and hardened-hearted individual. These characteristics represent an unwillingness to submit to God's will, an obstinate and resistant attitude towards His guidance, and a lack of humility and repentance. This symbolism serves as a warning against the dangers of pride and self-reliance, and emphasizes the need for a humble and contrite heart before God.
Overall, 2 Chronicles 36:13 in the KJV provides a powerful portrayal of the spiritual and moral decay of the kings and people of Judah, and the tragic consequences of their rebellion against God. It serves as a cautionary tale for believers today, urging them to remain faithful, obedient, and humble before the Lord, and to heed the warnings of divine judgment for disobedience. The verse calls for a spirit of repentance and submission, and a willingness to turn back to God with a softened heart and a willing spirit.
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2 Chronicles 36:13 - "And he also rebelled against king Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God: but he stiffened his neck, and hardened his heart from turning unto the LORD God of Israel."
"And he also rebelled against king Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God: but he stiffened his neck, and hardened his heart from turning unto the LORD God of Israel." - 2 Chronicles 36:13
2 Chronicles 36:22
1 Chronicles 2:36 - "And Attai begat Nathan, and Nathan begat Zabad,"
2 Chronicles 36:2 - "Jehoahaz was twenty and three years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem."
2 Chronicles 29:36 - "And Hezekiah rejoiced, and all the people, that God had prepared the people: for the thing was done suddenly."
2 Chronicles 20:36 - "And he joined himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish: and they made the ships in Ezion-geber."
2 Chronicles 36:7 - "Nebuchadnezzar also carried of the vessels of the house of the LORD to Babylon, and put them in his temple at Babylon."
2 Kings 15:36 - "¶ Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?"
2 Chronicles 36:3 - "And the king of Egypt put him down at Jerusalem, and condemned the land in an hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold."
2 Chronicles 36:11 - "¶ Zedekiah was one and twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned eleven years in Jerusalem."
2 Chronicles 36:1 - "Then the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and made him king in his father's stead in Jerusalem."
2 Chronicles 36:6 - "Against him came up Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and bound him in fetters, to carry him to Babylon."
"And Attai begat Nathan, and Nathan begat Zabad," - 1 Chronicles 2:36
2 Chronicles 6:13
2 chronicles 13:12
2 Chronicles 36:12 - "And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD his God, and humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet speaking from the mouth of the LORD."
2 Chronicles 36:18 - "And all the vessels of the house of God, great and small, and the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king, and of his princes; all these he brought to Babylon."
2 Chronicles 36:19 - "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 36:16 - "But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against his people, till there was no remedy."
2 Chronicles 36:20 - "And them that had escaped from the sword carried he away to Babylon; where they were servants to him and his sons until the reign of the kingdom of Persia:"
2 Chronicles 2:13 - "And now I have sent a cunning man, endued with understanding, of Huram my father's,"
2 Chronicles 36:14 - "¶ Moreover all the chief of the priests, and the people, transgressed very much after all the abominations of the heathen; and polluted the house of the LORD which he had hallowed in Jerusalem."
2 Chronicles 36:15 - "And the LORD God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place:"
2 Chronicles 13:13 - "¶ But Jeroboam caused an ambushment to come about behind them: so they were before Judah, and the ambushment was behind them."
2 Chronicles 36:9 - "¶ Jehoiachin was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem: and he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD."
2 Chronicles 36:10 - "And when the year was expired, king Nebuchadnezzar sent, and brought him to Babylon, with the goodly vessels of the house of the LORD, and made Zedekiah his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem."
2 Chronicles 36:21 - "To fulfil the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths: for as long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath, to fulfil threescore and ten years."
2 Chronicles 36:5 - "¶ Jehoiakim was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem: and he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD his God."
2 Chronicles 29:13 - "And of the sons of Elizaphan; Shimri, and Jeiel: and of the sons of Asaph; Zechariah, and Mattaniah:"