What does 2 Chronicles 36:21 mean?
"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 36:21
The verse 2 Chronicles 36:21 from the King James Version states, "To fulfill 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 fulfill threescore and ten years." This verse is found within the context of the Babylonian exile of the Israelites and the subsequent fall of Jerusalem.
The book of 2 Chronicles is a historical account of the kings of Judah, and in this particular verse, the author is recounting the fulfillment of a prophecy given by the prophet Jeremiah. The passage refers to the Sabbatical Year, a practice outlined by God in the Old Testament where the land was to be left fallow and allowed to rest every seventh year (Leviticus 25:1-7). The purpose of this practice was to allow the land to rejuvenate and to demonstrate trust in God's provision. The Israelites were commanded to observe this Sabbath rest for the land, but they had neglected to do so for many years. According to 2 Chronicles 36:21, the land had not been given its rest for seventy years, and this failure to observe the Sabbatical Year was a contributing factor to the judgments that befell the nation.
The verse also brings to light the significance of the prophet Jeremiah in delivering the word of the Lord to the people. Jeremiah had warned the Israelites of the impending judgment and exile if they continued in their disobedience to God's laws. The fulfillment of his prophecy highlights the faithfulness and sovereignty of God. It emphasizes the principle of reaping what one sows, as the Israelites faced the consequences of their actions.
Within the broader historical context, this verse marks the culmination of the exile and the fulfillment of God's judgment upon Judah. The Babylonian conquest of Jerusalem led to the destruction of the city and the Temple, the exile of the people to Babylon, and the desolation of the land. This period of desolation lasted for seventy years, as prophesied by Jeremiah (Jeremiah 25:11-12), before the Lord stirred the heart of Cyrus, the king of Persia, to allow the Israelites to return to their homeland and rebuild the Temple (Ezra 1:1-4).
Symbolically, this verse underscores the importance of obedience to God's laws and the consequences of disobedience. The Sabbatical Year and the subsequent exile serve as a reminder of the covenant between God and His people, and the need for faithfulness in upholding their part of the covenant. It also highlights the role of prophets in delivering God's messages to the people and calling them to repentance.
Furthermore, the verse reveals God's sovereignty over the nations and His faithfulness to fulfill His word, even in times of judgment. The seventy years of desolation serve as a period of purification and restoration for the land, as well as a time for the people to reflect on their actions and seek reconciliation with God.
In conclusion, 2 Chronicles 36:21 from the King James Version offers a rich and profound commentary on the themes of judgment, obedience, prophecy, and restoration. It serves as a poignant reminder of the consequences of neglecting God's commands and the enduring faithfulness of God in fulfilling His word. This verse continues to hold relevance for believers today, as it prompts reflection on the importance of honoring God's laws and trusting in His sovereign plan for redemption and restoration.
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2 Chronicles 36:21 Artwork
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."
"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 36:21
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 20:21
2 Chronicles 21:9
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 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 36:12 - "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 36:19 - "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 4:21 - "And the flowers, and the lamps, and the tongs, made he of gold, and that perfect gold;"
2 Chronicles 21:18 - "¶ And after all this the LORD smote him in his bowels with an incurable disease."
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 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 36:5 - "¶ 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 Kings 15:21 - "¶ And the rest of the acts of Menahem, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?"
2 Chronicles 24:21 - "And they conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king in the court of the house of the LORD."