2 Kings 24:16 The king of Babylon also brought into exile to Babylon all seven thousand men of valor and a thousand craftsmen and metalsmiths--all strong and fit for battle.

◄ 2 Kings 24:16 ►

New International Version
The king of Babylon also deported to Babylon the entire force of seven thousand fighting men, strong and fit for war, and a thousand skilled workers and artisans.

New Living Translation
He also exiled 7,000 of the best troops and 1,000 craftsmen and artisans, all of whom were strong and fit for war.

English Standard Version
And the king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon all the men of valor, 7,000, and the craftsmen and the metal workers, 1,000, all of them strong and fit for war.

Berean Standard Bible
The king of Babylon also brought into exile to Babylon all seven thousand men of valor and a thousand craftsmen and metalsmiths—all strong and fit for battle.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
All the valiant men, seven thousand, and craftsmen and smiths, one thousand, all who were strong and fit for war, these the king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon.

New American Standard Bible
And all the valiant men, seven thousand, and the craftsmen and the smiths, a thousand, all strong and fit for war, these too the king of Babylon brought into exile to Babylon.

NASB 1995
All the men of valor, seven thousand, and the craftsmen and the smiths, one thousand, all strong and fit for war, and these the king of Babylon brought into exile to Babylon.

NASB 1977
And all the men of valor, seven thousand, and the craftsmen and the smiths, one thousand, all strong and fit for war, and these the king of Babylon brought into exile to Babylon.

Legacy Standard Bible
Now all the valiant men, seven thousand, and the craftsmen and the smiths, one thousand, all mighty men who could wage war, and these the king of Babylon brought into exile to Babylon.

Amplified Bible
And the king of Babylon brought as exiles to Babylon all the brave men, seven thousand [of them], and the craftsmen and the smiths, a thousand [of them], all strong and fit for war.

Christian Standard Bible
The king of Babylon brought captive into Babylon all seven thousand of the best soldiers and one thousand craftsmen and metalsmiths—all strong and fit for war.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The king of Babylon also brought captive into Babylon all 7,000 fighting men and 1,000 craftsmen and metalsmiths—all strong and fit for war.

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

Contemporary English Version
He also led away 7,000 soldiers and 1,000 skilled workers, all of them trained for battle.

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

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The king of Babylon brought all 7,000 of the prominent landowners, 1,000 craftsmen and smiths, and all the men who could fight in war as captives to Babylon.

Good News Translation
Nebuchadnezzar deported all the important men to Babylonia, seven thousand in all, and one thousand skilled workers, including the blacksmiths, all of them able-bodied men fit for military duty.

International Standard Version
All 7,000 of the most valiant soldiers and 1,000 of the craftsmen and ironworkers—all physically fit and trained for battle—were brought by the king of Babylon into exile in Babylon.

Majority Standard Bible
The king of Babylon also brought into exile to Babylon all seven thousand men of valor and a thousand craftsmen and metalsmiths—all strong and fit for battle.

NET Bible
The king of Babylon deported to Babylon all the soldiers (there were 7,000), as well as 1,000 craftsmen and metal workers. This included all the best warriors.

New Heart English Bible
All the men of might, even seven thousand, and the craftsmen and the smiths one thousand, all of them strong and apt for war, even them the king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon.

Webster's Bible Translation
And all the men of might, even seven thousand, and artificers and smiths a thousand, all that were strong and apt for war, even them the king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon.

World English Bible
All the men of might, even seven thousand, and the craftsmen and the smiths one thousand, all of them strong and fit for war, even them the king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
and all the men of valor, seven thousand, and the craftsmen and the smiths, one thousand, the whole [are] mighty men, warriors; and the king of Babylon brings them in a captivity to Babylon.

Young's Literal Translation
and all the men of valour seven thousand, and the artificers and the smiths a thousand, the whole are mighty men, warriors; and the king of Babylon bringeth them in a captivity to Babylon.

Smith's Literal Translation
And all the men of strength, seven thousand and the artificers, and the smiths, a thousand, all strong, making war; and the king of Babel will bring them into exile into Babel.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
And all the strong men, seven thousand, and the artificers, and the smiths a thousand, all that were valiant men and fit for war: and the king of Babylon led them captives into Babylon.

Catholic Public Domain Version
and all the robust men, seven thousand, and the artisans and craftsman, one thousand: all who were strong men and fit for war. And the king of Babylon led them away as captives, into Babylon.

New American Bible
All seven thousand soldiers of the army, and a thousand artisans and smiths, all of them trained warriors, these too the king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon.

New Revised Standard Version
The king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon all the men of valor, seven thousand, the artisans and the smiths, one thousand, all of them strong and fit for war.

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
And all the men of might, even seven thousand, and guardsmen and the guard of a thousand and all the men who were trained for war, even them the king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And all seven thousand mighty men, and the Guards and the one thousand Runners and all men who were workers of war, the King of Babel brought them into the captivity to Babel.

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
And all the men of might, even seven thousand, and the craftsmen and the smiths a thousand, all of them strong and apt for war, even them the king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And all the men of might, even seven thousand, and one thousand artificers and smiths: all were mighty men fit for war; and the king of Babylon carried them captive to Babylon.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

Exiles to Babylon
…15Nebuchadnezzar carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon, as well as the king’s mother, his wives, his officials, and the leading men of the land. He took them into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. 16 The king of Babylon also brought into exile to Babylon all seven thousand men of valor and a thousand craftsmen and metalsmiths— all strong and fit for battle. 17Then the king of Babylon made Mattaniah, Jehoiachin’s uncle, king in his place and changed his name to Zedekiah.…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Jeremiah 52:28-30
These are the people Nebuchadnezzar carried away: in the seventh year, 3,023 Jews; / in Nebuchadnezzar’s eighteenth year, 832 people from Jerusalem; / in Nebuchadnezzar’s twenty-third year, Nebuzaradan captain of the guard carried away 745 Jews. So in all, 4,600 people were taken away.

2 Chronicles 36:10
In the spring, King Nebuchadnezzar summoned Jehoiachin and brought him to Babylon, along with the articles of value from the house of the LORD. And he made Jehoiachin’s relative Zedekiah king over Judah and Jerusalem.

Daniel 1:3-4
Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, the chief of his court officials, to bring in some Israelites from the royal family and the nobility— / young men without blemish, handsome, gifted in all wisdom, knowledgeable, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace—and to teach them the language and literature of the Chaldeans.

Jeremiah 24:1
After Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried away Jeconiah son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, as well as the officials of Judah and the craftsmen and metalsmiths from Jerusalem, and had brought them to Babylon, the LORD showed me two baskets of figs placed in front of the temple of the LORD.

Ezekiel 17:12-14
“Now say to this rebellious house: ‘Do you not know what these things mean?’ Tell them, ‘Behold, the king of Babylon came to Jerusalem, carried off its king and officials, and brought them back with him to Babylon. / He took a member of the royal family and made a covenant with him, putting him under oath. Then he carried away the leading men of the land, / so that the kingdom would be brought low, unable to lift itself up, surviving only by keeping his covenant.

Jeremiah 29:1-2
This is the text of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the surviving elders among the exiles and to the priests, the prophets, and all the others Nebuchadnezzar had carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. / (This was after King Jeconiah, the queen mother, the court officials, the officials of Judah and Jerusalem, the craftsmen, and the metalsmiths had been exiled from Jerusalem.)

Isaiah 39:7
And some of your descendants, your own flesh and blood, will be taken away to be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.”

Jeremiah 27:20
which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon did not take when he carried Jeconiah son of Jehoiakim king of Judah into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon, along with all the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem.

Jeremiah 52:15
Then Nebuzaradan captain of the guard carried into exile some of the poorest people and those who remained in the city, along with the deserters who had defected to the king of Babylon and the rest of the craftsmen.

2 Kings 20:18
And some of your descendants, your own flesh and blood, will be taken away to be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.”

Daniel 1:1-2
In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. / And the Lord delivered into his hand Jehoiakim king of Judah, along with some of the articles from the house of God. He carried these off to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, where he put them in the treasury of his god.

Jeremiah 34:1-2
This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, all his army, all the earthly kingdoms under his control, and all the other nations were fighting against Jerusalem and all its surrounding cities. / The LORD, the God of Israel, told Jeremiah to go and speak to Zedekiah king of Judah and tell him that this is what the LORD says: “Behold, I am about to deliver this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he will burn it down.

Ezekiel 1:1-2
In the thirtieth year, on the fifth day of the fourth month, while I was among the exiles by the River Kebar, the heavens opened and I saw visions of God. / On the fifth day of the month—it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin—

Jeremiah 39:9
Then Nebuzaradan captain of the guard carried away to Babylon the remnant of the people who had remained in the city, along with the deserters who had defected to him.

2 Kings 25:11
Then Nebuzaradan captain of the guard carried into exile the people who remained in the city, along with the deserters who had defected to the king of Babylon and the rest of the population.

Treasury of Scripture

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.

seven thousand.

Jeremiah 29:2
(After that Jeconiah the king, and the queen, and the eunuchs, the princes of Judah and Jerusalem, and the carpenters, and the smiths, were departed from Jerusalem;)

Jeremiah 52:28
This is the people whom Nebuchadrezzar carried away captive: in the seventh year three thousand Jews and three and twenty:

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Able Apt Arms Artificers Artisans Babylon Captive Captivity Craftsmen Deported Entire Exile Expert Fighting Fit Force Metal-Workers Mighty Prisoners Seven Smiths Strong Thousand Valor War Warriors Whole Workmen

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2 Kings 24

1. Jehoiakim, first subdued by Nebuchadnezzar, then rebelling against him,
2. procures his own ruin.
5. Jehoiachin succeeds him.
7. The king of Egypt is vanquished by the king of Babylon.
8. Jehoiachin's evil reign.
10. Jerusalem is taken and carried captive into Babylon.
17. Zedekiah is made king, and reigns ill, unto the utter destruction of Judah.

Berean Study Bible

The king of Babylon
This phrase refers to Nebuchadnezzar II, the powerful ruler of the Neo-Babylonian Empire. Historically, Nebuchadnezzar is known for his military conquests and the expansion of his empire. His reign is well-documented in both biblical and extra-biblical sources, highlighting his role as a dominant force in the ancient Near East. In the biblical narrative, he is often seen as an instrument of God's judgment against Judah for their disobedience.

also brought into exile
The act of bringing into exile signifies a forced relocation, often used as a strategy by conquering empires to prevent rebellion and assimilate the conquered people. In Hebrew, the term for exile, "galah," implies uncovering or removing, symbolizing the stripping away of the people's homeland and identity. This exile was a fulfillment of prophetic warnings given to Judah for their persistent idolatry and rebellion against God.

to Babylon
Babylon, the capital of the Babylonian Empire, was a city of great wealth and cultural significance. Archaeological findings reveal its grandeur, including the famous Hanging Gardens. In the biblical context, Babylon often symbolizes human pride and opposition to God, as seen in the Tower of Babel narrative. For the exiles, Babylon represented both a place of punishment and a crucible for spiritual refinement.

all seven thousand valiant warriors
The mention of "seven thousand valiant warriors" underscores the loss of military strength for Judah. The Hebrew word for valiant, "gibbor," conveys the idea of might and bravery. These warriors were not just soldiers but the backbone of Judah's defense, and their removal signified a significant weakening of the nation's ability to resist future threats.

and a thousand craftsmen and metalsmiths
Craftsmen and metalsmiths were essential for the economic and military infrastructure of a nation. Their skills in creating tools, weapons, and other goods were vital for both daily life and warfare. The Hebrew term for craftsmen, "charash," indicates skilled artisans, while "metalsmiths" refers to those who worked with metals, crucial for producing armaments. Their exile meant a depletion of Judah's resources and capabilities.

all strong and fit for battle
This phrase emphasizes the physical and strategic value of those taken into exile. The Hebrew word for strong, "chayil," often denotes strength, efficiency, and wealth. These individuals were not only physically capable but also represented the potential for leadership and resilience. Their removal was a strategic move by Nebuchadnezzar to prevent any future uprising and to bolster his own empire with skilled and capable individuals.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(16) And all the men of might.--"The mighty men of valour" of 2Kings 24:14. (The words depend on the verb, "he carried away," in 2Kings 24:14.) As there were 7,000 of these, and 1,000 "craftsmen and smiths," and the total number of the exiles was 10,000, there were 2,000 belonging to the aristocratic classes. Jeremiah 52:28 gives a total of 3,023. Thenius explains his discrepancy as resulting from a transcriber's confusion of a large y, i.e. 10, with g, i.e. 3. Josephus has made his total of 10,832 out of the 832 of the second deportation (Jeremiah 52:29) added to the 10,000 here assigned.

All that were strong and apt for war.--Literally, the whole, warriors and doers of battle. This clause refers to both those which precede, and it states that the 8,000 were all men in their prime, and trained in the use of weapons (Thenius). But may not the term "strong" (gibbor-m, "heroes," "warriors") refer to the 7,000 as actual fighting men; and the phrase "makers of war" denote the craftsmen as employed in forging weapons and constructing defences? (The Syriac reads, and all the men that made war.)

Even them the king of Babylon brought.--Literally, and the King of Babylon brought them.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 16. - And all the men of might - i.e. "The mighty men of valor" (or, "trained soldiers") of ver. 14 - even seven thousand, and craftsmen and smiths a thousand, all that were strong and apt for war - the craftsmen and smiths would be pressed into the military service in the event of a siege - even them the Zing of Babylon brought captive to Babylon; i.e. he brought to Babylon, not only the royal personages, the officials of the court, and the captives who belonged to the upper classes (ver. 15), but also the entire military force which he had deported, and the thousand skilled artificers. All, without exception, were conducted to the capital.

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

The king
מֶֽלֶךְ־ (me·leḵ-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4428: A king

of Babylon
בָּבֶ֛ל (bā·ḇel)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 894: Babylon -- an eastern Mediterranean empire and its capital city

also brought
וַיְבִיאֵ֧ם (way·ḇî·’êm)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine plural
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

into exile
גּוֹלָ֖ה (gō·w·lāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 1473: Exile, exiles

to Babylon
בָּבֶֽלָה׃ (bā·ḇe·lāh)
Noun - proper - feminine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 894: Babylon -- an eastern Mediterranean empire and its capital city

all
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

seven
שִׁבְעַ֣ת (šiḇ·‘aṯ)
Number - masculine singular construct
Strong's 7651: Seven, seven times, a week, an indefinite number

thousand
אֲלָפִ֗ים (’ă·lā·p̄îm)
Number - masculine plural
Strong's 505: A thousand

valiant warriors
אַנְשֵׁ֨י (’an·šê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 582: Man, mankind

and a thousand
אֶ֔לֶף (’e·lep̄)
Number - masculine singular
Strong's 505: A thousand

craftsmen
וְהֶחָרָ֤שׁ (wə·he·ḥā·rāš)
Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2796: A fabricator, any material

and metalsmiths—
וְהַמַּסְגֵּר֙ (wə·ham·mas·gêr)
Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4525: A fastener, a smith, a prison

all
הַכֹּ֕ל (hak·kōl)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

strong
גִּבּוֹרִ֖ים (gib·bō·w·rîm)
Adjective - masculine plural
Strong's 1368: Powerful, warrior, tyrant

and fit
עֹשֵׂ֣י (‘ō·śê)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct
Strong's 6213: To do, make

for battle.
מִלְחָמָ֑ה (mil·ḥā·māh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 4421: A battle, war

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OT History: 2 Kings 24:16 All the men of might even seven (2Ki iiKi ii ki 2 kg 2kg)