2 Kings 25:18
New International Version
The commander of the guard took as prisoners Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah the priest next in rank and the three doorkeepers.

New Living Translation
Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, took with him as prisoners Seraiah the high priest, Zephaniah the priest of the second rank, and the three chief gatekeepers.

English Standard Version
And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest and Zephaniah the second priest and the three keepers of the threshold;

Berean Standard Bible
The captain of the guard also took away Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah the priest of second rank, and the three doorkeepers.

King James Bible
And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the door:

New King James Version
And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah the second priest, and the three doorkeepers.

New American Standard Bible
Then the captain of the bodyguards took Seraiah the chief priest and Zephaniah the second priest, with the three doorkeepers.

NASB 1995
Then the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest and Zephaniah the second priest, with the three officers of the temple.

NASB 1977
Then the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest and Zephaniah the second priest, with the three officers of the temple.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest and Zephaniah the second priest, with the three doorkeepers of the temple.

Amplified Bible
The captain of the bodyguard took [captive] Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah the second priest, and the three doorkeepers [of the temple].

Christian Standard Bible
The captain of the guards also took away Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah the priest of the second rank, and the three doorkeepers.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The commander of the guards also took away Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah the priest of the second rank, and the three doorkeepers.

American Standard Version
And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the threshold:

Contemporary English Version
Next, Nebuzaradan arrested Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah his assistant, and three temple officials.

English Revised Version
And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the door:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The captain of the guard took the chief priest Seraiah, the second priest Zephaniah, and the 3 doorkeepers.

Good News Translation
In addition, Nebuzaradan, the commanding officer, took away as prisoners Seraiah the High Priest, Zephaniah the priest next in rank, and the three other important Temple officials.

International Standard Version
The captain of the guard arrested Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah the second priest, three temple officials,

Majority Standard Bible
The captain of the guard also took away Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah the priest of second rank, and the three doorkeepers.

NET Bible
The captain of the royal guard took Seraiah the chief priest and Zephaniah, the priest who was second in rank, and the three doorkeepers.

New Heart English Bible
The captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the threshold:

Webster's Bible Translation
And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the door:

World English Bible
The captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the threshold;
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And the chief of the executioners takes Seraiah the head priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the threshold;

Young's Literal Translation
And the chief of the executioners taketh Seraiah the head priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the threshold,

Smith's Literal Translation
And the chief of the cooks will take Seraiah the head priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three watchers of the threshold:
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the general of the army took Seraias the chief priest, and Sophonias the second priest, and three doorkeepers.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Also, the leader of the military took away Seraiah, the chief priest, and Zephaniah, the second priest, and three doorkeepers,

New American Bible
The captain of the guard also took Seraiah, the chief priest, Zephaniah, an assistant priest, and the three doorkeepers.

New Revised Standard Version
The captain of the guard took the chief priest Seraiah, the second priest Zephaniah, and the three guardians of the threshold;
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And the commander of the guard took Sheriah the chief priest and Zephaniah the second priest and the three keepers of the door;

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And the General of the Guards took Sheriah the Great One of the Priests and Tsephenia the Priest who was after him, and three Keepers of the Gate
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the door;

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the captain of the guard took Saraias the high-priest, and Sophonias the second in order, and the three doorkeepers.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Captives Carried to Babylon
17Each pillar was eighteen cubits tall. The bronze capital atop one pillar was three cubits high, with a network of bronze pomegranates all around. The second pillar, with its network, was similar. 18The captain of the guard also took away Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah the priest of second rank, and the three doorkeepers. 19Of those still in the city, he took a court official who had been appointed over the men of war, as well as five royal advisors. He also took the scribe of the captain of the army, who had enlisted the people of the land, and sixty men who were found in the city.…

Cross References
Jeremiah 52:24
The captain of the guard also took away Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah the priest of second rank, and the three doorkeepers.

1 Chronicles 6:14-15
Azariah was the father of Seraiah, and Seraiah was the father of Jehozadak. / Jehozadak went into captivity when the LORD sent Judah and Jerusalem into exile by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar.

Jeremiah 39:6-7
There at Riblah the king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and he also killed all the nobles of Judah. / Then he put out Zedekiah’s eyes and bound him with bronze chains to take him to Babylon.

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.)

2 Chronicles 36:17-20
So He brought up against them the king of the Chaldeans, who put their young men to the sword in the sanctuary, sparing neither young men nor young women, neither elderly nor infirm. God gave them all into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, / who carried off everything to Babylon—all the articles of the house of God, both large and small, and the treasures of the house of the LORD and of the king and his officials. / Then the Chaldeans set fire to the house of God and broke down the wall of Jerusalem. They burned down all the palaces and destroyed every article of value. ...

Ezekiel 11:1-12
Then the Spirit lifted me up and brought me to the gate of the house of the LORD that faces east. And there at the entrance of the gate were twenty-five men. Among them I saw Jaazaniah son of Azzur and Pelatiah son of Benaiah, who were leaders of the people. / And the LORD said to me, “Son of man, these are the men who plot evil and give wicked counsel in this city. / They are saying, ‘Is not the time near to build houses? The city is the cooking pot, and we are the meat.’ ...

Jeremiah 21:1-2
This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD when King Zedekiah sent to him Pashhur son of Malchijah and the priest Zephaniah son of Maaseiah. They said, / “Please inquire of the LORD on our behalf, since Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon is waging war against us. Perhaps the LORD will perform for us something like all His past wonders, so that Nebuchadnezzar will withdraw from us.”

Jeremiah 24:1-2
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. / One basket had very good figs, like those that ripen early, but the other basket contained very poor figs, so bad they could not be eaten.

Jeremiah 37:13-14
But when he reached the Gate of Benjamin, the captain of the guard, whose name was Irijah son of Shelemiah, the son of Hananiah, seized him and said, “You are deserting to the Chaldeans!” / “That is a lie,” Jeremiah replied. “I am not deserting to the Chaldeans!” But Irijah would not listen to him; instead, he arrested Jeremiah and took him to the officials.

Jeremiah 38:28
And Jeremiah remained in the courtyard of the guard until the day Jerusalem was captured.

Jeremiah 40:1-6
This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD after Nebuzaradan captain of the guard had released him at Ramah, having found him bound in chains among all the captives of Jerusalem and Judah who were being exiled to Babylon. / The captain of the guard found Jeremiah and said to him, “The LORD your God decreed this disaster on this place, / and now the LORD has fulfilled it; He has done just as He said. Because you people have sinned against the LORD and have not obeyed His voice, this thing has happened to you. ...

Matthew 1:11-12
and Josiah the father of Jeconiah and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon. / After the exile to Babylon: Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel,

Matthew 23:34-36
Because of this, I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and others you will flog in your synagogues and persecute from town to town. / And so upon you will come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. / Truly I tell you, all these things will come upon this generation.

Luke 21:20-24
But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, you will know that her desolation is near. / Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country stay out of the city. / For these are the days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written. ...

Acts 7:42-43
But God turned away from them and gave them over to the worship of the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets: ‘Did you bring Me sacrifices and offerings forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? / You have taken along the tabernacle of Molech and the star of your god Rephan, the idols you made to worship. Therefore I will send you into exile beyond Babylon.’


Treasury of Scripture

And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the door:

captain.

2 Kings 25:24,25,26
And Gedaliah sware to them, and to their men, and said unto them, Fear not to be the servants of the Chaldees: dwell in the land, and serve the king of Babylon; and it shall be well with you…

Seraiah.

1 Chronicles 6:14
And Azariah begat Seraiah, and Seraiah begat Jehozadak,

Ezra 7:1
Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah,

Jeremiah 52:24
And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the door:

Zephaniah.

Jeremiah 21:1
The word which came unto Jeremiah from the LORD, when king Zedekiah sent unto him Pashur the son of Melchiah, and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest, saying,

Jeremiah 29:25,29
Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, Because thou hast sent letters in thy name unto all the people that are at Jerusalem, and to Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest, and to all the priests, saying, …

the second priest.

door.

Jump to Previous
Armed Body-Guard Captain Chief Commander Door Doorkeepers Door-Keepers Executioners Guard High Keepers Officers Priest Prisoners Rank Second Seraiah Serai'ah Temple Three Threshold Zephaniah Zephani'ah
Jump to Next
Armed Body-Guard Captain Chief Commander Door Doorkeepers Door-Keepers Executioners Guard High Keepers Officers Priest Prisoners Rank Second Seraiah Serai'ah Temple Three Threshold Zephaniah Zephani'ah
2 Kings 25
1. Jerusalem is besieged.
4. Zedekiah taken, his sons slain, his eyes put out.
8. Nebuzaradan defaces the city, exiles the remnant, except a few poor laborers;
13. and carries away the treasures.
18. The nobles are slain at Riblah.
22. Gedaliah, who was over those who remained, being slain, the rest flee into Egypt.
27. Evil-Merodach advances Jehoiachin in his court.














The captain of the guard
This phrase refers to Nebuzaradan, a high-ranking Babylonian official under King Nebuchadnezzar. The Hebrew term used here is "רַב־טַבָּחִים" (rav tabbachim), which can be translated as "chief of the executioners" or "chief of the bodyguard." This title indicates a position of significant authority and responsibility, often tasked with carrying out the king's orders, including the handling of prisoners and overseeing executions. Historically, this reflects the Babylonian practice of appointing trusted officials to manage conquered territories and their inhabitants.

also took away
The action of taking away signifies the forceful removal and deportation of key religious leaders from Jerusalem. This was a common practice in ancient conquests, aimed at dismantling the existing power structures and preventing any potential rebellion. The phrase underscores the thoroughness of the Babylonian conquest and the intention to disrupt the spiritual and social fabric of Judah.

Seraiah the chief priest
Seraiah, whose name means "Yahweh is ruler," was the high priest at the time of Jerusalem's fall. The role of the chief priest was central to the religious life of Israel, responsible for overseeing temple worship and sacrifices. His capture symbolizes the end of the established religious order and the beginning of a period of spiritual desolation for the Jewish people. Historically, the removal of the high priest would have been a devastating blow to the morale and identity of the nation.

Zephaniah the priest of the second rank
Zephaniah, meaning "Yahweh has hidden," served as a deputy or assistant to the chief priest. The mention of his rank highlights the structured hierarchy within the temple priesthood. His capture, along with Seraiah, indicates the Babylonians' intent to dismantle the entire religious leadership, not just the top tier. This reflects a strategic move to ensure that no remnants of the old order could rally the people against Babylonian rule.

and the three doorkeepers
The doorkeepers, or gatekeepers, were responsible for maintaining the security and sanctity of the temple. Their role, though seemingly minor, was crucial in the daily operations and protection of the sacred space. The inclusion of the doorkeepers in the deportation list signifies the complete and systematic dismantling of the temple's functioning staff. This act symbolizes the totality of the Babylonian conquest, leaving no aspect of the temple service intact.

(18, 19) List of the chief personages taken by Nebu-zaradan in the Temple and the city of David. This notice may be regarded as an indirect proof that the upper city was not captured before.

(18) Seraiah the chief (high) priest.--And grandfather or great-grandfather of Ezra (1Chronicles 6:14; Ezra 7:1).

Zephaniah the second priest.--See 2Kings 23:4, Note; and Jeremiah 21:1; Jeremiah 29:25; Jeremiah 29:29; Jeremiah 37:3. From the last three passages it is clear that Zephaniah was a priest of high rank, being probably the high priest's deputy. . . .

Verse 18. - And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest. The "chief priest" is a new expression; but it can only mean the "high priest." Seraiah seems to have been the grandson of Hilkiah (1 Chronicles 6:18, 14), and an ancestor (grandfather or great-grandfather) of Ezra (Ezra 7:1). He had stayed at his post till the city was taken, and was now seized by Nebuzar-adan as one of the most important personages whom he found in the city. And Zephaniah the second priest. Keil and Bahr translate "a priest of the second order;' i.e. a mere Ordinary priest; but something more than this must be intended by Jeremiah, who calls him (Jeremiah 52:34), כֹּהֵן הַמִּשְׁנֶה i.e. distinctly "the second priest." It is conjectured that he was the high priest's substitute, empowered to act for him on occasions. Possibly he was the Zephaniah, son of Maaseiah, of whom we hear a good deal in Jeremiah (see Jeremiah 21:1; Jeremiah 29:25-29: 37:3). And the three keepers of the door; rather, and three keepers of the threshold. There were twenty-five "gatekeepers" of the temple (1 Chronicles 26:17, 18), all of them Levites. On what principle Nebuzar-adan selected three out of the twenty-four is uncertain, since we have no evidence that the temple had. as Bahr says it had, "three main entrances." Jeremiah 38:14 certainly does not prove this.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
The captain
רַב־ (raḇ-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 7227: Much, many, great

of the guard
טַבָּחִ֗ים (ṭab·bā·ḥîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 2876: A butcher, a lifeguardsman, a cook

also took away
וַיִּקַּ֣ח (way·yiq·qaḥ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3947: To take

Seraiah
שְׂרָיָה֙ (śə·rā·yāh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 8304: Seraiah -- 'Yah persists', the name of a number of Israelites

the chief
הָרֹ֔אשׁ (hā·rōš)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7218: The head

priest,
כֹּהֵ֣ן (kō·hên)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3548: Priest

Zephaniah
צְפַנְיָ֖הוּ (ṣə·p̄an·yā·hū)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 6846: Zephaniah -- 'Yah has treasured', four Israelites

the priest
כֹּהֵ֣ן (kō·hên)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3548: Priest

of the second rank,
מִשְׁנֶ֑ה (miš·neh)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4932: A repetition, a duplicate, a double, a second

and the three
שְׁלֹ֖שֶׁת (šə·lō·šeṯ)
Number - masculine singular construct
Strong's 7969: Three, third, thrice

doorkeepers.
שֹׁמְרֵ֥י (šō·mə·rê)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct
Strong's 8104: To hedge about, guard, to protect, attend to


Links
2 Kings 25:18 NIV
2 Kings 25:18 NLT
2 Kings 25:18 ESV
2 Kings 25:18 NASB
2 Kings 25:18 KJV

2 Kings 25:18 BibleApps.com
2 Kings 25:18 Biblia Paralela
2 Kings 25:18 Chinese Bible
2 Kings 25:18 French Bible
2 Kings 25:18 Catholic Bible

OT History: 2 Kings 25:18 The captain of the guard took Seraiah (2Ki iiKi ii ki 2 kg 2kg)
2 Kings 25:17
Top of Page
Top of Page