The Meaning of 2 Kings 25:29 Explained

2 Kings 25:29

KJV: And changed his prison garments: and he did eat bread continually before him all the days of his life.

YLT: and hath changed the garments of his restraint, and he hath eaten bread continually before him all days of his life,

Darby: And he changed his prison garments; and he ate bread before him continually all the days of his life;

ASV: and changed his prison garments. And Jehoiachin did eat bread before him continually all the days of his life:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And changed  his prison  garments:  and he did eat  bread  continually  before  him all the days  of his life. 

What does 2 Kings 25:29 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Kings 25:22-30 - The Remnant Flee To Egypt
Thus at last the city, which had been full of people, sat solitary, bewailed by Jeremiah in exquisite elegies. The poorest only were left, under Gedaliah, the constant friend to Jeremiah. See Jeremiah 40:6. His brief rule brought a gleam of light, a transient relief from the long monotony of disaster and despair. But the dastardly murder of this noble man by Ishmael, who was jealous of him, added the last bitter ingredient to the already bitter cup of the harried remnant, Jeremiah 40:1-16; Jeremiah 41:1-18. Notwithstanding Jeremiah's earnest protestations, they finally deserted their own land, and settled in Egypt, Jeremiah 44:1.
Thus ended the kingdom of Judah, and thereafter the Jews became a scattered people. Though the return under Ezra seemed likely to renew their kingdom, this also was a transient dream which ended in their final overthrow in a.d. 70. Note how pathetically, in his last paragraph, the chronicler snatches at the one small crumb of comfort left, in the pity providentially shown to Jehoiachin by the Babylonian king. God had not forgotten the sure mercies of David!
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Chapter Summary: 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

What do the individual words in 2 Kings 25:29 mean?

so Jehoiachin changed - from garments his prison and he ate bread regularly before the [king] all the days of his life
וְשִׁנָּ֕א אֵ֖ת בִּגְדֵ֣י כִלְא֑וֹ וְאָכַ֨ל לֶ֧חֶם תָּמִ֛יד לְפָנָ֖יו כָּל־ יְמֵ֥י חַיָּֽיו

וְשִׁנָּ֕א  so  Jehoiachin  changed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁנָא 
Sense: to change, alter.
אֵ֖ת  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
בִּגְדֵ֣י  from  garments 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֶּגֶד 
Sense: treachery, deceit.
כִלְא֑וֹ  his  prison 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: כֶּלֶא  
Sense: imprisonment, confinement, restraint.
וְאָכַ֨ל  and  he  ate 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָכַל  
Sense: to eat, devour, burn up, feed.
לֶ֧חֶם  bread 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: לֶחֶם  
Sense: bread, food, grain.
תָּמִ֛יד  regularly 
Parse: Adverb
Root: תָּמִיד  
Sense: continuity, perpetuity, to stretch.
לְפָנָ֖יו  before  the  [king] 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, common plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
יְמֵ֥י  the  days 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
חַיָּֽיו  of  his  life 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: חַי 
Sense: living, alive.