2 Kings 24 · Grade 5
The Beginning of Exile
Read and Think
Judah's final years unfold with grim certainty. Babylon replaced Assyria and Egypt as the great power. Jehoiakim's rebellion brought raiders, but the narrator insists the true cause was the Lord's judgment for Manasseh's sins. Behind the armies stood the Lord, keeping the warnings He had given through the prophets for generations.
In 597 BC, after only three months, Jehoiachin surrendered. Isaiah's words to Hezekiah were fulfilled: the treasures of the palace and temple were carried to Babylon (2 Kings 20:17). Ten thousand of Judah's leaders, warriors, and craftsmen went into exile. Among the exiles of these years were Daniel and Ezekiel, through whom God continued to speak.
Nebuchadnezzar placed Zedekiah on the throne, but he too did evil and rebelled. Yet exile was not the end. Through Jeremiah, God told the exiles to seek the welfare of the city where they lived, promising to bring them back after seventy years (Jeremiah 29:7, 10). In the New Testament, Peter calls believers foreigners and pilgrims, urging them to live honorably among the nations (1 Peter 2:11-12).
Show What You Know
What does the narrator insist was the true cause of the raids?
Whose words to Hezekiah were fulfilled?
Which prophets were among the exiles of these years?
What does Peter call believers in 1 Peter 2:11 in the New Testament?
Crossword
Across
- And ____ became his servant for three years.
Down
- For he filled ____ with innocent blood.
- Even them the king of Babylon brought ____ to Babylon.
- Then ____ rebelled against the king of Babylon.
- Then Zedekiah rebelled against the king of ____.
Think About It
God told the exiles to seek the welfare of the city where they lived. How can you bless the place where God has put you?
Peter calls Christians exiles. How does knowing this world is not your final home change how you live?
Memory Verse
“He carried away all Jerusalem, and all the princes, and all the mighty men of valor, even ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and the smiths. No one remained except the poorest people of the land.”
2 Kings 24:14 (WEB)
Copy It
Prayer
Dear God, thank You for never forgetting me. Help me . Amen.
Take It Home
For families: talk about these together.
- Why does the narrator say the exile happened?
- How can you stay faithful to God in a place that is not your home?
- What is one way you could live out this chapter this week?
Scripture: World English Bible, public domain, eBible.org. © 2026 The Daily Rooted. Free to print and copy for church and home use; not for resale. Original line art.