2 Kings 25:7

slew the sons of Zedekiah This was done to prevent the rise of a new revolt under a successor. To do it in the sight of the father was to break down all his hope of any rightful successor taking his throne. The narrative in Jeremiah adds that Nebuchadnezzar -slew all the nobles of Judah". Not only was the royal family destroyed, but the men of power and influence were all extinguished.

put out the eyes of Zedekiah This punishment the Philistines inflicted on Samson (Judges 16:21) before they put him in the prison-house. The LXX. had this instance so much in mind that they say Zedekiah was put εἰς οἰκίαν μύλωνος. The deprivation of the eyes was not uncommon in the East as a punishment (cf. Herod. 2 Kings 7:18).

It is very striking to put side by side the two prophecies concerning Zedekiah uttered the one by Jeremiah, the other by Ezekiel. The former said (Ezekiel 34:3) -Thine eyes shall behold the eyes of the king of Babylon, and he shall speak with thee mouth to mouth, and thou shalt go to Babylon (cf. Jeremiah 32:4); the latter (2 Kings 12:13) says of this king -I will bring him to Babylon to the land of the Chaldæans, yet shall he not see it though he shall die there".

and bound him with fetters of brass R.V. in fetters. There is no need to express the metal of which the fetters were made. In English on the contrary we speak of -putting a man in irons" and omit -fetters". The Hebrew word is dual, and properly signifies -double fetters". His legs as well as his hands were shackled.

and carried himto Babylon The narrative in Jeremiah adds -and put him in prison till the day of his death".