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.
All the strong warriors—seven thousand of them—plus a thousand skilled craftsmen and metalworkers, everyone who was strong and capable of fighting, the king of Babylon took as prisoners to Babylon.
The writer is describing how the Babylonian king captured and deported all of Jerusalem's strongest people—warriors and skilled workers—to prevent any future rebellion.
📚 Historical Context
This occurred in 597 BC when King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon conquered Jerusalem and took King Jehoiachin captive. The Babylonians strategically removed the most capable people from Judah to weaken the nation and prevent uprising. This was the first major deportation, with a second larger one following in 586 BC when Jerusalem was completely destroyed.
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