The weakness of Zedekiah was a sin for which he paid a fearful penalty. The enemy swept down like a resistless avalanche and devastated the city. The Hebrew armies 459 were beaten back in confusion. The nation was conquered. Zedekiah was taken prisoner, and his sons were slain before his eyes. The king was led away from Jerusalem a captive, his eyes were put out, and after arriving in Babylon he perished miserably. The beautiful temple that for more than four centuries had crowned the summit of Mount Zion was not spared by the Chaldeans. "They burnt the house of God, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem, and burnt all the palaces thereof with fire, and destroyed all the goodly vessels thereof." 2 Chronicles 36:19.

Zedekias betalte en frygtelig straf for sin syndige svaghed. Fjenden styrtede over byen som en uimodståelig lavine og ødelagde den. De hebraiske hære blev slået tilbage i forvirring. Riget blev erobret, Zedekias blev taget til fange, og hans sønner blev dræbt for øjnene af ham. Kongen blev ført bort fra Jerusalem som fange, hans øjne blev stukket ud, og da han var kommet til Babylon, fik han en sørgelig død. Kaldæerne sparede ikke det smukke tempel, som i over fire hundrede år havde kronet Zions bjerg. "De stak ild på Guds hus, nedrev Jerusalems mur, opbrændte alle dets borge og ødelagde alle kostelige ting deri." 2Krøn. 36,19.