Definition: And the king of Babylon smote them, and slew them at Riblah in the land of Hamath. So Judah was carried away out of their land.

Explanation: Okay, let's break down this passage from 2 Kings 25:21. It’s a really important story about a devastating event in ancient Israel. Here’s what it means in simple terms: The Basic Story: Babylon was a powerful city: The verse tells us that Babylon, a huge and wealthy city-state, was incredibly strong and had a lot of power. A terrible attack: A massive army from Babylon attacked Judah (a region of Israel) in the area of Riblah. This was a really big and frightening invasion. They were defeated and killed: The Babylonians completely destroyed the people of Judah, killing them all. Moved out of their land: The most significant part of this verse is that after all that devastation, they were forced to leave their homeland – Judah – and become refugees. Let's unpack it a little further: “Smote them” : This means the Babylonians attacked and defeated them severely. It wasn’t just a minor skirmish; it was a full-blown assault. “Slew them at Riblah” : Riblah is a specific place in the region that was targeted during the attack. The verse describes the battle as happening there . “Carried away out of their land” : This is a key phrase. It means they were completely displaced and forced to leave their ancestral homeland, their home. Why is this important? This event is considered a very bad omen for Israel. It showed that even the strongest empire could be defeated by God's judgment. It’s often seen as a sign that something terrible was coming for them. It’s a story about loss, punishment, and the consequences of disobedience. In short: The verse describes a devastating attack by Babylon that led to the complete destruction of the people of Judah and their forced exile. --- Do you want me to explain any specific part of this verse in more detail? For example, I could go into: The context of the time – what was happening in ancient Israel at the time? The significance of Riblah as a location? What this story might mean for Jewish history and faith?