Charles Ellicott Commentary 2 Kings 24:20

"For through the anger of Jehovah did it come to pass in Jerusalem and Judah, until he had cast them out from his presence. And Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon." — 2 Kings 24:20 (ASV)

For through ... in Jerusalem. —Literally, for because of the anger of Jehovah, it happened to Jerusalem. What befell Jerusalem and Judah like a ruinous disaster was the evil doing of Zedekiah, mentioned in 2 Kings 24:19. That such a prince as Zedekiah was raised to the throne was itself a sign of Divine displeasure, for his character was such that it hastened the final catastrophe.

Until he had cast them out. —See Note on 2 Kings 17:23.

That Zedekiah rebelled. —Rather, and Zedelciah rebelled. There should be a full stop after “presence.” Zedekiah expected help from Pharaoh Hophra (Apries), king of Egypt, to whom he sent ambassadors (Ezekiel 17:15; Jeremiah 44:30). Moreover, the neighboring peoples of Edom, Ammon, and Moab, as well as Tyre and Sidon, were eager to throw off the Babylonian yoke and had proposed a general uprising to Zedekiah (Jeremiah 27:3 and following).

The high hopes inspired by these negotiations can be inferred from the prophecy of Hananiah (Jeremiah 28:0). Jeremiah opposed the project of revolt with all his might, and the outcome proved that he was right. In the early part of his reign, Zedekiah had tried to obtain the return of the exiles carried away in the previous reign (Jeremiah 29:3). In his fourth year, he visited Babylon himself, perhaps with the same objective and to assure Nebuchadnezzar of his fidelity (Jeremiah 51:59). The date of his open revolt cannot be fixed.