Commentary for II Kings 25:4
וַתִּבָּקַ֣ע הָעִ֗יר וְכָל־אַנְשֵׁ֨י הַמִּלְחָמָ֤ה ׀ הַלַּ֙יְלָה֙ דֶּ֜רֶךְ שַׁ֣עַר ׀ בֵּ֣ין הַחֹמֹתַ֗יִם אֲשֶׁר֙ עַל־גַּ֣ן הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וְכַשְׂדִּ֥ים עַל־הָעִ֖יר סָבִ֑יב וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ דֶּ֥רֶךְ הָעֲרָבָֽה׃
Then a breach was made in the city, and all the men of war [fled] by night by the way of the gate between the two walls, which was by the king’s garden—now the Chaldeans were against the city round about—and the king went by the way of the Arabah.
Rashi on II Kings
By way of the gate between the two walls. A cave went from his house until the Plains of Yericho, and he fled through the cave. The Holy One, Blessed Is He, ordained a deer walking on the roof of the cave. and the Kasdim pursued the deer, and when they reached the cave's entrance in the Plains of Yericho, they saw him and captured him. This is what [Scripture] states, ”And I will spread My net over him, and he shall be caught in My snare.”2Yechezkeil 12:13.
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Ralbag on II Kings
Then a breach was made in the city: This means, "(a breach was made) by the Babylonian army."
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Ralbag on II Kings
and all the men of war [fled] by night: This means they fled at night when they saw the army of Babylon entering the city.
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Ralbag on II Kings
by the way of the gate between the two walls: This means that they went out by a path that was between two walls in order that the Babylonians would not see them and not notice them.
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Ralbag on II Kings
which was by the king's garden: This means near the king's garden.
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Ralbag on II Kings
and the king went by the way of the Arabah: This means that the King went through the wilderness so that the Babylonians would not notice him.
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