מלכים ב, פרק כ״ה, פסוק ז׳

The defeat of King Zedekiah ended with a calculated sequence of severe abuse and physical harm. The punishment inflicted upon the fallen king was designed to maximize his suffering. First, the Babylonians slaughtered his sons right in front of him. This horrific act was done specifically to torture him, and only after he was forced to witness their deaths did his captors blind him as a punishment [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Following this devastating loss and the destruction of his sight, the king was bound in heavy copper chains [מצודת ציון, ביאור שטיינזלץ].