This verse describes the brutal fate of King Zedekiah of Judah after the Babylonian army captured Jerusalem. Let's break down the meaning:

"They killed Zedekiah’s sons before his eyes..." This is a demonstration of cruelty and a calculated humiliation. The Babylonians forced Zedekiah to witness the execution of his own sons, ensuring he would never forget the demise of his lineage and his kingdom. It also symbolically ended his dynasty.

"...then put out Zedekiah’s eyes..." Blinding Zedekiah served several purposes. It physically prevented him from ever seeing his kingdom or ruling again. Symbolically, it represented the complete loss of his power, knowledge, and vision for the future. He would forever live in darkness, a constant reminder of his failure and the fall of Judah.

"...bound him in fetters..." "Fetters" are restraints, usually shackles or chains for the legs. This shows that Zedekiah was taken as a prisoner and stripped of his royal status.

"...and carried him to Babylon." Taking Zedekiah to Babylon served as a public display of Babylonian dominance and the completeness of their victory over Judah. He was paraded as a captured king, further humiliating him and demonstrating Babylon's power to its own people and other nations. He would likely spend the rest of his days in captivity.

In essence, this verse represents the complete destruction of Zedekiah's power, lineage, and kingdom. It is a powerful image of defeat and humiliation, emphasizing the devastating consequences of Judah's rebellion against Babylon. It serves as a stark warning in the biblical narrative about the importance of obedience to God (in this context, interpreted as avoiding rebellion against God's ordained authority, which, from the perspective of the biblical authors, was demonstrated through the consequences of Zedekiah's actions).