1During Jehoiakim’s reign, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon invaded the land, and Jehoiakim became his vassal for three years. But then he turned against Nebuchadnezzar and rebelled. 2The Lord sent Babylonian,⚓ Aramean, Moabite and Ammonite raiders against him to destroy Judah, in accordance with the word of the Lord proclaimed by his servants the prophets. 3Surely these things happened to Judah according to the Lord’s command, in order to remove them from his presence because of the sins of Manasseh and all he had done, 4including the shedding of innocent blood. For he had filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, and the Lord was not willing to forgive. 5As for the other events of Jehoiakim’s reign, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? 6Jehoiakim rested with his ancestors. And Jehoiachin his son succeeded him as king. 7The king of Egypt did not march out from his own country again, because the king of Babylon had taken all his territory, from the Wadi of Egypt to the Euphrates River.
Jehoiachin King of Judah
8Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. His mother’s name was Nehushta daughter of Elnathan; she was from Jerusalem. 9He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father had done. 10At that time the officers of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon advanced on Jerusalem and laid siege to it, 11and Nebuchadnezzar himself came up to the city while his officers were besieging it. 12Jehoiachin king of Judah, his mother, his attendants, his nobles and his officials all surrendered to him. In the eighth year of the reign of the king of Babylon, he took Jehoiachin prisoner. 13As the Lord had declared, Nebuchadnezzar removed the treasures from the temple of the Lord and from the royal palace, and cut up the gold articles that Solomon king of Israel had made for the temple of the Lord. 14He carried all Jerusalem into exile: all the officers and fighting men, and all the skilled workers and artisans—a total of ten thousand. Only the poorest people of the land were left. 15Nebuchadnezzar took Jehoiachin captive to Babylon. He also took from Jerusalem to Babylon the king’s mother, his wives, his officials and the prominent people of the land. 16The king of Babylon also deported to Babylon the entire force of seven thousand fighting men, strong and fit for war, and a thousand skilled workers and artisans. 17He made Mattaniah, Jehoiachin’s uncle, king in his place and changed his name to Zedekiah.
Zedekiah King of Judah
18Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years. His mother’s name was Hamutal daughter of Jeremiah; she was from Libnah. 19He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, just as Jehoiakim had done. 20It was because of the Lord’s anger that all this happened to Jerusalem and Judah, and in the end he thrust them from his presence. Now Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.
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Judah Overrun by Enemies
1In ⚓his days Nebuchadnezzar king of ⚓Babylon came up, and Jehoiakim became his vassal for three years. Then he turned and rebelled against him. 2⚓And the Lord sent against him raiding bands of Chaldeans, bands of Syrians, bands of Moabites, and bands of the people of Ammon; He sent them against Judah to destroy it, ⚓according to the word of the Lord which He had spoken by His servants the prophets. 3Surely at the commandment of the Lordthis came upon Judah, to remove them from His sight ⚓because of the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he had done, 4⚓and also because of the innocent blood that he had shed; for he had filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, which the Lord would not pardon. 5Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 6⚓So Jehoiakim rested with his fathers. Then Jehoiachin his son reigned in his place. 7And ⚓the king of Egypt did not come out of his land anymore, for ⚓the king of Babylon had taken all that belonged to the king of Egypt from the Brook of Egypt to the River Euphrates.
The Reign and Captivity of Jehoiachin
8⚓Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. His mother’s name was Nehushta the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem. 9And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father had done. 10⚓At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against Jerusalem, and the city was besieged. 11And Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came against the city, as his servants were besieging it. 12⚓Then Jehoiachin king of Judah, his mother, his servants, his princes, and his officers went out to the king of Babylon; and the king of Babylon, ⚓in the eighth year of his reign, took him prisoner.
The Captivity of Jerusalem
13⚓And he carried out from there all the treasures of the house of the Lord and the treasures of the king’s house, and he ⚓cut in pieces all the articles of gold which Solomon king of Israel had made in the temple of the Lord, ⚓as the Lord had said. 14Also ⚓he carried into captivity all Jerusalem: all the captains and all the mighty men of valor, ⚓ten thousand captives, and ⚓all the craftsmen and smiths. None remained except ⚓the poorest people of the land. 15And ⚓he carried Jehoiachin captive to Babylon. The king’s mother, the king’s wives, his officers, and the mighty of the land he carried into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon. 16⚓All the valiant men, seven thousand, and craftsmen and smiths, one thousand, all whowere strong and fit for war, these the king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon.
Zedekiah Reigns in Judah
17Then ⚓the king of Babylon made Mattaniah, ⚓Jehoiachin’s uncle, king in his place, and ⚓changed his name to Zedekiah. 18⚓Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was⚓Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. 19⚓He also did evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all that Jehoiakim had done. 20For because of the anger of the Lordthis happened in Jerusalem and Judah, that He finally cast them out from His presence. ⚓Then Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.