The Reign and Captivity of Jehoahaz
1 Thenthe people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and made him king in his father’s place in Jerusalem.
2 Jehoahazwastwenty-three years old when he became king, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem.
3 Now the king of Egypt deposed him at Jerusalem; and he imposed on the land a tribute of one hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold.
4 Then the king of Egypt madeJehoahaz’sbrother Eliakim king over Judah and Jerusalem, and changed his name to Jehoiakim. And Necho took Jehoahaz his brother and carried him off to Egypt.
The Reign and Captivity of Jehoiakim
5 Jehoiakimwastwenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And he didevil in the sight of theLordhis God.
6 Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against him, and bound him in bronzefetterstocarry him off to Babylon.
7 Nebuchadnezzar also carried offsomeof the articles from the house of theLordto Babylon, and put them in his temple at Babylon.
8 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, the abominations which he did, and what was found against him, indeed theyarewritten in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah. Then Jehoiachin his son reigned in his place.
The Reign and Captivity of Jehoiachin
9 Jehoiachinwaseight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months and ten days. And he did evil in the sight of theLord.
10 At the turn of the yearKing Nebuchadnezzar summonedhimand took him to Babylon,with the costly articles from the house of theLord, and madeZedekiah,Jehoiakim’sbrother, king over Judah and Jerusalem.
Zedekiah Reigns in Judah
11 Zedekiahwastwenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem.
12 He did evil in the sight of theLordhis God,anddid not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet,whospokefrom the mouth of theLord.
13 And he alsorebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swearanoathby God; but hestiffened his neck and hardened his heart against turning to theLordGod of Israel.
14 Moreover all the leaders of the priests and the people transgressed more and more,accordingto all the abominations of the nations, and defiled the house of theLordwhich He had consecrated in Jerusalem.
The Fall of Jerusalem
15 And theLordGod of their fathers sentwarningsto them by His messengers, rising up early and sendingthem,because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place.
16 Butthey mocked the messengers of God,despised His words, andscoffed at His prophets, until thewrath of theLordarose against His people, tilltherewasno remedy.
17 Therefore He brought against them the king of the Chaldeans, whokilled their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion on young man or virgin, on the aged or the weak; He gavethemall into his hand.
18 And all the articles from the house of God, great and small, the treasures of the house of theLord, and the treasures of the king and of his leaders, allthesehe took to Babylon.
19 Then they burned the house of God, broke down the wall of Jerusalem, burned all its palaces with fire, and destroyed all its precious possessions.
20 Andthose who escaped from the sword he carried away to Babylon,where they became servants to him and his sons until the rule of the kingdom of Persia,
21 to fulfill the word of theLordby the mouth ofJeremiah, until the landhad enjoyed her Sabbaths. As long as she lay desolateshe kept Sabbath, to fulfill seventy years.
The Proclamation of Cyrus
22 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of theLordby the mouth ofJeremiah might be fulfilled, theLordstirred up the spirit ofCyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and alsoputitin writing, saying,
23 Thus says Cyrus king of Persia:
All the kingdoms of the earth theLordGod of heaven has given me. And He has commanded me to build Him a house at Jerusalem which is in Judah. Whoisamong you of all His people? May theLordhis Godbewith him, and let him go up!