2 Chronicles 36

The Reign and Captivity of Jehoahaz

1 Then the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and made him king in his fathers place in Jerusalem.2 Jehoahaz was twenty-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 made Jehoahazs brother 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 Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And he did evil in the sight of the Lord his God.6 Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against him, and bound him in bronze fetters to carry him off to Babylon.7 Nebuchadnezzar also carried off some of the articles from the house of the Lord to 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 they are written 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 Jehoiachin was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months and ten days. And he did evil in the sight of the Lord.10 At the turn of the year King Nebuchadnezzar summoned him and took him to Babylon, with the costly articles from the house of the Lord, and made Zedekiah, Jehoiakims brother, king over Judah and Jerusalem.

Zedekiah Reigns in Judah

11 Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem.12 He did evil in the sight of the Lord his God, and did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet, who spoke from the mouth of the Lord.13 And he also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear an oath by God; but he stiffened his neck and hardened his heart against turning to the Lord God of Israel.14 Moreover all the leaders of the priests and the people transgressed more and more, according to all the abominations of the nations, and defiled the house of the Lord which He had consecrated in Jerusalem.

The Fall of Jerusalem

15 And the Lord God of their fathers sent warnings to them by His messengers, rising up early and sending them, because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place.16 But they mocked the messengers of God, despised His words, and scoffed at His prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against His people, till there was no remedy.17 Therefore He brought against them the king of the Chaldeans, who killed 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 gave them all into his hand.18 And all the articles from the house of God, great and small, the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king and of his leaders, all these he 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 And those 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 the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her Sabbaths. As long as she lay desolate she 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 the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying,23 Thus says Cyrus king of Persia:
All the kingdoms of the earth the Lord God of heaven has given me. And He has commanded me to build Him a house at Jerusalem which is in Judah. Who is among you of all His people? May the Lord his God be with him, and let him go up!

2 Chronicles 36

Jehoahaz’s Reign

1 The people of the land took Jehoahaz son of Josiah and made him king in his father’s place in Jerusalem.s2 Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he became king, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem.3 The king of Egypt prevented him from ruling in Jerusalem and imposed on the land a special taxt of one hundred talentst of silver and a talent of gold.

4 The king of Egypt made Jehoahaz’st brother Eliakim king over Judah and Jerusalem, and changed his name to Jehoiakim. Necho seized his brother Jehoahaz and took him to Egypt.

Jehoiakim’s Reign

5 Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned for eleven years in Jerusalem.s He did evil in the sight oft the Lord his God.6 King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon attacked him,t bound him with bronze chains, and carried him awayt to Babylon.

7 Nebuchadnezzar took some of the items in the Lord’s temple to Babylon and put them in his palacet there.t

8 The rest of the events of Jehoiakim’s reign, including the horrible sins he committed and his shortcomings, are recorded in the Scroll of the Kings of Israel and Judah.t His son Jehoiachin replaced him as king.

Jehoiachin’s Reign

9 Jehoiachin was eighteens years old when he became king, and he reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem.s He did evil in the sight oft the Lord.

10 At the beginning of the year King Nebuchadnezzar ordered him to be broughtt to Babylon, along with the valuable items in the Lord’s temple. In his place he made his relativet Zedekiah king over Judah and Jerusalem.

Zedekiah’s Reign

11 Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he ruled for eleven years in Jerusalem.s12 He did evil in the sight oft the Lord his God. He did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet, the Lord’s spokesman.13 He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him vow allegiancet in the name of God. He was stubborn and obstinate, and refused to returnt to the Lord God of Israel.

14 All the leaders of the priests and people became more unfaithful and committed the same horrible sins practiced by the nations.t They defiled the Lord’s temple which he had consecrated in Jerusalem.

The Babylonians Destroy Jerusalem

15 The Lord God of their ancestorst continually warned them through his messengers,t for he felt compassion for his people and his dwelling place.16 But they mocked God’s messengers, despised his warnings,t and ridiculed his prophets.t Finally the Lord got very angry at his people and there was no one who could prevent his judgment.t17 He brought against them the king of the Babylonians, who slaughteredt their young men in their temple.t He did not sparet young men or women, or even the old and aging. Godt handed everyone over to him.18 He carried away to Babylon all the items in God’s temple, whether large or small, as well as what was in the treasuries of the Lord’s temple and in the treasuries of the king and his officials.19 They burned down the Lord’s temple and tore down the wall of Jerusalem.s They burned all its fortified buildings and destroyed all its valuable items.20 He deported to Babylon all who escaped the sword. They served him and his sons until the Persian kingdom rose to power.

21 This took place to fulfill the Lord’s message delivered through Jeremiah.t The land experiencedt its sabbatical years;s it remained desolate for seventy years,s as prophesied.ts

Cyrus Allows the Exiles to Go Home

22 In the first year of the reign oft King Cyrus of Persia, in fulfillment of the promise he delivered through Jeremiah,ts the Lord movedt King Cyrus of Persia to issue a written decree throughout his kingdom.

23 It read: “This is what King Cyrus of Persia says: ‘The Lord God of the heavens has given to me all the kingdoms of the earth. He has appointed me to build for him a temple in Jerusalems in Judah. May the Lord your God energize you who belong to his people, so you may be able to go back there!”t