2 Chronicles 36
Chapter 36
Jehoahaz Rules in Judah
1 Then the people of the land took Josiah’s son Jehoahaz and made him the next king in Jerusalem.
2 Jehoahazt was twenty-three years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months.
3 Then he was deposed by the king of Egypt, who demanded that Judah pay 7,500 pounds of silver and 75 pounds of goldt as tribute.
Jehoiakim Rules in Judah
4 The king of Egypt then installed Eliakim, the brother of Jehoahaz, as the next king of Judah and Jerusalem, and he changed Eliakim’s name to Jehoiakim. Then Neco took Jehoahaz to Egypt as a prisoner.
5 Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years. He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD his God.
6 Then King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came to Jerusalem and captured it, and he bound Jehoiakim in bronze chains and led him away to Babylon.
7 Nebuchadnezzar also took some of the treasures from the Temple of the LORD, and he placed them in his palacet in Babylon.
8 The rest of the events in Jehoiakim’s reign, including all the evil things he did and everything found against him, are recorded in The Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah. Then his son Jehoiachin became the next king.
Jehoiachin Rules in Judah
9 Jehoiachin was eighteent years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months and ten days. Jehoiachin did what was evil in the LORD’s sight.
10 In the spring of the yeart King Nebuchadnezzar took Jehoiachin to Babylon. Many treasures from the Temple of the LORD were also taken to Babylon at that time. And Nebuchadnezzar installed Jehoiachin’s uncle,t Zedekiah, as the next king in Judah and Jerusalem.
Zedekiah Rules in Judah
11 Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years.12 He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD his God, and he refused to humble himself when the prophet Jeremiah spoke to him directly from the LORD.
13 He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, even though he had taken an oath of loyalty in God’s name. Zedekiah was a hard and stubborn man, refusing to turn to the LORD, the God of Israel.
14 Likewise, all the leaders of the priests and the people became more and more unfaithful. They followed all the pagan practices of the surrounding nations, desecrating the Temple of the LORD that had been consecrated in Jerusalem.
15 The LORD, the God of their ancestors, repeatedly sent his prophets to warn them, for he had compassion on his people and his Temple.
16 But the people mocked these messengers of God and despised their words. They scoffed at the prophets until the LORD’s anger could no longer be restrained and nothing could be done.
The Fall of Jerusalem
17 So the LORD brought the king of Babylon against them. The Babylonianst killed Judah’s young men, even chasing after them into the Temple. They had no pity on the people, killing both young men and young women, the old and the infirm. God handed all of them over to Nebuchadnezzar.18 The king took home to Babylon all the articles, large and small, used in the Temple of God, and the treasures from both the LORD’s Temple and from the palace of the king and his officials.19 Then his army burned the Temple of God, tore down the walls of Jerusalem, burned all the palaces, and completely destroyed everything of value.t
20 The few who survived were taken as exiles to Babylon, and they became servants to the king and his sons until the kingdom of Persia came to power.
21 So the message of the LORD spoken through Jeremiah was fulfilled. The land finally enjoyed its Sabbath rest, lying desolate until the seventy years were fulfilled, just as the prophet had said.
Cyrus Allows the Exiles to Return
22 In the first year of King Cyrus of Persia,t the LORD fulfilled the prophecy he had given through Jeremiah.t He stirred the heart of Cyrus to put this proclamation in writing and to send it throughout his kingdom:
23 “This is what King Cyrus of Persia says:
“The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth. He has appointed me to build him a Temple at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Any of you who are the LORD’s people may go there for this task. And may the LORD your God be with you!”
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
