II Chronicles 36 · The Lantern

Jehoahaz Succeeds Josiah

And the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and made him king in place of his father, in Jerusalem.

Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he became king, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem.

And the king of Egypt removed him at Jerusalem; and he fined the land a hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold.

And the king of Egypt made Eliakim his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem, and changed his name to Jehoiakim. And Neco took Jehoahaz his brother and brought him to Egypt.

Jehoiakim Reigns in Judah

Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And he did the evil in the eyes of the LORD his God.

Against him Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, came up; and he bound him with double bronze chains, to lead him to Babylon.

And some of the vessels of the house of the LORD Nebuchadnezzar brought to Babylon, and put them in his temple in Babylon.

And the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, and his abominations that he did, and what was found against him — look, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah. And Jehoiachin his son became king in his place.

Jehoiachin Reigns in Judah

Jehoiachin was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem. And he did the evil in the eyes of the LORD.

And at the turn of the year, King Nebuchadnezzar sent and brought him to Babylon, with the precious vessels of the house of the LORD; and he made Zedekiah his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem.

Zedekiah Reigns in Judah

Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem.

And he did the evil in the eyes of the LORD his God; he did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet, who spoke from the mouth of the LORD.

And he also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God; and he stiffened his neck and hardened his heart against turning back to the LORD, the God of Israel.

And also all the commanders of the priests, and the people, multiplied unfaithfulness upon unfaithfulness, according to all the abominations of the nations; and they defiled the house of the LORD, which he had consecrated in Jerusalem.

The Fall of Jerusalem

And the LORD, the God of their fathers, kept sending to them by the hand of his messengers — rising early and sending — for he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling.

But they kept mocking the messengers of God, and despising his words, and scoffing at his prophets — until the fury of the LORD rose against his people, until there was no healing.

And he brought up against them the king of the Chaldeans; and he killed their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion on young man or virgin, elder or aged. Everything he gave into his hand.

And all the vessels of the house of God, the great and the small, and the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king and of his officials — all of it he brought to Babylon.

And they burned the house of God, and tore down the wall of Jerusalem; and all its palaces they burned with fire, and all its precious vessels were given to destruction.

And he exiled to Babylon the remnant left from the sword; and they became servants to him and to his sons, until the reign of the kingdom of Persia —

to fulfill the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had paid off its sabbaths. All the days of its desolation it kept sabbath — to fulfill seventy years.

The Proclamation of Cyrus

And in the first year of Cyrus, king of Persia, for the completing of the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus, king of Persia; and he passed a voice through all his kingdom, and also in writing, saying: