1 During the reign of Jehoiakim, Nebuchadnezzar, kind of Babylon, invaded the country and Jehoiakim submitted to him. But after three years Jehoiakim rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar. 2 Then the Lord sent bands of raiders against Judah to destroy them. They came from Babylonia, Aram, Moab, and Ammon, just as the Lord had said through his servants the prophets. 3 The Lord spoke against Judah to banish them from his presence because of all the sins that Manasseh had committed, and the innocent people he had killed, 4 filling Jerusalem with their blood. The Lord was not willing to forgive this.

5 The rest of what happened in Jehoiakim's reign, and all he did, are recorded in the Book of Chronicles of the Kings of Judah. 6 Jehoiakim died, and his son Jehoiachin succeeded him as king.

7 The king of Egypt didn't leave his country again for the king of Babylon had taken all the territory that used to belong to him, from the Wadi of Egypt all the way to the Euphrates River.

8 Jehoiachin was eighteen when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for three months. His mother was Nehushta, daughter of Elnathan. She came from Jerusalem. 9 Jehoiachin did what was evil in the Lord's sight, just as his father had done.

10 At that time the officers of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon attacked Jerusalem and besieged it. 11 Then Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon came himself while his officers were besieging the city. 12 Jehoiachin, king of Israel, surrendered to the king of Babylon, along with his mother, his officers, his commanders, and his officials.

It was in the eighth year of his reign that Nebuchadnezzar captured Jehoiachin. 13 Nebuchadnezzar took all the treasures from the Lord's Temple and the royal palace, and he cut up all the gold items that Solomon, king of Israel, had made for the Lord's Temple, as the Lord had said would happen. 14 He deported all of Jerusalem, all the commanders and experienced soldiers, all the craftsmen and metalworkers, a total of ten thousand prisoners. Only the very poor people of the land were left.

15 He took Jehoiachin away into exile to Babylon, as well as the king's mother and the king's wives and his officials and the leading men of the land, he deported them all from Jerusalem to Babylon. 16 The king of Babylon also deported to Babylon all seven thousand fighting men and one thousand craftsmen and metalworkers, who were all strong and ready for battle.

17 The king of Babylon made Mattaniah, Jehoiachin's uncle, king instead of him, and changed his name to Zedekiah.

18 Zedekiah was twenty-one when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for eleven years. His mother's name was Hamutal, daughter of Jeremiah She came from Libnah. 19 He did evil in the Lord's sight, just as Jehoiakim had done.

20 All this happened in Jerusalem and Judah, because of the Lord's anger, until he eventually banished them from his presence.

Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.

<- 2 Kings 232 Kings 25 ->