Jehoiakim’s Rebellion and Death

1Duringa Jehoiakim’s reign,b Nebuchadnezzarc king of Babylond attacked.e Jehoiakim became his vassal for three years, and then he turned and rebelled against him. 2The LORD sent Chaldean, Aramean,f Moabite,g and Ammonite raiders against Jehoiakim. He sent them against Judah to destroy it, according to the word of the LORD He had spoken through His servants the prophets.h 3Indeed, this happened to Judah at the LORD’s command to remove them from His sight.i It was because of the sins of Manasseh, according to all he had done,j 4and also because of all the innocent blood he had shed. He had filled Jerusalem with innocent blood,k and the LORD would not forgive.

5The rest of the events of Jehoiakim’s reign, along with all his accomplishments, are written in the Historical Record of Judah’s Kings.l 6Jehoiakim rested with his fathers, and his son Jehoiachin became king in his place.m

7Now the king of Egypt did not march out of his land again,n for the king of Babylon took everything that belonged to the king of Egypt,o from the Brook of Egypt to the Euphrates River.p

Judah’s King Jehoiachin

8Jehoiachin was 18 years old when he became king and reigned three months in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Nehushta daughter of Elnathan, from Jerusalem.q 9He did what was evil in the LORD’s sight as his father had done.

Deportations to Babylon

10At that timer the servants of Nebuchadnezzars king of Babylon marched up to Jerusalem, and the city came under siege. 11Then King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came to the city while his servants were besieging it. 12Jehoiachin king of Judah, along with his mother, his servants, his commanders, and his officials, surrendered to the king of Babylon.t

So the king of Babylon took him captive in the eighth year of his reign. 13He also carried off from there all the treasures of the LORD’s temple and the treasures of the king’s palace, and he cut into pieces all the gold articles that Solomon king of Israel had madeu for the LORD’s sanctuary, just as God had predicted.v 14Then he deported all Jerusalem and all the commanders and all the fighting men,w 10,000 captives,x and all the craftsmen and metalsmiths.y Except for the poorest people of the land,z no one remained.

15Nebuchadnezzar deported Jehoiachin to Babylon. Also, he took the king’s mother, the king’s wives, his officials, and the leading men of the land into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon.aa 16The king of Babylon also brought captive into Babylon all 7,000 fighting men and 1,000 craftsmen and metalsmiths — all strong and fit for war. 17Then the king of Babylon made Mattaniah, Jehoiachin’sab uncle,ac king in his place and changed his name to Zedekiah.ad

Judah’s King Zedekiah

18Zedekiahae was 21 years old when he became kingaf and reigned 11 years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Hamutalag daughter of Jeremiah, from Libnah. 19Zedekiah did what was evil in the LORD’s sight just as Jehoiakim had done.ah 20Because of the LORD’s anger,ai it came to the point in Jerusalem and Judah that He finally banished them from His presence.aj Then, Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.ak