36Then the people of the land took Josiah's son Jehoahaz and made him the next king in Jerusalem.H5971H776H3947H3059H1121H2977H4427H1H33892Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months.H3099H6242H7969H8141H1121H4427H4427H7969H2320H33893Then he was deposed by the king of Egypt, who demanded that Judah pay 7,500 pounds of silver and 75 pounds of gold as tribute.H4428H4714H5493H3389H6064H776H3967H3603H3701H3603H2091
Jehoiakim Rules in Judah
4The 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.H4428H4714H471H251H4427H3063H3389H5437H8034H3079H5224H3947H3099H251H935H47145Jehoiakim 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.H3079H6242H2568H8141H1121H4427H4427H259H6240H8141H3389H6213H7451H5869H3068H4306Then King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came to Jerusalem and captured it, and he bound Jehoiakim in bronze chains and led him away to Babylon.H5927H5019H4428H894H631H5178H3212H8947Nebuchadnezzar also took some of the treasures from the Temple of the LORD, and he placed them in his palace in Babylon.H5019H935H3627H1004H3068H894H5414H1964H8948The 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.H3499H1697H3079H8441H6213H4672H3789H5612H4428H3478H3063H3078H1121H4427
Jehoiachin Rules in Judah
9Jehoiachin was eighteen 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.H3078H8083H8141H1121H4427H4427H7969H2320H6235H3117H3389H6213H7451H5869H306810In the spring of the year 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, Zedekiah, as the next king in Judah and Jerusalem.H8141H8666H4428H5019H7971H935H894H2532H3627H1004H3068H6667H251H4427H3063H3389
Zedekiah Rules in Judah
11Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years.H6667H259H6242H8141H1121H4427H4427H259H6240H8141H338912He 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.H6213H7451H5869H3068H430H3665H6440H3414H5030H6310H306813He 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.H4775H4428H5019H7650H430H7185H6203H553H3824H7725H3068H430H347814Likewise, 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.H8269H3548H5971H4603H4604H7235H8441H1471H2930H1004H3068H6942H338915The LORD, the God of their ancestors, repeatedly sent his prophets to warn them, for he had compassion on his people and his Temple.H3068H430H1H7971H3027H4397H7925H7971H2550H5971H458316But 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.H3931H4397H430H959H1697H8591H5030H2534H3068H5927H5971H4832
The Fall of Jerusalem
17So the LORD brought the king of Babylon against them. The Babylonians 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.H5927H4428H3778H2026H970H2719H1004H4720H2550H970H1330H2205H3486H5414H302718The 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.H3627H1004H430H1419H6996H214H1004H3068H214H4428H8269H935H89419Then his army burned the Temple of God, tore down the walls of Jerusalem, burned all the palaces, and completely destroyed everything of value.H8313H1004H430H5422H2346H3389H8313H759H784H7843H4261H362720The 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.H7611H2719H1540H894H5650H1121H4427H4438H653921So 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.H4390H1697H3068H6310H3414H776H7521H7676H3117H8074H7673H4390H7657H8141
Cyrus Allows the Exiles to Return
22In the first year of King Cyrus of Persia, the LORD fulfilled the prophecy he had given through Jeremiah. He stirred the heart of Cyrus to put this proclamation in writing and to send it throughout his kingdom.H259H8141H3566H4428H6539H1697H3068H6310H3414H3615H3068H5782H7307H3566H4428H6539H5674H6963H4438H4385H55923"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!"H559H3566H4428H6539H4467H776H3068H430H8064H5414H6485H1129H1004H3389H3063H5971H3068H430H5927
Ashburn, VA
was twenty-three years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months.H3099
