24 約雅敬執政期間,巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒進犯,約雅敬臣服於他,三年後又背叛了他。 耶和華差遣迦勒底人、亞蘭人、摩押人和亞捫人來攻打約雅敬,毀滅猶大,正如祂藉著祂的僕人——眾先知所說的。 這些災禍臨到猶大是出自耶和華的命令。耶和華要把猶大人從自己面前趕走,是因為瑪拿西所犯的一切罪。 瑪拿西濫殺無辜,使耶路撒冷血流遍地,耶和華不會赦免這些罪行。 約雅敬其他的事及其一切所作所為都記在猶大的列王史上。 約雅敬與祖先同眠後,他兒子約雅斤繼位。 埃及王不再邁出國境,因為巴比倫王奪取了從埃及小河至幼發拉底河之間的埃及領土。

約雅斤做猶大王

約雅斤十八歲登基,在耶路撒冷執政三個月。他母親叫尼護施她,是耶路撒冷人以利拿單的女兒。 他像他父親一樣做耶和華視為惡的事。 10 那時,巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒派將領圍攻耶路撒冷。 11 圍城期間,尼布甲尼撒親自來到耶路撒冷。 12 猶大王約雅斤及其母親、臣僕和文官武將向尼布甲尼撒投降。巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒在他執政第八年俘虜了約雅斤, 13 拿走了耶和華殿裡和王宮裡的寶物,以及所羅門王為耶和華的殿所造的金器,正如耶和華所言。 14 他又擄走住在耶路撒冷的所有將領、勇士、工匠和鐵匠共一萬人,只留下了境內最貧窮的人。 15 他把約雅斤及其母親、妃嬪、臣僕和國中政要從耶路撒冷擄到巴比倫。 16 此外被擄的還有能征善戰的勇士七千人,工匠和鐵匠一千人。

17 巴比倫王讓約雅斤的叔叔瑪探雅代替約雅斤做王,給瑪探雅改名叫西底迦。

西底迦做猶大王

18 西底迦二十一歲登基,在耶路撒冷執政十一年。他母親叫哈慕她,是立拿人耶利米的女兒。 19 西底迦像約雅敬一樣做耶和華視為惡的事。 20 因此,耶和華向耶路撒冷和猶大的人發怒,把他們從祂面前趕走。

耶路撒冷陷落

後來,西底迦背叛了巴比倫王。

约雅敬卒子约雅斤嗣位

24 约雅敬年间,巴比伦尼布甲尼撒上到犹大约雅敬服侍他三年,然后背叛他。 耶和华使迦勒底军、亚兰军、摩押军和亚扪人的军来攻击约雅敬,毁灭犹大,正如耶和华借他仆人众先知所说的。 这祸临到犹大人诚然是耶和华所命的,要将他们从自己面前赶出,是因玛拿西所犯的一切罪, 又因他流无辜人的血,充满了耶路撒冷;耶和华决不肯赦免。 约雅敬其余的事,凡他所行的,都写在《犹大列王记》上。 约雅敬与他列祖同睡。他儿子约雅斤接续他做王。 埃及王不再从他国中出来,因为巴比伦王将埃及王所管之地,从埃及小河直到幼发拉底河,都夺去了。

约雅斤登基的时候年十八岁,在耶路撒冷做王三个月。他母亲名叫尼护施她,是耶路撒冷以利拿单的女儿。 约雅斤行耶和华眼中看为恶的事,效法他父亲一切所行的。

巴比伦王围攻耶路撒冷

10 那时,巴比伦尼布甲尼撒的军兵上到耶路撒冷,围困城。 11 当他军兵围困城的时候,巴比伦尼布甲尼撒就亲自来了。 12 犹大约雅斤和他母亲、臣仆、首领、太监一同出城,投降巴比伦王。巴比伦王便拿住他,那时是巴比伦王第八年。

约雅斤与臣民被掳至巴比伦

13 巴比伦王将耶和华殿和王宫里的宝物都拿去了,将以色列所罗门所造耶和华殿里的金器都毁坏了,正如耶和华所说的。 14 又将耶路撒冷的众民和众首领并所有大能的勇士,共一万人,连一切木匠、铁匠,都掳了去,除了国中极贫穷的人以外,没有剩下的。 15 并将约雅斤和王母、后妃、太监与国中的大官,都从耶路撒冷掳到巴比伦去了。 16 又将一切勇士七千人和木匠铁匠一千人,都是能上阵的勇士,全掳到巴比伦去了。

巴比伦王立西底家做王

17 巴比伦王立约雅斤的叔叔玛探雅代替他做王,给玛探雅改名叫西底家

18 西底家登基的时候年二十一岁,在耶路撒冷做王十一年。他母亲名叫哈慕她,是立拿耶利米的女儿。 19 西底家行耶和华眼中看为恶的事,是照约雅敬一切所行的。 20 因此耶和华的怒气在耶路撒冷犹大发作,以致将人民从自己面前赶出。

Babylon Controls Jehoiakim

24 (A)In his days Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up, and Jehoiakim became his servant for three years; then he turned and rebelled against him. The Lord sent against him (B)bands of Chaldeans, (C)bands of Arameans, (D)bands of Moabites, and bands of Ammonites. So He sent them against Judah to destroy it, (E)according to the word of the Lord which He had spoken through His servants the prophets. (F)Surely at the [a]command of the Lord it came upon Judah, to remove them from His sight (G)because of the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he had done, and (H)also for the innocent blood which he shed, for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood; and the Lord would not forgive. Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?

Jehoiachin Reigns

So (I)Jehoiakim slept with his fathers, and Jehoiachin his son became king in his place. (J)The king of Egypt did not come out of his land again, (K)for the king of Babylon had taken all that belonged to the king of Egypt from (L)the brook of Egypt to the river Euphrates.

(M)Jehoiachin was (N)eighteen years old when he became king, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Nehushta the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem. He did evil in the sight of the Lord, (O)according to all that his father had done.

Deportation to Babylon

10 At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon went up to Jerusalem, and the city came under siege. 11 And Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon came to the city, while his servants were besieging it. 12 (P)Jehoiachin the king of Judah went out to the king of Babylon, he and his mother and his servants and his captains and his officials. So (Q)the king of Babylon took him captive in the eighth year of his reign. 13 (R)He carried out from there all the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king’s house, and (S)cut in pieces all the vessels of gold (T)which Solomon king of Israel had made in the temple of the Lord, just as the Lord had said. 14 Then (U)he led away into exile all Jerusalem and all the captains and all the mighty men of valor, (V)ten thousand captives, and (W)all the craftsmen and the smiths. None remained (X)except the poorest people of the land.

15 So (Y)he led Jehoiachin away into exile to Babylon; also the king’s mother and the king’s wives and his officials and the leading men of the land, he led away into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. 16 All the men of valor, (Z)seven thousand, and the craftsmen and the smiths, one thousand, all strong and fit for war, and these the king of Babylon brought into exile to Babylon.

Zedekiah Made King

17 (AA)Then the king of Babylon made [b]his uncle Mattaniah king in his place, and changed his name to Zedekiah.

18 (AB)Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was (AC)Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. 19 He did evil in the sight of the Lord, (AD)according to all that Jehoiakim had done. 20 For (AE)through the anger of the Lord this came about in Jerusalem and Judah until He cast them out from His presence. And (AF)Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 24:3 Lit mouth
  2. 2 Kings 24:17 I.e. Jehoiachin’s uncle