Jehoiakim Serves Nebuchadnezzar

24 During his lifetime, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon attacked Jehoiakim, who became his vassal for three years, after which he turned against Nebuchadnezzar^[a] and rebelled. ² The Lord sent raiding parties from the Chaldeans, Arameans, Moabites, and Ammonites against Jehoiakim. He sent them against Judah to destroy it, in keeping with the message from the Lord that he had spoken through his servants, the prophets. ³ It was truly by the command of the Lord against Judah that it came, in order to remove them from his sight, because of every sin that Manasseh had committed, ⁴ as well as for the innocent blood that he had shed. He had filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, and the Lord would not forgive them.^{[b] 5} Now the rest of Jehoiakim’s actions, and everything that he undertook, are recorded in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah, are they not? ⁶ Jehoiakim died, as did^[c] his ancestors, and his son Jehoiachin became king in his place. ⁷ The king of Egypt did not leave his territory again, because the king of Babylon had taken everything that belonged to the king of Egypt from the Wadi^[d] of Egypt to the Euphrates River.

Jehoiachin Becomes King

⁸ Jehoiachin became king at the age of eighteen years, and he reigned for three months in Jerusalem. His mother was named Hausa. She was the daughter of Elzaphan of Jerusalem. ⁹ He practiced what the Lord considered to be evil, just as his ancestors had done. ¹⁰ At that time, the servants of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon attacked Jerusalem and the city was placed under siege. ¹¹ King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came up against the city, along with his servants, who besieged it. ¹² King Jehoiachin of Judah surrendered to the king of Babylon (as did his mother, his servants, his princes, and his officers) during the eighth year of his reign.

Jerusalem’s Citizens are Sent into Exile

¹³ Nebuchadnezzar^[e] carried off from there all of the treasures of the Lord’s Temple, along with the treasures in the king’s palace. He cut into pieces all the gold vessels in the Lord’s Temple that King Solomon of Israel had made, just as the Lord had said would happen.^{[f] 14} Then Nebuchadnezzar sent away into exile all of Jerusalem—all the captains, all the valiant soldiers, 10,000 captives, and all of the craftsmen and ironworkers. Nobody remained except the poorest people of the land. ¹⁵ He sent Jehoiachin into exile to Babylon, along with the king’s mother, the king’s wives, his officials, and the leading men of the land. He took them into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. ¹⁶ All 7,000 of the most valiant soldiers and 1,000 of the craftsmen and ironworkers—all physically fit and trained for battle—were brought by the king of Babylon into exile in Babylon.

Zedekiah is Installed as King

¹⁷ The king of Babylon installed Jehoiachin’s^[g] uncle Mattaniah as king in his place and then changed his name to Zedekiah. ¹⁸ Zedekiah was 21 years old when he became king. He reigned for eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother was named Hamutal. She was the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. ¹⁹ Zedekiah practiced what the Lord considered to be evil, just as Jehoiakim had done, ²⁰ because through the Lord’s anger these things happened^[h] to Jerusalem and Judah until he threw them from his presence.

Nebuchadnezzar Captures Jerusalem

²⁰ Zedekiah then rebelled against the king of Babylon,