2 Kings 24

Tree of Life Version

Judah Exiled to Babylon

24 In his days, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon invaded, so Jehoiakim became his vassal for three years. But he turned and rebelled against him. ² Then Adonai sent against him marauding bands of the Chaldeans, Arameans, Moabites and Ammonites—He sent them against Judah to destroy it, as was the word of Adonai that He had spoken by the hand of His servants the prophets. ³ Surely at the command of Adonai this happened to Judah, to banish them from His presence, because of all the sins of Manasseh and all that he had committed, ⁴ and also because of the innocent blood that he had shed—for he had filled Jerusalem with innocent blood that Adonai was not willing to pardon. ⁵ 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? ⁶ So Jehoiakim slept with his fathers, and his son Jehoiachin became king in his place.

⁷ No longer did the king of Egypt march out of his country, for the king of Babylon had seized all the land that once belonged to the king of Egypt, from the Wadi of Egypt to the Euphrates River. ⁸ Jehoiachin was 18 years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for three months. His mother’s name was Nehushta daughter of Elnatan of Jerusalem. ⁹ But he did what was evil in Adonai’s eyes, like all his father had done.

¹⁰ At that time, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon’s troops marched against Jerusalem and the city fell under siege. ¹¹ Then King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon himself arrived at the city while his troops were besieging it. ¹² Then King Jehoiachin of Judah, his mother, his courtiers, his officials, and his eunuchs surrendered to the king of Babylon. So the king of Babylon took him captive in the eighth year of his reign. ¹³ He also carried off from there all the treasures of Adonai’s House and the treasures of the royal palace, and cut in pieces all the vessels of gold that King Solomon of Israel had made in the Temple of Adonai—just as Adonai had said. ¹⁴ Then He exiled all Jerusalem—all the captains, all the mighty men of valor, all the craftsmen and the smiths—10,000 exiles. None was left except the poorest sort of the people of the land.

¹⁵ So he deported Jehoiachin to Babylon, along with the king’s mother, the king’s wives, his officials and the notables of the land—he deported all as captives from Jerusalem to Babylon. ¹⁶ All the men of valor, 7,000 strong and fit for war, and 1,000 craftsmen and smiths, the king of Babylon also took as captives to Babylon.

¹⁷ Then the king of Babylon appointed Mattaniah, Jehoiachin’s uncle, king in his place, and changed his name to Zedekiah. ¹⁸ Zedekiah was 21 years old when he became king, and he reigned 11 years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Hamutal daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. ¹⁹ But he did what was evil in Adonai’s eyes, according to all that Jehoiakim had done. ²⁰ For through the anger of Adonai it came to a point in Jerusalem and Judah that He finally banished them from His presence.

Then Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.