2 Kings 24
International Standard Version
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,
Footnotes
- 2 Kings 24:1 Lit. him
- 2 Kings 24:4 The Heb. lacks them
- 2 Kings 24:6 Lit. Jehoiakim slept with
- 2 Kings 24:7 I.e. a seasonal stream or river that channels water during rain seasons but is dry at other times
- 2 Kings 24:13 Lit. He
- 2 Kings 24:13 The Heb. lacks would happen
- 2 Kings 24:17 Lit. installed his
- 2 Kings 24:20 The Heb. lacks these things
2 Kings 24
Common English Bible
24 In Jehoiakim’s days, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon attacked. Jehoiakim had submitted to him for three years, but then Jehoiakim changed his mind and rebelled against him. 2 The Lord sent Chaldean, Aramean, Moabite, and Ammonite raiding parties against Jehoiakim, sending them against Judah in order to destroy it. This was in agreement with the word that the Lord had spoken through his servants the prophets. 3 Indeed, this happened to Judah because the Lord commanded them to be removed from his presence on account of all the sins that Manasseh had committed 4 and because of the innocent blood that he had spilled. Manasseh had filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, and the Lord didn’t want to forgive that.
5 The rest of Jehoiakim’s deeds and all that he accomplished, aren’t they written in the official records of Judah’s kings? 6 Jehoiakim lay down with his ancestors. His son Jehoiachin succeeded him as king.
7 The Egyptian king never left his country again because the Babylonian king had taken over all the territory that had previously belonged to him—from the border of Egypt to the Euphrates River.
Jehoiachin rules Judah
8 Jehoiachin was 18 years old when he became king, and he ruled for three months in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Nehushta; she was Elnathan’s daughter and was from Jerusalem. 9 He did what was evil in the Lord’s eyes, just as all his ancestors had done. 10 At that time, the officers of Babylon’s King Nebuchadnezzar attacked Jerusalem and laid siege to the city. 11 Babylon’s King Nebuchadnezzar himself arrived at the city while his officers were blockading it. 12 Judah’s King Jehoiachin, along with his mother, his servants, his officers, and his officials, came out to surrender to the Babylonian king. The Babylonian king took Jehoiachin prisoner in the eighth year of Jehoiachin’s rule.
13 Nebuchadnezzar also took away all the treasures of the Lord’s temple and of the royal palace. He cut into pieces all the gold objects that Israel’s King Solomon had made for the Lord’s temple, which is exactly what the Lord said would happen. 14 Then Nebuchadnezzar exiled all of Jerusalem: all the officials, all the military leaders—ten thousand exiles—as well as all the skilled workers and metalworkers. No one was left behind except the poorest of the land’s people. 15 Nebuchadnezzar exiled Jehoiachin to Babylon; he also exiled the queen mother, the king’s wives, the officials, and the land’s elite leaders from Jerusalem to Babylon. 16 The Babylonian king also exiled seven thousand warriors—each one a hero trained for battle—as well as a thousand skilled workers and metalworkers to Babylon. 17 Then the Babylonian king made Mattaniah, Jehoiachin’s uncle, succeed Jehoiachin as king. Nebuchadnezzar changed Mattaniah’s name to Zedekiah.
Zedekiah rules Judah
18 Zedekiah was 21 years old when he became king, and he ruled for eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Hamutal; she was Jeremiah’s daughter and was from Libnah. 19 He did what was evil in the Lord’s eyes, just as Jehoiakim had done. 20 It was precisely because the Lord was angry with Jerusalem and Judah that he thrust them out of his presence.
The southern kingdom falls
Now Zedekiah rebelled against the Babylonian king.
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