2 Kings 24
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 24
1 [a]During his reign Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, came up, and Jehoiakim became his vassal for three years. He then changed his path and rebelled against him.
2 The Lord sent bands of Chaldeans, bands of Arameans, bands of Moabites, and bands of Ammonites against him. They attacked Judah to destroy it, fulfilling the word of the Lord which he had spoken through his servants, the prophets. 3 This surely came upon Judah at the command of the Lord so that he might remove them from out of his sight on account of the sins of Manasseh and everything that he had done 4 and on account of the innocent blood that he had shed, for he covered Jerusalem with innocent blood, something that the Lord would not forgive.
5 As for the rest of the deeds of Jehoiakim, all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
6 Jehoiakim slept with his fathers, and Jehoiachin, his son, reigned in his stead.
7 The king of Egypt did not come out of his land anymore because the king of Babylon had taken everything that belonged to him all the way from the River of Egypt up to the Euphrates River.
Reign of Jehoiachin.[b] 8 Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for three months in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Nehushta. She was the daughter of Elnathan from Jerusalem.
9 He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, everything that his fathers had done. 10 During his reign, the servants of Nebu-chadnezzar, the king of Babylon, came up to Jerusalem and the city was besieged. 11 Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem while his servants were besieging it.
12 Jehoiachin, the king of Judah, went out to the king of Babylon, he, his mother, his servants, his princes, and his officials. The king of Babylon carried him off during the eighth year of his reign. 13 He carried off all of the treasures from the temple of the Lord and the treasures from the royal palace. He cut to pieces all of the gold vessels that Solomon, the king of Israel, had made for the temple of the Lord, just as the Lord had foretold. 14 He carried away all of Jerusalem and all of its princes and all of its brave warriors. There were ten thousand captives, and no craftsmen or iron smiths remained, only the poorest of the people were left. 15 He carried Jehoiachin off to Babylon along with the king’s mother, the king’s wives, his officers, and the important people of the land. He carried them off into captivity in Babylon. 16 The king of Babylon brought them into captivity, all of the important people, seven thousand of them, and the craftsmen and iron smiths, one thousand of them, and all of those who were strong and ready for war.
17 The king of Babylon made Mattaniah king in his father’s stead, and he changed his name to Zedekiah.
18 Reign of Zedekiah.[c] Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Hamutal. She was the daughter of Jeremiah from Libnah.
19 He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, everything that Jehoiakim had done. 20 This happened to Jerusalem and Judah on account of the anger of the Lord, and he cast them out from his presence. Zedekiah then rebelled against the king of Babylon.
Footnotes
- 2 Kings 24:1 Egyptian overlordship ceased after the battle of Carchemish (605 B.C.), which changed the map of the Middle East. Babylonia then came on the scene of history to execute the judgment of God. Indeed, according to the author, everything that happens has its source in the anger of God at the infidelity of the people; Jeremiah will describe this anger as seen through the prism of his own sensibilities. See in Jer 36 an incident in which Jehoiakim shows his contempt for the prophet.
- 2 Kings 24:8 King Jehoiachin pays for the rebellion of his father: he is deported along with the entire court and selected members of the population. The temple is sacked. This king’s name is given as Jechoniah or Coniah in Jeremiah and in Mt 1:11-12.
- 2 Kings 24:18 Zedekiah brings the sin of Judah to its completion and hastens the destruction of the country. The section from 24:18—25:30 is repeated as the conclusion of the Book of Jeremiah (ch. 52). In Jer 37–38, there is also a record of the meetings and conversation between the prophet (who urges the uselessness of resistance) and the king.
2 Kings 24
King James Version
24 In his days Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up, and Jehoiakim became his servant three years: then he turned and rebelled against him.
2 And the Lord sent against him bands of the Chaldees, and bands of the Syrians, and bands of the Moabites, and bands of the children of Ammon, and sent them against Judah to destroy it, according to the word of the Lord, which he spake by his servants the prophets.
3 Surely at the commandment of the Lord came this upon Judah, to remove them out of his sight, for the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he did;
4 And also for the innocent blood that he shed: for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood; which the Lord would not 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 Jehoiachin his son reigned in his stead.
7 And the king of Egypt came not again any more out of his land: for the king of Babylon had taken from the river of Egypt unto the river Euphrates all that pertained to the king of Egypt.
8 Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. And his mother's name was Nehushta, the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem.
9 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father had done.
10 At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against Jerusalem, and the city was besieged.
11 And Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came against the city, and his servants did besiege it.
12 And Jehoiachin the king of Judah went out to the king of Babylon, he, and his mother, and his servants, and his princes, and his officers: and the king of Babylon took him in the eighth year of his reign.
13 And he carried out thence all the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king's house, and cut in pieces all the vessels of gold which Solomon king of Israel had made in the temple of the Lord, as the Lord had said.
14 And he carried away all Jerusalem, and all the princes, and all the mighty men of valour, even ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and smiths: none remained, save the poorest sort of the people of the land.
15 And he carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon, and the king's mother, and the king's wives, and his officers, and the mighty of the land, those carried he into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon.
16 And all the men of might, even seven thousand, and craftsmen and smiths a thousand, all that were strong and apt for war, even them the king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon.
17 And the king of Babylon made Mattaniah his father's brother king in his stead, and changed his name to Zedekiah.
18 Zedekiah was twenty and one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.
19 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all that Jehoiakim had done.
20 For through the anger of the Lord it came to pass in Jerusalem and Judah, until he had cast them out from his presence, that Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.
2 Kings 24
English Standard Version
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. 2 And the Lord sent against him bands of the (B)Chaldeans and (C)bands of the Syrians and bands of the Moabites and bands of the Ammonites, and sent them against Judah to destroy it, (D)according to the word of the Lord that he spoke by his servants the prophets. 3 Surely this came upon Judah at the command of the Lord, to remove them out of his sight, (E)for the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he had done, 4 and also (F)for the innocent blood that he had shed. For he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, and the Lord would not pardon. 5 (G)Now the rest of the deeds 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 (H)slept with his fathers, and Jehoiachin his son reigned in his place. 7 (I)And the king of Egypt did not come again out of his land, (J)for the king of Babylon had taken all that belonged to the king of Egypt (K)from the Brook of Egypt to the river Euphrates.
Jehoiachin Reigns in Judah
8 (L)Jehoiachin was (M)eighteen years old when he became king, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Nehushta the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem. 9 And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, (N)according to all that his father had done.
Jerusalem Captured
10 At that time the servants of (O)Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up to Jerusalem, and the city was besieged. 11 And (P)Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to the city while his servants were besieging it, 12 (Q)and Jehoiachin the king of Judah gave himself up to the king of Babylon, himself and his mother and his servants and his officials and his palace officials. (R)The king of Babylon took him prisoner (S)in the eighth year of his reign 13 and carried off all the treasures of the house of the Lord (T)and the treasures of the king's house, (U)and cut in pieces all the vessels of gold in the temple of the Lord, (V)which Solomon king of Israel had made, (W)as the Lord had foretold. 14 (X)He carried away all Jerusalem and all the officials and all the mighty men of valor, (Y)10,000 captives, (Z)and all the craftsmen and the smiths. None remained, (AA)except the poorest people of the land. 15 (AB)And he carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon. The king's mother, the king's wives, his officials, and the chief men of the land he took into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon. 16 And the king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon all the men of valor, (AC)7,000, and the craftsmen and the metal workers, 1,000, all of them strong and fit for war. 17 (AD)And the king of Babylon (AE)made Mattaniah, (AF)Jehoiachin's uncle, king in his place, (AG)and changed his name to Zedekiah.
Zedekiah Reigns in Judah
18 (AH)Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was (AI)Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. 19 And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, (AJ)according to all that Jehoiakim had done. 20 For because of the anger of the Lord it came to the point in Jerusalem and Judah that he cast them out from his presence.
(AK)And Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
