CHAPTER 24
During Jehoiakim’s reign,
Nebuchadnezzar
king
of Babylon
invaded.
So Jehoiakim
became
his vassal
for three
years,
until he turned
and rebelled
against Nebuchadnezzar.
And the LORD
sent
Chaldean,
Aramean,
Moabite,
and Ammonite
raiders against Jehoiakim
in order
to destroy
Judah,
according to the word
the LORD
had spoken
through
His servants
the prophets.
Surely
this happened
to Judah
at
the LORD’s
command,
to remove
them from
His presence
because of the sins
of Manasseh
and all
that
he had done,
and also for
the innocent
blood
he had shed.
For he had filled
Jerusalem
with innocent
blood,
and the LORD
was unwilling
to forgive.
As for the rest
of the acts
of Jehoiakim,
along with all
his accomplishments,
are they not written
in the Book
of the Chronicles
of the Kings
of Judah?
Now the king
of Egypt
did not
march out
of his land
again,
because
the king
of Babylon
had taken
all
his territory,
from the Brook
of Egypt
to
the Euphrates
River.
Jehoiachin
was eighteen
years old
when he became king,
and he reigned
in Jerusalem
three
months.
His mother’s
name
was Nehushta
daughter
of Elnathan;
she was from Jerusalem.
At that
time
the servants
of Nebuchadnezzar
king
of Babylon
marched up
to Jerusalem,
and the city
came
under siege.
Jehoiachin
king
of Judah,
his mother,
his servants,
his commanders,
and his officials
all surrendered
to
the king
of Babylon.
So in the eighth
year
of Jehoiachin's reign,
the king
of Babylon
took him captive.
As
the LORD
had declared,
Nebuchadnezzar also carried off
all
the treasures
from the house
of the LORD
and
the royal
palace,
and he cut into pieces
all
the gold
articles
that
Solomon
king
of Israel
had made
in the temple
of the LORD.
He carried into exile
all
Jerusalem—
all
the commanders
and
mighty warriors,
all
the craftsmen
and metalsmiths—
ten
thousand
captives in all.
Only
the poorest
people
of the land
remained.
Nebuchadnezzar carried away
Jehoiachin
to Babylon,
as well as
the king’s
mother,
his
wives,
his officials,
and the leading men
of the land.
He took them into exile
from Jerusalem
to Babylon.
The king
of Babylon
also brought
into exile
to Babylon
all
seven
thousand
valiant warriors
and a thousand
craftsmen
and metalsmiths—
all
strong
and fit
for battle.
Then the king
of Babylon
made Mattaniah,
Jehoiachin's uncle,
king
in his place
and changed
his name
to Zedekiah.
Zedekiah
was twenty-one
years old
when he became king,
and he reigned
in Jerusalem
eleven
years.
His mother’s
name
was Hamutal
daughter
of Jeremiah;
she was from Libnah.
For
because
of the anger
of the LORD,
all this happened
in Jerusalem
and Judah,
until
He finally banished
them
from
His presence.
And Zedekiah also
rebelled
against the king
of Babylon.