Judah Is Overrun
4 Kingdoms 24, verse 1. In his days, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up, and Jehoiakim became his servant for three years. Then he turned and rebelled against him. 4 Kingdoms 24, verse 2. So the Lord sent against him raiding bands of Chaldeans, bands of Syrians, bands of Moabites, and bands of the sons of Ammon. He sent them against the land of Judah to destroy it, true to the word of the Lord He had spoken by His servants the prophets. 4 Kingdoms 24, verse 3. Moreover, it was the purpose of the Lord concerning Judah to remove them from His sight. This, because of the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he did, 4 Kingdoms 24, verse 4. and for all the innocent blood he shed. For he had filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, and the Lord did not want to pardon him. 4 Kingdoms 24, verse 5. Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim and everything he did, are these not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the kings of Judah? 4 Kingdoms 24, verse 6. So Jehoiakim rested with his fathers. Then Jehoiachin his son reigned in his place. 4 Kingdoms 24, verse 7. As for the king of Egypt, he did not come out of his land anymore. The king of Babylon seized all that belonged to the king of Egypt, from the river of Egypt to the River Euphrates.
Jehoiachin Is King of Judah
4 Kingdoms 24, verse 8. Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for three months. His mother's name was Nehushta the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem. 4 Kingdoms 24, verse 9. And he did evil in the eyes of the Lord, according to everything his father did. 4 Kingdoms 24, verse 10. At that time Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, came up against Jerusalem, and he besieged the city. 4 Kingdoms 24, verse 11. And Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, entered the city, and his servants besieged it. 4 Kingdoms 24, verse 12. Then Jehoiachin king of Judah went out to the king of Babylon himself, and his servants, and his mother, and his officers, and his eunuchs. And the king of Babylon took him prisoner in the eighth year of his reign. 4 Kingdoms 24, verse 13. Then he carried out from there all the treasures of the house of the Lord and the treasures of the king's house, and he cut in pieces all the articles of gold which Solomon the king of Israel made in the temple of the Lord, according to the word of the Lord. 4 Kingdoms 24, verse 14. Also he carried into captivity all Jerusalem, all the officers and all the mighty men of valor, ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and smiths. None remained except the poor of the land. 4 Kingdoms 24, verse 15. He then carried Jehoiachin captive to Babylon along with the king's mother, the king's wives, and his eunuchs. And he led the mighty of the land into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon, 4 Kingdoms 24, verse 16. and all the valiant men, seven thousand, and one thousand craftsmen and smiths, all of them strong and fit for war, these the king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon. 4 Kingdoms 24, verse 17. Then the king of Babylon made Mattaniah his son king in his place, and changed his name to Zedekiah.
Zedekiah Is King of Judah
4 Kingdoms 24, verse 18. Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he ruled for eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah. 4 Kingdoms 24, verse 19. And he did evil in the eyes of the Lord, all that Jehoiakim had done. 4 Kingdoms 24, verse 20. For it was according to the anger of the Lord against Jerusalem and Judah, until He finally cast them out from His presence, that Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.