1 While Jehoiakim was king, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia invaded Judah, and for three years Jehoiakim was forced to submit to his rule; then he rebelled. 2 The Lord sent armed bands of Babylonians, Syrians, Moabites, and Ammonites against Jehoiakim to destroy Judah, as the Lord had said through his servants the prophets that he would do. 3 This happened at the Lord's command, in order to banish the people of Judah from his sight because of all the sins that King Manasseh had committed, 4 and especially because of all the innocent people he had killed. The Lord could not forgive Manasseh for that.
5 Everything that Jehoiakim did is recorded in The History of the Kings of Judah. 6 Jehoiakim died, and his son Jehoiachin succeeded him as king.
7 The king of Egypt and his army never marched out of Egypt again, because the king of Babylonia now controlled all the territory that had belonged to Egypt, from the Euphrates River to the northern border of Egypt.
King Jehoiachin of Judah
(2 Chronicles 36.92 10)8 Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king of Judah, and he ruled in Jerusalem for three months. His mother was Nehushta, the daughter of Elnathan from Jerusalem. 9 Following the example of his father, Jehoiachin sinned against the Lord.
10 It was during his reign that the Babylonian army, commanded by King Nebuchadnezzar's officers, marched against Jerusalem and besieged it. 11 During the siege Nebuchadnezzar himself came to Jerusalem, 12 and King Jehoiachin, along with his mother, his sons, his officers, and the palace officials, surrendered to the Babylonians. In the eighth year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign he took Jehoiachin prisoner 13 and carried off to Babylon all the treasures in the Temple and the palace. As the Lord had foretold, Nebuchadnezzar broke up all the gold utensils which King Solomon had made for use in the Temple. 14 Nebuchadnezzar carried away as prisoners the people of Jerusalem, all the royal princes, and all the leading men, ten thousand in all. He also deported all the skilled workers, including the blacksmiths, leaving only the poorest of the people behind in Judah.
15 Nebuchadnezzar took Jehoiachin to Babylon as a prisoner, together with Jehoiachin's mother, his wives, his officials, and the leading men of Judah. 16 Nebuchadnezzar deported all the important men to Babylonia, seven thousand in all, and one thousand skilled workers, including the blacksmiths, all of them able-bodied men fit for military duty.
17 Nebuchadnezzar made Jehoiachin's uncle Mattaniah king of Judah and changed his name to Zedekiah.
King Zedekiah of Judah
(2 Chronicles 36.112 12Jeremiah 52.1-3a)18 Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king of Judah, and he ruled in Jerusalem for eleven years. His mother was Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah from the city of Libnah. 19 King Zedekiah sinned against the Lord, just as King Jehoiakim had done. 20 The Lord became so angry with the people of Jerusalem and Judah that he banished them from his sight.
1 In his dayes came Nebuchad-nezzar King of Babel vp, and Iehoiakim became his seruant three yeere: afterwarde he turned, and rebelled against him. 2 And the Lord sent against him bandes of the Caldees, and bands of the Aramites, and bands of the Moabites, and bandes of the Ammonites, and he sent them against Iudah to destroy it, according to the worde of the Lord, which he spake by his seruants the Prophets. 3 Surely by the commandement of the Lord came this vpon Iudah, that he might put them out of his sight for the sinnes of Manasseh, according to all that he did, 4 And for the innocent blood that he shed, (for he filled Ierusalem with innocent blood) therefore the Lord would not pardon it. 5 Concerning the rest of the actes of Iehoiakim, and all that he did, are they not written in the booke of the Chronicles of the Kinges of Iudah? 6 So Iehoiakim slept with his fathers, and Iehoiachin his sonne reigned in his steade. 7 And the King of Egypt came no more out of his lande: for the King of Babel had taken from the riuer of Egypt, vnto the riuer Perath, all that pertained to the King of Egypt. 8 Iehoiachin was eighteene yere old, when he beganne to reigne, and reigned in Ierusalem three moneths. His mothers name also was Nehushta, the daughter of Elnathan of Ierusalem. 9 And he did euill in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father had done. 10 In that time came the seruants of Nebuchad-nezzar king of Babel vp against Ierusalem: so the citie was besieged. 11 And Nebuchad-nezzar King of Babel came against the citie, and his seruants did besiege it. 12 Then Iehoiachin the king of Iudah came out against the King of Babel, he, and his mother and his seruants, and his princes, and his eunuches: and the King of Babel tooke him in the eyght yeere of his reigne. 13 And he caryed out thence all the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the Kings house, and brake all the vessels of gold, which Salomon King of Israel had made in the Temple of the Lord, as the Lord had saide. 14 And he caryed away all Ierusalem, and all the princes, and all the strong men of warre, euen ten thousande into captiuitie, and all the workemen, and cunning men: so none remained sauing the poore people of the lande. 15 And he caryed away Iehoiachin into Babel, and the Kings mother, and the Kinges wiues, and his eunuches, and the mightie of the lande caryed he away into captiuitie from Ierusalem to Babel, 16 And al the men of warre, euen seuen thousand, and carpenters, and lockesmithes a thousande: all that were strong and apt for warre, did the King of Babel bring to Babel captiues. 17 And the King of Babel made Mattaniah his vncle King in his steade, and changed his name to Zedekiah. 18 Zedekiah was one and twentie yeere olde, when he began to reigne, and he reigned eleuen yeeres in Ierusalem. His mothers name also was Hamutal the daughter of Ieremiah of Libnah. 19 And he did euill in the sight of the Lord, according to all that Iehoiakim had done. 20 Therefore certainly the wrath of the Lord was against Ierusalem and Iudah vntill he cast them out of his sight. And Zedekiah rebelled against the King of Babel.