The last kings of Judah

King Jehoahaz of Judah

(2 Kings 23.30-35)

1After the death of Josiah, the people of Judah crowned his son Jehoahaz their new king. 2He was twenty-three years old at the time, and he ruled only three months from Jerusalem. 3King Neco of Egypt captured Jehoahaz and forced Judah to pay three thousand four hundred kilogrammes of silver and thirty-four kilogrammes of gold as taxes. 4Then Neco appointed Jehoahaz's brother Eliakim king of Judah and changed his name to Jehoiakim. He led Jehoahaz away to Egypt as his prisoner.36.4: Jr 22.11,12.

King Jehoiakim of Judah

(2 Kings 23.36—24.7)

5Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he was appointed king, and he ruled eleven years from Jerusalem. Jehoiakim disobeyed the LORD his God by doing evil.36.5: Jr 22.18,19; 26.1-6; 35.1-19.

6During Jehoiakim's rule, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia invaded Judah. He arrested Jehoiakim and put him in chains, and he sent him to the capital city of Babylon.36.6: Jr 25.1-38; 36.1-32; 45.1-5; Dn 1.1,2. 7Nebuchadnezzar also carried off many of the valuable things in the LORD's temple, and he put them in his palace in Babylon.

8Everything else Jehoiakim did while he was king, including all the disgusting and evil things, is written in The History of the Kings of Israel and Judah. His son Jehoiachin then became king.

King Jehoiachin of Judah

(2 Kings 24.8-17)

9Jehoiachin was eighteen36.9 eighteen: Some manuscripts of one ancient translation (see also 2 Kings 24.8); Hebrew “eight”. years old when he became king of Judah, and he ruled only three months and ten days from Jerusalem. Jehoiachin also disobeyed the LORD by doing evil. 10In the spring of the year, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia had Jehoiachin arrested and taken to Babylon, along with more of the valuable items in the temple. Then Nebuchadnezzar appointed Zedekiah king of Judah.36.10: a Jr 22.24-30; 24.1-10; 29.1-2; Ez 17.12; b Jr 37.1; Ez 17.13.

King Zedekiah of Judah

(2 Kings 24.18-20; Jeremiah 52.1-3)

11Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he was appointed king of Judah, and he ruled from Jerusalem for eleven years.36.11: Jr 27.1-22; 28.1-17. 12He disobeyed the LORD his God and refused to change his ways, even after a warning from Jeremiah, the LORD's prophet.

13King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia had forced Zedekiah to promise in God's name that he would be loyal. Zedekiah was stubborn and refused to turn back to the LORD God of Israel, so he rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar.36.13: Ez 17.15. 14The people of Judah and even the priests who were their leaders became more unfaithful. They followed the disgusting example of the nations around them and made the LORD's holy temple unfit for worship. 15But the LORD God felt sorry for his people, and instead of destroying the temple, he sent prophets who warned the people over and over again about their sins. 16But the people only laughed and insulted these prophets. They ignored what the LORD God was trying to tell them, until he finally became so angry that nothing could stop him from punishing Judah and Jerusalem.

Jerusalem is destroyed and the people are taken to Babylonia

Jerusalem is destroyed

(2 Kings 25.1-21; Jeremiah 52.3-30)

17The LORD sent King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia to attack Jerusalem. Nebuchadnezzar killed the young men who were in the temple, and he showed no mercy to anyone, whether man or woman, young or old. God let him kill everyone in the city.36.17: Jr 21.1-10; 34.1-5. 18Nebuchadnezzar carried off everything that was left in the temple; he robbed the treasury and the personal storerooms of the king and his officials. He took everything back to Babylon.

19Nebuchadnezzar's troops burnt down the temple and destroyed every important building in the city. Then they broke down the city wall.36.19: 1 K 9.8. 20The survivors were taken to Babylonia as prisoners, where they were slaves of the king and his sons, until Persia became a powerful nation.

21Judah was an empty desert, and it stayed that way for seventy years, to make up for all the years it was not allowed to rest.36.21 rest: According to Leviticus 25.1-7, the land was supposed to rest every seventh year. These things happened just as Jeremiah the LORD's prophet had said.36.21 Jeremiah…said: Jeremiah 25.11,12; 29.10. According to the Law, the people had to allow the land to rest one out of every seven years (see Leviticus 25.1-7).36.21: Jr 25.11; 29.10.

King Cyrus of Persia lets the Jews return to Judah

Cyrus lets the Jews return home

(Ezra 1.1-4)

22In the first year that Cyrus was king of Persia,36.22 the first year that Cyrus was king of Persia: Probably 538 BC, when Cyrus captured Babylonia. He had actually ruled Persia since 549 BC. the LORD told Cyrus to send a message to all parts of his kingdom. This happened just as Jeremiah the LORD's prophet had promised. 23The message said:36.23: Is 44.28.

I am King Cyrus of Persia.

The LORD God of heaven has made me the ruler of every nation on earth. He has also chosen me to build a temple for him in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. The LORD God will watch over any of his people who want to go back to Judah.