Jehoahaz Succeeds Josiah
(2 Kings 23:31–35)
Then the people of the land took Jehoahaz son of Josiah and made him king in Jerusalem in place of his father. Jer 22:111Ch 3:152Ch 26:12Ch 33:252Ki 23:30-37
Jehoahaz 1was twenty-three years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. And the king of Egypt dethroned him in Jerusalem and imposed on Judah a levy of a hundred talents of silver 2and a talent of gold. 3 2Ki 23:33
Then Neco king of Egypt made Eliakim brother of Jehoahaz king over Judah and Jerusalem, and he changed Eliakim’s name to Jehoiakim. But Neco took Eliakim’s brother Jehoahaz and carried him off to Egypt. Jer 22:10-121Ch 3:152Ki 23:34-35Ezk 19:3-4
Jehoiakim Reigns in Judah
(2 Kings 23:36–37)
Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years. And he did evil in the sight of the LORD his God. 2Ki 23:36-37Jer 22:13-19Jer 26:1Jer 26:21-23Jer 35:1Jer 36:1Jer 36:27-32
Then Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against Jehoiakim and bound him with bronze shackles to take him to Babylon. 2Ch 33:112Ki 24:1-22Ki 24:13-202Ki 24:5-6Dan 1:1-2Ezk 19:5-9Hab 1:5-10Jer 25:9 Nebuchadnezzar also took to Babylon some of the articles from the house of the LORD, and he put them in his temple 4in Babylon. 2Ki 24:13Dan 1:2Dan 5:2-4Ezr 1:7-11Jer 27:16-18Jer 28:3
As for the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, the abominations he committed, and all that was found against him, they are indeed written in the Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah. And his son Jehoiachin reigned in his place. 2Ki 24:5-61Ch 3:16-17Jer 22:24Jer 22:28Mat 1:11-12
Jehoiachin Reigns in Judah
(2 Kings 24:6–9)
Jehoiachin was eighteen 5years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months and ten days. And he did evil in the sight of the LORD. 2Ki 24:8-17
In the spring, 6 King Nebuchadnezzar summoned Jehoiachin and brought him to Babylon, along with the articles of value from the house of the LORD. And he made Jehoiachin’s relative 7Zedekiah king over Judah and Jerusalem. Jer 37:12Ch 36:71Ch 3:15-162Ch 36:182Ki 24:10-172Ki 25:27-302Sa 11:1Dan 1:1-2
Zedekiah Reigns in Judah
(2 Kings 24:18–20; Jeremiah 52:1–3)
Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years. 2Ki 24:18-20Jer 27:1Jer 28:1Jer 52:1-3 And he did evil in the sight of the LORD his God and did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet, who spoke for the LORD. 2Ch 33:23Jer 37:2-21Jer 38:14-281Pe 5:62Ch 32:262Ch 33:122Ch 33:192Ch 35:22
He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God. But Zedekiah stiffened his neck and hardened 8his heart against turning to the LORD, the God of Israel. 2Ch 30:8Ezk 17:11-20Jer 52:2-32Ki 17:42Ki 24:202Sa 21:2Exo 8:15Exo 8:32 Furthermore, all the leaders of the priests and the people multiplied their unfaithful deeds, following all the abominations of the nations, and they defiled the house of the LORD, which He had consecrated in Jerusalem. Dan 9:8Ezk 22:62Ch 28:32Ch 33:4-72Ch 33:92Ki 16:10-16Dan 9:6Ezk 22:26-28
The Fall of Jerusalem
(2 Kings 25:1–7)
Again and again 9the LORD, the God of their fathers, sent word to His people through His messengers because He had compassion on them and on His dwelling place. Jer 35:15Jer 7:13Jer 25:3-42Ch 24:18-21Jdg 10:16Jer 26:5Jer 44:4-5Jer 7:25 But they mocked the messengers of God, despising His words and scoffing at His prophets, until the wrath of the LORD against His people was stirred up beyond remedy. Jer 5:12-132Ch 30:10Luk 22:63-641Th 4:8Jer 32:3Pro 6:15Psa 74:1Ezr 5:12
So He brought up against them the king of the Chaldeans, 10 who put their young men to the sword in the sanctuary, sparing neither young men nor young women, neither elderly nor infirm. God gave them all into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, Ezr 9:7Psa 74:20Ezk 9:5-7Jer 40:32Ch 24:212Ch 33:112Ki 24:2-32Ki 25:1-30 who carried off everything to Babylon—all the articles of the house of God, both large and small, and the treasures of the house of the LORD and of the king and his officials. 2Ch 36:102Ch 36:72Ki 20:13-172Ki 25:13-17Dan 5:3Isa 39:6Jer 27:18-22Jer 52:17-23 Then the Chaldeans set fire to the house of God and broke down the wall of Jerusalem. They burned down all the palaces and destroyed every article of value. Psa 79:11Ki 9:82Ki 25:9-11Isa 64:10-11Jer 52:13-15Jer 7:14Jer 7:4Lam 4:1
Those who escaped the sword were carried by Nebuchadnezzar into exile in Babylon, and they became servants to him and his sons until the kingdom of Persia came to power. Jer 27:7Ezr 1:1-112Ch 36:222Ki 25:11Deu 28:47-48
So the land enjoyed its Sabbath rest all the days of the desolation, until seventy years were completed, in fulfillment of the word of the LORD through Jeremiah. 11 Jer 29:10Lev 26:34-35Dan 9:2Jer 25:11-12Zec 1:12Lev 26:43Lev 25:4-6Jer 25:9
The Proclamation of Cyrus
(Ezra 1:1–4; Isaiah 45:1–25)
In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken through Jeremiah, the LORD stirred the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia to send a proclamation throughout his kingdom and to put it in writing as follows: Jer 25:12Ezr 1:1-3Jer 29:102Ch 36:21Isa 44:28Isa 13:17-18Jer 33:10-14Dan 10:1
“This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: Dan 2:21Dan 2:37Dan 4:35Dan 5:23Ezr 7:13Isa 44:26-28Psa 75:5-7Rom 8:31
‘The LORD, the God of heaven, who has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, has appointed me to build a house for Him at Jerusalem in Judah.
Whoever among you belongs to His people, may the LORD his God be with him, and may he go up.’”