The reigns of Joachaz, Joakim, Joachin, and Sedecias: the captivity of
Babylon released at length by Cyrus.
36:1. Then the people of the land took Joachaz the son of Josias, and
made him king instead of his father in Jerusalem.
36:2. Joachaz was three and twenty years old when he began to reign, and
he reigned three months in Jerusalem.
36:3. And the king of Egypt came to Jerusalem, and deposed him, and
condemned the land in a hundred talents of silver, and a talent of gold.
36:4. And he made Eliakim his brother king in his stead, over Juda and
Jerusalem: and he turned his name to Joakim: but he took Joachaz with
him and carried him away into Egypt.
36:5. Joakim was five and twenty years old when he began to reign, and
he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem: and he did evil before the Lord
his God.
36:6. Against him came up Nabuchodonosor king of the Chaldeans, and led
him bound in chains into Babylon.
36:7. And he carried also thither the vessels of the Lord, and put them
in his temple.
36:8. But the rest of the acts of Joakim, and his abominations, which he
wrought, and the things that were found in him, are contained in the
book of the kings of Juda and Israel. And Joachin his son reigned in his
stead.
36:9. Joachin was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned
three months and ten days in Jerusalem, and he did evil in the sight of
the Lord.
Eight years old... He was associated by his father to the kingdom, when
he was but eight years old; but after his father's death, when he
reigned alone, he was eighteen years old. 4 Kings 24.8.
36:10. And at the return of the year, king Nabuchodonosor sent, and
brought him to Babylon, carrying away at the same time the most precious
vessels of the house of the Lord: and he made Sedecias his uncle king
over Juda and Jerusalem.
36:11. Sedecias was one and twenty years old when he began to reign: and
he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem.
36:12. And he did evil in the eyes of the Lord his God, and did not
reverence the face of Jeremias the prophet speaking to him from the
mouth of the Lord.
36:13. He also revolted from king Nabuchodonosor, who had made him swear
by God: and he hardened his neck and his heart, from returning to the
Lord the God of Israel.
36:14. Moreover all the chief of the priests, and the people wickedly
transgressed according to all the abominations of the Gentiles: and they
defiled the house of the Lord, which he had sanctified to himself in
Jerusalem.
36:15. And the Lord the God of their fathers sent to them, by the hand
of his messengers, rising early, and daily admonishing them: because he
spared his people and his dwelling place.
36:16. But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words,
and misused the prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against his
people, and there was no remedy.
36:17. For he brought upon them the king of the Chaldeans, and he slew
their young men with the sword in the house of his sanctuary, he had no
compassion on young man, or maiden, old man or even him that stooped for
age, but he delivered them all into his hands.
36:18. And all the vessels of the house of Lord, great and small, and
the treasures of the temple and of the king, and of the princes he
carried away to Babylon.
36:19. And the enemies set fire to the house of God, and broke down the
wall of Jerusalem, burnt all the towers, and what soever was precious
they destroyed.
36:20. Whosoever escaped the sword, was led into Babylon, and there
served the king and his sons, till the reign of the king of Persia,
36:21. That the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremias might be
fulfilled, and the land might keep her sabbaths: for all the days of the
desolation she kept a sabbath, till the seventy years were expired.
36:22. But in the first year of Cyrus king of the Persians, to fulfil
the word of the Lord, which he had spoken by the mouth of Jeremias, the
Lord stirred up the heart of Cyrus, king of the Persians: who commanded
it to be proclaimed through all his kingdom, and by writing also,
saying:
36:23. Thus saith Cyrus king of the Persians: All the kingdoms of the
earth hath the Lord the God of heaven given to me, and he hath charged
me to build him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judea: who is there
among you of all his people? The Lord his God be with him, and let him
go up.