2 Paralipomenon 36

¹The people therefore of the land took Joachaz the son of Josias, and made him king for his father in Jerusalem.

²Three and twenty years old was Joachaz, when he began to reign, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem.

³And the king of Ægypt when he came into Jerusalem, deposed him, and condemned the land in an hundred talents of silver, and a talent of gold.

⁴And he made Eliakim his brother king for him, over Juda and Jerusalem: and he turned his name Joakim: but he took Joachaz himself with him, and carried him away into Ægypt.

⁵Five and twenty years old was Joakim when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem: and he did evil before our Lord his God.

⁶Against him came up Nabuchodonosor the king of the Chaldees, and brought him bound in chains into Babylon.

⁷Whither he transported also the vessels of our Lord, and put them in his temple.

⁸But the rest of the words of Joakim, and of 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 for him.

⁹Eight years old was Joachin when he began to reign, and he reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem, and he did evil in the sight of our Lord.

¹⁰And when the compass of a year was come about, Nabuchodonosor the king sent some, that brought him into Babylon, the most precious vessels of the house of our Lord being carried away withal: But he made Sedecias his uncle king over Juda and Jerusalem.

¹¹One and twenty years old was Sedecias when he began to reign: and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem.

¹²And he did evil in the eyes of our Lord his God, neither did he reverence the face of Jeremy the Prophet speaking to him from the mouth of our Lord.

¹³He revolted also from king Nabuchodonosor, who had adjured him by God: & he hardened his neck & his heart, that he would not return to our Lord the God of Israel.

¹⁴Yea and all the chief of the Priests, and the people transgressed unlawfully according to all the abominations of the Gentiles: and they polluted the house of our Lord, which he had sanctified to him in Jerusalem.

¹⁵And our Lord the God of their fathers sent to them by the hand of his messengers rising by night, and daily admonishing them: for that he spared his people and his habitation.

¹⁶But they mocked the messengers of God, and little esteemed his words, and scorned the Prophets, until the fury of our Lord ascended upon his people, and there was no amendment.

¹⁷For he brought upon them the king of the Chaldees, & slew their young men with the sword in the house of his sanctuary, he pitied not young man, and virgin, and old man, no neither him that stooped for age, but he delivered all into his hands.

¹⁸And all the vessels of the house of our Lord, as well greater as lesser, and the treasures of the temple, and of the king, and the Princes, he transported into Babylon.

¹⁹The enemies set fire on the house of God, & destroyed the wall of Jerusalem, all the towers they burnt, and whatsoever was precious, they destroyed.

²⁰If any man escaped the sword, being led into Babylon he served the king and his sons, till the king of the Persians reigned.

²¹That the word of our Lord by the mouth of Jeremy might be accomplished, and the land might celebrate their Sabbaths: for all the days of the desolation she kept a Sabbath, till the seventy years were expired.

²²But in the first year of Cyrus king of the Persians, to fulfill the word of our Lord, which he had spoken by the mouth of Jeremy, our Lord raised up the spirit of Cyrus king of the Persians: who commanded to be proclaimed in all his Kingdom, yea by writing, saying:

²³Thus saith Cyrus king of the Persians: All Kingdoms of the earth hath the Lord the God of heaven given me, and he hath commanded me that I should build him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Jewry: who of you is there in all his people? The Lord his God be with him, and let him go up.