Read the Modern Pastor’s Version

In the days of Jehoiakim's reign, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon rose up, and for three years Jehoiakim served him before turning against him. The Lord sent bands of the Chaldeans, Syrians, Moabites, and Ammonites to destroy Judah, just as he had spoken through his prophets.

This calamity came upon Judah at the Lord's command, to remove them from his presence because of Manasseh's sins, which he had committed according to all that he had done. The innocent blood that Jehoiakim shed filled Jerusalem with its guilt; this the Lord would not pardon. His other acts and deeds are recorded in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah.

Jehoiakim joined his fathers, and Jehoiachin, his son, succeeded him as king. The king of Egypt never again left his land, because the king of Babylon had taken control of everything from the Brook of Egypt to the Euphrates River. Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began his reign in Jerusalem, a brief three months; his mother's name was Nehushta, daughter of Elnathan from Jerusalem.

He followed his father's evil ways in the sight of the Lord, just as Manasseh had done. At that time, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and his servants came up against Jerusalem, besieging it. When Jehoiachin, the king of Judah, went out to meet the king of Babylon, accompanied by his mother, servants, princes, and officers, he was taken captive in the eighth year of his reign.

The treasures of the house of the Lord and the king's house were carried away, including all the gold vessels that Solomon had made for the temple. The king of Babylon fulfilled the Lord's word by taking everything – ten thousand captives, skilled warriors, craftsmen, and smiths; none remained except the poorest people in the land. Jehoiachin was taken to Babylon, along with his mother, wives, officials, nobles, and all those who were strong and skilled in warfare.

The king of Babylon took seven thousand soldiers, a thousand craftsmen, and a thousand smiths captive to Babylon. Mattaniah, Jehoiachin's uncle, was appointed king by the Babylonians and renamed Zedekiah. Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he began his reign in Jerusalem, ruling eleven years; his mother's name was Hamutal from Libnah.

He followed in Jehoiakim's footsteps, doing evil in the sight of the Lord, just like his father had done. For the anger of the Lord came upon Judah and Jerusalem until he cast them out from his presence; Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.