Read the Modern Pastor’s Version

Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he began to reign in Jerusalem, and he ruled for eleven years. His mother's name was Hamutal, daughter of Jeremiah from Libnah.

Zedekiah did evil in the Lord's sight, just as Jehoiakim had done before him. For through the Lord's anger, it came to pass that Zedekiah rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. In the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, on the tenth day, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon arrived with his entire army and camped outside Jerusalem, building fortifications around the city.

The city remained under siege for eleven years, until it was finally broken up. The men of war fled from the city through a gate between two walls, near the king's garden, as the Chaldeans surrounded them on all sides. They escaped into the plain, but the Chaldean army pursued and scattered Zedekiah's forces.

The king of Babylon took Zedekiah captive in the plains of Jericho, along with his sons. He then brought him to Riblah, where he judged him, killing his sons before their father's eyes and executing many other leaders from Judah. The king of Babylon also blinded Zedekiah and imprisoned him in Babylon, where he remained until the day of his death.

In the fifth month, on the tenth day, Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, entered Jerusalem to serve King Nebuchadnezzar. He burned down the Temple and the palace, setting fire to many other houses within the city, including those belonging to nobles. The Chaldeans tore down all the walls surrounding Jerusalem.

Nebuzaradan took captive some of the poor people and those remaining in Jerusalem, along with those who had defected to King Nebuchadnezzar. He also left behind some of the poorest citizens to work as vinedressers and farmers. The Chaldeans broke down the bronze pillars, bases, and sea that were in the Temple, carrying away all the bronze.

The captain of the guard took away many other bronze vessels used in their ministry, including basons, firepans, bowls, caldrons, candlesticks, spoons, and cups. They also removed two large bronze pillars, one sea, and twelve bronze bulls made by King Solomon for the Temple. These vessels weighed nothing.

The height of each pillar was eighteen cubits, with a four-finger-wide fillet encircling it. There were ninety-six pomegranates on each side of the pillar, and all the pomegranates totaled one hundred. The captain of the guard took Seraiah, the chief priest; Zephaniah, the second priest; and three men in charge of the temple doors.

He also captured an official who oversaw the soldiers, seven men close to the king, a chief administrator of the army, and sixty other citizens from within the city. Nebuzaradan brought them to King Nebuchadnezzar at Riblah, where they were judged and put to death.

King Nebuchadnezzar led away three thousand Jews in his seventh year and eight hundred thirty-two people in his eighteenth year. In the twenty-third year of his reign, Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, took seven hundred forty-five more Jews captive.

In the thirty-seventh year of King Jehoiachin's captivity, Evilmerodach, king of Babylon, released him from prison and brought him out to sit with other kings in Babylon. He changed Jehoiachin's prison clothes and provided a daily allowance for him until his death.