2 Chronicles 36

Then the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and made him king in his father’s stead in Jerusalem.

The locals, filled with hope and respect, crowned Jehoahaz, Josiah's son, as their new king in Jerusalem, continuing his father's legacy.

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

At the tender age of twenty-three, Jehoahaz ascended the throne, ruling Jerusalem for a fleeting three months.

And the king of Egypt put him down at Jerusalem, and condemned the land in an hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold.

The Egyptian king dethroned him in Jerusalem, harshly imposing a fine on the land - a hundred measures of silver and a measure of gold.

And the king of Egypt made Eliakim his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem, and turned his name to Jehoiakim. And Necho took Jehoahaz his brother, and carried him to Egypt.

The Egyptian king empowered Eliakim, his brother, to rule over Judah and Jerusalem, rebranding him as Jehoiakim. Meanwhile, Necho seized Jehoahaz, another brother, whisking him away to Egypt.

Jehoiakim was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem: and he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD his God.

At the age of 25, Jehoiakim ascended the throne and ruled Jerusalem for 11 years. Sadly, his reign was marked by actions that deeply displeased God.

Against him came up Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and bound him in fetters, to carry him to Babylon.

Nebuchadnezzar, the mighty king of Babylon, rose against him. He shackled him in chains, ready to drag him away to Babylon.

Nebuchadnezzar also carried of the vessels of the house of the LORD to Babylon, and put them in his temple at Babylon.

Nebuchadnezzar, filled with pride, took the sacred items from the LORD's house to Babylon, placing them in his own temple there.

Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, and his abominations which he did, and that which was found in him, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah: and Jehoiachin his son reigned in his stead.

Jehoiakim's remaining deeds, his wrongdoings, and his true nature are all recorded in the book of Israel and Judah's kings. After him, his son Jehoiachin took the throne.

Jehoiachin was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem: and he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD.

At the tender age of eight, Jehoiachin ascended to the throne. His reign in Jerusalem, however, lasted only for a brief period of three months and ten days. Sadly, his actions displeased the Lord, for they were steeped in wickedness.

And when the year was expired, king Nebuchadnezzar sent, and brought him to Babylon, with the goodly vessels of the house of the LORD, and made Zedekiah his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem.

As the year came to a close, King Nebuchadnezzar summoned him to Babylon. He took with him the sacred treasures of God's house. Then, he appointed Zedekiah, his brother, as the ruler of Judah and Jerusalem.

Zedekiah was one and twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned eleven years in Jerusalem.

At the tender age of 21, Zedekiah ascended the throne, ruling Jerusalem with youthful vigor for eleven years.

And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD his God, and humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet speaking from the mouth of the LORD.

He acted wickedly, ignoring God's will, and arrogantly dismissed Jeremiah, who spoke God's words.

And he also rebelled against king Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God: but he stiffened his neck, and hardened his heart from turning unto the LORD God of Israel.

He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear loyalty in God's name. He defiantly turned away, his heart hardened, refusing to turn to the Lord God of Israel.

Moreover all the chief of the priests, and the people, transgressed very much after all the abominations of the heathen; and polluted the house of the LORD which he had hallowed in Jerusalem.

The leading priests and the people strayed deeply, copying all the detestable practices of the nations around them. They defiled God's sacred house in Jerusalem, which He had made holy.

And the LORD God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place:

Out of deep love and compassion for his people and home, the LORD God of their ancestors persistently sent them messages through his messengers.

But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against his people, till there was no remedy.

They ridiculed God's messengers, ignored His words, and abused His prophets. This continued until God's anger flared against His people, leaving no chance for redemption.

Therefore he brought upon them the king of the Chaldees, who slew their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion upon young man or maiden, old man, or him that stooped for age: he gave them all into his hand.

So God brought the ruthless Chaldean king against them. He mercilessly killed their young men in their sacred place, showing no pity for anyone - young or old, strong or frail. God handed them all over to him.

And all the vessels of the house of God, great and small, and the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king, and of his princes; all these he brought to Babylon.

Every sacred item, big and small, from God's house, along with the Lord's treasures, the king's wealth, and his princes' possessions, were all taken to Babylon.

And they burnt the house of God, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem, and burnt all the palaces thereof with fire, and destroyed all the goodly vessels thereof.

In a heart-wrenching act, they set God's home ablaze, tore down Jerusalem's protective walls, and torched every majestic palace. Every beautiful artifact was ruthlessly destroyed.

And them that had escaped from the sword carried he away to Babylon; where they were servants to him and his sons until the reign of the kingdom of Persia:

Those who survived the sword were taken to Babylon. There, they served him and his sons until Persia took the throne.

To fulfil the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths: for as long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath, to fulfil threescore and ten years.

To honor God's word spoken through Jeremiah, the land rested during its desolate times, observing a peaceful sabbath for seventy long years.

Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying,

In the initial reign of Cyrus, the Persian king, God's prophecy through Jeremiah was to be fulfilled. God inspired Cyrus, leading him to announce and document a decree across his entire kingdom.

Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, All the kingdoms of the earth hath the LORD God of heaven given me; and he hath charged me to build him an house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all his people? The LORD his God be with him, and let him go up.

Cyrus, the Persian king, passionately declares, "God, the divine ruler of heaven, has entrusted me with all earthly kingdoms. He has tasked me with building a sacred house for Him in Jerusalem, in the land of Judah. Who among you is one of His people? May God be with that person and guide them on their journey."