Daily Bread

Jehoiachin King of Judah^(A)

⁸ Jehoiachin^(B) was eighteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. His mother’s name was Nehushta^(C) daughter of Elnathan; she was from Jerusalem. ⁹ He did evil^(D) in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father had done.

¹⁰ At that time the officers of Nebuchadnezzar^(E) king of Babylon advanced on Jerusalem and laid siege to it, ¹¹ and Nebuchadnezzar himself came up to the city while his officers were besieging it. ¹² Jehoiachin king of Judah, his mother, his attendants, his nobles and his officials all surrendered^(F) to him.

In the eighth year of the reign of the king of Babylon, he took Jehoiachin prisoner. ¹³ As the Lord had declared,^(G) Nebuchadnezzar removed the treasures^(H) from the temple of the Lord and from the royal palace, and cut up the gold articles^(I) that Solomon^(J) king of Israel had made for the temple of the Lord. ¹⁴ He carried all Jerusalem into exile:^(K) all the officers and fighting men,^(L) and all the skilled workers and artisans—a total of ten thousand. Only the poorest^(M) people of the land were left.

¹⁵ Nebuchadnezzar took Jehoiachin^(N) captive to Babylon. He also took from Jerusalem to Babylon the king’s mother,^(O) his wives, his officials and the prominent people^(P) of the land. ¹⁶ The king of Babylon also deported to Babylon the entire force of seven thousand fighting men, strong and fit for war, and a thousand skilled workers and artisans.^{(Q) 17} He made Mattaniah, Jehoiachin’s uncle, king in his place and changed his name to Zedekiah.^(R)