2 Chronicles , Sarah Barry
A SUCCESSION OF EVIL KINGS
Passage: 2_Chronicles 36:1~14  
Key verse: 12
36 1 And the people(A) of the land took Jehoahaz son of Josiah and made him king in Jerusalem in place of his father.
Jehoahaz King of Judah(B)
2 Jehoahaz[a] was twenty-three years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. 3 The king of Egypt dethroned him in Jerusalem and imposed on Judah a levy of a hundred talents[b] of silver and a talent[c] of gold. 4 The king of Egypt made Eliakim, a brother of Jehoahaz, king over Judah and Jerusalem and changed Eliakim’s name to Jehoiakim. But Necho(C) took Eliakim’s brother Jehoahaz and carried him off to Egypt.(D)
Jehoiakim King of Judah(E)
5 Jehoiakim(F) was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years. He did evil in the eyes of the Lord his God. 6 Nebuchadnezzar(G) king of Babylon attacked him and bound him with bronze shackles to take him to Babylon.(H) 7 Nebuchadnezzar also took to Babylon articles from the temple of the Lord and put them in his temple[d] there.(I)
8 The other events of Jehoiakim’s reign, the detestable things he did and all that was found against him, are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah. And Jehoiachin his son succeeded him as king.
Jehoiachin King of Judah(J)
9 Jehoiachin(K) was eighteen[e] years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months and ten days. He did evil in the eyes of the Lord. 10 In the spring, King Nebuchadnezzar sent for him and brought him to Babylon,(L) together with articles of value from the temple of the Lord, and he made Jehoiachin’s uncle,[f] Zedekiah, king over Judah and Jerusalem.
Zedekiah King of Judah(M)
11 Zedekiah(N) was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years. 12 He did evil in the eyes of the Lord(O) his God and did not humble(P) himself before Jeremiah the prophet, who spoke the word of the Lord. 13 He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him take an oath(Q) in God’s name. He became stiff-necked(R) and hardened his heart and would not turn to the Lord, the God of Israel. 14 Furthermore, all the leaders of the priests and the people became more and more unfaithful,(S) following all the detestable practices of the nations and defiling the temple of the Lord, which he had consecrated in Jerusalem.
Footnotes
- 2 Chronicles 36:2 Hebrew Joahaz, a variant of Jehoahaz; also in verse 4
- 2 Chronicles 36:3 That is, about 3 3/4 tons or about 3.4 metric tons
- 2 Chronicles 36:3 That is, about 75 pounds or about 34 kilograms
- 2 Chronicles 36:7 Or palace
- 2 Chronicles 36:9 One Hebrew manuscript, some Septuagint manuscripts and Syriac (see also 2 Kings 24:8); most Hebrew manuscripts eight
- 2 Chronicles 36:10 Hebrew brother, that is, relative (see 2 Kings 24:17)
Cross references
- 2 Chronicles 36:1 : S 2Ch 22:1
- 2 Chronicles 36:2 : 36:2-4pp — 2Ki 23:31-34
- 2 Chronicles 36:4 : Jer 22:10-12
- 2 Chronicles 36:4 : Eze 19:4
- 2 Chronicles 36:5 : 36:5-8pp — 2Ki 23:36–24:6
- 2 Chronicles 36:5 : Jer 22:18; 25:1; 26:1; 35:1; 36:1; 45:1; 46:2
- 2 Chronicles 36:6 : Jer 25:9; 27:6; Eze 29:18
- 2 Chronicles 36:6 : Eze 19:9; Da 1:1
- 2 Chronicles 36:7 : ver 18; Ezr 1:7; Jer 27:16; Da 1:2
- 2 Chronicles 36:9 : 36:9-10pp — 2Ki 24:8-17
- 2 Chronicles 36:9 : Jer 22:24-28; 24:1; 27:20; 29:21; 52:31
- 2 Chronicles 36:10 : ver 18; S 2Ki 20:17; Ezr 1:7; Isa 52:11; Jer 14:18; 21:7; 22:25; 24:1; 27:16, 20, 22; 29:1; 34:21; 40:1; Eze 17:12; Da 5:2
- 2 Chronicles 36:11 : 36:11-16pp — 2Ki 24:18-20; Jer 52:1-3
- 2 Chronicles 36:11 : S 2Ki 24:17; Jer 27:1; 28:1; 34:2; 37:1; 39:1
- 2 Chronicles 36:12 : Jer 37:1-39:18
- 2 Chronicles 36:12 : S Dt 8:3; 2Ch 7:14; Jer 44:10
- 2 Chronicles 36:13 : Eze 17:13
- 2 Chronicles 36:13 : S Ex 32:9; S Dt 9:27
- 2 Chronicles 36:14 : S 1Ch 5:25
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Source:  BibleGateway
After his father King Josiah died in battle, his son Jehoahaz reigned for three months before being dethroned by the king of Egypt. The following two kings Jehoiakim and Jehoiachin do evil in God's eyes and are taken in shackles to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar, along with the valuable items in the temple.
2. Zedekiah did not humble himself (11-14)
The Chronicler notes that the last king Zedekiah did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet, who spoke the word of the Lord. When he didn't listen to Jeremiah, he had no shepherd and no word of God to guide him. He rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar, became stiff-necked, hardened his heart, and would not return to the Lord. Furthermore, the leaders, priests and people became more unfaithful, returning to idol worship and defiling the temple.
Prayer: Lord, please help our nation to humble ourselves, listen to your word, and return to you.
One Word: Be humble and listen to God's word.