Zedekiah in the Bible
Meaning: the Lord is my justice; the justice of the Lord
Exact Match
when Zedekiah son of Chenaanah made himself horns of iron, - and said - Thus, saith Yahweh, - With these, shalt thou push down the Syrians, until thou hast consumed them.
Then drew near Zedekiah, son of Chenaanah, and smote Micaiah on the cheek, - and said - Where then passed the Spirit of Yahweh, from me, to speak unto thee?
And the king of Babylon made Mattaniah his uncle king in his stead, and changed his name to Zedekiah.
Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he began to reign; and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem; and his mother's name was Hamutal, daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.
Zedekiah did what was evil in the Lord’s sight just as Jehoiakim had done.
For, because the anger of Jehovah was against Jerusalem and against Judah, until he had cast them out from his presence, Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.
So King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came against Jerusalem with his whole army and set up camp outside it. They built siege ramps all around it. He arrived on the tenth day of the tenth month in the ninth year of Zedekiah's reign.
And the city was besieged until the eleventh year of king Zedekiah.
the Chaldean army pursued him and overtook him in the plains of Jericho. Zedekiah’s entire army was scattered from him.
So they seized the king (Zedekiah) and brought him to the king of Babylon at Riblah [on the Orontes River], and sentence was passed on him.
and slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him with chains of brass, and carried him to Babylon.
And, the sons of Josiah, the firstborn, Johanan, the second, Jehoiakim, - the third, Zedekiah, the fourth, Shallum.
And, the sons of Jehoiakim, - Jeconiah his son, Zedekiah his son.
Then did Zedekiah son of Chenaanah make him horns of iron, - and said - Thus, saith Yahweh, With these, shalt thou push Syria, until they are consumed.
Then drew near Zedekiah son of Chenaanah, and smote Micaiah upon the cheek, - and said, Which then is the way the spirit of Yahweh passed from me, to speak with thee?
Zedekiah rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear allegiance in the name of God. Instead, he stiffened his resolve, and hardened his heart, and would not return to the LORD God of Israel.
It came [to Jeremiah] also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, [continuing] until the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah the son of Josiah, king of Judah, [and continuing] until the exile of [the people of] Jerusalem in the fifth month (July-August, 586 b.c.).
The Lord spoke to Jeremiah when King Zedekiah sent to him Pashhur son of Malkijah and the priest Zephaniah son of Maaseiah. Zedekiah sent them to Jeremiah to ask,
Jeremiah answered them, "Tell Zedekiah
Then I, the Lord, promise that I will hand over King Zedekiah of Judah, his officials, and any of the people who survive the war, starvation, and disease. I will hand them over to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and to their enemies who want to kill them. He will slaughter them with the sword. He will not show them any mercy, compassion, or pity.'
"I, the Lord, also solemnly assert: 'King Zedekiah of Judah, his officials, and the people who remain in Jerusalem or who have gone to live in Egypt are like those bad figs. I consider them to be just like those bad figs that are so bad they cannot be eaten.
The Lord spoke to Jeremiah early in the reign of Josiah's son, King Zedekiah of Judah.
Use it to send messages to the kings of Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre, and Sidon. Send them through the envoys who have come to Jerusalem to King Zedekiah of Judah.
I told King Zedekiah of Judah the same thing. I said, "Submit to the yoke of servitude to the king of Babylon. Be subject to him and his people. Then you will continue to live.
The following events occurred in that same year, early in the reign of King Zedekiah of Judah. To be more precise, it was the fifth month of the fourth year of his reign. The prophet Hananiah son of Azzur, who was from Gibeon, spoke to Jeremiah in the Lord's temple in the presence of the priests and all the people.
He sent it with Elasah son of Shaphan and Gemariah son of Hilkiah. King Zedekiah of Judah had sent these men to Babylon to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. The letter said:
"The Lord God of Israel who rules over all also has something to say about Ahab son of Kolaiah and Zedekiah son of Maaseiah, who are prophesying lies to you and claiming my authority to do so. 'I will hand them over to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and he will execute them before your very eyes.
And all the exiles of Judah who are in Babylon will use them as examples when they put a curse on anyone. They will say, "May the Lord treat you like Zedekiah and Ahab whom the king of Babylon roasted to death in the fire!"
In the tenth year that Zedekiah was ruling over Judah the Lord spoke to Jeremiah. That was the same as the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar.
For King Zedekiah had confined Jeremiah there after he had reproved him for prophesying as he did. He had asked Jeremiah, "Why do you keep prophesying these things? Why do you keep saying that the Lord says, 'I will hand this city over to the king of Babylon? I will let him capture it.
King Zedekiah of Judah will not escape from the Babylonians. He will certainly be handed over to the king of Babylon. He must answer personally to the king of Babylon and confront him face to face.
Zedekiah will be carried off to Babylon and will remain there until I have fully dealt with him. I, the Lord, affirm it! Even if you continue to fight against the Babylonians, you cannot win.'"
The Lord God of Israel told Jeremiah to go and give King Zedekiah of Judah a message. He told Jeremiah to tell him, "The Lord says, 'I am going to hand this city over to the king of Babylon and he will burn it down.
However, listen to what I, the Lord, promise you, King Zedekiah of Judah. I, the Lord, promise that you will not die in battle or be executed.
The prophet Jeremiah told all this to King Zedekiah of Judah in Jerusalem.
The Lord spoke to Jeremiah after King Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people in Jerusalem to grant their slaves their freedom.
I will also hand King Zedekiah of Judah and his officials over to their enemies who want to kill them. I will hand them over to the army of the king of Babylon, even though they have temporarily withdrawn from attacking you.
He went down to the chamber of the royal secretary in the king's palace and found all the court officials in session there. Elishama the royal secretary, Delaiah son of Shemaiah, Elnathan son of Achbor, Gemariah son of Shaphan, Zedekiah son of Hananiah, and all the other officials were seated there.
Zedekiah son of Josiah succeeded Jeconiah son of Jehoiakim as king. He was elevated to the throne of the land of Judah by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon.
King Zedekiah sent Jehucal son of Shelemiah and the priest Zephaniah son of Maaseiah to the prophet Jeremiah. He told them to say, "Please pray to the Lord our God on our behalf."
Then King Zedekiah had him brought to the palace. There he questioned him privately and asked him, "Is there any message from the Lord?" Jeremiah answered, "Yes, there is." Then he announced, "You will be handed over to the king of Babylon."
Then Jeremiah asked King Zedekiah, "What crime have I committed against you, or the officials who serve you, or the people of Judah? What have I done to make you people throw me into prison?
Then King Zedekiah ordered that Jeremiah be committed to the courtyard of the guardhouse. He also ordered that a loaf of bread be given to him every day from the baker's street until all the bread in the city was gone. So Jeremiah was kept in the courtyard of the guardhouse.
King Zedekiah said to them, "Very well, you can do what you want with him. For I cannot do anything to stop you."
Some time later Zedekiah sent and had Jeremiah brought to him at the third entrance of the Lord's temple. The king said to Jeremiah, "I would like to ask you a question. Do not hide anything from me when you answer."
Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, "If I answer you, you will certainly kill me. If I give you advice, you will not listen to me."
So King Zedekiah made a secret promise to Jeremiah and sealed it with an oath. He promised, "As surely as the Lord lives who has given us life and breath, I promise you this: I will not kill you or hand you over to those men who want to kill you."
Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, "The Lord, the God who rules over all, the God of Israel, says, 'You must surrender to the officers of the king of Babylon. If you do, your life will be spared and this city will not be burned down. Indeed, you and your whole family will be spared.
Then King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, "I am afraid of the Judeans who have deserted to the Babylonians. The Babylonians might hand me over to them and they will torture me."
‘Then behold, all the women who are left in the palace of the king of Judah will be brought out to the officers of the king of Babylon and those women will say [to you, King Zedekiah],
Have prevailed against your better judgment and have overpowered and deceived you;
While your feet were sunk in the mire [of trouble],
They turned back.”
Then Zedekiah told Jeremiah, "Do not let anyone know about the conversation we have had. If you do, you will die.
Then all the princes (court officials) came to Jeremiah and asked him [just what King Zedekiah had anticipated they would ask], and he reported to them in accordance with all that the king had commanded. So they stopped questioning him, since the conversation [with the king] had not been overheard.
King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came against Jerusalem with his whole army and laid siege to it. The siege began in the tenth month of the ninth year that Zedekiah ruled over Judah.
It lasted until the ninth day of the fourth month of Zedekiah's eleventh year. On that day they broke through the city walls.
When King Zedekiah of Judah and all his soldiers saw them, they tried to escape. They departed from the city during the night. They took a path through the king's garden and passed out through the gate between the two walls. Then they headed for the Jordan Valley.
But the Babylonian army chased after them. They caught up with Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho and captured him. They took him to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon at Riblah in the territory of Hamath and Nebuchadnezzar passed sentence on him there.
There at Riblah the king of Babylon had Zedekiah's sons put to death while Zedekiah was forced to watch. The king of Babylon also had all the nobles of Judah put to death.
Then he had Zedekiah's eyes put out and had him bound in chains to be led off to Babylon.
But in the seventh month Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah and grandson of Elishama who was a member of the royal family and had been one of Zedekiah's chief officers, came with ten of his men to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah. While they were eating a meal together with him there at Mizpah,
I, the Lord, promise that I will hand Pharaoh Hophra king of Egypt over to his enemies who are seeking to kill him. I will do that just as surely as I handed King Zedekiah of Judah over to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, his enemy who was seeking to kill him.'"
Early in the reign of King Zedekiah of Judah, the Lord spoke to the prophet Jeremiah about Elam.
This is the order Jeremiah the prophet gave to Seraiah son of Neriah, son of Mahseiah, when he went to King Zedekiah of Judah in Babylon during the fourth year of his reign. (Seraiah was a quartermaster.)
Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he ruled in Jerusalem for eleven years. His mother's name was Hamutal daughter of Jeremiah, from Libnah.
Zedekiah had done evil in the LORD's sight, just as Jehoiakim had done.
What follows is a record of what happened to Jerusalem and Judah because of the Lord's anger when he drove them out of his sight. Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.
King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came against Jerusalem with his whole army and set up camp outside it. They built siege ramps all around it. He arrived on the tenth day of the tenth month in the ninth year that Zedekiah ruled over Judah.
The city remained under siege until Zedekiah's eleventh year.
But the Babylonian army chased after the king. They caught up with Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho, and his entire army deserted him.
The king of Babylon had Zedekiah's sons put to death while Zedekiah was forced to watch. He also had all the nobles of Judah put to death there at Riblah.
He had Zedekiah's eyes put out and had him bound in chains. Then the king of Babylon had him led off to Babylon and he was imprisoned there until the day he died.
He also took some of the seed of the land (
“There was [also] another great
And he took a member of the royal family [the king’s uncle, Zedekiah] and made a covenant with him, putting him under oath. He also took the important leaders of the land,
But Zedekiah rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar by sending his ambassadors to Egypt so that they might give him horses and many troops. Will he succeed? Will he who does such things escape? Can he indeed break the covenant [with Babylon] and [still] escape?
As I live,’ says the Lord God, ‘surely in the country of the king (Nebuchadnezzar) who made Zedekiah [the vassal] king, whose oath he despised and whose covenant he broke, in Babylon Zedekiah shall die.
Now Zedekiah dishonored the oath by breaking the covenant, and behold, he gave his hand and pledged his allegiance, yet did all these things; he shall not escape.’”
Therefore, thus says the Lord God, “As I live, I will bring down on his own head My oath [made on My behalf by Nebuchadnezzar] which Zedekiah dishonored and My covenant which he broke.
‘And the fire [of Zedekiah’s rebellion] has gone out from its branch;
It has consumed the vine’s shoots and fruit,
So that it has in it no [longer a] strong branch
As a scepter to rule.’”
This is a dirge (funeral poem to be sung), and has become a dirge.
And you, O dishonored and wicked one [Zedekiah], the prince of Israel, whose day has come, whose time of final punishment is here,’
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Ambassadors » Zedekiah » to egypt
Impenitence » Instances of » Zedekiah
Israel » Josiah » Son » Zedekiah
Behold, I dwell at Mizphah to be an officer on the Chaldeans' behalf, and to satisfy such as come to us. Therefore gather you wine, corn and oil, and keep them in your warehouses, and dwell in your cities that ye have in keeping." Yea all the Jews also that dwelt in Moab, under the Ammonites, in Idumaea and in all the countries, when they heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan governor upon them that were left in Judah: All the Jews, I say, returned out of all places where they were fled unto: and came in to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah unto Mizphah, and gathered wine and other fruits, and that very much.
Israel » Josiah » Son » Zedekiah » Made king
For through the wrath of the LORD it so chanced to Jerusalem and Judah, until he had cast them out of his sight. And the said Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.
Thereto, all the rulers of the priests with the people trespassed apace after all manner of abominations of the heathen, and polluted the house of the LORD which he had hallowed in Jerusalem. And the LORD God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, sending them betimes: for he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place. But they mocked the messengers of God and despised their words and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD so arose against his people that it was past remedy. And so he brought upon them the king of Chaldeans and slew their young men with the sword in their holy temple, and neither spared young man nor maiden, neither old man, neither so much as him that stooped for age: But gave all into his hand. And all the vessels of the house of God both great and small, and the treasures of the house of the LORD and the treasures of the king and his lords he carried to Babylon, every whit. And they burnt the house of God and brake down the walls of Jerusalem and burnt all the palaces thereof with fire with all the goodly stuff thereof, and marred it. And he carried away them that had escaped the sword to Babylon, where they were servants to him and his children, until the kingdom of Persia began to rule; to fulfill the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had her pleasure of her Sabbaths: for as long as she lay desolate, she kept Sabbath until she had fulfilled seventy years.
Israel » Josiah » Son » Zedekiah » Other circumstances of his reign
And thereto there was a stews of male children in the land, and they did according to all the abominations of the nations which the LORD cast out before the children of Israel. And the fifth year of king Rehoboam came Shishak king of Egypt up to Jerusalem, and took away the treasure of the house of the LORD, and the treasure of the king's house and all that was to be had. And he took away the shields of gold which Solomon made. In whose stead, king Rehoboam made brazen shields and put them in the keeping of the captains of the guard which waited at the door of the king's house. And as oft as the king went in to the house of the LORD, they of his guard bare them, and ever brought them again into the guard chamber. The rest of the acts of king Rehoboam and all he did, are written in the book of Acts of the kings of Judah. And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all their lives. And Rehoboam laid him to rest with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. And his mother's name was Naamah an Ammonite. And Abijam his son reigned in his room.
King » Influenced by popular opinion » Zedekiah
Then came all the princes unto Jeremiah, and asked him. And he told them, after the manner as the king bade him. Then they held their peace, for they perceived nothing.
Kings » Who reigned over judah » Zedekiah
Thereto, all the rulers of the priests with the people trespassed apace after all manner of abominations of the heathen, and polluted the house of the LORD which he had hallowed in Jerusalem. And the LORD God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, sending them betimes: for he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place. But they mocked the messengers of God and despised their words and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD so arose against his people that it was past remedy. And so he brought upon them the king of Chaldeans and slew their young men with the sword in their holy temple, and neither spared young man nor maiden, neither old man, neither so much as him that stooped for age: But gave all into his hand. And all the vessels of the house of God both great and small, and the treasures of the house of the LORD and the treasures of the king and his lords he carried to Babylon, every whit. And they burnt the house of God and brake down the walls of Jerusalem and burnt all the palaces thereof with fire with all the goodly stuff thereof, and marred it. And he carried away them that had escaped the sword to Babylon, where they were servants to him and his children, until the kingdom of Persia began to rule; to fulfill the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had her pleasure of her Sabbaths: for as long as she lay desolate, she kept Sabbath until she had fulfilled seventy years.
For through the wrath of the LORD it so chanced to Jerusalem and Judah, until he had cast them out of his sight. And the said Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon. Therefore, in the ninth year of his reign, the tenth day of the tenth month, came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon with all his power to Jerusalem: and pitched against the town and made engines against it on every side. And the city continued besieged until the eleventh year of king Zedekiah. And the ninth day of the fourth month of that year, there was so great hunger in the city, that there was no sustenance for the people of the land. And thereto the city was broken up: wherefore all the men of arms fled by night, by a way through a gate, between two walls hard on the king's garden: the Chaldeans lying about the city. And the king went straight toward the desert. And the host of the Chaldeans followed after him, and took him in the desert of Jericho, all his army being scattered away from him. And when they had taken him, they brought him to Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon to Riblah, where they reasoned with him. And they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and fettered him, and carried him to Babylon.
Mocking » Zedekiah » Mocks » Micaiah
Oath » Zedekiah » Violates
Oath » Zedekiah » Swears » Jeremiah
Perjury » Instances of » Zedekiah
Persecution » Spirit of--exemplified » Zedekiah
Rebellion against God » Exemplified » Zedekiah
Self-will » Exemplified » Zedekiah
Self-will and stubbornness » Exemplified » Zedekiah
Swearing falsely » Exemplified » Zedekiah
As truly as I live, sayeth the LORD God, he shall die at Babylon: in the place where the king dwelleth, that made him king, whose oath he hath despised, and whose covenant he hath broken. Neither shall Pharaoh, with his great host and multitude of people, maintain him in the war: when they cast up ditches, and set up bulwarks to destroy much people. For seeing he hath despised the oath, and broken the covenant - whereas he yet gave his hand thereupon - and done all these things, he shall not escape. Therefore thus sayeth the LORD God: As truly as I live, I will bring mine oath that he hath despised, and my covenant that he hath broken, upon his own head.
Zedekiah » Or mattaniah, king of judah, son of josiah
Zedekiah » Made king of judah by nebuchadnezzar » The allegiance denounced » By jeremiah
For though ye had slain the whole host of the Chaldeans that besiege you, and every one of the slain lay in his tent, yet should they stand up, and set fire upon this city.'"
neither have I sent them, sayeth the LORD: howbeit they are bold, falsely for to prophesy in my name: that I might the sooner drive you out, and that ye might perish with your preachers.'" I spake to the Priests also, and to all the people, "Thus sayeth the LORD: Hear not the words of those Prophets, that preach unto you, and say, 'Behold, the vessels of the LORD's house shall shortly be brought hither again from Babylon.' For they prophesy lies unto you. Hear them not, but serve the king of Babylon, that ye may live. Wherefore will ye make this city to be destroyed? But if they be true Prophets in very deed, and if the word of the LORD be committed unto them, then let them pray the LORD of Hosts that the remnant of the ornaments, which are in the house of the LORD, and remain yet in the house of the king of Judah and at Jerusalem, be not carried to Babylon also. For thus hath the LORD of Hosts spoken concerning the pillars, the laver, the seat and the residue of the ornaments that yet remain in this city, which Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon took not, when he carried away Jechoniah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, with all the power of Judah and Jerusalem, from Jerusalem unto Babylon, captive. Yea thus hath the LORD of Hosts the God of Israel spoken, as touching the residue of the ornaments of the LORD's house of the king of Judah's house, and of Jerusalem: They shall be carried unto Babylon, and there they shall remain until I visit them, sayeth the LORD. Then will I bring them hither again."
Then said Jeremiah unto Zedekiah, "Thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts the God of Israel: If cause be, that thou wilt go forth unto the king of Babylon's princes, thou shalt save thy life, and this city shall not be burnt, yea both thou and thy household shall escape with your lives. But if thou wilt not go forth to the king of Babylon's princes, then shall this city be delivered into the hands of the Chaldeans which shall set fire upon it, and thou shalt not be able to escape them." And Zedekiah said unto Jeremiah, "I am afraid for the Jews, that are fled unto the Chaldeans, lest I come in their hands, and so they to have me in derision." But Jeremiah answered, "No, they shall not betray thee: O hearken unto the voice of the LORD, I beseech thee, which I speak unto thee; so shalt thou be well, and save thy life. But if thou wilt not go forth, the LORD hath told me this plainly: Behold, all the women that are left in the king of Judah's house shall go out to the king of Babylon's princes. For they think, that thou art deceived: and that the men in whom thou didst put thy trust, have gotten thee under, and set thy feet fast in the mire, and gone their way from thee. Therefore all thy wives with their children shall flee unto the Chaldeans, and thou shalt not escape their hands, but shalt be the king of Babylon's prisoner, and this city shall be burnt." Then said Zedekiah unto Jeremiah, "Look that nobody know of these words, and thou shalt not die. But if the princes perceive that I have talked with thee, and come unto thee, saying, 'O speak, what said the king to thee? hide it not from us, and we will not put thee to death. Tell us, we pray thee: what said the king to thee?' See thou give them this answer, 'I have humbly besought the king, that he will let me lie no more in Jonathan's house, that I die not there.'" Then came all the princes unto Jeremiah, and asked him. And he told them, after the manner as the king bade him. Then they held their peace, for they perceived nothing. So Jeremiah abode still in the fore entry of the prison, until the day that Jerusalem was won.
Zedekiah » Made king of judah by nebuchadnezzar » Nebuchadnezzar destroys the city and temple, takes him captive to babylon, blinds his eyes, kills his sons
And thereto the city was broken up: wherefore all the men of arms fled by night, by a way through a gate, between two walls hard on the king's garden: the Chaldeans lying about the city. And the king went straight toward the desert. And the host of the Chaldeans followed after him, and took him in the desert of Jericho, all his army being scattered away from him. And when they had taken him, they brought him to Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon to Riblah, where they reasoned with him. And they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and fettered him, and carried him to Babylon. And the seventh day of the fifth month which was in the nineteenth year of king Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, came Nebuzaradan servant of the king of Babylon and chief Marshal, unto Jerusalem: and burnt the house of the LORD and the king's house and all the houses of Jerusalem, and all the great houses burnt he with fire. And all the host of the Chaldeans that were with the chief Marshal brake down the walls of Jerusalem round about.
And he carried away them that had escaped the sword to Babylon, where they were servants to him and his children, until the kingdom of Persia began to rule;
And when Zedekiah the king of Judah with his soldiers saw them, they fled, and departed out of the city by night through the king's garden, and through the port that is between the two walls, and so they went toward the wilderness. But the Chaldeans' Host followed fast after them, and took Zedekiah in the field of Jericho, and brought him prisoner to Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon unto Riblah, that lieth in the land of Hamath where he gave judgment upon him. So the king of Babylon caused the children of Zedekiah and all the nobles of Judah be slain before his face at Riblah. And made Zedekiah's eyes to be put out, and bound him with chains, and sent him to Babylon. Moreover, the Chaldeans burnt up the king's palace, with the other houses of the people, and brake down the walls of Jerusalem. As for the remnant of the people that were in the city, and such as were come to help them, whatsoever was left of the common sort, Nebuzaradan the chief captain carried them to Babylon. But Nebuzaradan the chief captain let the rascal people, and those that had nothing, dwell still in the land of Judah, and gave them vineyards and corn fields at the same time.
So all the soldiers brake away, and fled out of the city by night through the way of the port between the two walls by the king's garden. Now the Chaldeans had compassed the city round about; yet went these men their way toward the wilderness. And so the Chaldeans followed upon them, and took Zedekiah the king in the field of Jericho, when his host was run from him. So they carried the king away prisoner to Riblah, unto the king of Babylon in the land of Hamath, where he gave judgment upon him. The king of Babylon also caused Zedekiah's sons to be slain before his face; yea and put all the princes of Judah to death at Riblah. Moreover, he put out the eyes of Zedekiah, caused him to be bound with chains, to be carried unto Babylon, and let him live in prison till he died. Now the tenth day of the fifth Month, in the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan the chief captain and the king of Babylon's servants came unto Jerusalem, and burnt up the house of the LORD. He burnt up also the king's palace, all the houses, and all the gorgeous buildings in Jerusalem. And the whole Host of the Chaldeans that were with the chief Captain brake down all the walls of Jerusalem round about. As for the poor people and such folk as yet was left in the city, which also were fallen to the king of Babylon, yea, and what people as yet remained: Nebuzaradan the chief Captain carried them away prisoners. But the poor people of the country did Nebuzaradan the chief Captain leave in the land, to occupy the vineyards and fields. The Chaldeans also brake the brazen pillars that were in the house of the LORD; yea, the seat and the brazen laver that was in the house of the LORD; and carried all the metal of them unto Babylon. They took away also the Caldrons, shovels, flesh hooks, sprinklers, spoons, and all the brazen vessel that was occupied in the service; with the basins, coal pans, sprinklers, pots, candlesticks, spoons and cups; whereof some were of gold, and some of silver. The chief Captain took also the two pillars, the laver, and the twelve brazen bullocks that stood under the seat, which king Solomon made in the house of the LORD: and all the vessel contained so much metal, that it might not be weighed. For every pillar was eighteen cubits high, and the rope that went about it, was twelve cubits, and four fingers thick and round. Now upon the rope were brazen knops, and every knop was five cubits high: and upon the knops were hoops, and pomegranates round about of clean brass. After this manner were both the pillars fashioned with the pomegranates, whereof there were a hundredth and ninety six, which hanged upon the hoops round about. The chief Captain also took Seraiah the high priest, and Zephaniah that was chief next him, and the three keepers of the treasury. He took out of the city a chamberlain which was a captain of the soldiers, and seven men that were the king's servants, which were found in the city; and Sepher, a captain that used to muster the men of war; with sixty men of the country that were taken in the city. These Nebuzaradan the chief Captain took, and carried them to the king of Babylon unto Riblah: and the king of Babylon caused them to be put to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. And thus Judah was led away captive, out of his own land. This is the sum of the people whom Nebuchadnezzar led away captive. In the seventh year of his reign, he carried away of the Jews, three thousand and three and twenty. In the eighteenth year Nebuchadnezzar carried away from Jerusalem eight hundred thirty two persons. In the twenty third year of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuzaradan the chief Captain, took away seven hundred forty five Jews prisoners. The whole sum of all the prisoners is four thousand and six hundred.
Zedekiah » Made king of judah by nebuchadnezzar » The evil reign of
Zedekiah » A false prophet
Zedekiah » Made king of judah by nebuchadnezzar » Throws off his allegiance to nebuchadnezzar
But he fell from him, and sent his Ambassadors into Egypt that he might have horses and much people. Should that prosper? Should he be kept safe, that doth such things? Or should he escape, that breaketh his covenant? As truly as I live, sayeth the LORD God, he shall die at Babylon: in the place where the king dwelleth, that made him king, whose oath he hath despised, and whose covenant he hath broken. Neither shall Pharaoh, with his great host and multitude of people, maintain him in the war: when they cast up ditches, and set up bulwarks to destroy much people. For seeing he hath despised the oath, and broken the covenant - whereas he yet gave his hand thereupon - and done all these things, he shall not escape. Therefore thus sayeth the LORD God: As truly as I live, I will bring mine oath that he hath despised, and my covenant that he hath broken, upon his own head. I will cast my net about him, and catch him in my yarn. To Babylon will I carry him: there will I punish him, because of the great offense that he made me. As for those that flee from him out of the host, they shall be slain with the sword. The residue shall be scattered toward all the winds: and ye shall know, that I the LORD have spoken it.
Zedekiah » Made king of judah by nebuchadnezzar
Zedekiah » Made king of judah by nebuchadnezzar » Imprisons jeremiah on account of his denunciations
Moreover, Jeremiah said unto king Zedekiah, "What have I offended against thee, against thy servants or against this people, that ye have caused me to be put in prison? Where are your prophets which have prophesied unto you, and said that the king of Babylon should not come against you and this land? And therefore hear now, O my lord the king: let my prayer be accepted before thee, and send me no more into the house of Jonathan the Scribe, that I die not there." Then Zedekiah the king commanded to put Jeremiah in the fore entry of the prison, and daily to be given him a cake of bread of the bakers' street, until all the bread in the city was eaten up. Thus Jeremiah remained in the fore entry of the prison.
he went out of the king's house, and spake to the king, which then sat under the port of Benjamin, these words: "My lord the king, whereas these men meddle with Jeremiah the prophet, they do him wrong: Namely, in that they have put him in prison, there to die of hunger for there is no more bread in the city." Then the king commanded Ebedmelech the Ethiopian and said, "Take from hence thirty men whom thou wilt, and draw up Jeremiah the prophet out of the dungeon, before he die." So Ebedmelech took the men with him, and went to the house of Amalek, and there under an almery he gat old rags and worn clothes, and let them down by a cord, into the dungeon to Jeremiah. And Ebedmelech the Ethiopian said unto the prophet Jeremiah, "O put these rags and clothes under thine arm holes, betwixt them and the cords." And Jeremiah did so. So they drew up Jeremiah with cords and took him out of the dungeon, and he remained in the fore entry of the prison. Then Zedekiah the king sent and caused Jeremiah the prophet be called unto him, into the third entry, that was by the house of the LORD. And the king said unto Jeremiah, "I will ask thee somewhat, but hide nothing from me." Then Jeremiah answered Zedekiah, "If I be plain unto thee, thou wilt cause me suffer death: If I give thee counsel, thou wilt not follow me." So the king swore an oath secretly unto Jeremiah, saying, "As truly as the LORD liveth, that made us these souls, I will not slay thee, nor give thee in to the hands of them that seek after thy life." Then said Jeremiah unto Zedekiah, "Thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts the God of Israel: If cause be, that thou wilt go forth unto the king of Babylon's princes, thou shalt save thy life, and this city shall not be burnt, yea both thou and thy household shall escape with your lives. But if thou wilt not go forth to the king of Babylon's princes, then shall this city be delivered into the hands of the Chaldeans which shall set fire upon it, and thou shalt not be able to escape them." And Zedekiah said unto Jeremiah, "I am afraid for the Jews, that are fled unto the Chaldeans, lest I come in their hands, and so they to have me in derision." But Jeremiah answered, "No, they shall not betray thee: O hearken unto the voice of the LORD, I beseech thee, which I speak unto thee; so shalt thou be well, and save thy life. But if thou wilt not go forth, the LORD hath told me this plainly: Behold, all the women that are left in the king of Judah's house shall go out to the king of Babylon's princes. For they think, that thou art deceived: and that the men in whom thou didst put thy trust, have gotten thee under, and set thy feet fast in the mire, and gone their way from thee. Therefore all thy wives with their children shall flee unto the Chaldeans, and thou shalt not escape their hands, but shalt be the king of Babylon's prisoner, and this city shall be burnt." Then said Zedekiah unto Jeremiah, "Look that nobody know of these words, and thou shalt not die. But if the princes perceive that I have talked with thee, and come unto thee, saying, 'O speak, what said the king to thee? hide it not from us, and we will not put thee to death. Tell us, we pray thee: what said the king to thee?' See thou give them this answer, 'I have humbly besought the king, that he will let me lie no more in Jonathan's house, that I die not there.'" Then came all the princes unto Jeremiah, and asked him. And he told them, after the manner as the king bade him. Then they held their peace, for they perceived nothing. So Jeremiah abode still in the fore entry of the prison, until the day that Jerusalem was won.
Zedekiah » Made king of judah by nebuchadnezzar » Seeks the intercession of jeremiah with God on his behalf
Then said Jeremiah unto Zedekiah, "Thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts the God of Israel: If cause be, that thou wilt go forth unto the king of Babylon's princes, thou shalt save thy life, and this city shall not be burnt, yea both thou and thy household shall escape with your lives. But if thou wilt not go forth to the king of Babylon's princes, then shall this city be delivered into the hands of the Chaldeans which shall set fire upon it, and thou shalt not be able to escape them." And Zedekiah said unto Jeremiah, "I am afraid for the Jews, that are fled unto the Chaldeans, lest I come in their hands, and so they to have me in derision." But Jeremiah answered, "No, they shall not betray thee: O hearken unto the voice of the LORD, I beseech thee, which I speak unto thee; so shalt thou be well, and save thy life. But if thou wilt not go forth, the LORD hath told me this plainly: Behold, all the women that are left in the king of Judah's house shall go out to the king of Babylon's princes. For they think, that thou art deceived: and that the men in whom thou didst put thy trust, have gotten thee under, and set thy feet fast in the mire, and gone their way from thee. Therefore all thy wives with their children shall flee unto the Chaldeans, and thou shalt not escape their hands, but shalt be the king of Babylon's prisoner, and this city shall be burnt." Then said Zedekiah unto Jeremiah, "Look that nobody know of these words, and thou shalt not die. But if the princes perceive that I have talked with thee, and come unto thee, saying, 'O speak, what said the king to thee? hide it not from us, and we will not put thee to death. Tell us, we pray thee: what said the king to thee?' See thou give them this answer, 'I have humbly besought the king, that he will let me lie no more in Jonathan's house, that I die not there.'" Then came all the princes unto Jeremiah, and asked him. And he told them, after the manner as the king bade him. Then they held their peace, for they perceived nothing.
Zedekiah » Made king of judah by nebuchadnezzar » The allegiance denounced » By ezekiel
But he fell from him, and sent his Ambassadors into Egypt that he might have horses and much people. Should that prosper? Should he be kept safe, that doth such things? Or should he escape, that breaketh his covenant? As truly as I live, sayeth the LORD God, he shall die at Babylon: in the place where the king dwelleth, that made him king, whose oath he hath despised, and whose covenant he hath broken. Neither shall Pharaoh, with his great host and multitude of people, maintain him in the war: when they cast up ditches, and set up bulwarks to destroy much people. For seeing he hath despised the oath, and broken the covenant - whereas he yet gave his hand thereupon - and done all these things, he shall not escape. Therefore thus sayeth the LORD God: As truly as I live, I will bring mine oath that he hath despised, and my covenant that he hath broken, upon his own head. I will cast my net about him, and catch him in my yarn. To Babylon will I carry him: there will I punish him, because of the great offense that he made me. As for those that flee from him out of the host, they shall be slain with the sword. The residue shall be scattered toward all the winds: and ye shall know, that I the LORD have spoken it.
My line will I spread out upon him, and catch him in my net, and carry him to Babylon, in the land of the Chaldeans: which he shall not see, and yet shall he die there. As for all his helpers, and all his Hosts that be about him, I will scatter them toward all the winds, and draw out a sword after them. So when I have scattered them among the Heathen, and strawed them in the lands, they shall know that I am the LORD. But, I will leave a little number of them from the sword, hunger and pestilence: to tell all their abominations among the Heathen, where they come: that they may know how that I am the LORD.'"
Zedekiah » False prophet » Prophesies to ahab that he will be victorious over the syrians, instead of being defeated
Zedekiah » False prophet » Strikes micaiah, the true prophet
Zedekiah » Made king of judah by nebuchadnezzar » Forms an alliance with the king of egypt
that the land might be held in subjection, and not to rebel, but keep the covenant, and fulfill it. But he fell from him, and sent his Ambassadors into Egypt that he might have horses and much people. Should that prosper? Should he be kept safe, that doth such things? Or should he escape, that breaketh his covenant? As truly as I live, sayeth the LORD God, he shall die at Babylon: in the place where the king dwelleth, that made him king, whose oath he hath despised, and whose covenant he hath broken. Neither shall Pharaoh, with his great host and multitude of people, maintain him in the war: when they cast up ditches, and set up bulwarks to destroy much people. For seeing he hath despised the oath, and broken the covenant - whereas he yet gave his hand thereupon - and done all these things, he shall not escape.