Zedekiah in the Bible
Meaning: the Lord is my justice; the justice of the Lord
Exact Match
Then the king of Babylon made Mattaniah his uncle king in his place and changed his name [to] Zedekiah.
Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. The name of his mother [was] Hamutal daughter of Jeremiah from Libnah.
Zedekiah did what was evil in the Lord’s sight just as Jehoiakim had done.
For it happened because of the anger of Yahweh, in Jerusalem and in Judah, until they were cast out from his presence. Then 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.
Search Results by Versions
Search Results by Book
Thematic Bible
Ambassadors » Zedekiah » to egypt
Impenitence » Instances of » Zedekiah
Israel » Josiah » Son » Zedekiah
As for me, I am going to live in Mizpah to represent [you] before the Chaldeans who come to us. As for you, gather wine, summer fruit, and oil, place them in your [storage] jars, and live in the cities you have captured." When all the Judeans in Moab and among the Ammonites and in Edom and in all the other lands also heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant in Judah and had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, over them, they all returned from all the places where they had been banished and came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah at Mizpah, and harvested a great amount of wine and summer fruit.
Israel » Josiah » Son » Zedekiah » Made king » By nebuchadnezzar
Because of the Lord's anger, it came to the point in Jerusalem and Judah that He finally banished them from His presence. Then, Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.
All the leaders of the priests and the people multiplied their unfaithful deeds, imitating all the detestable practices of the nations, and they defiled the Lord's temple that He had consecrated in Jerusalem. But the Lord God of their ancestors sent word against them by the hand of his messengers, sending them time and time again, for He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place. But they kept ridiculing God's messengers, despising His words, and scoffing at His prophets, until the Lord's wrath was so stirred up against His people that there was no remedy. So He brought up against them the king of the Chaldeans, who killed their choice young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary. He had no pity on young man and virgin or elderly and aged; He handed them all over to him. He took everything to Babylon-all the articles of God's temple, large and small, the treasures of the Lord's temple, and the treasures of the king and his officials. Then the Chaldeans burned God's temple. They tore down Jerusalem's wall, burned down all its palaces, and destroyed all its valuable utensils. Those who escaped from the sword he deported to Babylon, and they became servants to him and his sons until the rise of the Persian kingdom. This fulfilled the word of the Lord through Jeremiah and the land enjoyed its Sabbath rest all the days of the desolation until 70 years were fulfilled.
Israel » Josiah » Son » Zedekiah » Other circumstances of his reign
there were even male shrine prostitutes in the land. They imitated all the abominations of the nations the Lord had dispossessed before the Israelites. In the fifth year of King Rehoboam, Shishak king of Egypt went to war against Jerusalem. He seized the treasuries of the Lord's temple and the treasuries of the royal palace. He took everything. He took all the gold shields that Solomon had made. King Rehoboam made bronze shields in their place and committed them into the care of the captains of the royal escortswho guarded the entrance to the king's palace. Whenever the king entered the Lord's temple, the royal escorts would carry the shields, then they would take them back to the royal escorts' armory. The rest of the events of Rehoboam's [reign], along with all his accomplishments, are written about in the Historical Record of Judah's Kings. There was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam throughout their reigns. Rehoboam rested with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. His mother's name was Naamah the Ammonite. His son Abijam became king in his place.
King » Influenced by popular opinion » Zedekiah
When all the officials came to Jeremiah and questioned him, he reported the exact words to them the king had commanded, and they quit speaking with him because nothing had been heard.
Kings » Who reigned over judah » Zedekiah
All the leaders of the priests and the people multiplied their unfaithful deeds, imitating all the detestable practices of the nations, and they defiled the Lord's temple that He had consecrated in Jerusalem. But the Lord God of their ancestors sent word against them by the hand of his messengers, sending them time and time again, for He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place. But they kept ridiculing God's messengers, despising His words, and scoffing at His prophets, until the Lord's wrath was so stirred up against His people that there was no remedy. So He brought up against them the king of the Chaldeans, who killed their choice young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary. He had no pity on young man and virgin or elderly and aged; He handed them all over to him. He took everything to Babylon-all the articles of God's temple, large and small, the treasures of the Lord's temple, and the treasures of the king and his officials. Then the Chaldeans burned God's temple. They tore down Jerusalem's wall, burned down all its palaces, and destroyed all its valuable utensils. Those who escaped from the sword he deported to Babylon, and they became servants to him and his sons until the rise of the Persian kingdom. This fulfilled the word of the Lord through Jeremiah and the land enjoyed its Sabbath rest all the days of the desolation until 70 years were fulfilled.
Because of the Lord's anger, it came to the point in Jerusalem and Judah that He finally banished them from His presence. Then, Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon. In the ninth year of Zedekiah's reign, on the tenth day of the tenth month, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon advanced against Jerusalem with his entire army. They laid siege to the city and built a siege wall against it all around. The city was under siege until King Zedekiah's eleventh year. By the ninth day of the [fourth] month the famine was so severe in the city that the people of the land had no food. Then the city was broken into, and all the warriors [fled] by night by way of the gate between the two walls near the king's garden, even though the Chaldeans surrounded the city. As the king made his way along the route to the Arabah, the Chaldean army pursued him and overtook him in the plains of Jericho. Zedekiah's entire army was scattered from him. The Chaldeans seized the king and brought him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah, and they passed sentence on him. They slaughtered Zedekiah's sons before his eyes. Finally, the king of Babylon blinded Zedekiah, bound him in bronze [chains], and took 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 I live"-[this is] the declaration of the Lord God -"he will die in Babylon, in the land of the king who put him on the throne, whose oath he despised and whose covenant he broke. Pharaoh will not help him with [his] great army and vast horde in battle, when ramps are built and siege walls constructed to destroy many lives. He despised the oath by breaking the covenant. He did all these things even though he gave his hand [in pledge]. He will not escape!" Therefore, this is what the Lord God says: "As I live, I will bring down on his head My oath that he despised and My covenant that he broke.
Zedekiah » Or mattaniah, king of judah, son of josiah
Zedekiah » Made king of judah by nebuchadnezzar » The allegiance denounced » By jeremiah
Indeed, if you were to strike down the entire Chaldean army that is fighting with you, and there remained among them only the badly wounded men, each in his tent, they would get up and burn this city down."
'I have not sent them'-[this is] the Lord's declaration-'and they are prophesying falsely in My name; therefore, I will banish you, and you will perish-you and the prophets who are prophesying to you.' " Then I spoke to the priests and all these people, saying, "This is what the Lord says, 'Do not listen to the words of your prophets. They are prophesying to you, claiming: Look, very soon now the articles of the Lord's temple will be brought back from Babylon. They are prophesying a lie to you. Do not listen to them. Serve the king of Babylon and live! Why should this city become a ruin? If they are indeed prophets and if the word of the Lord is with them, let them intercede with the Lord of Hosts not to let the articles that remain in the Lord's temple, in the palace of the king of Judah, and in Jerusalem go to Babylon.' For this is what the Lord of Hosts says about the pillars, the sea, the water carts, and the rest of the articles that still remain in this city, those Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon did not take when he deported Jeconiah son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, from Jerusalem to Babylon along with all the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem. Yes, this is what the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, says about the articles that remain in the temple of the Lord, in the palace of the king of Judah, and in Jerusalem: 'They will be brought to Babylon and will remain there until I attend to them again.' [This is] the Lord's declaration. 'Then I will bring them up and restore them to this place.' "
“There is,” Jeremiah responded, and he continued, “You will be handed over to the king of Babylon.”
Jeremiah therefore said to Zedekiah, "This is what the Lord, the God of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: 'If indeed you surrender to the officials of the king of Babylon, then you will live, this city will not be burned down, and you and your household will survive. But if you do not surrender to the officials of the king of Babylon, then this city will be handed over to the Chaldeans. They will burn it down, and you yourself will not escape from them.' " But King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, "I am worried about the Judeans who have deserted to the Chaldeans. They may hand me over to them to abuse me." "They will not hand you over," Jeremiah replied. "Obey the voice of the Lord in what I am telling you, so it may go well for you and you can live. But if you refuse to surrender, this is the verdict that the Lord has shown me: 'All the women who remain in the palace of Judah's king will be brought out to the officials of the king of Babylon and will say: Your trusted friends misled you and overcame you. Your feet sank into the mire, and they deserted you. All your wives and sons will be brought out to the Chaldeans. You yourself will not escape from them, for you will be seized by the king of Babylon and this city will burn down.' " Then Zedekiah warned Jeremiah, "Don't let anyone know about these things or you will die. If the officials hear that I have spoken with you and come and demand of you, 'Tell us what you said to the king; don't hide anything from us and we won't kill you. Also, what did the king say to you?' then you will tell them, 'I was bringing before the king my petition that he not return me to the house of Jonathan to die there.' " When all the officials came to Jeremiah and questioned him, he reported the exact words to them the king had commanded, and they quit speaking with him because nothing had been heard. Jeremiah remained in the guard's courtyard until the day Jerusalem was captured, and he was [there] when it happened.
Zedekiah » Made king of judah by nebuchadnezzar » Nebuchadnezzar destroys the city and temple, takes him captive to babylon, blinds his eyes, kills his sons
Then the city was broken into, and all the warriors [fled] by night by way of the gate between the two walls near the king's garden, even though the Chaldeans surrounded the city. As the king made his way along the route to the Arabah, the Chaldean army pursued him and overtook him in the plains of Jericho. Zedekiah's entire army was scattered from him. The Chaldeans seized the king and brought him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah, and they passed sentence on him. They slaughtered Zedekiah's sons before his eyes. Finally, the king of Babylon blinded Zedekiah, bound him in bronze [chains], and took him to Babylon. On the seventh day of the fifth month, which was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan, the commander of the guards, a servant of the king of Babylon, entered Jerusalem. He burned the Lord's temple, the king's palace, and all the houses of Jerusalem; he burned down all the great houses. The whole Chaldean army [with] the commander of the guards tore down the walls surrounding Jerusalem.
Those who escaped from the sword he deported to Babylon, and they became servants to him and his sons until the rise of the Persian kingdom.
When he saw them, Zedekiah king of Judah and all the soldiers fled. They left the city at night by way of the king's garden through the gate between the two walls. They left along the route to the Arabah. However, the Chaldean army pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho, arrested him, and brought him to Nebuchadnezzar, Babylon's king, at Riblah in the land of Hamath. The king passed sentence on him [there]. At Riblah the king of Babylon slaughtered Zedekiah's sons before his eyes, and he [also] slaughtered all Judah's nobles. Then he blinded Zedekiah and put him in bronze chains to take him to Babylon. The Chaldeans next burned down the king's palace and the people's houses and tore down the walls of Jerusalem. Nebuzaradan, the commander of the guards, deported to Babylon the rest of the people-those who had remained in the city and those deserters who had defected to him along with the rest of the people who had remained. [However,] Nebuzaradan, the commander of the guards, left in the land of Judah some of the poor people who owned nothing, and he gave them vineyards and fields at that time.
Then the city was broken into, and all the warriors fled. They left the city by night by way of the gate between the two walls near the king's garden, though the Chaldeans surrounded the city. They made their way along the route to the Arabah. The Chaldean army pursued the king and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho. Zedekiah's entire army was scattered from him. The Chaldeans seized the king and brought him to the king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath, and he passed sentence on him. At Riblah the king of Babylon slaughtered Zedekiah's sons before his eyes and also slaughtered the Judean commanders. Then he blinded Zedekiah and bound him with bronze chains. The king of Babylon brought Zedekiah to Babylon, where he kept him in custody until his dying day. On the tenth day of the fifth month-which was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon-Nebuzaradan, the commander of the guards, entered Jerusalem as the representative of the king of Babylon. He burned the Lord's temple, the king's palace, all the houses of Jerusalem, and all the houses of the nobles. The whole Chaldean army with the commander of the guards tore down all the walls surrounding Jerusalem. Nebuzaradan, the commander of the guards, deported some of the poorest of the people, as well as the rest of the people who were left in the city, the deserters who had defected to the king of Babylon, and the rest of the craftsmen. But some of the poor people of the land Nebuzaradan, the commander of the guards, left to be vinedressers and farmers. Now the Chaldeans broke into pieces the bronze pillars for the Lord's temple and the water carts and the bronze reservoir that were in the Lord's temple, and carried all the bronze to Babylon. They took the pots, the shovels, the wick trimmers, the sprinkling basins, the dishes, and all the bronze articles used in [temple] service. The commander of the guards took away the bowls, the firepans, the sprinkling basins, the pots, the lampstands, the pans, and the drink offering bowls-whatever was gold or silver. As for the two pillars, the one reservoir, and the 12 bronze bulls under the water carts that King Solomon had made for the Lord's temple, the weight of the bronze of all these articles was beyond measure. One pillar was 27 feet tall, had a circumference of 18 feet, was hollow-four fingers thick- and had a bronze capital on top of it. One capital, encircled by bronze latticework and pomegranates, stood seven and a half feet high. The second pillar was the same, with pomegranates. [Each capital had] 96 pomegranates all around it. All the pomegranates around the latticework numbered 100. The commander of the guards also took away Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah the priest of the second rank, and the three doorkeepers. From the city he took a court official who had been appointed over the warriors; seven trusted royal aides found in the city; the secretary of the commander of the army, who enlisted the people of the land for military duty; and 60 men from the common people who were found within the city. Nebuzaradan, the commander of the guards, took them and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah. The king of Babylon put them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. Thus Judah went into exile from its land. These are the people Nebuchadnezzar deported: in the seventh year, 3,023 Jews; in his eighteenth year, 832 people from Jerusalem; in Nebuchadnezzar's twenty-third year, Nebuzaradan, the commander of the guards, deported 745 Jews. All together 4,600 people [were deported].
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
However, this king revolted against him by sending his ambassadors to Egypt so they might give him horses and a large army. Will he flourish? Will the one who does such things escape? Can he break a covenant and [still] escape? "As I live"-[this is] the declaration of the Lord God -"he will die in Babylon, in the land of the king who put him on the throne, whose oath he despised and whose covenant he broke. Pharaoh will not help him with [his] great army and vast horde in battle, when ramps are built and siege walls constructed to destroy many lives. He despised the oath by breaking the covenant. He did all these things even though he gave his hand [in pledge]. He will not escape!" Therefore, this is what the Lord God says: "As I live, I will bring down on his head My oath that he despised and My covenant that he broke. I will spread My net over him, and he will be captured in My snare. I will bring him to Babylon and execute judgment on him there for the treachery he committed against Me. All the fugitives among his troops will fall by the sword, and those who survive will be scattered to every direction of the wind. Then you will know that I, Yahweh, have spoken."
Zedekiah » Made king of judah by nebuchadnezzar
Johanan was the firstborn, Jehoiakim second,
Zedekiah third, and Shallum fourth.
Zedekiah » Made king of judah by nebuchadnezzar » Imprisons jeremiah on account of his denunciations
Then Jeremiah said to King Zedekiah, "How have I sinned against you or your servants or these people that you have put me in prison? Where are your prophets who prophesied to you, claiming, 'The king of Babylon will not come against you and this land'? So now please listen, my lord the king. May my petition come before you. Don't send me back to the house of Jonathan the scribe, or I will die there." So King Zedekiah gave orders, and Jeremiah was placed in the guard's courtyard. He was given a loaf of bread each day from the baker's street until all the bread was gone from the city. So Jeremiah remained in the guard's courtyard.
Ebed-melech went from the king's palace and spoke to the king: "My lord king, these men have been evil in all they have done to Jeremiah the prophet. They have dropped him into the cistern where he will die from hunger, because there is no more bread in the city." So the king commanded Ebed-melech, the Cushite, "Take from here 30 men under your authority and pull Jeremiah the prophet up from the cistern before he dies." So Ebed-melech took the men under his authority and went to the king's palace to a place below the storehouse. From there he took old rags and worn-out clothes and lowered them by ropes to Jeremiah in the cistern. Ebed-melech the Cushite cried out to Jeremiah, "Place these old rags and clothes between your armpits and the ropes." Jeremiah did so, and they pulled him up with the ropes and lifted him out of the cistern, but he continued to stay in the guard's courtyard. King Zedekiah sent for Jeremiah the prophet and received him at the third entrance of the Lord's temple. The king said to Jeremiah, "I am going to ask you something; don't hide anything from me." Jeremiah replied to Zedekiah, "If I tell you, you will kill me, won't you? Besides, if I give you advice, you won't listen to me anyway." King Zedekiah swore to Jeremiah in private, "As the Lord lives, who has given us this life, I will not kill you or hand you over to these men who want to take your life." Jeremiah therefore said to Zedekiah, "This is what the Lord, the God of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: 'If indeed you surrender to the officials of the king of Babylon, then you will live, this city will not be burned down, and you and your household will survive. But if you do not surrender to the officials of the king of Babylon, then this city will be handed over to the Chaldeans. They will burn it down, and you yourself will not escape from them.' " But King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, "I am worried about the Judeans who have deserted to the Chaldeans. They may hand me over to them to abuse me." "They will not hand you over," Jeremiah replied. "Obey the voice of the Lord in what I am telling you, so it may go well for you and you can live. But if you refuse to surrender, this is the verdict that the Lord has shown me: 'All the women who remain in the palace of Judah's king will be brought out to the officials of the king of Babylon and will say: Your trusted friends misled you and overcame you. Your feet sank into the mire, and they deserted you. All your wives and sons will be brought out to the Chaldeans. You yourself will not escape from them, for you will be seized by the king of Babylon and this city will burn down.' " Then Zedekiah warned Jeremiah, "Don't let anyone know about these things or you will die. If the officials hear that I have spoken with you and come and demand of you, 'Tell us what you said to the king; don't hide anything from us and we won't kill you. Also, what did the king say to you?' then you will tell them, 'I was bringing before the king my petition that he not return me to the house of Jonathan to die there.' " When all the officials came to Jeremiah and questioned him, he reported the exact words to them the king had commanded, and they quit speaking with him because nothing had been heard. Jeremiah remained in the guard's courtyard until the day Jerusalem was captured, and he was [there] when it happened.
Zedekiah » Made king of judah by nebuchadnezzar » Seeks the intercession of jeremiah with God on his behalf
Jeremiah therefore said to Zedekiah, "This is what the Lord, the God of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: 'If indeed you surrender to the officials of the king of Babylon, then you will live, this city will not be burned down, and you and your household will survive. But if you do not surrender to the officials of the king of Babylon, then this city will be handed over to the Chaldeans. They will burn it down, and you yourself will not escape from them.' " But King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, "I am worried about the Judeans who have deserted to the Chaldeans. They may hand me over to them to abuse me." "They will not hand you over," Jeremiah replied. "Obey the voice of the Lord in what I am telling you, so it may go well for you and you can live. But if you refuse to surrender, this is the verdict that the Lord has shown me: 'All the women who remain in the palace of Judah's king will be brought out to the officials of the king of Babylon and will say: Your trusted friends misled you and overcame you. Your feet sank into the mire, and they deserted you. All your wives and sons will be brought out to the Chaldeans. You yourself will not escape from them, for you will be seized by the king of Babylon and this city will burn down.' " Then Zedekiah warned Jeremiah, "Don't let anyone know about these things or you will die. If the officials hear that I have spoken with you and come and demand of you, 'Tell us what you said to the king; don't hide anything from us and we won't kill you. Also, what did the king say to you?' then you will tell them, 'I was bringing before the king my petition that he not return me to the house of Jonathan to die there.' " When all the officials came to Jeremiah and questioned him, he reported the exact words to them the king had commanded, and they quit speaking with him because nothing had been heard.
Zedekiah » Made king of judah by nebuchadnezzar » The allegiance denounced » By ezekiel
However, this king revolted against him by sending his ambassadors to Egypt so they might give him horses and a large army. Will he flourish? Will the one who does such things escape? Can he break a covenant and [still] escape? "As I live"-[this is] the declaration of the Lord God -"he will die in Babylon, in the land of the king who put him on the throne, whose oath he despised and whose covenant he broke. Pharaoh will not help him with [his] great army and vast horde in battle, when ramps are built and siege walls constructed to destroy many lives. He despised the oath by breaking the covenant. He did all these things even though he gave his hand [in pledge]. He will not escape!" Therefore, this is what the Lord God says: "As I live, I will bring down on his head My oath that he despised and My covenant that he broke. I will spread My net over him, and he will be captured in My snare. I will bring him to Babylon and execute judgment on him there for the treachery he committed against Me. All the fugitives among his troops will fall by the sword, and those who survive will be scattered to every direction of the wind. Then you will know that I, Yahweh, have spoken."
But I will spread My net over him, and he will be caught in My snare. I will bring him to Babylon, the land of the Chaldeans, yet he will not see it, and he will die there. I will also scatter all the attendants who surround him and all his troops to every direction of the wind, and I will draw a sword [to chase] after them. They will know that I am the Lord when I disperse them among the nations and scatter them among the countries. But I will spare a few of them from the sword, famine, and plague so they can tell about all their abominations among the nations where they go. Then they will know 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
so the kingdom might be humble and not exalt itself but might keep his covenant in order to endure. However, this king revolted against him by sending his ambassadors to Egypt so they might give him horses and a large army. Will he flourish? Will the one who does such things escape? Can he break a covenant and [still] escape? "As I live"-[this is] the declaration of the Lord God -"he will die in Babylon, in the land of the king who put him on the throne, whose oath he despised and whose covenant he broke. Pharaoh will not help him with [his] great army and vast horde in battle, when ramps are built and siege walls constructed to destroy many lives. He despised the oath by breaking the covenant. He did all these things even though he gave his hand [in pledge]. He will not escape!"
Zedekiah » False prophet
Zedekiah » A prince of judah
Zedekiah » Grandson of jehoiakim
his sons Jeconiah and Zedekiah.