Thematic Bible: Zedekiah


Thematic Bible



But he rebelled against him! He sent his envoys to Egypt 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 and escape?' Verse ConceptsenvoyLargenessRebellion Against God, Shown InNo EscapeAcquiring HorsesLarge Armies

He did what Jehovah his God considered evil. He did not humble himself in front of the prophet Jeremiah, who spoke Jehovah's word. Zedekiah also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar made Zedekiah swear an oath of allegiance to him in God's name. But Zedekiah became so stubborn and so impossible to deal with that he refused to turn back to Jehovah the God of Israel.

Zedekiah, his administrators, and the common people did not listen to what Jehovah spoke through the prophet Jeremiah. Verse ConceptsIndifferenceListeningWork, Divine And HumanNamed Prophets Of The Lord

He let the poorest of the land go on living there, to take care of the vines and the fields. Verse ConceptsFarmersRemnantSmall RemnantsPloughmenImmigrants

There were people who were still living in the land of Judah. Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, did not take them captive. He made Gedaliah, son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, ruler over them. The captains of the armed forces heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah ruler. They brought their men to Gedaliah at Mizpah. Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan, the son of Kareah, and Seraiah, the son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah, the son of the Maacathite, came with all their men.

He left in the land of Judah some of the poorest people, who owned no property, and he gave them vineyards and fields. Verse ConceptsPoverty, Attitudes TowardsRemnantSmall Remnants

All the army commanders and their men who were in the field heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah, son of Ahikam, to govern the country and some of the country's poorest men, women, and children who had not been taken away to Babylon. These are the commanders who went with their men to Gedaliah at Mizpah: Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan and Jonathan sons of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai from Netophah, and Jezaniah, who was the son of a man from Maacah. Gedaliah, son of Ahikam and grandson of Shaphan, swore an oath to them and their men. He said: Do not be afraid to serve the Babylonians. Live in this country, serve the king of Babylon, and you will prosper. read more.
I am going to live in Mizpah and represent you when the Babylonians come to us. Gather grapes, summer fruit, and olive oil, and put them in storage jars. Live in the cities you have taken over. All the Jews who were in Moab, Ammon, Edom, and in all the other countries heard that the king of Babylon had left a few survivors in Judah and had appointed Gedaliah, son of Ahikam and grandson of Shaphan, to govern them. So all the Jews returned from all the places where they had been scattered. They came to Judah and to Gedaliah at Mizpah. They gathered a large harvest of grapes and summer fruit.

Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, left some of the poorest people in the land to work in the vineyards and on the farms. Verse ConceptsSmall RemnantsPloughmen

The king of Babylon installed Mattaniah, his father's brother, king in place of Jehoiachin. He changed his name to Zedekiah. Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king. He was king in Jerusalem for eleven years. His mother's name was Hamutal, daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. He did evil in the eyes of Jehovah, as Jehoiakim had done. read more.
This happened in Jerusalem and Judah because of Jehovah's anger. It continued until he had sent them all away from before him. Then Zedekiah took up arms and rebelled against the king of Babylon.

Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he began to rule. He ruled for eleven years in Jerusalem. He did what Jehovah his God considered evil. He did not humble himself in front of the prophet Jeremiah, who spoke Jehovah's word. Zedekiah also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar made Zedekiah swear an oath of allegiance to him in God's name. But Zedekiah became so stubborn and so impossible to deal with that he refused to turn back to Jehovah the God of Israel. read more.
All the officials, the priests, and the people became increasingly unfaithful and followed all the disgusting practices of the nations. Although Jehovah made the Temple in Jerusalem holy, they made the Temple unclean. Jehovah the God of their ancestors repeatedly sent messages through his prophets because he wanted to spare his people and his dwelling place. They mocked God's messengers. They despised his words, and made fun of his prophets until Jehovah became angry with his people. He could no longer heal them. So he had the Babylonian king attack them and execute their best young men in their holy temple. He did not spare the best men or the unmarried women, the old people or the sick people. God handed all of them over to him. He brought to Babylon each of the utensils from God's temple, the treasures from Jehovah's Temple, and the treasures of the king and his officials. He burned down the Temple and the city, with all its palaces and its wealth, and broke down the city wall. The survivors were taken to Babylonia as prisoners. They served as slaves of the king and his sons, until Persia became a powerful nation. This fulfilled the word of Jehovah that was spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed its Sabbaths. All the days of its desolation it kept Sabbath until seventy years were complete.

Solomon's son Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he became king of Judah. He ruled seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city Jehovah chose from all the territory of Israel as the place where he was to be worshiped. Rehoboam's mother was Naamah from Ammon. The people of Judah sinned against Jehovah. They did more to arouse his anger against them than all their ancestors had done. They built places of worship for false gods. They put up stone pillars and symbols of Asherah to worship on the hills and under shady trees. read more.
There were also male (cult) prostitutes in the temples of idols throughout the land. The people of Judah practiced all the disgusting practices done by the nations that Jehovah forced out of the Israelites' way. King Shishak of Egypt attacked Jerusalem in the fifth year of Rehoboam's reign. He took the treasures from Jehovah's Temple and the royal palace. He took them all. He took all the gold shields Solomon had made. King Rehoboam replaced them with bronze shields and entrusted them to the officers responsible for guarding the palace gates. The guards carried the shields every time the king went to the Temple and then returned them to the guardroom. The rest of the acts of Rehoboam, and everything he did are recorded in the book of the History of the Kings of Judah. There was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all their days. Rehoboam went to rest with his fathers, and was buried with them in the city of David. His mother's name was Naamah, an Ammonite woman. And Abijam his son became king in his place.

The king answered: I am afraid of our own people who have deserted to the Babylonians. I may be handed over to them and tortured. Verse ConceptsJews, TheFear Of ManFearing Other PeopleTurning Against Men

Zedekiah replied: Do not let anyone know about this conversation, and your life will not be in danger. If the officials hear that I have talked with you, they will come and ask you what we said. They will promise not to put you to death if you tell them everything. Just tell them you were begging me not to send you back to prison to die there. read more.
Then all the officials came and questioned me. I told them exactly what the king had told me to say. There was nothing else they could do, because no one had overheard the conversation.

Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he began to rule. He ruled for eleven years in Jerusalem. He did what Jehovah his God considered evil. He did not humble himself in front of the prophet Jeremiah, who spoke Jehovah's word. Zedekiah also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar made Zedekiah swear an oath of allegiance to him in God's name. But Zedekiah became so stubborn and so impossible to deal with that he refused to turn back to Jehovah the God of Israel. read more.
All the officials, the priests, and the people became increasingly unfaithful and followed all the disgusting practices of the nations. Although Jehovah made the Temple in Jerusalem holy, they made the Temple unclean. Jehovah the God of their ancestors repeatedly sent messages through his prophets because he wanted to spare his people and his dwelling place. They mocked God's messengers. They despised his words, and made fun of his prophets until Jehovah became angry with his people. He could no longer heal them. So he had the Babylonian king attack them and execute their best young men in their holy temple. He did not spare the best men or the unmarried women, the old people or the sick people. God handed all of them over to him. He brought to Babylon each of the utensils from God's temple, the treasures from Jehovah's Temple, and the treasures of the king and his officials. He burned down the Temple and the city, with all its palaces and its wealth, and broke down the city wall. The survivors were taken to Babylonia as prisoners. They served as slaves of the king and his sons, until Persia became a powerful nation. This fulfilled the word of Jehovah that was spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed its Sabbaths. All the days of its desolation it kept Sabbath until seventy years were complete.

The king of Babylon installed Mattaniah, his father's brother, king in place of Jehoiachin. He changed his name to Zedekiah. Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king. He was king in Jerusalem for eleven years. His mother's name was Hamutal, daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. He did evil in the eyes of Jehovah, as Jehoiakim had done. read more.
This happened in Jerusalem and Judah because of Jehovah's anger. It continued until he had sent them all away from before him. Then Zedekiah took up arms and rebelled against the king of Babylon. Now in the ninth year of his rule, on the tenth day of the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon attacked Jerusalem with all his army. He took his position and laid siege to it. They built earthworks all round the town. They surrounded the town and laid siege till the eleventh year of King Zedekiah. On the ninth day of the fourth month, the store of food in the town was almost gone. There was no food for the people of the land. An opening was made in the wall of the town. All the men of war went in flight by night through the doorway between the two walls by the king's garden. The Chaldaeans were stationed around the town: and the king went by the way toward the plain of Arabah. But the Chaldaean army went after the king. They overtook him in the lowlands of Jericho. All his army went in flight from him in every direction. They made the king a prisoner and took him to the king of Babylon at Riblah to be judged. They put the sons of Zedekiah to death before his eyes. Then they put out his eyes, chained him with iron bands and took him to Babylon.

The prophet Zedekiah went to Micaiah and slapped his face. He asked: Since when did Jehovah's spirit leave me and speak to you? Verse ConceptsConfrontationRidicule, Nature OfInfidelity To GodSmitingSmitten CheeksSmiting Of The RighteousThe Spirit Of The LordCheeks

Zedekiah also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar made Zedekiah swear an oath of allegiance to him in God's name. But Zedekiah became so stubborn and so impossible to deal with that he refused to turn back to Jehovah the God of Israel. Verse ConceptsRebellion, Against Human AuthorityStiffnecked People

So King Zedekiah promised me in secret: I swear by the living God, the God who gave us life, that I will not put you to death or hand you over to the men who want to kill you. Verse ConceptsBreath Of LifeOaths, HumanSecrecyGod Giving LifeKilling Prophets

Zedekiah also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar made Zedekiah swear an oath of allegiance to him in God's name. But Zedekiah became so stubborn and so impossible to deal with that he refused to turn back to Jehovah the God of Israel. Verse ConceptsRebellion, Against Human AuthorityStiffnecked People

The officials went to the king and said: This man must be put to death. By talking like this he is making the soldiers in the city lose their courage. He is doing the same thing to everyone else left in the city. He is not trying to help the people. He only wants to hurt them. King Zedekiah answered: Very well, then, do what you want to with him. I cannot stop you. So they took me and let me down by ropes into Prince Malchiah's well, which was in the palace courtyard. There was no water in the well, only mud, and I sank down in it.

Zedekiah also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar made Zedekiah swear an oath of allegiance to him in God's name. But Zedekiah became so stubborn and so impossible to deal with that he refused to turn back to Jehovah the God of Israel. Verse ConceptsRebellion, Against Human AuthorityStiffnecked People

Zedekiah also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar made Zedekiah swear an oath of allegiance to him in God's name. But Zedekiah became so stubborn and so impossible to deal with that he refused to turn back to Jehovah the God of Israel. Verse ConceptsRebellion, Against Human AuthorityStiffnecked People

Zedekiah also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar made Zedekiah swear an oath of allegiance to him in God's name. But Zedekiah became so stubborn and so impossible to deal with that he refused to turn back to Jehovah the God of Israel. Verse ConceptsRebellion, Against Human AuthorityStiffnecked People

He took one of the royal family and made a covenant with him, putting him under oath. He also took away the mighty of the land, that the kingdom might be in subjection, not exalting itself, but keeping his covenant that it might continue. But he rebelled against him! He sent his envoys to Egypt 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 and escape?' read more.
As I am alive,' says the Lord Jehovah, 'this king will die in Babylon because he broke his oath and the treaty with the one who put him on the throne the king of Babylon. Even the powerful army of the king of Egypt will not be able to help him fight when the Babylonians build earthworks and dig trenches in order to kill many people. He broke his oath and the treaty he had made. He did all these things, and now he will not escape.' The Lord Jehovah says: As surely as I am the living God, I will punish him for breaking the treaty that he swore in my name to keep.

The king of Babylon installed Mattaniah, his father's brother, king in place of Jehoiachin. He changed his name to Zedekiah. Verse ConceptsPeople Renaming PeopleKings Of All Israel Or Judah

King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon appointed Zedekiah, son of Josiah, to be king of Judah. Zedekiah succeeded Jehoiakin, son of Jehoiakim. Verse ConceptsMaking KingsKings Of All Israel Or JudahKings of judah

They surrounded the town and laid siege till the eleventh year of King Zedekiah. Verse ConceptsMonotonyYears Of Zedekiah

Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he began to rule. He ruled for eleven years in Jerusalem. Verse ConceptsTen To Fourteen Years

When King Zedekiah of Judah locked up Jeremiah, Zedekiah asked him: Why are you prophesying? You are saying, 'this is what Jehovah says: I am going to hand this city over to the king of Babylon, and he will capture it. Verse ConceptsCapturing Cities

This is what Jehovah the God of Israel says: 'Say this to the king of Judah, who sent you to get advice from me: Pharaoh's army has come out to help you. But it will go back to Egypt, its own land. Then the Babylonians will return. They will attack the city, capture it, and burn it down. Jehovah says: 'Do not deceive yourselves by thinking that the Babylonians will leave you. They will not leave you. read more.
Even if you would defeat the entire Babylonian army so that they had only a few badly wounded men left in their tents, they would get up and burn down this city!'

He did what Jehovah his God considered evil. He did not humble himself in front of the prophet Jeremiah, who spoke Jehovah's word. Verse ConceptsWord Of God

When King Zedekiah of Judah locked up Jeremiah, Zedekiah asked him: Why are you prophesying? You are saying, 'this is what Jehovah says: I am going to hand this city over to the king of Babylon, and he will capture it. King Zedekiah of Judah will not escape from the Babylonians. He will certainly be handed over to the king of Babylon. He will talk to Nebuchadnezzar in person and look him in the eye. Nebuchadnezzar will take Zedekiah to Babylon, and Zedekiah will stay there until I deal with him, declares Jehovah. When you fight the Babylonians, you will not win.'

Like the bad figs that cannot be eaten because they are rotten, says Jehovah, so I will abandon Zedekiah king of Judah and his officials, and the remnant of Jerusalem who remain in this land and the ones who dwell in the land of Egypt. I will make them a horrifying sight to all the kingdoms of the earth. They will be a disgrace and an example. They will become something ridiculed and cursed wherever I scatter them. I will send wars, famines, and plagues until they disappear from the land that I gave to them and their ancestors.'

I spoke the same message to King Zedekiah of Judah: Surrender to the king of Babylon, serve him and his people, and you will stay alive. Why should you and your people die in wars, famines, and plagues? Jehovah has threatened the nations that do not serve the king of Babylon. Do not listen to the prophets who tell you, 'You will never serve the king of Babylon.' They prophesy lies to you. read more.
I did not send them, declares Jehovah. They prophesy lies in my name. So I will scatter you, and you and the prophets will die.' I also spoke this message to the priests and all the people. This is what Jehovah said to me: Do not listen to the prophets who tell you that the utensils of Jehovah's Temple will be brought back from Babylon soon. They prophesy lies to you. Do not listen to them. Instead, serve the king of Babylon, and live. Why should this city be turned into rubble? If they are prophets and Jehovah is speaking to them, they should beg Jehovah of Hosts not to allow the utensils that are left in Jehovah's Temple, in the royal palace of Judah, and in Jerusalem to be taken away to Babylon. Jehovah of Host reports concerning the pillars, concerning the sea, concerning the stands and concerning the rest of the vessels that are left in this city, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon did not take when he carried into exile Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, from Jerusalem to Babylon, and all the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem. Thus says Jehovah of Hosts, the God of Israel, concerning the vessels that are left in the House of Jehovah and in the house of the king of Judah and in Jerusalem, They will be carried to Babylon and they will be there until the day I visit them, declares Jehovah. Then I will bring them back and restore them to this place.'

Then King Zedekiah sent for Jeremiah, and the king asked him privately in the palace: Is there any message from Jehovah? Jeremiah answered: Yes! There is a message from Jehovah. You will be handed over to the king of Babylon. Verse ConceptsPrivacyInformation In SecretGod Will Cause DefeatQuestioning God

On another occasion King Zedekiah had me brought to him at the third entrance to the temple. He said: I am going to ask you a question, and I want you to tell me the whole truth. I answered: If I tell you the truth, you will put me to death, and if I give you advice, you will not pay any attention. So King Zedekiah promised me in secret: I swear by the living God, the God who gave us life, that I will not put you to death or hand you over to the men who want to kill you. read more.
Then I told Zedekiah that Jehovah, the God of Israel said: If you surrender to the king of Babylon's officers, your life will be spared, and this city will not be burned down. Both you and your family will be spared. But if you do not surrender, then this city will be handed over to the Babylonians. They will burn it down, and you will not escape from them. The king answered: I am afraid of our own people who have deserted to the Babylonians. I may be handed over to them and tortured. I said: You will not be handed over to them. I beg you to obey Jehovah's message. Then all will go well with you, and your life will be spared. Jehovah has shown me in a vision what will happen if you refuse to surrender. In it I saw all the women left in Judah's royal palace being led out to the king of Babylonia's officers. Listen to what they were saying as they went. The king's best friends misled him, they overruled him. And now that his feet have sunk in the mud, his friends have left him. Then I added: All your women and children will be taken out to the Babylonians. You will not escape from them. You will be taken prisoner by the king of Babylonia. And this city will be burned to the ground. Zedekiah replied: Do not let anyone know about this conversation, and your life will not be in danger. If the officials hear that I have talked with you, they will come and ask you what we said. They will promise not to put you to death if you tell them everything. Just tell them you were begging me not to send you back to prison to die there. Then all the officials came and questioned me. I told them exactly what the king had told me to say. There was nothing else they could do, because no one had overheard the conversation. I was kept in the palace courtyard until the day Jerusalem was captured.

Jehovah also spoke when Jehoiakim, son of Josiah, was king of Judah. It was during the eleven years that Zedekiah, another son of Josiah, was king of Judah. Jehovah continued to speak to Jeremiah until the people of Jerusalem were taken away into captivity in the fifth month of the year. Verse ConceptsMonth 5Exile Of Judah To BabylonYears Of ZedekiahTimes Of People

This is the message that the prophet Jeremiah gave to Seraiah, son of Neriah and grandson of Mahseiah, when Seraiah went to Babylon with King Zedekiah of Judah in the fourth year of Zedekiah's rule. Seraiah was the quartermaster. Verse ConceptsKings ExiledYears Of ZedekiahNamed Prophets Of The Lord

Now in the ninth year of his rule, on the tenth day of the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon attacked Jerusalem with all his army. He took his position and laid siege to it. They built earthworks all round the town. They surrounded the town and laid siege till the eleventh year of King Zedekiah. On the ninth day of the fourth month, the store of food in the town was almost gone. There was no food for the people of the land. read more.
An opening was made in the wall of the town. All the men of war went in flight by night through the doorway between the two walls by the king's garden. The Chaldaeans were stationed around the town: and the king went by the way toward the plain of Arabah. But the Chaldaean army went after the king. They overtook him in the lowlands of Jericho. All his army went in flight from him in every direction. They made the king a prisoner and took him to the king of Babylon at Riblah to be judged. They put the sons of Zedekiah to death before his eyes. Then they put out his eyes, chained him with iron bands and took him to Babylon. It was the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month, in the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. Nebuzaradan, the captain of the armed men, a servant of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. He had the Temple of Jehovah, the king's house and all the houses of Jerusalem, even every great house, burned with fire. The army of the Chaldaeans under the command of the captain of the army broke down the walls around Jerusalem.

So he had the Babylonian king attack them and execute their best young men in their holy temple. He did not spare the best men or the unmarried women, the old people or the sick people. God handed all of them over to him. He brought to Babylon each of the utensils from God's temple, the treasures from Jehovah's Temple, and the treasures of the king and his officials. He burned down the Temple and the city, with all its palaces and its wealth, and broke down the city wall. read more.
The survivors were taken to Babylonia as prisoners. They served as slaves of the king and his sons, until Persia became a powerful nation.

Jehovah spoke his word to Jeremiah during Zedekiah's tenth year as king of Judah. This was Nebuchadnezzar's eighteenth year as king. At that time the army of the king of Babylon was blockading Jerusalem. The prophet Jeremiah was locked up in the courtyard of the prison. This prison was in the palace of the king of Judah.

In the tenth month of the ninth year that Zedekiah was king of Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia came with his whole army and attacked Jerusalem. On the ninth day of the fourth month of Zedekiah's eleventh year as king, the city walls were broken through. When Jerusalem was captured, all the high officials of the king of Babylon came and took their places at the Middle Gate, including Nergal Sharezer, Samgar Nebo, Sarsechim, and another Nergal Sharezer. read more.
When King Zedekiah and all his soldiers saw what was happening, they tried to escape from the city during the night. They left by way of the royal garden, went through the gateway connecting the two walls, and escaped in the direction of the Jordan Valley. But the Babylonian army pursued them and captured Zedekiah in the plains near Jericho. Then they took him to King Nebuchadnezzar, who was in the city of Riblah in the territory of Hamath, and there Nebuchadnezzar passed sentence on him. At Riblah he put Zedekiah's sons to death while Zedekiah was looking on, and he also had the officials of Judah executed. After that, he had Zedekiah's eyes put out and had him placed in chains to be taken to Babylon. The Babylonians burned down the royal palace and the houses of the people and tore down the walls of Jerusalem. Finally Nebuzaradan, the commanding officer, took away as prisoners to Babylon the people who were left in the city, together with those who had deserted to him. He left in the land of Judah some of the poorest people, who owned no property, and he gave them vineyards and fields.

On the tenth day of the tenth month of the ninth year of Zedekiah's reign, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon attacked Jerusalem with his entire army. They set up camp and built dirt ramps around the city walls. The blockade of the city lasted until Zedekiah's eleventh year as king. On the ninth day of the fourth month, the famine in the city became so severe that the common people had no food. read more.
The enemy broke through the city walls, and all Judah's soldiers fled. They left the city at night through the gate between the two walls beside the king's garden. While the Babylonians were attacking the city from all sides, they took the road to the plain of Jericho. The Babylonian army pursued King Zedekiah and caught up with him in the plain of Jericho. His entire army had deserted him. The Babylonians captured the king and brought him to the king of Babylon at Riblah in Hamath. The king of Babylon passed sentence on him there. The king of Babylon slaughtered Zedekiah's sons as Zedekiah watched. He also slaughtered all the officials of Judah at Riblah. Then he blinded Zedekiah and put him in bronze shackles. The king of Babylon took him to Babylon and put him in a prison, where he stayed until he died. On the tenth day of the fifth month of Nebuchadnezzar's nineteenth year as king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan, who was the captain of the guard and an officer of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. He burned down Jehovah's Temple, the royal palace, and all the houses in Jerusalem. Every important building was burned down. The entire Babylonian army that was with the captain of the guard tore down the walls around Jerusalem. Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, captured the few people left in the city, those who surrendered to the king of Babylon, and the rest of the population. Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, left some of the poorest people in the land to work in the vineyards and on the farms. The Babylonians broke apart the copper pillars of Jehovah's Temple, the stands, and the copper pool in Jehovah's Temple. They shipped all the copper to Babylon. they took the pots, shovels, snuffers, bowls, dishes, and all the copper utensils used in the Temple service. The captain of the guard also took pans, incense burners, bowls, pots, lamp stands, dishes, and the bowls used for wine offerings. The captain of the guard took all of the trays and bowls that were made of gold or silver. The copper from the two pillars, the pool, and the twelve copper bulls under the stands that King Solomon had made for Jehovah's Temple could not be weighed. One pillar was twenty-seven feet high and eighteen feet in circumference. It was three inches thick and hollow. The crown that was on it was seven and one half feet high with filigree and pomegranates around it. They were all made of copper. The second pillar was the same. It also had pomegranates. There were ninety-six pomegranates on the sides. The total number of pomegranates on the surrounding filigree was one hundred. The captain of the guard took the chief priest Seraiah, the second priest Zephaniah, and the three doorkeepers. From the city he also took an army commander, seven men who had access to the king whom he found in the city, the scribe who was in charge of the militia, and sixty common people whom he found in the city. Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah. The king of Babylon executed them at Riblah in the territory of Hamath. So the people of Judah were captives as they left their land. These are the people whom Nebuchadnezzar took captive: In his seventh year as king, he took three thousand and twenty-three Jews. In his eighteenth year, Nebuchadnezzar took eight hundred and thirty-two people from Jerusalem. In Nebuchadnezzar's twenty-third year as king, Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, took away seven hundred and forty-five Jews. In all, four thousand six hundred people were taken away.

He did what Jehovah his God considered evil. He did not humble himself in front of the prophet Jeremiah, who spoke Jehovah's word. Zedekiah also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar made Zedekiah swear an oath of allegiance to him in God's name. But Zedekiah became so stubborn and so impossible to deal with that he refused to turn back to Jehovah the God of Israel.

Zedekiah, his administrators, and the common people did not listen to what Jehovah spoke through the prophet Jeremiah. Verse ConceptsIndifferenceListeningWork, Divine And HumanNamed Prophets Of The Lord

The king answered: I am afraid of our own people who have deserted to the Babylonians. I may be handed over to them and tortured. Verse ConceptsJews, TheFear Of ManFearing Other PeopleTurning Against Men

He did evil in the eyes of Jehovah, as Jehoiakim had done. This happened in Jerusalem and Judah because of Jehovah's anger. It continued until he had sent them all away from before him. Then Zedekiah took up arms and rebelled against the king of Babylon.

King Zedekiah answered: Very well, then, do what you want to with him. I cannot stop you. Verse ConceptsGiven Into One's HandsUnable To Do Other Things

Zedekiah replied: Do not let anyone know about this conversation, and your life will not be in danger. If the officials hear that I have talked with you, they will come and ask you what we said. They will promise not to put you to death if you tell them everything. Just tell them you were begging me not to send you back to prison to die there.

Zedekiah did what Jehovah considered evil, as Jehoiakim had done. Verse ConceptsLike Bad People

One of them, Zedekiah son of Chenaanah, made iron horns and said to Ahab: Jehovah says: 'With these you will fight the Syrians and totally defeat them.' Verse ConceptsHornsIronProphecy, Methods Of OtHorns VictoriousIron ObjectsPowerful Individuals

One of them, Zedekiah son of Chenaanah, made iron horns and said to Ahab: This is what Jehovah says: With these you will fight the Syrians and totally defeat them. Verse ConceptsHornsIron

Because of them, all the captives from Judah who are in Babylon will use this curse: May Jehovah curse you as he cursed Zedekiah and Ahab, whom the king of Babylon burned to death. Verse ConceptsBurning PeopleLike Bad PeopleCursing The Ungodly

This happened in Jerusalem and Judah because of Jehovah's anger. It continued until he had sent them all away from before him. Then Zedekiah took up arms and rebelled against the king of Babylon. Verse ConceptsRevoltsDriven From God's Presence

Zedekiah also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar made Zedekiah swear an oath of allegiance to him in God's name. But Zedekiah became so stubborn and so impossible to deal with that he refused to turn back to Jehovah the God of Israel. Verse ConceptsRebellion, Against Human AuthorityStiffnecked People

Jehovah became angry at Jerusalem and Judah and threw the people out of his sight. Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon. Verse ConceptsRebellion, Against Human AuthorityRejection Of God, Results OfDriven From God's Presence

Say now to the rebellious house: Do you not know what these things mean? Say, Behold, the king of Babylon came to Jerusalem, took its king and princes and brought them to him in Babylon. He took one of the royal family and made a covenant with him, putting him under oath. He also took away the mighty of the land, that the kingdom might be in subjection, not exalting itself, but keeping his covenant that it might continue. read more.
But he rebelled against him! He sent his envoys to Egypt 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 and escape?' As I am alive,' says the Lord Jehovah, 'this king will die in Babylon because he broke his oath and the treaty with the one who put him on the throne the king of Babylon. Even the powerful army of the king of Egypt will not be able to help him fight when the Babylonians build earthworks and dig trenches in order to kill many people. He broke his oath and the treaty he had made. He did all these things, and now he will not escape.' The Lord Jehovah says: As surely as I am the living God, I will punish him for breaking the treaty that he swore in my name to keep. I will spread out a hunter's net and catch him in it. I will take him to Babylon and punish him there, because he was unfaithful to me. His best troops will be killed in battle, and the survivors will be scattered in every direction. I Jehovah have spoken.'

In the spring King Nebuchadnezzar sent for Jehoiakin and brought him to Babylon with the valuable utensils from Jehovah's Temple. Nebuchadnezzar made Jehoiakin's uncle Zedekiah king of Judah and Jerusalem. Verse ConceptsSacrilege

The sons of Josiah: Johanan the firstborn, Jehoiakim the second son, Zedekiah the third, Shallum the fourth. Verse ConceptsFirstborn Sons

King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon appointed Zedekiah, son of Josiah, to be king of Judah. Zedekiah succeeded Jehoiakin, son of Jehoiakim. Verse ConceptsMaking KingsKings Of All Israel Or JudahKings of judah

The king of Babylon installed Mattaniah, his father's brother, king in place of Jehoiachin. He changed his name to Zedekiah. Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king. He was king in Jerusalem for eleven years. His mother's name was Hamutal, daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.

The officials were so angry with Jeremiah that they beat him and put him in prison in the scribe Jonathan's house, which had been turned into a prison. Jeremiah went into a prison cell, and he stayed there a long time. Then King Zedekiah sent for Jeremiah, and the king asked him privately in the palace: Is there any message from Jehovah? Jeremiah answered: Yes! There is a message from Jehovah. You will be handed over to the king of Babylon. read more.
Then Jeremiah asked King Zedekiah: What crime have I committed against you, your administrators, or these people? Why have you put me in prison? Where are the prophets who told you that the king of Babylon would not attack you and this land? Your Majesty, please listen, and accept my plea for mercy. Do not return me to the scribe Jonathan's house, or I will die there. King Zedekiah gave the command to have Jeremiah put in the courtyard of the prison. He gave him a loaf of bread every day from the bakers' street until all the bread in the city was gone. So Jeremiah stayed in the courtyard of the prison.

At that time the army of the king of Babylon was blockading Jerusalem. The prophet Jeremiah was locked up in the courtyard of the prison. This prison was in the palace of the king of Judah. When King Zedekiah of Judah locked up Jeremiah, Zedekiah asked him: Why are you prophesying? You are saying, 'this is what Jehovah says: I am going to hand this city over to the king of Babylon, and he will capture it.

King Zedekiah answered: Very well, then, do what you want to with him. I cannot stop you. So they took me and let me down by ropes into Prince Malchiah's well, which was in the palace courtyard. There was no water in the well, only mud, and I sank down in it. Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, a eunuch (officer) who worked in the royal palace, heard that they had put me in the well. At that time the king was holding court at the Benjamin Gate. read more.
So Ebedmelech went there and said to the king: Your Majesty, what these men have done is wrong. They have put Jeremiah in the well, where he is sure to die of starvation, since there is no more food in the city. Then the king ordered Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, Take with you three men and to pull him out of the well before he dies. So Ebedmelech went with the men to the palace storeroom and got some worn-out clothing which he let down to me by ropes. He told me to put the rags under my arms, so that the ropes would not hurt me. I did this. So they pulled me up out of the well. After that I was kept in the courtyard. On another occasion King Zedekiah had me brought to him at the third entrance to the temple. He said: I am going to ask you a question, and I want you to tell me the whole truth. I answered: If I tell you the truth, you will put me to death, and if I give you advice, you will not pay any attention. So King Zedekiah promised me in secret: I swear by the living God, the God who gave us life, that I will not put you to death or hand you over to the men who want to kill you. Then I told Zedekiah that Jehovah, the God of Israel said: If you surrender to the king of Babylon's officers, your life will be spared, and this city will not be burned down. Both you and your family will be spared. But if you do not surrender, then this city will be handed over to the Babylonians. They will burn it down, and you will not escape from them. The king answered: I am afraid of our own people who have deserted to the Babylonians. I may be handed over to them and tortured. I said: You will not be handed over to them. I beg you to obey Jehovah's message. Then all will go well with you, and your life will be spared. Jehovah has shown me in a vision what will happen if you refuse to surrender. In it I saw all the women left in Judah's royal palace being led out to the king of Babylonia's officers. Listen to what they were saying as they went. The king's best friends misled him, they overruled him. And now that his feet have sunk in the mud, his friends have left him. Then I added: All your women and children will be taken out to the Babylonians. You will not escape from them. You will be taken prisoner by the king of Babylonia. And this city will be burned to the ground. Zedekiah replied: Do not let anyone know about this conversation, and your life will not be in danger. If the officials hear that I have talked with you, they will come and ask you what we said. They will promise not to put you to death if you tell them everything. Just tell them you were begging me not to send you back to prison to die there. Then all the officials came and questioned me. I told them exactly what the king had told me to say. There was nothing else they could do, because no one had overheard the conversation. I was kept in the palace courtyard until the day Jerusalem was captured.

King Zedekiah sent Jehucal son of Shelemiah and the priest Zephaniah son of Maaseiah to the prophet Jeremiah. They asked him: Please pray to Jehovah our God for us. Verse ConceptsPray For Us

This is the word that came to Jeremiah from Jehovah. King Zedekiah sent to him Pashhur the son of Malchijah, and Zephaniah the priest, the son of Maaseiah. The king said to Jeremiah: Please inquire of Jehovah on our behalf. Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon is warring against us. Perhaps Jehovah will deal with us with all his wonderful acts, so that the enemy will withdraw from us. Jeremiah responded to them: Say the following Zedekiah:

On another occasion King Zedekiah had me brought to him at the third entrance to the temple. He said: I am going to ask you a question, and I want you to tell me the whole truth. I answered: If I tell you the truth, you will put me to death, and if I give you advice, you will not pay any attention. So King Zedekiah promised me in secret: I swear by the living God, the God who gave us life, that I will not put you to death or hand you over to the men who want to kill you. read more.
Then I told Zedekiah that Jehovah, the God of Israel said: If you surrender to the king of Babylon's officers, your life will be spared, and this city will not be burned down. Both you and your family will be spared. But if you do not surrender, then this city will be handed over to the Babylonians. They will burn it down, and you will not escape from them. The king answered: I am afraid of our own people who have deserted to the Babylonians. I may be handed over to them and tortured. I said: You will not be handed over to them. I beg you to obey Jehovah's message. Then all will go well with you, and your life will be spared. Jehovah has shown me in a vision what will happen if you refuse to surrender. In it I saw all the women left in Judah's royal palace being led out to the king of Babylonia's officers. Listen to what they were saying as they went. The king's best friends misled him, they overruled him. And now that his feet have sunk in the mud, his friends have left him. Then I added: All your women and children will be taken out to the Babylonians. You will not escape from them. You will be taken prisoner by the king of Babylonia. And this city will be burned to the ground. Zedekiah replied: Do not let anyone know about this conversation, and your life will not be in danger. If the officials hear that I have talked with you, they will come and ask you what we said. They will promise not to put you to death if you tell them everything. Just tell them you were begging me not to send you back to prison to die there. Then all the officials came and questioned me. I told them exactly what the king had told me to say. There was nothing else they could do, because no one had overheard the conversation.

Say now to the rebellious house: Do you not know what these things mean? Say, Behold, the king of Babylon came to Jerusalem, took its king and princes and brought them to him in Babylon. He took one of the royal family and made a covenant with him, putting him under oath. He also took away the mighty of the land, that the kingdom might be in subjection, not exalting itself, but keeping his covenant that it might continue. read more.
But he rebelled against him! He sent his envoys to Egypt 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 and escape?' As I am alive,' says the Lord Jehovah, 'this king will die in Babylon because he broke his oath and the treaty with the one who put him on the throne the king of Babylon. Even the powerful army of the king of Egypt will not be able to help him fight when the Babylonians build earthworks and dig trenches in order to kill many people. He broke his oath and the treaty he had made. He did all these things, and now he will not escape.' The Lord Jehovah says: As surely as I am the living God, I will punish him for breaking the treaty that he swore in my name to keep. I will spread out a hunter's net and catch him in it. I will take him to Babylon and punish him there, because he was unfaithful to me. His best troops will be killed in battle, and the survivors will be scattered in every direction. I Jehovah have spoken.'

Tell them: This is what the Lord Jehovah says: 'This is the divine revelation about the prince from Jerusalem and about all the people of Israel who live there.' Tell them: 'I am your warning sign. What I have done will happen to you. You will go into exile and into captivity. The prince who is among you will put his bags on his shoulders in the dark and leave. People will dig holes in the wall to go through. The prince will cover his face so that he cannot see the land.' read more.
I will also spread my net over him, and he will be caught in my snare. And I will bring him to Babylon in the land of the Chaldeans. Yet he will not see it, though he will die there. I will scatter to every wind all who are around him, his helpers and all his troops. I will draw out a sword after them. So they will know that I am Jehovah when I scatter them among the nations and spread them among the countries. I will spare a few of them from the sword, the famine and the pestilence that they may tell all their abominations among the nations where they go, and may know that I am Jehovah.

One of them, Zedekiah son of Chenaanah, made iron horns and said to Ahab: Jehovah says: 'With these you will fight the Syrians and totally defeat them.' Verse ConceptsHornsIronProphecy, Methods Of OtHorns VictoriousIron ObjectsPowerful Individuals

One of them, Zedekiah son of Chenaanah, made iron horns and said to Ahab: This is what Jehovah says: With these you will fight the Syrians and totally defeat them. Verse ConceptsHornsIron

The prophet Zedekiah went to Micaiah and slapped his face. He asked: Since when did Jehovah's spirit leave me and speak to you? Verse ConceptsConfrontationRidicule, Nature OfInfidelity To GodSmitingSmitten CheeksSmiting Of The RighteousThe Spirit Of The LordCheeks

Then the prophet Zedekiah went up to Micaiah and slapped his face. He asked: Since when did Jehovah's spirit leave me and speak to you? Verse ConceptsThe Spirit Of The Lord

Moreover, the word of Jehovah came to me: Say now to the rebellious house: Do you not know what these things mean? Say, Behold, the king of Babylon came to Jerusalem, took its king and princes and brought them to him in Babylon. He took one of the royal family and made a covenant with him, putting him under oath. He also took away the mighty of the land, read more.
that the kingdom might be in subjection, not exalting itself, but keeping his covenant that it might continue. But he rebelled against him! He sent his envoys to Egypt 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 and escape?' As I am alive,' says the Lord Jehovah, 'this king will die in Babylon because he broke his oath and the treaty with the one who put him on the throne the king of Babylon. Even the powerful army of the king of Egypt will not be able to help him fight when the Babylonians build earthworks and dig trenches in order to kill many people. He broke his oath and the treaty he had made. He did all these things, and now he will not escape.'

This is what Jehovah of Hosts, the God of Israel, says about Kolaiah's son Ahab and about Maaseiah's son Zedekiah, who prophesy lies to you in my name: 'I am going to hand them over to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. I will kill them as you watch. Because of them, all the captives from Judah who are in Babylon will use this curse: May Jehovah curse you as he cursed Zedekiah and Ahab, whom the king of Babylon burned to death. They have done scandalous and disgraceful things in Israel. They committed adultery with their neighbors' wives and spoke lies in my name. I did not command them to do this. 'I know what they have done. I am a witness, says Jehovah.'

Then he went down to the scribe's room in the king's palace where all the scribes were sitting. The scribe Elishama, Delaiah son of Shemaiah, Elnathan son of Achbor, Gemariah son of Shaphan, Zedekiah son of Hananiah, and all the other officials were there. Verse ConceptsPrivate Rooms

The successors of Jehoiakim: Jehoiachin his son, and Zedekiah.