2 Chronicles 36 - Summary

The people made Jehoahaz king after Josiah, but Neco of Egypt deposed him after three months, imposed tribute on Judah, and placed his brother Eliakim (renamed Jehoiakim) on the throne; Jehoiakim reigned eleven years doing evil and was carried to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar along with temple vessels. Jehoiachin his son reigned three months and ten days doing evil before Nebuchadnezzar took him to Babylon with costly temple articles and made his brother Zedekiah king; Zedekiah rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar and refused to humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet who spoke from the Lord's mouth, stiffening his neck and hardening his heart against the God of Israel. The Lord sent persistent warnings through His messengers because He had compassion on His people and dwelling place, but they mocked the prophets, despised His words, and scoffed at His prophets until the Lord's wrath rose against them with no remedy; the Chaldeans killed the young men in the sanctuary, had no compassion on anyone, burned the temple, broke down Jerusalem's walls, and carried survivors to Babylon as servants until the kingdom of Persia, fulfilling Jeremiah's prophecy of seventy years' desolation until the land enjoyed its sabbaths. The book concludes with Cyrus of Persia's proclamation that the Lord had charged him to build a temple in Jerusalem and that whoever among God's people wished to return should go up.