וַיִּקְחוּ עַם־הָאָרֶץ אֶת־יְהוֹאָחָז בֶּן־יֹאשִׁיָּהוּ וַיַּמְלִיכֻהוּ תַחַת־אָבִיו בִּירוּשָׁלִָם

After the death of Yoshiyahu, the people of the land took Yeho’ahaz son of Yoshiyahu, who was not his firstborn son, and crowned him king in his father’s stead in Jerusalem.

בֶּן־שָׁלוֹשׁ וְעֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה יוֹאָחָז בְּמָלְכוֹ וּשְׁלשָׁה חֳדָשִׁים מָלַךְ בִּירוּשָׁלִָם

Yo’ahaz was twenty-three years old when he became king, and he reigned for three months in Jerusalem. Three months passed until Pharaoh Nekho returned from his unsuccessful war in Karkemish and passed once again through the land of Judah, probably angry and bitter at his failure. Having killed Yoshiyahu, Pharaoh considered himself the supreme leader over Judah, and therefore refused to accept the appointment of Yeho’ahaz.

וַיְסִירֵהוּ מֶלֶךְ־מִצְרַיִם בִּירוּשָׁלִָם וַיַּעֲנֹשׁ אֶת־הָאָרֶץ מֵאָה כִכַּר־כֶּסֶף וְכִכַּר זָהָב

The king of Egypt removed him from the throne in Jerusalem, and imposed a fine on the land of one hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold. The king of Egypt was powerful enough to force the inhabitants of Judah to pay this sum.

וַיַּמְלֵךְ מֶלֶךְ־מִצְרַיִם אֶת־אֶלְיָקִים אָחִיו עַל־יְהוּדָה וִירוּשָׁלִַם וַיַּסֵּב אֶת־שְׁמוֹ יְהוֹיָקִים וְאֶת־יוֹאָחָז אָחִיו לָקַח נְכוֹ וַיְבִיאֵהוּ מִצְרָיְמָה

The king of Egypt crowned Elyakim his brother, of the deposed Yeho’ahaz, king over Judah and Jerusalem. He changed his name to Yehoyakim. The new name bears the same meaning as the old name; Pharaoh probably changed it in order to emphasize the transformation of the Kingdom of Judah’s status in relation to Egypt. Nekho took Yo’ahaz his brother captive, and brought him to Egypt. King Yeho’ahaz did not return from Egypt, and his end is unknown. Some explain that the verse: “Do not weep for the dead, and do not bewail him; weep for him who goes forth, as he will not return again and see the land of his birth,” is a reference to Yeho’ahaz.

בֶּן־עֶשְׂרִים וְחָמֵשׁ שָׁנָה יְהוֹיָקִים בְּמָלְכוֹ וְאַחַת עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה מָלַךְ בִּירוּשָׁלִָם וַיַּעַשׂ הָרַע בְּעֵינֵי ה' אֱלֹהָיו

Yehoyakim was twenty-five years old when he became king and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. It is clear from the ages given here that Yehoyakim was Yoshiyahu’s firstborn, while Yeho’ahaz was the second or third son. Even so, the people chose Yeho’ahaz, probably because they were less fond of his older brother. Indeed, Yehoyakim was not a particularly distinguished or beloved figure: He did evil in the eyes of the Lord his God.

עָלָיו עָלָה נְבוּכַדְנֶאצַּר מֶלֶךְ בָּבֶל וַיַּאַסְרֵהוּ בַּנְחֻשְׁתַּיִם לְהֹלִיכוֹ בָּבֶלָה

After a while, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against him. Although it was Pharaoh who had deposed Yeho’ahaz and crowned Yehoyakim, over the years Nebuchadnezzar developed into a far more powerful ruler than Pharaoh. He captured the entire region, and continued his campaigns of conquest until he reached Egypt. On the way he passed through Judah, where he found King Yehoyakim. And since Yehoyakim had been given the throne by a foreign ruler, whom he probably favored, Nebuchadnezzar bound him in shackles, in order to bring him to Babylon. Elsewhere it is related that Yehoyakim rebelled against the king of Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar captured Yehoyakim with the intention of bringing him down to Babylon, just as Pharaoh Nekho had taken his brother Yeho’ahaz to Egypt. However, it seems that Yehoyakim did not actually reach Babylon, and died along the way.

וּמִכְּלֵי בֵּית ה' הֵבִיא נְבוּכַדְנֶאצַּר לְבָבֶל וַיִּתְּנֵם בְּהֵיכָלוֹ בְּבָבֶל

Nebuchadnezzar brought some of the vessels of the House of the Lord to Babylon and placed them in his temple in Babylon.

וְיֶתֶר דִּבְרֵי יְהוֹיָקִים וְתֹעֲבֹתָיו אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂה וְהַנִּמְצָא עָלָיו הִנָּם כְּתוּבִים עַל־סֵפֶר מַלְכֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וִיהוּדָה וַיִּמְלֹךְ יְהוֹיָכִין בְּנוֹ תַּחְתָּיו

The rest of the deeds of Yehoyakim, and his abominations that he performed, which are not detailed here, and that which was found about him, or that which was written about him, such as the incidents and exchanges related by the prophet Jeremiah, who confronted Yehoyakim on several occasions, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah. Yehoyakhin his son reigned in his stead.

בֶּן־שְׁמוֹנֶה שָׁנִים יְהוֹיָכִין בְּמָלְכוֹ וּשְׁלֹשָׁה חֳדָשִׁים וַעֲשֶׂרֶת יָמִים מָלַךְ בִּירוּשָׁלִָם וַיַּעַשׂ הָרַע בְּעֵינֵי ה'

Yehoyakhin was eight years old when he became king. According to the book of Kings, he was eighteen years old when he rose to the throne; and he reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem. He did evil in the eyes of the Lord. In the short period of his reign, he did not act appropriately in the eyes of God.

וְלִתְשׁוּבַת הַשָּׁנָה שָׁלַח הַמֶּלֶךְ נְבוּכַדְנֶאצַּר וַיְבִאֵהוּ בָבֶלָה עִם־כְּלֵי חֶמְדַּת בֵּית־ה' וַיַּמְלֵךְ אֶת־צִדְקִיָּהוּ אָחִיו עַל־יְהוּדָה וִירוּשָׁלִָם

At the turn of the year, the next year, King Nebuchadnezzar sent and brought him to Babylon, with the precious vessels of the House of the Lord. Nebuchadnezzar returned to Israel for a second time, after having already looted some vessels from the House of God on the first occasion. This time he sought to assume firmer control over events in Judah. First he seized additional Temple vessels, as despite the lowly state Judah was in, the sacred vessels had been replaced. Next he took Yehoyakhin king of Judah to Babylon, as a hostage. And Nebuchadnezzar crowned Tzidkiyahu his brother, that is, his father’s brother, king over Judah and Jerusalem. As stated elsewhere, Tzidkiyahu’s original name was Matanya, and it was Nebuchadnezzar who gave him his royal name.

בֶּן־עֶשְׂרִים וְאַחַת שָׁנָה צִדְקִיָּהוּ בְמָלְכוֹ וְאַחַת עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה מָלַךְ בִּירוּשָׁלִָם

Tzidkiyahu was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem.

וַיַּעַשׂ הָרַע בְּעֵינֵי ה' אֱלֹהָיו לֹא נִכְנַע מִלִּפְנֵי יִרְמְיָהוּ הַנָּבִיא מִפִּי ה'

He did evil in the eyes of the Lord his God. He did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet, who prophesied to him from the mouth of the Lord; the king did not accept the prophet’s advice.

וְגַם בַּמֶּלֶךְ נְבוּכַדְנֶאצַּר מָרָד אֲשֶׁר הִשְׁבִּיעוֹ בֵּאלֹהִים וַיֶּקֶשׁ אֶת־עָרְפּוֹ וַיְאַמֵּץ אֶת־לְבָבוֹ מִשּׁוּב אֶל־ה' אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל

He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had administered an oath to him by God. Not only did he rebel against the king of Babylon, but he violated a personal oath he had taken in the name of God. He stiffened his neck, he was stubborn, and hardened his heart from returning to the Lord, God of Israel. It seems that King Tzidkiyahu was a rather spineless individual. He repeatedly vacillated between his fear of the people and his fear of God.

גַּם כָּל־שָׂרֵי הַכֹּהֲנִים וְהָעָם הִרְבּוּ לִמְעָל־מַעַל כְּכֹל תֹּעֲבוֹת הַגּוֹיִם וַיְטַמְּאוּ אֶת־בֵּית ה' אֲשֶׁר הִקְדִּישׁ בִּירוּשָׁלִָם

Also in his days, all the leaders of the priests and the people trespassed greatly; they betrayed God like all the abominations of the nations, and they defiled the House of the Lord that He had sanctified in Jerusalem.

וַיִּשְׁלַח ה' אֱלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵיהֶם עֲלֵיהֶם בְּיַד מַלְאָכָיו הַשְׁכֵּם וְשָׁלוֹחַ כִּי־חָמַל עַל־עַמּוֹ וְעַל־מְעוֹנוֹ

The Lord, God of their fathers, sent to them by means of His messengers, His prophets, sending time and again; He sent the prophets on numerous occasions to exhort Israel to repent because He had compassion on His people, and on His abode, His Temple.

וַיִּהְיוּ מַלְעִבִים בְּמַלְאֲכֵי הָאֱלֹהִים וּבוֹזִים דְּבָרָיו וּמִתַּעְתְּעִים בִּנְבִאָיו עַד עֲלוֹת חֲמַת־ה' בְּעַמּוֹ עַד־לְאֵין מַרְפֵּא

They, the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem, would insult the messengers of God, scorn His words, and abuse and deceive His prophets, until the wrath of the Lord rose against His people, until there was no remedy.

וַיַּעַל עֲלֵיהֶם אֶת־מֶלֶךְ כַּשְׂדִּים וַיַּהֲרֹג בַּחוּרֵיהֶם בַּחֶרֶב בְּבֵית מִקְדָּשָׁם וְלֹא חָמַל עַל־בָּחוּר וּבְתוּלָה זָקֵן וְיָשֵׁשׁ הַכֹּל נָתַן בְּיָדוֹ

He brought against them the king of the Chaldeans, Nebuchadnezzar, and he killed their young men by the sword in their Sanctuary, and he did not have pity on young men or maidens, elderly or aged. All, He gave into his hand.

וְכֹל כְּלֵי בֵּית הָאֱלֹהִים הַגְּדֹלִים וְהַקְּטַנִּים וְאֹצְרוֹת בֵּית ה' וְאֹצְרוֹת הַמֶּלֶךְ וְשָׂרָיו הַכֹּל הֵבִיא בָבֶל

All the vessels of the House of God, found in the Temple, great and small, the treasures of the House of the Lord, and the treasures of the king and of his princes, all of it, he brought to Babylon. According to tradition, some of the Temple vessels had been hidden away earlier by King Yoshiyahu or others.

וַיִּשְׂרְפוּ אֶת־בֵּית הָאֱלֹהִים וַיְנַתְּצוּ אֵת חוֹמַת יְרוּשָׁלִָם וְכָל־אַרְמְנוֹתֶיהָ שָׂרְפוּ בָאֵשׁ וְכָל־כְּלֵי מַחֲמַדֶּיהָ לְהַשְׁחִית

They burned the House of God and smashed the wall of Jerusalem; all its palaces they burned with fire, and destroyed all its precious vessels.

וַיֶּגֶל הַשְּׁאֵרִית מִן־הַחֶרֶב אֶל־בָּבֶל וַיִּהְיוּ־לוֹ וּלְבָנָיו לַעֲבָדִים עַד־מְלֹךְ מַלְכוּת פָּרָס

After the king of Babylon devastated Jerusalem, destroyed the Temple, and looted all that he found there, all the remnants from the sword, those who survived the attack, he exiled to Babylonia, and they became servants to him and his sons until the reign of the kingdom of Persia. The full story of Tzidkiyahu appears both in the book of Jeremiah and in Kings, where it is stated that Nebuchadnezzar blinded the king after killing his children.

לְמַלֹּאות דְּבַר־ה' בְּפִי יִרְמְיָהוּ עַד־רָצְתָה הָאָרֶץ אֶת־שַׁבְּתוֹתֶיהָ כָּל־יְמֵי הָשַּׁמָּה שָׁבָתָה לְמַלֹּאות שִׁבְעִים שָׁנָה

The inhabitants of Judah were exiled, fulfilling the word of the Lord as stated by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land would be repaid for its Sabbaths, the Sabbatical years that had not been properly observed; all the days of its desolation it rested, to complete seventy years. Jeremiah prophesied that seventy years after the Babylonian exile Israel would be redeemed, and indeed, the exiles from Zion returned to their land seventy years after the capture of Tzidkiyahu.

וּבִשְׁנַת אַחַת לְכוֹרֶשׁ מֶלֶךְ פָּרַס לִכְלוֹת דְבַר־ה' בְּפִי יִרְמְיָהוּ הֵעִיר ה' אֶת־רוּחַ כּוֹרֶשׁ מֶלֶךְ־פָּרַס וַיַּעֲבֶר־קוֹל בְּכָל־מַלְכוּתוֹ וְגַם־בְּמִכְתָּב לֵאמֹר׃

In order to conclude this account of the chronicles of the Kingdom of Judah on an uplifting note, its final verses cite the proclamation of Cyrus. And in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, with the completion of the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah concerning the seventy years of exile, the Lord roused the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, and he circulated a proclamation throughout his kingdom, and in addition to this oral announcement, he put his words also in writing, saying:

כֹּה־אָמַר כּוֹרֶשׁ מֶלֶךְ פָּרַס כָּל־מַמְלְכוֹת הָאָרֶץ נָתַן לִי ה' אֱלֹהֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם וְהוּא־פָקַד עָלַי לִבְנוֹת־לוֹ בַיִת בִּירוּשָׁלִַם אֲשֶׁר בִּיהוּדָה מִי־בָכֶם מִכָּל־עַמּוֹ ה' אֱלֹהָיו עִמּוֹ וְיָעַל

So said Cyrus king of Persia: The Lord, God of the heavens, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and He has commanded me to build Him a House in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. This command comes from Above, and I wish to fulfill it. Therefore, those among you from all His people, may the Lord his God be with him, He will assist him, and let him ascend to Jerusalem. Any Israelite who wishes to ascend and build the Temple is permitted to return to the Land of Israel. Thus, after the destruction of the Temple, the book, and indeed the entire Bible, concludes with a brief mention of the start of the redemption.