2 Chronicles 36:1–14

Read the passage.

After Josiah, three of the last four kings of Judah were his sons. The people set up Jehoahaz as the king after Josiah’s death, which tells us that Josiah really did not expect to die in the battle with the Egyptians. Furthermore, Jehoahaz was not the oldest son, as might be expected. I suspect they chose him because he was the one that would more closely follow his father’s faith in the Lord, but it’s hard to say. Jehoahaz was not given much time to prove himself, because Neco came back to Judah and deposed him three months later. Neco captured Jehoahaz and took him to Egypt.

In his place, the older brother Eliakim was set up as a vassal king, and his name was changed to Jehoiakim. Tribute was sent to the Egyptians, who desparately needed it after losing to the Babylonians at Carchemish. This arrangement lasted for eleven years, and during that time Jehoiakim did not follow the God of his father. Perhaps he was trying to appease his Egyptian overlords. Maybe he thought Yahweh had not done enough for his people before. We aren’t told his motivations, or even what evil deeds he did.

Nebuchadnezzar, now king of Babylon, brought his army south on his way to deal with Egypt further. Judah, being a vassal state of Egypt, became a target, and the Babylonians captured Jehoiakim and took him back to Babylon. Jehoiachin his son reigned after him, for only three months and ten days. The grandson of Josiah followed his father’s ways and did not seek the Lord. He, too, was taken to Babylon, along with more of the precious furnishings of the temple.

Zedekiah, son of Josiah, was made king as a vassal to the Babylonians. He was only a few years older than his nephew Jehoiachin. He reigned for eleven years, during the ministry of the prophet Jeremiah. Not only did he not listen to Jeremiah, but “all the officers of the priests and the people likewise were exceedingly unfaithful”. (v. 14) The curses of the covenant the people made with the Lord are just about ready to be placed upon them.

You are our hope that is more sure than kings, armies, and empires.