< 2 Chronicles 36 >

1 Then the people of Judah chose Josiah’s son Jehoahaz and appointed him as the king in Jerusalem.
וַיִּקְחוּ֙ עַם־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֶת־יְהֹואָחָ֖ז בֶּן־יֹאשִׁיָּ֑הוּ וַיַּמְלִיכֻ֥הוּ תַֽחַת־אָבִ֖יו בִּירוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃
2 Jehoahaz was 23 years old when he became the king, but he ruled from Jerusalem for [only] three months.
בֶּן־שָׁלֹ֧ושׁ וְעֶשְׂרִ֛ים שָׁנָ֖ה יֹואָחָ֣ז בְּמָלְכֹ֑ו וּשְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה חֳדָשִׁ֔ים מָלַ֖ךְ בִּירוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃
3 King Neco of Egypt [captured him and] prevented him from ruling any longer. He also forced the people of Judah to pay him a tax of almost four tons of silver and about 75 pounds of gold.
וַיְסִירֵ֥הוּ מֶֽלֶךְ־מִצְרַ֖יִם בִּֽירוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם וַֽיַּעֲנֹשׁ֙ אֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ מֵאָ֥ה כִכַּר־כֶּ֖סֶף וְכִכַּ֥ר זָהָֽב׃
4 The king of Egypt appointed Jehoahaz’s [younger] brother Eliakim to be the king of Judah. He changed Eliakim’s name to Jehoiakim. After Neco captured Jehoahaz, he took him to Egypt.
וַיַּמְלֵ֨ךְ מֶֽלֶךְ־מִצְרַ֜יִם אֶת־אֶלְיָקִ֣ים אָחִ֗יו עַל־יְהוּדָה֙ וִיר֣וּשָׁלַ֔͏ִם וַיַּסֵּ֥ב אֶת־שְׁמֹ֖ו יְהֹויָקִ֑ים וְאֶת־יֹואָחָ֤ז אָחִיו֙ לָקַ֣ח נְכֹ֔ו וַיְבִיאֵ֖הוּ מִצְרָֽיְמָה׃ פ
5 Jehoiakim was 25 years old when he became the king [of Judah], and he ruled from Jerusalem for 11 years. He did things that Yahweh his God considers to be evil.
בֶּן־עֶשְׂרִ֨ים וְחָמֵ֤שׁ שָׁנָה֙ יְהֹויָקִ֣ים בְּמָלְכֹ֔ו וְאַחַ֤ת עֶשְׂרֵה֙ שָׁנָ֔ה מָלַ֖ךְ בִּירוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם וַיַּ֣עַשׂ הָרַ֔ע בְּעֵינֵ֖י יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהָֽיו׃
6 Then the army of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon attacked Jehoiakim’s army. They [captured Jehoiakim and] bound him with bronze chains and took him to Babylon.
עָלָ֣יו עָלָ֔ה נְבוּכַדְנֶאצַּ֖ר מֶ֣לֶךְ בָּבֶ֑ל וַיַּֽאַסְרֵ֙הוּ֙ בַּֽנְחֻשְׁתַּ֔יִם לְהֹלִיכֹ֖ו בָּבֶֽלָה׃
7 Nebuchadnezzar’s soldiers also took valuable things from the temple; they took them to Babylon and put them in king [Nebuchadnezzar’s] palace there.
וּמִכְּלֵי֙ בֵּ֣ית יְהוָ֔ה הֵבִ֥יא נְבוּכַדְנֶאצַּ֖ר לְבָבֶ֑ל וַיִּתְּנֵ֥ם בְּהֵיכָלֹ֖ו בְּבָבֶֽל׃
8 A record of the other things that happened while Jehoiakim was ruling, the detestable things that he did, including the evil things that people said that he did, is written in the scroll called ‘The History of the Kings of Israel and Judah’. After [he was taken to Babylon], his son Jehoiachin became the king [of Judah].
וְיֶתֶר֩ דִּבְרֵ֨י יְהֹֽויָקִ֜ים וְתֹֽעֲבֹתָ֤יו אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂה֙ וְהַנִּמְצָ֣א עָלָ֔יו הִנָּ֣ם כְּתוּבִ֗ים עַל־סֵ֛פֶר מַלְכֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וִֽיהוּדָ֑ה וַיִּמְלֹ֛ךְ יְהֹויָכִ֥ין בְּנֹ֖ו תַּחְתָּֽיו׃ פ
9 Jehoiachin was 18 years old when he became the king [of Judah], and he ruled from Jerusalem for [only] three months and ten days. He did things that Yahweh considers to be evil.
בֶּן־שְׁמֹונֶ֤ה שָׁנִים֙ יְהֹויָכִ֣ין בְּמָלְכֹ֔ו וּשְׁלֹשָׁ֤ה חֳדָשִׁים֙ וַעֲשֶׂ֣רֶת יָמִ֔ים מָלַ֖ךְ בִּירוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם וַיַּ֥עַשׂ הָרַ֖ע בְּעֵינֵ֥י יְהוָֽה׃
10 During the spring of the next year, King Nebuchadnezzar sent [soldiers] to bring him to Babylon. They also took to Babylon many valuable things from the temple of Yahweh. Then Nebuchadnezzar appointed Jehoiachin’s uncle, Zedekiah, to be the king of Judah.
וְלִתְשׁוּבַ֣ת הַשָּׁנָ֗ה שָׁלַח֙ הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ נְבֽוּכַדְנֶאצַּ֔ר וַיְבִאֵ֣הוּ בָבֶ֔לָה עִם־כְּלֵ֖י חֶמְדַּ֣ת בֵּית־יְהוָ֑ה וַיַּמְלֵךְ֙ אֶת־צִדְקִיָּ֣הוּ אָחִ֔יו עַל־יְהוּדָ֖ה וִֽירוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃ פ
11 Zedekiah was 21 years old when he became the king, and he ruled in Jerusalem for 11 years.
בֶּן־עֶשְׂרִ֧ים וְאַחַ֛ת שָׁנָ֖ה צִדְקִיָּ֣הוּ בְמָלְכֹ֑ו וְאַחַ֤ת עֶשְׂרֵה֙ שָׁנָ֔ה מָלַ֖ךְ בִּירוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃
12 He did many things that Yahweh his God considered to be evil. And he did not humble himself when the prophet Jeremiah gave him a message from Yahweh [to warn him].
וַיַּ֣עַשׂ הָרַ֔ע בְּעֵינֵ֖י יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהָ֑יו לֹ֣א נִכְנַ֗ע מִלִּפְנֵ֛י יִרְמְיָ֥הוּ הַנָּבִ֖יא מִפִּ֥י יְהוָֽה׃
13 He would not return to Yahweh, the God that the people of Israel [said that they worshiped]. Zedekiah also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had forced him to solemnly promise using God’s name [to be loyal to him]. Zedekiah became very stubborn.
וְ֠גַם בַּמֶּ֤לֶךְ נְבֽוּכַדְנֶאצַּר֙ מָרָ֔ד אֲשֶׁ֥ר הִשְׁבִּיעֹ֖ו בֵּֽאלֹהִ֑ים וַיֶּ֤קֶשׁ אֶת־עָרְפֹּו֙ וַיְאַמֵּ֣ץ אֶת־לְבָבֹ֔ו מִשּׁ֕וּב אֶל־יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
14 Furthermore, all the leaders of the priests and also the people [of Judah] became more wicked again, doing all the detestable things that the people of the other nations did, and causing the temple in Jerusalem that Yahweh had caused to be holy to become [an] unacceptable [place to worship him].
גַּ֠ם כָּל־שָׂרֵ֨י הַכֹּהֲנִ֤ים וְהָעָם֙ הִרְבּ֣וּ לִמְעֹול־ (לִמְעָל)־מַ֔עַל כְּכֹ֖ל תֹּעֲבֹ֣ות הַגֹּויִ֑ם וַֽיְטַמְּאוּ֙ אֶת־בֵּ֣ית יְהוָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר הִקְדִּ֖ישׁ בִּירוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃
15 Yahweh, the God whom the ancestors [of the people of Judah belonged to/worshiped], gave messages to his prophets many times, and the prophets told those messages to the people of Judah. Yahweh did that because he pitied his people and did not want his temple to be destroyed.
וַיִּשְׁלַ֡ח יְהוָה֩ אֱלֹהֵ֨י אֲבֹותֵיהֶ֧ם עֲלֵיהֶ֛ם בְּיַ֥ד מַלְאָכָ֖יו הַשְׁכֵּ֣ם וְשָׁלֹ֑וחַ כִּֽי־חָמַ֥ל עַל־עַמֹּ֖ו וְעַל־מְעֹונֹֽו׃
16 But the people continually made fun of God’s messengers. They despised God’s messages. They ridiculed his prophets, until finally God became extremely angry with his people, with the result that nothing could stop him [from destroying Judah].
וַיִּֽהְי֤וּ מַלְעִבִים֙ בְּמַלְאֲכֵ֣י הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים וּבֹוזִ֣ים דְּבָרָ֔יו וּמִֽתַּעְתְּעִ֖ים בִּנְבִאָ֑יו עַ֠ד עֲלֹ֧ות חֲמַת־יְהוָ֛ה בְּעַמֹּ֖ו עַד־לְאֵ֥ין מַרְפֵּֽא׃
17 He incited the king of Babylonia to attack [Judah with his army]. They killed the young men with their swords, even in the temple. They did not spare/pity anyone, young men or young women or old people. God enabled the army of Nebuchadnezzar to kill all of them.
וַיַּ֨עַל עֲלֵיהֶ֜ם אֶת־מֶ֣לֶךְ כַּשְׂדִּיִּים (כַּשְׂדִּ֗ים) וַיַּהֲרֹ֨ג בַּחוּרֵיהֶ֤ם בַּחֶ֙רֶב֙ בְּבֵ֣ית מִקְדָּשָׁ֔ם וְלֹ֥א חָמַ֛ל עַל־בָּח֥וּר וּבְתוּלָ֖ה זָקֵ֣ן וְיָשֵׁ֑שׁ הַכֹּ֖ל נָתַ֥ן בְּיָדֹֽו׃
18 His soldiers took to Babylon all the things that were used in God’s temple—big things and little things, all the valuable things, and the valuable things that belonged to the king and his officials.
וְ֠כֹל כְּלֵ֞י בֵּ֤ית הָאֱלֹהִים֙ הַגְּדֹלִ֣ים וְהַקְּטַנִּ֔ים וְאֹֽצְרֹות֙ בֵּ֣ית יְהוָ֔ה וְאֹצְרֹ֥ות הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ וְשָׂרָ֑יו הַכֹּ֖ל הֵבִ֥יא בָבֶֽל׃
19 They burned the temple, and they broke down the wall surrounding Jerusalem. They burned all the palaces [in Jerusalem] and destroyed all the remaining valuable things there.
וַֽיִּשְׂרְפוּ֙ אֶת־בֵּ֣ית הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים וַֽיְנַתְּצ֔וּ אֵ֖ת חֹומַ֣ת יְרוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם וְכָל־אַרְמְנֹותֶ֙יהָ֙ שָׂרְפ֣וּ בָאֵ֔שׁ וְכָל־כְּלֵ֥י מַחֲמַדֶּ֖יהָ לְהַשְׁחִֽית׃ ס
20 Nebuchadnezzar’s soldiers took to Babylon the remaining people who had not been killed with their swords. Then those people became the king’s slaves and his son’s slaves, until the [army of the] king of Persia conquered [the army of Babylonia].
וַיֶּ֛גֶל הַשְּׁאֵרִ֥ית מִן־הַחֶ֖רֶב אֶל־בָּבֶ֑ל וַֽיִּהְיוּ־לֹ֤ו וּלְבָנָיו֙ לַעֲבָדִ֔ים עַד־מְלֹ֖ךְ מַלְכ֥וּת פָּרָֽס׃
21 [Moses had said that every seventh year the people must not plant their fields; they must allow the soil to rest. But the people had not done that. So after the army of Babylonia destroyed Judah, ] the soil was allowed to rest. That continued for 70 years, fulfilling what Yahweh told Jeremiah and what Jeremiah had predicted/prophesied would happen.
לְמַלֹּ֤אות דְּבַר־יְהוָה֙ בְּפִ֣י יִרְמְיָ֔הוּ עַד־רָצְתָ֥ה הָאָ֖רֶץ אֶת־שַׁבְּתֹותֶ֑יהָ כָּל־יְמֵ֤י הָשַּׁמָּה֙ שָׁבָ֔תָה לְמַלֹּ֖אות שִׁבְעִ֥ים שָׁנָֽה׃ פ
22 During the first year that Cyrus was the king of Persia, in order that what Yahweh told Jeremiah would happen would occur, Yahweh motivated Cyrus to write this and proclaim it throughout his kingdom:
וּבִשְׁנַ֣ת אַחַ֗ת לְכֹ֙ורֶשׁ֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ פָּרַ֔ס לִכְלֹ֥ות דְּבַר־יְהוָ֖ה בְּפִ֣י יִרְמְיָ֑הוּ הֵעִ֣יר יְהוָ֗ה אֶת־ר֙וּחַ֙ כֹּ֣ורֶשׁ מֶֽלֶךְ־פָּרַ֔ס וַיַּֽעֲבֶר־קֹול֙ בְּכָל־מַלְכוּתֹ֔ו וְגַם־בְּמִכְתָּ֖ב לֵאמֹֽר׃ ס
23 “I, Cyrus, the king of Persia, declare that Yahweh, the God [who rules] in heaven, has enabled me to become the ruler of all the kingdoms of this world. And he wants me to [command that my workers] build a temple {a temple be built} for him in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Any of his people living among you people of Persia are allowed to go to Jerusalem. And I will pray that Yahweh will be with them.”
כֹּה־אָמַ֞ר כֹּ֣ורֶשׁ ׀ מֶ֣לֶךְ פָּרַ֗ס כָּל־מַמְלְכֹ֤ות הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ נָ֣תַן לִ֗י יְהוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וְהֽוּא־פָקַ֤ד עָלַי֙ לִבְנֹֽות־לֹ֣ו בַ֔יִת בִּירוּשָׁלַ֖͏ִם אֲשֶׁ֣ר בִּֽיהוּדָ֑ה מִֽי־בָכֶ֣ם מִכָּל־עַמֹּ֗ו יְהוָ֧ה אֱלֹהָ֛יו עִמֹּ֖ו וְיָֽעַל׃

< 2 Chronicles 36 >