2 Tawarikh 36:11-16

Zedekiah’s Reign

36:11 Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he ruled for eleven years in Jerusalem. ¹  36:12 He did evil in the sight of ²  the Lord his God. He did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet, the Lord’s spokesman. 36:13 He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him vow allegiance ³  in the name of God. He was stubborn and obstinate, and refused to return ⁴  to the Lord God of Israel. 36:14 All the leaders of the priests and people became more unfaithful and committed the same horrible sins practiced by the nations. ⁵  They defiled the Lord’s temple which he had consecrated in Jerusalem.

The Babylonians Destroy Jerusalem

36:15 The Lord God of their ancestors ⁶  continually warned them through his messengers, ⁷  for he felt compassion for his people and his dwelling place. 36:16 But they mocked God’s messengers, despised his warnings, ⁸  and ridiculed his prophets. ⁹  Finally the Lord got very angry at his people and there was no one who could prevent his judgment. ¹⁰ 

[36:11]  ¹ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[36:12]  ² tn Heb “in the eyes of.”

[36:13]  ³ tn Or “made him swear an oath.”

[36:13]  ⁴ tn Heb “and he stiffened his neck and strengthened his heart from returning.”

[36:14]  ⁵ tn Heb “like the abominable practices of the nations.”

[36:15]  ⁶ tn Heb “fathers.”

[36:15]  ⁷ tn Heb “and the Lord God of their fathers sent against them by the hand of his messengers, getting up early and sending.”

[36:16]  ⁸ tn Heb “his words.”

[36:16]  ⁹ tn All three verbal forms (“mocked,” “despised,” and “ridiculed”) are active participles in the Hebrew text, indicating continual or repeated action. They made a habit of rejecting God’s prophetic messengers.

[36:16]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “until the anger of the Lord went up against his people until there was no healer.”