Now Zedekiahthe sonof JosiahwhomNebuchadnezzarkingof Babylonhad madekingin the landof Judah,reignedas kingin placeof Coniahthe sonof Jehoiakim.
Jehoiachinthe kingof Judahwentout to the kingof Babylon,he and his motherand his servantsand his captainsand his officials.So the kingof Babylontookhim captive in the eighthyearof his reign.
Then the kingof Babylonmadehis uncleMattaniahkingin his place,and changedhis nameto Zedekiah.
The wordwhichcameto Jeremiahfrom the LORDwhen KingZedekiahsentto him Pashhurthe sonof Malchijah,and Zephaniahthe priest,the sonof Maaseiah,saying,
"As I live,"declaresthe LORD,"eventhoughConiahthe sonof Jehoiakimkingof Judahwere a signet[ring] on My righthand,yetI would pullyou off;
"Is thismanConiaha despised,shatteredjar?Oris he an undesirablevessel?Whyhave he and his descendantsbeen hurledout And castinto a landthat they had not known?
AfterNebuchadnezzarkingof Babylonhad carriedawaycaptiveJeconiahthe sonof Jehoiakim,kingof Judah,and the officialsof Judahwith the craftsmenand smithsfrom Jerusalemand had broughtthem to Babylon,the LORDshowedme: behold,twobasketsof figssetbeforethe templeof the LORD!
"Thussaysthe LORDGodof Israel,Goand speakto Zedekiahkingof Judahand sayto him: "Thussaysthe LORD,'Behold,I am givingthiscityinto the handof the kingof Babylon,and he will burnit with fire.
Now it cameabout in the thirty-seventhyearof the exileof Jehoiachinkingof Judah,in the twelfthmonth,on the twenty-fifthof the month,that Evil-merodachkingof Babylon,in the [first] yearof his reign,showedfavorto Jehoiachinkingof Judahand broughthim out of prison.
