2 Chronicles 36:10-23

New International Version

¹⁰ In the spring, King Nebuchadnezzar sent for him and brought him to Babylon,^(A) together with articles of value from the temple of the Lord, and he made Jehoiachin’s uncle,^[a] Zedekiah, king over Judah and Jerusalem.

Zedekiah King of Judah^(B)

¹¹ Zedekiah^(C) was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years. ¹² He did evil in the eyes of the Lord^(D) his God and did not humble^(E) himself before Jeremiah the prophet, who spoke the word of the Lord. ¹³ He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him take an oath^(F) in God’s name. He became stiff-necked^(G) and hardened his heart and would not turn to the Lord, the God of Israel. ¹⁴ Furthermore, all the leaders of the priests and the people became more and more unfaithful,^(H) following all the detestable practices of the nations and defiling the temple of the Lord, which he had consecrated in Jerusalem.

The Fall of Jerusalem^(I)(J)

¹⁵ The Lord, the God of their ancestors, sent word to them through his messengers^(K) again and again,^(L) because he had pity on his people and on his dwelling place. ¹⁶ But they mocked God’s messengers, despised his words and scoffed^(M) at his prophets until the wrath^(N) of the Lord was aroused against his people and there was no remedy.^{(O) 17} He brought up against them the king of the Babylonians,^[b](P) who killed their young men with the sword in the sanctuary, and did not spare young men^(Q) or young women, the elderly or the infirm.^(R) God gave them all into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar.^{(S) 18} He carried to Babylon all the articles^(T) from the temple of God, both large and small, and the treasures of the Lord’s temple and the treasures of the king and his officials. ¹⁹ They set fire^(U) to God’s temple^(V) and broke down the wall^(W) of Jerusalem; they burned all the palaces and destroyed^(X) everything of value there.^(Y)

²⁰ He carried into exile^(Z) to Babylon the remnant, who escaped from the sword, and they became servants^(AA) to him and his successors until the kingdom of Persia came to power. ²¹ The land enjoyed its sabbath rests;^(AB) all the time of its desolation it rested,^(AC) until the seventy years^(AD) were completed in fulfillment of the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah.

²² In the first year of Cyrus^(AE) king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah, the Lord moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and also to put it in writing:

²³ “This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: