1Lid země vzal Jóachaza, syna Jóšijášova, a ustanovili ho v Jeruzalémě králem místo jeho otce. 2Jóachazovi bylo dvacet tři let, když se stal králem, a kraloval v Jeruzalémě tři měsíce. 3Egyptský král ho v Jeruzalémě odstranil a uložil zemi pokutu sto talentů stříbra a talent zlata. 4Egyptský král ustanovil králem nad Judskem a Jeruzalémem jeho bratra Eljakíma. Změnil jeho jméno na Jójakím. Jeho bratra Jóachaza Néko vzal a odvedl ho do Egypta. 5Jójakímovi bylo dvacet pět let, když se stal králem, a kraloval v Jeruzalémě jedenáct let. Páchal to, co je zlé v očích Hospodina, jeho Boha. 6Vytáhl proti němu babylonský král Nebúkadnesar a svázal ho bronzovými okovy, aby ho odvedl do Babylona. 7Některé z předmětů Hospodinova domu Nebúkadnesar odnesl do Babylona a dal je do svého paláce v Babyloně. 8Ostatní Jójakímovy činy a jeho ohavnosti, které páchal, a co bylo shledáno proti němu, jsou zapsány v Knize izraelských a judských králů. Po něm se stal králem jeho syn Jójakín. 9Jójakínovi bylo osm let, když se stal králem, a kraloval v Jeruzalémě tři měsíce a deset dní. Páchal to, co je zlé v Hospodinových očích. 10Na přelomu roku poslal král Nebúkadnesar a odvedl ho do Babylona spolu se vzácnými předměty Hospodinova domu. Králem nad Judskem a Jeruzalémem ustanovil jeho bratra Sidkijáše. 11Sidkijášovi bylo dvacet jedna let, když se stal králem, a kraloval v Jeruzalémě jedenáct let. 12Páchal to, co je zlé v očích Hospodina, jeho Boha, a nepokořil se před slovy proroka Jeremjáše z Hospodinových úst. 13Také se vzbouřil proti králi Nebúkadnesarovi, který ho nechal přísahat při Bohu. Zatvrdil svou šíji a své srdce, takže se nenavrátil k Hospodinu, Bohu Izraele. 14Také všichni předáci kněží a lid se zpronevěřili mnohou věrolomností podle všech ohavností pohanských národů a znečistili Hospodinův dům, který on posvětil v Jeruzalémě. 15Hospodin, Bůh jejich otců, jim posílal slovo prostřednictvím svých poslů, stále znovu posílal, protože měl soucit se svým lidem a se svým příbytkem. 16Oni si však z Božích poslů tropili žerty, pohrdali jeho slovy, posmívali se jeho prorokům, dokud nevystoupila Hospodinova zloba proti jeho lidu, takže nebylo uzdravení. 17Přivedl na ně chaldejského krále a ten zabil jeho mládence mečem v domě jeho svatyně. Neměl soucit s mládencem, pannou, starcem ani sešlým věkem, Bůh vydal všechny do jeho ruky. 18Všechny předměty Božího domu, velké i malé, poklady Hospodinova domu i poklady krále a jeho knížat, to vše odnesl do Babylona. 19Spálili Boží dům, strhli jeruzalémské hradby, všechny jeho paláce spálili ohněm a všechny jeho vzácné předměty zničili. 20Ty, kteří zbyli po meči, odvedl do Babylona a byli otroky jeho a jeho synů až do začátku kralování království perského, 21aby se naplnilo Hospodinovo slovo skrze ústa Jeremjášova, dokud země nenahradila svůj odpočinek. Po celou dobu svého zpustošení odpočinula, až se naplnilo sedmdesát let. 22V prvním roce vlády perského krále Kýra, když se dovršilo Hospodinovo slovo skrze ústa Jeremjášova, vzbudil Hospodin ducha perského krále Kýra, aby nechal rozhlásit po celém svém království a také napsal slova: 23Toto praví perský král Kýros: Hospodin, Bůh nebes, mi dal všechna království země a ustanovil mě, abych mu postavil dům v Jeruzalémě, který je v Judsku. Kdokoliv z vás, ze všeho jeho lidu — Hospodin, jeho Bůh, je s ním — ať jde.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 JEHOAHAZ, SUCCEEDING, IS DEPOSED BY PHARAOH. (
2Chr 36:1-4)
the people of the land took Jehoahaz--Immediately after Josiah's overthrow and death, the people raised to the throne Shallum (
1Chr 3:15), afterwards called Jehoahaz, in preference to his older brother Eliakim, from whom they expected little good. Jehoahaz is said (
2Kgs 23:30) to have received at Jerusalem the royal anointing--a ceremony not usually deemed necessary, in circumstances of regular and undisputed succession. But, in the case of Jehoahaz, it seems to have been resorted to in order to impart greater validity to the act of popular election; and, it may be, to render it less likely to be disturbed by Necho, who, like all Egyptians, would associate the idea of sanctity with the regal anointing. He was the youngest son of Josiah, but the popular favorite, probably on account of his martial spirit (
Ezek 19:3) and determined opposition to the aggressive views of Egypt. At his accession the land was free from idolatry; but this prince, instead of following the footsteps of his excellent father, adopted the criminal policy of his apostatizing predecessors. Through his influence, directly or indirectly used, idolatry rapidly increased (see
2Kgs 23:32).
2 he reigned three months in Jerusalem--His possession of sovereign power was of but very brief duration; for Necho determined to follow up the advantage he had gained in Judah; and, deeming it expedient to have a king of his own nomination on the throne of that country, he deposed the popularly elected monarch and placed his brother Eliakim or Jehoiakim on the throne, whom he anticipated to be a mere obsequious vassal. The course of events seems to have been this: on receiving intelligence after the battle of the accession of Jehoahaz to the throne, and perhaps also in consequence of the complaint which Eliakim brought before him in regard to this matter, Necho set out with a part of his forces to Jerusalem, while the remainder of his troops pursued their way at leisure towards Riblah, laid a tribute on the country, raised Eliakim (Jehoiakim) as his vassal to the throne, and on his departure brought Jehoahaz captive with him to Riblah. The old expositors mostly assumed that Necho, after the battle of Megiddo, marched directly against Carchemish, and then on his return came to Jerusalem. The improbability, indeed the impossibility, of his doing so appears from this: Carchemish was from four hundred to five hundred miles from Megiddo, so that within "three months" an army could not possibly make its way thither, conquer the fenced city of Carchemish, and then march back a still greater distance to Jerusalem, and take that city [KEIL].
3 an hundred talents of silver--Ł3418 15s.
and a talent of gold--Ł5475; total amount of tribute, Ł8893 15s.
4 carried him--Jehoahaz.
to Egypt--There he died (
Jer 22:10-
Jer 22:12).
5 JEHOIAKIM, REIGNING ILL, IS CARRIED INTO BABYLON. (
2Chr 36:5-8)
Jehoiakim . . . did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord--He followed the course of his idolatrous predecessors; and the people, to a great extent, disinclined to the reforming policy of his father, eagerly availed themselves of the vicious license which his lax administration restored. His character is portrayed with a masterly hand in the prophecy of Jeremiah (
Jer 22:13-
Jer 22:19). As the deputy of the king of Egypt, he departed further than his predecessor from the principles of Josiah's government; and, in trying to meet the insatiable cupidity of his master by grinding exactions from his subjects, he recklessly plunged into all evil.
6 Against him came up Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon--This refers to the first expedition of Nebuchadnezzar against Palestine, in the lifetime of his father Nabopolassar, who, being old and infirm, adopted his son as joint sovereign and despatched him, with the command of his army, against the Egyptian invaders of his empire. Nebuchadnezzar defeated them at Carchemish, drove them out of Asia, and reduced all the provinces west of the Euphrates to obedience--among the rest the kingdom of Jehoiakim, who became a vassal of the Assyrian empire (
2Kgs 24:1). Jehoiakim at the end of three years threw off the yoke, being probably instigated to revolt by the solicitations of the king of Egypt, who planned a new expedition against Carchemish. But he was completely vanquished by the Babylonian king, who stripped him of all his possessions between the Euphrates and the Nile (
2Kgs 24:7). Then marching against the Egyptian's ally in Judah, he took Jerusalem, carried away a portion of the sacred vessels of the temple, perhaps in lieu of the unpaid tribute, and deposited them in the temple of his god, Belus, at Babylon (
Dan 1:2;
Dan 5:2). Though Jehoiakim had been taken prisoner (and it was designed at first to transport him in chains to Babylon), he was allowed to remain in his tributary kingdom. But having given not long after some new offense, Jerusalem was besieged by a host of Assyrian dependents. In a sally against them Jehoiakim was killed (see on
2Kgs 24:2-7; also
Jer 22:18-
Jer 22:19;
Jer 36:30).
9 Jehoiachin was eight years old--called also Jeconiah or Coniah (
Jer 22:24) --"eight" should have been "eighteen," as appears from
2Kgs 24:8, and also from the full development of his ungodly principles and habits (see
Ezek 19:5-
Ezek 19:7). His reign being of so short duration cannot be considered at variance with the prophetic denunciation against his father (
Jer 36:30). But his appointment by the people gave umbrage to Nebuchadnezzar, who, "when the year was expired" (
2Chr 36:10) --that is, in the spring when campaigns usually began--came in person against Jerusalem, captured the city, and sent Jehoiachin in chains to Babylon, removing at the same time all the nobles and most skilful artisans, and pillaging all the remaining treasures both of the temple and palace (see on
2Kgs 24:8-17).
11 ZEDEKIAH'S REIGN. (
2Chr 36:11-21)
Zedekiah--Nebuchadnezzar appointed him. His name, originally Mattaniah, was, according to the custom of Oriental conquerors, changed into Zedekiah. Though the son of Josiah (
1Chr 3:15;
Jer 1:2-
Jer 1:3;
Jer 37:1), he is called the brother of Jehoiachin (
2Chr 36:10), that is, according to the latitude of Hebrew style in words expressing affinity, his relative or kinsman (see
2Kgs 24:18; 2Ki. 25:1-21).
13 who had made him swear by God--Zedekiah received his crown on the express condition of taking a solemn oath of fealty to the king of Babylon (
Ezek 17:13); so that his revolt by joining in a league with Pharaoh-hophra, king of Egypt, involved the crime of perjury. His own pride and obdurate impiety, the incurable idolatry of the nation, and their reckless disregard of prophetic warnings, brought down on his already sadly reduced kingdom the long threatened judgments of God. Nebuchadnezzar, the executioner of the divine vengeance, commenced a third siege of Jerusalem, which, after holding out for a year and a half, was taken in the eleventh year of the reign of Zedekiah. It resulted in the burning of the temple, with, most probably, the ark, and in the overthrow of the kingdom of Judah (see on
2Kgs 25:1-7;
Ezek 12:13;
Ezek 17:16).
21 until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths--The return of every seventh was to be held as a sabbatic year, a season of rest to all classes, even to the land itself, which was to be fallow. This divine institution, however, was neglected--how soon and how long, appears from the prophecy of Moses (see on
Lev 26:34), and of Jeremiah in this passage (see
Jer 25:9-
Jer 25:12), which told that for divine retribution it was now to remain desolate seventy years. As the Assyrian conquerors usually colonized their conquered provinces, so remarkable a deviation in Palestine from their customary policy must be ascribed to the overruling providence of God.
22 CYRUS' PROCLAMATION. (
2Chr 36:22-23)
the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus--(See on
Ezra 1:1-
Ezra 1:3).
