1Lid země vzal Josiášova syna Joachaze a udělali ho namísto jeho otce králem v Jeruzalémě. 2Joachazovi bylo, když nastoupil, třiadvacet let a vládl v Jeruzalémě tři měsíce. 3Egyptský král ho odstranil z Jeruzaléma a zemi uložil daň sta talentů stříbra a jednoho talentu zlata. 4Potom egyptský král ustanovil králem nad Judou a Jeruzalémem jeho bratra Eljakima a změnil mu jméno na Jojakim. Jeho bratra Joachaze pak Necho vzal a odvedl do Egypta. 5Jojakimovi bylo, když nastoupil, pětadvacet let a vládl v Jeruzalémě jedenáct let; dělal, co se Jahvovi, jeho Bohu, nelíbí. 6Babylonský král Nabuchodonozor proti němu podnikl tažení, uvrhl ho do želez, aby ho odvedl do Babylonu. 7Nabuchodonozor odnesl do Babylonu také část zařízení Jahvova Chrámu a uložil je ve svém paláci v Babylonu. 8Zbytek Jojakimových příběhů, ohavnosti, jež spáchal, a co proti němu bylo shledáno, to je zapsáno v knize judských a izraelských Králů. Namísto něho vládl jeho syn Jojakin. 9Jojakinovi bylo, když nastoupil, osmnáct let a vládl v Jeruzalémě tři měsíce a deset dní; dělal, co se Jahvovi nelíbí. 10Na přelomu roku pro něho Nabuchodonozor poslal a dal ho spolu s vzácným zařízením Jahvova Chrámu odvést do Babylonu a králem nad Judou a Jeruzalémem ustanovil jeho bratra Sedechiáše. 11Sedechiášovi bylo, když nastoupil, jednadvacet let a vládl v Jeruzalémě jedenáct let. 12Dělal, co se Jahvovi, jeho Bohu, nelíbí. Nepokořil se před prorokem Jeremiášem, jenž přišel na Jahvův příkaz. 13Kromě toho se vzbouřil proti králi Nabuchodonozorovi, jemuž přísahal při Bohu. Stal se tvrdošíjným a zatvrdil své srdce, místo aby se vrátil k Jahvovi, Bohu Izraele. 14Navíc všichni přední kněží i lid byli stále nevěrnější, napodobovali všechny ohavnosti národů a poskvrňovali Chrám, jejž si Jahve zasvětil v Jeruzalémě. 15Jahve, Bůh jejich otců, jim neúnavně posílal posly, neboť chtěl svůj lid a svůj Příbytek ušetřit. 16Ale oni si z Božích vyslanců tropili posměch, pohrdali jeho slovy, vysmívali se jeho prorokům, takže nakonec Jahvův hněv proti jeho lidu byl takový, že už naň nebylo léku. 17Přivedl proti nim krále Chaldejců, jenž pobil jejich mladé válečníky ostřím meče v jejich svatyni a neušetřil ani mladíka, ani dívku, ani starce, ani bělovlasého muže. Bůh mu je všechny vydal do rukou. 18Všechny předměty z Božího Chrámu, poklady krále a jeho hodnostářů, všechno to odvezl do Babylonu. 19Boží Chrám spálili, jeruzalémské hradby zbořili, všechny paláce v něm zapálili a všechny cenné předměty v něm zničili. 20Potom Nabuchodonozor odvlekl do Babylonu zbytek, který unikl meči; oni i jejich synové mu museli sloužit až do ustavení perského království, 21plníce tak to, co řekl Jahve ústy proroka Jeremiáše: „Dokud země nesplatí své soboty, bude odpočívat po všechny dny zpustošení, dokud nepřejde sedmdesát let.“ 22A prvního roku perského krále Kyra, aby se splnilo Jahvovo slovo, jež vyhlásil Jeremiáš, vzbudil Jahve ducha perského krále Kyra, jenž dal provolat a dokonce písemnými vyhláškami oznámit v celém svém království: 23„Takto mluví perský král Kyros: Jahve, Bůh nebe, mi dal všechna království země; on mne pověřil, abych mu vystavěl Chrám v Jeruzalémě, v Judovi. Kdokoli mezi vámi patří ke všemu jeho lidu, ať je jeho Bůh s ním a ať se vydá na cestu!“
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).
