The Captivity of Jerusalem
Babylon’s forces come against Jerusalem and lay siege, and when Nebuchadnezzar arrives in person, Jehoiachin and the royal household surrender to him.
A10t that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched up to Jerusalem, and the city came under siege. 11And Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to the city while his servants were besieging it. 12Jehoiachin king of Judah, his mother, his servants, his commanders, and his officials all surrendered to the king of Babylon.
Nebuchadnezzar carries Jehoiachin away, strips the temple and palace of treasure, and deports Jerusalem’s leaders, warriors, and craftsmen, leaving only the poorest in the land. The exile reaches both the royal house and the city’s strength.
13So in the eighth year of his reign, the king of Babylon took him captive. As the LORD had declared, Nebuchadnezzar also carried off all the treasures from the house of the LORD and the royal palace, and he cut into pieces all the gold articles that Solomon king of Israel had made in the temple of the LORD. 14He carried into exile all Jerusalem — all the commanders and mighty men of valor, all the craftsmen and metalsmiths — ten thousand captives in all. Only the poorest people of the land remained. 15Nebuchadnezzar carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon, as well as the king’s mother, his wives, his officials, and the leading men of the land. He took them into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. 16The king of Babylon also brought into exile to Babylon all seven thousand men of valor and a thousand craftsmen and metalsmiths— all strong and fit for battle.
Nebuchadnezzar installs Mattaniah, Jehoiachin’s uncle, as king and changes his name to Zedekiah.
17Then the king of Babylon made Mattaniah, Jehoiachin’s uncle, king in his place and changed his name to Zedekiah.