Jeconiah

6Then Jehoiakim died, like his fathers before him. His son Jehoiachin became king in his place.

So Jehoiakim slept with his fathers: and Jehoiachin his son reigned in his stead.

NoteThe King James says Jehoiakim "slept with his fathers." That was a gentle way of saying he died.

7The king of Egypt did not march out of his own land again. The king of Babylon had taken all his land. He took it from the brook of Egypt all the way to the Euphrates River.

And the king of Egypt came not again any more out of his land: for the king of Babylon had taken from the river of Egypt unto the river Euphrates all that pertained to the king of Egypt.

NoteThe Euphrates is a very big river far to the north. The brook of Egypt was a small stream far to the south. Naming both shows how much land Babylon now held.

8Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king. He was king in Jerusalem for only three months. His mother was Nehushta, the daughter of Elnathan, from Jerusalem.

Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. And his mother’s name was Nehushta, the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem.

NoteIn Judah the king's mother was an important person. That is why the book tells us her name.

9He did what the LORD says is wrong. He did the same things his father had done.

And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father had done.

10At that time the soldiers of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon marched to Jerusalem. They surrounded the city so no one could go in or out.

At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against Jerusalem, and the city was besieged.

NoteSoldiers camped all around the city walls. No food could get in. Waiting like this is called a siege. The soldiers waited until the hungry people gave up.

11Then King Nebuchadnezzar himself came to the city. His soldiers were still holding it shut.

And Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came against the city, and his servants did besiege it.

12Jehoiachin, king of Judah, went out and gave himself up. His mother, his servants, his leaders, and his officers went too. The king of Babylon took him away. This was in Nebuchadnezzar's eighth year as king.

And Jehoiachin the king of Judah went out to the king of Babylon, he, and his mother, and his servants, and his princes, and his officers: and the king of Babylon took him in the eighth year of his reign.

NotePeople counted years by how long their king had ruled. So this was Nebuchadnezzar's eighth year on the throne.

13He carried off all the treasure from the LORD's house and from the king's house. He cut up all the gold dishes and cups that King Solomon had made for the temple. The LORD had said this would happen.

And he carried out thence all the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king’s house, and cut in pieces all the vessels of gold which Solomon king of Israel had made in the temple of the LORD, as the LORD had said.

NoteThe LORD's house was the temple in Jerusalem. It was the special building where people worshiped God. Solomon was a king long before this. He built the temple and made gold dishes for it.

14He took away the people of Jerusalem: the leaders, the brave soldiers, and every skilled worker who made things from wood and metal. That was ten thousand people in all. Only the poorest people were left in the land.

And he carried away all Jerusalem, and all the princes, and all the mighty men of valour, even ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and smiths: none remained, save the poorest sort of the people of the land.

NoteA king who won a war often marched people far away. He took the strongest and cleverest ones first. Then the beaten land could not fight back again.

15He took Jehoiachin away to Babylon. He also took the king's mother, the king's wives, his officers, and the important men of the land. He marched them from Jerusalem to Babylon.

And he carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon, and the king’s mother, and the king’s wives, and his officers, and the mighty of the land, those carried he into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon.

NoteKings in those days often had more than one wife. All of them were taken away together.

16The king of Babylon brought seven thousand strong fighting men to Babylon. He also brought a thousand skilled workers who made things from wood and metal. All of them were strong and ready to fight.

And all the men of might, even seven thousand, and craftsmen and smiths a thousand, all that were strong and apt for war, even them the king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon.

17The king of Babylon made Mattaniah the new king. Mattaniah was Jehoiachin's uncle. The king of Babylon changed his name to Zedekiah.

And the king of Babylon made Mattaniah his father’s brother king in his stead, and changed his name to Zedekiah.

NoteGiving a man a new name showed you were his boss. Zedekiah's first name was Mattaniah.

27Jehoiachin, king of Judah, had been a prisoner in Babylon for thirty-seven years. Then Evilmerodach became king of Babylon. In his first year, on day twenty-seven of month twelve, he let Jehoiachin out of prison.

And it came to pass in the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month, that Evilmerodach king of Babylon in the year that he began to reign did lift up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah out of prison;

NoteJehoiachin was king of Judah before Zedekiah. Babylon had taken him away years earlier. Evilmerodach is just a Babylonian name. The word only sounds like 'evil' in English.

28He spoke kindly to Jehoiachin. He gave him a seat of honor higher than the other kings living in Babylon.

And he spake kindly to him, and set his throne above the throne of the kings that were with him in Babylon;

NoteBabylon had beaten other kings too and kept them in the city. A seat closer to the king meant you were more important.

29Jehoiachin took off his prison clothes and put on new ones. He ate at the king's table every day for the rest of his life.

And changed his prison garments: and he did eat bread continually before him all the days of his life.

NotePrisoners wore special clothes so everyone knew they were prisoners. Eating at the king's table every day meant he was an honored guest.

30The king gave Jehoiachin what he needed each day. This went on every single day, as long as he lived.

And his allowance was a continual allowance given him of the king, a daily rate for every day, all the days of his life.

NoteThe king gave him food and whatever else he needed, every single day.

8The rest of the things Jehoiakim did are written down. So are the disgusting things he did and all that was found against him. You can read them in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah. His son Jehoiachin became king after him.

Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, and his abominations which he did, and that which was found in him, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah: and Jehoiachin his son reigned in his stead.

NoteThe disgusting things were ways of worshiping other gods. The book of the kings was a record book people kept long ago. It is not part of the Bible, and nobody has it now.

9Jehoiachin was eight years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for three months and ten days. He did what was evil in the eyes of the LORD.

Jehoiachin was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem: and he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD.

NoteSome very old copies of this book say eighteen years old instead of eight.

10In the spring King Nebuchadnezzar sent for him. He brought Jehoiachin to Babylon along with the fine things from the LORD's house. He made Zedekiah, a relative of Jehoiachin, king over Judah and Jerusalem.

And when the year was expired, king Nebuchadnezzar sent, and brought him to Babylon, with the goodly vessels of the house of the LORD, and made Zedekiah his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem.

NoteSpring was when armies traveled. The rain had stopped and the roads were dry again.

24The LORD says: As surely as I am alive, hear this, Coniah son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah. Even if you were the signet ring on my right hand, I would pull you off.

As I live, saith the LORD, though Coniah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah were the signet upon my right hand, yet would I pluck thee thence;

NoteConiah is another name for King Jehoiachin. A signet ring had a picture carved in it. A king pressed it into soft wax to sign a letter. He kept the ring close, because it showed who he was.

25I will hand you over to the people who want to kill you. They are the very ones you are afraid of. I will give you to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and to the Chaldeans.

And I will give thee into the hand of them that seek thy life, and into the hand of them whose face thou fearest, even into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of the Chaldeans.

NoteBabylon was a strong country far to the east. Nebuchadnezzar was its king, and his army was the biggest around. The Chaldeans were his people.

26I will throw you and your mother out into another country. Neither of you was born there. You will both die there.

And I will cast thee out, and thy mother that bare thee, into another country, where ye were not born; and there shall ye die.

NoteThe king's mother had an important job in the palace. So she is sent away with him.

27They will never return to the land they long to see again.

But to the land whereunto they desire to return, thither shall they not return.

28Is this man Coniah a broken pot that people hate? Is he a jar that nobody wants? Then why are he and his children thrown out? Why are they sent to a land they do not know?

Is this man Coniah a despised broken idol? is he a vessel wherein is no pleasure? wherefore are they cast out, he and his seed, and are cast into a land which they know not?

NoteA cracked pot was no use for carrying water. People threw it away without a thought.

29Land, land, land, listen to the word of the LORD!

O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the LORD.

NoteSaying a word three times was a way of calling out loudly. It means: everybody, please listen now.

30The LORD says: Write this man down as childless. Nothing will go well for him in his lifetime. None of his children will sit on David's throne. None of them will ever rule in Judah again.

Thus saith the LORD, Write ye this man childless, a man that shall not prosper in his days: for no man of his seed shall prosper, sitting upon the throne of David, and ruling any more in Judah.

NoteKings kept lists of families in a book. Writing him down as childless does not mean he had no children. It means none of them would ever be king.

1King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came and took people away from Jerusalem. He took King Jeconiah of Judah, the son of Jehoiakim. He also took Judah's leaders. He took the workers who made things and the workers who shaped metal. He carried them all off to Babylon. After that, the LORD showed me something. Two baskets of figs sat in front of the LORD's temple, the house where people worshiped God.

The LORD shewed me, and, behold, two baskets of figs were set before the temple of the LORD, after that Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon had carried away captive Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, and the princes of Judah, with the carpenters and smiths, from Jerusalem, and had brought them to Babylon.

NoteA fig is a small, sweet fruit that grows on a tree. Babylon was a strong country far away, and its king sent soldiers to take people from their homes. Judah was the land where God's people lived, and Jerusalem was its biggest city. Being carried off to live in a faraway country is called exile. The King James says "carpenters and smiths." Carpenters build things out of wood, and smiths make things out of metal. Kings liked to take skilled workers like these. When you see LORD written in big letters, it stands for God's own special name.

2One basket held very good figs. They looked like the first figs to ripen. The other basket held very bad figs. They were too rotten to eat.

One basket had very good figs, even like the figs that are first ripe: and the other basket had very naughty figs, which could not be eaten, they were so bad.

NoteIn 1611 "naughty" meant bad or spoiled. It did not mean a child being silly. These figs were rotten. The first figs of summer were the sweetest, so people watched for them and loved them best.

3Then the LORD said to me, "Jeremiah, what do you see?" I said, "Figs. The good figs are very good. The bad figs are very bad. No one could eat them."

Then said the LORD unto me, What seest thou, Jeremiah? And I said, Figs; the good figs, very good; and the evil, very evil, that cannot be eaten, they are so evil.

NoteJeremiah was a prophet, someone who told people what God said. God often showed a prophet a picture with a meaning inside it. Here the King James word "evil" just means bad or rotten fruit.

4Then the LORD spoke to me again. He said:

Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

5"This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says. The people of Judah who were carried away are like these good figs. I am the one who sent them from here to the land of Babylon. I count them as good, and it will turn out well for them.

Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel; Like these good figs, so will I acknowledge them that are carried away captive of Judah, whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans for their good.

NoteThe King James says "the land of the Chaldeans." The Chaldeans were the people who ruled Babylon, so this means the land of Babylon. To "acknowledge" someone here means to treat them as your own and be kind to them.

6I will keep my eyes on them and be kind to them. I will bring them back to this land again. I will build them up. I will not tear them down. I will plant them. I will not pull them up.

For I will set mine eyes upon them for good, and I will bring them again to this land: and I will build them, and not pull them down; and I will plant them, and not pluck them up.

Note"I will set mine eyes upon them" means to watch over someone to help them. Building and planting are word pictures. God talks about the people as if they were a house being built and a garden being planted.

7I will give them a heart that truly knows me. They will know that I am the LORD. They will be my people. I will be their God. They will come back to me with their whole heart.

And I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the LORD: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto me with their whole heart.

NoteIn the Bible, your heart means what you think, want, and love deep inside you.

8But some people are like the bad figs, too rotten to eat. This is what the LORD says about them. That is how I will treat King Zedekiah of Judah. I will treat his leaders the same way. I will also treat the people still left in Jerusalem the same way. And I will treat the people now living in Egypt the same way.

And as the evil figs, which cannot be eaten, they are so evil; surely thus saith the LORD, So will I give Zedekiah the king of Judah, and his princes, and the residue of Jerusalem, that remain in this land, and them that dwell in the land of Egypt:

NoteZedekiah was a king of Judah who ruled after Jeconiah was taken away. The King James word "residue" means the people who were left behind. Egypt was a country to the south, and some people from Judah ran there hoping to be safe.

9I will send them away into every kingdom on earth, and it will go badly for them. Everywhere I send them, people will look down on them. People will talk about them, make fun of them, and use their name in curses.

And I will deliver them to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth for their hurt, to be a reproach and a proverb, a taunt and a curse, in all places whither I shall drive them.

NoteThe King James piles up four words: "a reproach and a proverb, a taunt and a curse." They all mean being shamed in front of everyone. A "proverb" here is a saying people repeat again and again. Using someone's name in a curse meant saying, "may you end up like them."

10I will send war, hunger, and sickness among them. It will go on until none of them are left in the land. That is the land I gave to them and to their parents long ago."

And I will send the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, among them, till they be consumed from off the land that I gave unto them and to their fathers.

NoteThe sword stands for war. A famine is a time when there is not enough food to eat. A pestilence is a sickness that spreads fast and makes many people die. "Their fathers" means their parents and grandparents from long ago.

16I also spoke to the priests and to all the people. This is what the LORD says. Your prophets say the bowls, cups, and tools from the LORD's house will come back from Babylon very soon. Do not listen. They are telling you lies.

Also I spake to the priests and to all this people, saying, Thus saith the LORD; Hearken not to the words of your prophets that prophesy unto you, saying, Behold, the vessels of the LORD’s house shall now shortly be brought again from Babylon: for they prophesy a lie unto you.

NotePriests were the men who worked at God's house and led worship there. The LORD's house was the temple in Jerusalem, a large stone building. The gold and silver bowls, cups, and tools were used in worship there.

17Do not listen to them. Serve the king of Babylon, and you will live. Why should this city be turned into a pile of ruins?

Hearken not unto them; serve the king of Babylon, and live: wherefore should this city be laid waste?

18Maybe they really are prophets with a message from the LORD. Then let them beg the LORD of Hosts for help. Some things are still left in the LORD's house, in the king's palace, and in Jerusalem. Let them pray that these are not carried off to Babylon.

But if they be prophets, and if the word of the LORD be with them, let them now make intercession to the LORD of hosts, that the vessels which are left in the house of the LORD, and in the house of the king of Judah, and at Jerusalem, go not to Babylon.

19The LORD of Hosts speaks about the pillars. He speaks about the basin called the sea, and about the bases. He speaks about the other things left in this city.

For thus saith the LORD of hosts concerning the pillars, and concerning the sea, and concerning the bases, and concerning the residue of the vessels that remain in this city,

NoteThe temple had two tall bronze pillars standing at its front door. It also had a giant bronze bowl of water, so big it was called "the sea." Priests washed there before their work. The pillars and the basin were made of bronze, and the bases were the stands the basin sat on.

20King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon did not take those things away before. That was when he took Jeconiah away from Jerusalem to Babylon. Jeconiah was the son of Jehoiakim and king of Judah. Nebuchadnezzar took the important men of Judah and Jerusalem too.

Which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took not, when he carried away captive Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah from Jerusalem to Babylon, and all the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem;

NoteYears before this, Babylon's army had already come once. They took King Jeconiah and many leaders away to Babylon. Taking a country's leaders away kept the country from fighting back.

21This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says. He speaks about the things still left in his house, in the palace of Judah's king, and in Jerusalem.

Yea, thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning the vessels that remain in the house of the LORD, and in the house of the king of Judah and of Jerusalem;

22"They will be carried to Babylon. They will stay there until the day I come for them," says the LORD. "Then I will bring them back to this place."

They shall be carried to Babylon, and there shall they be until the day that I visit them, saith the LORD; then will I bring them up, and restore them to this place.

NoteThe King James says God will "visit" these things. In old English that meant to come and do something about them, not just to stop by.

1This happened in the same year, early in the time Zedekiah was king of Judah. It was the fourth year of his rule, in the fifth month. A man named Hananiah son of Azur spoke to me. He was a prophet from the town of Gibeon. He spoke in the LORD's house, with the priests and all the people listening. He said:

And it came to pass the same year, in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the fourth year, and in the fifth month, that Hananiah the son of Azur the prophet, which was of Gibeon, spake unto me in the house of the LORD, in the presence of the priests and of all the people, saying,

NoteJudah was the land where God's people lived. A prophet was a person who told others what God said. The LORD's house was the temple, the big building where people worshiped God. Priests were the men who worked in the temple and helped people pray.

2The LORD of the armies of heaven, the God of Israel, says this. I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon.

Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon.

Note"The LORD of hosts" is a name for God. It means he has armies of angels and great power. A yoke is a heavy wooden bar. Farmers laid it on the necks of oxen to make them pull. Here the yoke means being ruled by Babylon. Babylon was a strong country far away. Its army had beaten Judah in war.

3In two more years I will bring back everything from the LORD's house. Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, took those dishes and tools away to Babylon. I will bring them all back here.

Within two full years will I bring again into this place all the vessels of the LORD’s house, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took away from this place, and carried them to Babylon:

NoteNebuchadnezzar was the king of Babylon. His soldiers had taken the gold bowls and cups from God's house. They carried them all the way back to Babylon.

4I will also bring back Jeconiah son of Jehoiakim, the king of Judah. And I will bring back all the people of Judah who were taken away to Babylon. This is what the LORD says. For I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.

And I will bring again to this place Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, with all the captives of Judah, that went into Babylon, saith the LORD: for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.

NoteJeconiah was king of Judah before Zedekiah was. Babylon's army took him away, and many other people too. They had to live far from home and could not come back.

1This is the letter Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem. Jeremiah was a prophet, someone who told people what God said. He wrote to the older leaders who were still alive far from home. He also wrote to the priests, the prophets, and all the other people. King Nebuchadnezzar had taken them from Jerusalem to Babylon.

Now these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem unto the residue of the elders which were carried away captives, and to the priests, and to the prophets, and to all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon;

NoteBabylon was a strong country far to the east. Its army had taken many people away from Jerusalem. Those people had to live in Babylon and could not go home. Priests were men who led people in worshiping God. The older leaders were the men who made decisions for everyone.

2This was after King Jeconiah was taken away from Jerusalem. The king's mother was taken too. So were the palace helpers and the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem. The workers who built with wood and metal were taken as well.

(After that Jeconiah the king, and the queen, and the eunuchs, the princes of Judah and Jerusalem, and the carpenters, and the smiths, were departed from Jerusalem;)

NoteJeconiah was king in Jerusalem for only three months. Babylon's army took him away and put another man on the throne. A king's mother had an important place in the palace. The wood and metal workers made tools and weapons. Babylon wanted those skilled workers for itself.

3Jeremiah gave the letter to two men to carry. They were Elasah son of Shaphan and Gemariah son of Hilkiah. King Zedekiah of Judah was sending them to King Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon. The letter said this:

By the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan, and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, (whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent unto Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon) saying,

NoteJudah was the small country around Jerusalem. Zedekiah was its king now, chosen by the king of Babylon. There was no mail in those days. A letter went with people who were already traveling that way.