2 Chronicles — Chapter 36

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1Then the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and made him king in his father’s stead in Jerusalem.

2Jehoahaz was twenty and three years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem.

3And the king of Egypt put him down at Jerusalem, and condemned the land in an hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold.

4And the king of Egypt made Eliakim his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem, and turned his name to Jehoiakim. And Necho took Jehoahaz his brother, and carried him to Egypt.

5Jehoiakim was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem: and he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD his God.

6Against him came up Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and bound him in fetters, to carry him to Babylon.

7Nebuchadnezzar also carried of the vessels of the house of the LORD to Babylon, and put them in his temple at Babylon.

8Now 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.

9Jehoiachin 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.

10And 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.

11Zedekiah was one and twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned eleven years in Jerusalem.

12And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD his God, and humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet speaking from the mouth of the LORD.

13And he also rebelled against king Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God: but he stiffened his neck, and hardened his heart from turning unto the LORD God of Israel.

14Moreover all the chief of the priests, and the people, transgressed very much after all the abominations of the heathen; and polluted the house of the LORD which he had hallowed in Jerusalem.

15And the LORD God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place:

16But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against his people, till there was no remedy.

17Therefore he brought upon them the king of the Chaldees, who slew their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion upon young man or maiden, old man, or him that stooped for age: he gave them all into his hand.

18And all the vessels of the house of God, great and small, and the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king, and of his princes; all these he brought to Babylon.

19And they burnt the house of God, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem, and burnt all the palaces thereof with fire, and destroyed all the goodly vessels thereof.

20And them that had escaped from the sword carried he away to Babylon; where they were servants to him and his sons until the reign of the kingdom of Persia:

21To fulfil the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths: for as long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath, to fulfil threescore and ten years.

22Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying,

23Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, All the kingdoms of the earth hath the LORD God of heaven given me; and he hath charged me to build him an house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all his people? The LORD his God be with him, and let him go up.

1Then the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and made him king in his father`s stead in Jerusalem.

2Joahaz was twenty and three years old when he began to reign; and he reigned three months in Jerusalem.

3And the king of Egypt deposed him at Jerusalem, and fined the land a hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold.

4And the king of Egypt made Eliakim his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem, and changed his name to Jehoiakim. And Neco took Joahaz his brother, and carried him to Egypt.

5Jehoiakim was twenty and five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem: and he did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah his God.

6Against him came up Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and bound him in fetters, to carry him to Babylon.

7Nebuchadnezzar also carried of the vessels of the house of Jehovah to Babylon, and put them in his temple at Babylon.

8Now 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.

9Jehoiachin 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 Jehovah.

10And at the return of the year king Nebuchadnezzar sent, and brought him to Babylon, with the goodly vessels of the house of Jehovah, and made Zedekiah his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem.

11Zedekiah was twenty and one years old when he began to reign; and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem:

12and he did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah his God; he humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet [speaking] from the mouth of Jehovah.

13And he also rebelled against king Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God: but he stiffened his neck, and hardened his heart against turning unto Jehovah, the God of Israel.

14Moreover all the chiefs of the priests, and the people, trespassed very greatly after all the abominations of the nations; and they polluted the house of Jehovah which he had hallowed in Jerusalem.

15And Jehovah, the God of their fathers, sent to them by his messengers, rising up early and sending, because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling-place:

16but they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and scoffed at his prophets, until the wrath of Jehovah arose against his people, till there was no remedy.

17Therefore he brought upon them the king of the Chaldeans, who slew their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion upon young man or virgin, old man or hoary-headed: he gave them all into his hand.

18And all the vessels of the house of God, great and small, and the treasures of the house of Jehovah, and the treasures of the king, and of his princes, all these he brought to Babylon.

19And they burnt the house of God, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem, and burnt all the palaces thereof with fire, and destroyed all the goodly vessels thereof.

20And them that had escaped from the sword carried he away to Babylon; and they were servants to him and his sons until the reign of the kingdom of Persia:

21to fulfil the word of Jehovah by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed its sabbaths: [for] as long as it lay desolate it kept sabbath, to fulfil threescore and ten years.

22Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of Jehovah by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, Jehovah stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and [put it] also in writing, saying,

23Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, All the kingdoms of the earth hath Jehovah, the God of heaven, given me; and he hath charged me to build him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whosoever there is among you of all his people, Jehovah his God be with him, and let him go up.

1The people of the land took Jehoahaz son of Josiah and made him king in his father’s place in Jerusalem.

2Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he became king, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem.

3The king of Egypt prevented him from ruling in Jerusalem and imposed on the land a special tax of 100 talents of silver and a talent of gold.

4The king of Egypt made Jehoahaz’s brother Eliakim king over Judah and Jerusalem, and changed his name to Jehoiakim. Necho seized his brother Jehoahaz and took him to Egypt.

5Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned for eleven years in Jerusalem. He did evil in the sight of the Lord his God.

6King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon attacked him, bound him with bronze chains, and carried him away to Babylon.

7Nebuchadnezzar took some of the items in the Lord’s temple to Babylon and put them in his palace there.

8The rest of the events of Jehoiakim’s reign, including the horrible sins he committed and his shortcomings, are recorded in the Scroll of the Kings of Israel and Judah. His son Jehoiachin replaced him as king.

9Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king, and he reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem. He did evil in the sight of the Lord.

10At the beginning of the year King Nebuchadnezzar ordered him to be brought to Babylon, along with the valuable items in the Lord’s temple. In his place Nebuchadnezzar made Jehoiachin’s relative Zedekiah king over Judah and Jerusalem.

11Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he ruled for eleven years in Jerusalem.

12He did evil in the sight of the Lord his God. He did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet, the Lord’s spokesman.

13He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him vow allegiance in the name of God. He was stubborn and obstinate and refused to return to the Lord God of Israel.

14All the leaders of the priests and people became more unfaithful and committed the same horrible sins practiced by the nations. They defiled the Lord’s temple which he had consecrated in Jerusalem.

15The Lord God of their ancestors continually warned them through his messengers, for he felt compassion for his people and his dwelling place.

16But they mocked God’s messengers, despised his warnings, and ridiculed his prophets. Finally the Lord got very angry at his people and there was no one who could prevent his judgment.

17He brought against them the king of the Babylonians, who slaughtered their young men in their temple. He did not spare young men or women, or even the old and aging. God handed everyone over to him.

18He carried away to Babylon all the items in God’s temple, whether large or small, as well as what was in the treasuries of the Lord’s temple and in the treasuries of the king and his officials.

19They burned down God’s temple and tore down the wall of Jerusalem. They burned all its fortified buildings and destroyed all its valuable items.

20He deported to Babylon all who escaped the sword. They served him and his sons until the Persian kingdom rose to power.

21This took place to fulfill the Lord’s message spoken through Jeremiah and lasted until the land experienced its sabbatical years. All the time of its desolation the land rested in order to fulfill the seventy years.

22In the first year of King Cyrus of Persia, in fulfillment of the Lord’s message spoken through Jeremiah, the Lord motivated King Cyrus of Persia to issue a proclamation throughout his kingdom and also to put it in writing. It read:

23“This is what King Cyrus of Persia says: ‘The Lord God of heaven has given me all the kingdoms of the earth. He has appointed me to build a temple for him in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Anyone of his people among you may go up there, and may the Lord his God be with him.’”

1Then the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and made him king in his father’s place in Jerusalem.

2Joahaz was twenty-three years old when he began to reign; and he reigned three months in Jerusalem.

3The king of Egypt removed him from office at Jerusalem, and fined the land one hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold.

4The king of Egypt made Eliakim his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem, and changed his name to Jehoiakim. Neco took Joahaz his brother, and carried him to Egypt.

5Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. He did that which was evil in Yahweh his God’s sight.

6Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against him, and bound him in fetters to carry him to Babylon.

7Nebuchadnezzar also carried some of the vessels of Yahweh’s house to Babylon, and put them in his temple at Babylon.

8Now 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 place.

9Jehoiachin was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem. He did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight.

10At the return of the year, king Nebuchadnezzar sent and brought him to Babylon, with the valuable vessels of Yahweh’s house, and made Zedekiah his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem.

11Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem.

12He did that which was evil in Yahweh his God’s sight. He didn’t humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet speaking from Yahweh’s mouth.

13He also rebelled against king Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God; but he stiffened his neck, and hardened his heart against turning to Yahweh, the God of Israel.

14Moreover all the chiefs of the priests, and the people, trespassed very greatly after all the abominations of the nations; and they polluted Yahweh’s house which he had made holy in Jerusalem.

15Yahweh, the God of their fathers, sent to them by his messengers, rising up early and sending, because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place;

16but they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and scoffed at his prophets, until Yahweh’s wrath arose against his people, until there was no remedy.

17Therefore he brought on them the king of the Chaldeans, who killed their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion on young man or virgin, old man or gray-headed. He gave them all into his hand.

18All the vessels of God’s house, great and small, and the treasures of Yahweh’s house, and the treasures of the king, and of his princes, all these he brought to Babylon.

19They burned God’s house, and broke down the wall of Jerusalem, and burned all its palaces with fire, and destroyed all of its valuable vessels.

20He carried those who had escaped from the sword away to Babylon, and they were servants to him and his sons until the reign of the kingdom of Persia,

21to fulfill Yahweh’s word by Jeremiah’s mouth, until the land had enjoyed its Sabbaths. As long as it lay desolate, it kept Sabbath, to fulfill seventy years.

22Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that Yahweh’s word by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, Yahweh stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying,

23“Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, ‘Yahweh, the God of heaven, has given all the kingdoms of the earth to me; and he has commanded me to build him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever there is among you of all his people, Yahweh his God be with him, and let him go up.’”

Summary
Authorship & Background
Map & Geography
Commentary
Videos
Reflection

Summary

Judah's final four kings—Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, and Zedekiah—lead the nation into irreversible rebellion despite God's persistent warnings through prophets. Babylon destroys Jerusalem and the Temple, but the book ends with Cyrus's decree permitting the exiles to return and rebuild.

Authorship & Background

Author: Traditionally attributed to Ezra the scribe. Originally one book with 1 Chronicles. Written post-exile (approximately 450-400 BC). 2 Chronicles covers Solomon's reign through the Babylonian exile and Cyrus's decree of return (approximately 970-538 BC). The Chronicler focuses exclusively on Judah (ignoring the northern kingdom) and emphasizes Temple worship, reform movements, and the principle of 2 Chronicles 7:14: "If my people... shall humble themselves, and pray... then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."
Historical Context: Chapter 36 is the Chronicler's rapid-fire conclusion — compressing Judah's final 23 years (609-586 BC) into a single devastating chapter. Four kings reign in succession, each doing "evil in the sight of the LORD," and the nation spirals irreversibly toward destruction. Where the Chronicler lavished chapters on faithful kings like Hezekiah and Josiah, these final rulers receive only brief, damning summaries — their reigns are theologically uninteresting because they produced only rebellion.
The four kings represent Judah's last gasps: Jehoahaz (3 months, deposed by Egypt); Jehoiakim (11 years, bound by Nebuchadnezzar); Jehoiachin (3 months and 10 days, exiled to Babylon); and Zedekiah (11 years, the last king, who presided over Jerusalem's destruction). The chapter traces the progressive stripping of Judah's sovereignty: first Egypt controls king-making (vv.1-4), then Babylon takes Temple vessels and installs puppet kings (vv.6-10), and finally Babylon destroys everything — Temple, walls, palaces, and people (vv.17-19).
The Chronicler provides the definitive theological explanation for the exile in verses 15-16: "The LORD God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on his people... But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against his people, till there was no remedy." The destruction was not divine caprice but exhausted patience — God sent prophets persistently out of compassion, and the nation's persistent rejection finally left "no remedy."
Yet the chapter — and the entire book — does not end in destruction. Verses 22-23 record Cyrus's decree (539 BC), permitting the exiles to return and rebuild the Temple. These final words echo the opening of Ezra 1:1-3 almost verbatim, creating a literary bridge between Chronicles and Ezra-Nehemiah. The last word of the Hebrew Bible (in its traditional canonical order, where Chronicles stands last) is "vaya'al" — "let him go up." The entire Old Testament, in Jewish arrangement, ends with a call to return, to rebuild, to go up to Jerusalem. For the post-exilic community, this was not merely history but invitation: the God who judged is the God who restores. The exile was not the final word — restoration was.
The theological note about Sabbath rest (v.21) — "until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths" — connects the exile to Leviticus 26:34- 35, which warned that the land would recover its missed Sabbath years. Israel had failed to observe the sabbatical year (every 7th year, Leviticus 25:1-7) for approximately 490 years, accumulating 70 missed Sabbaths. The 70-year exile (Jeremiah 25:11-12; 29:10) was God's enforcement of the Sabbath principle the nation had ignored. Even the land's rest was under God's sovereign calendar.

Map & Geography

  • Parallels 1-2 Kings but focuses exclusively on Judah (the southern kingdom). Jerusalem and the Temple are the theological center throughout.
  • Key locations include various battle sites, reform locations, and high places destroyed or rebuilt by successive kings.
  • The book ends with exile to Babylon (586 BC) and Cyrus's decree permitting return — the geographic arc moves from Jerusalem to Babylon and back.

Commentary

  • Enduring Word (David Guzik): enduringword.com Guzik emphasizes that the rapid succession of evil kings demonstrates how quickly a nation can collapse after godly leadership is removed. He highlights verses 15-16 as the Chronicler's definitive explanation for the exile — not divine cruelty but exhausted patience after persistent, compassionate warning. The ending on Cyrus's decree shows that God always has the last word, and His last word is grace.
  • Charles Spurgeon: "Till there was no remedy — what a terrible terminus! God's patience has a boundary; His mercy has a 'till.' They mocked the messengers — there was still remedy. They despised His words — there was still remedy. They misused His prophets — and then, 'no remedy.' The disease had gone too far for cure, the gangrene had reached the heart, the bill of divorce was signed. Yet mark: the very last words of this dark book are words of light — 'Let him go up.' After judgment comes invitation. After exile comes return. After seventy years of Sabbath rest, a door swings open. God's final word to His people is never wrath but welcome. Let the sinner take heart: if he has not yet reached 'no remedy,' grace still calls, 'Let him go up.'"

Reflection

  • 1. God's patience is vast but not infinite (vv.15-16). He sent prophets "rising up betimes" — eagerly, persistently, compassionately. But there came a point of "no remedy." Do not presume upon God's patience or treat His silence as permission. Every day of grace is an opportunity to respond; do not let persistent rejection harden you past the point of spiritual sensitivity. Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your heart.
  • 2. National collapse follows the loss of godly leadership (vv.1- 13). After Josiah's death, four consecutive kings did evil — and within 23 years the nation was destroyed. Righteous leadership is not a luxury but a lifeline. Pray for godly leaders in your community, church, and nation. Support them, encourage them, and raise up the next generation — the vacuum left by their absence fills quickly with destruction.
  • 3. God's judgment serves restorative purposes (v.21). The exile was not divine abandonment but divine Sabbath enforcement — the land received its rest, Jeremiah's prophecy was fulfilled, and the conditions for return were established. If you are in a season of divine discipline, look for the restorative purpose within it. God's correction aims at healing, not destruction.
  • 4. God's last word is always invitation, not condemnation (v.23). The book ends not with burning but with "Let him go up." After 70 years of exile, God opens a door. No matter how devastating your failure or how long your spiritual exile, God extends the invitation to return. The door is open. The God who disciplined is the God who restores. Rise up and go.
  • 5. God uses unlikely instruments to accomplish His purposes (v.22). The LORD "stirred up the spirit of Cyrus" — a pagan Persian emperor became the agent of Israel's restoration. God is not limited to working through His people; He is sovereign over all rulers and nations. Take comfort: the same God who moved Cyrus can move any heart, open any door, and reverse any seemingly permanent situation to accomplish His redemptive plan.