Ch 36 / 36~3 min
Divrei HaYamim Bet

Chapter 36

Exile and the Hope of Restoration

The destruction of Jerusalem and the seventy-year exile give way to Cyrus' decree of return, pointing to Yeshua who ends our exile from Elohim and opens the way home.

  1. The Last Kings of Judah

    Four kings reign in rapid succession, each more faithless than the last. Judah sprints towards its exile.

  2. 1Then the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and made him king in his father’s place in Jerusalem.
  3. 2Joahaz was twenty-three years old when he began to reign; and he reigned three months in Jerusalem.
  4. 3The king of Egypt removed him from office at Jerusalem, and fined the land one hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold.
  5. 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.
  6. 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 YHWH his Elohim’s sight.
  7. 6Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against him, and bound him in fetters to carry him to Babylon.
  8. 7Nebuchadnezzar also carried some of the vessels of YHWH’s house to Babylon, and put them in his temple at Babylon.
  9. 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.
  10. 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 YHWH’s sight.
  11. 10At the return of the year, King Nebuchadnezzar sent and brought him to Babylon, with the valuable vessels of YHWH’s house, and made Zedekiah his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem.
  12. Zedekiah and the Fall of Jerusalem

    Zedekiah rebels against Babylon and against Elohim. The last king ignores every warning and the end arrives.

  13. 11Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem.
  14. 12He did that which was evil in YHWH his Elohim’s sight. He didn’t humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet speaking from YHWH’s mouth.
  15. 13He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by Elohim; but he stiffened his neck, and hardened his heart against turning to YHWH, the Elohim of Israel.
  16. 14Moreover all the chiefs of the priests and the people trespassed very greatly after all the abominations of the nations; and they polluted YHWH’s house which he had made kodesh in Jerusalem.
  17. Elohim's Patience Finally Exhausted

    Elohim sent messengers again and again because He had compassion. The Father's patience is staggering, even when His people refuse to listen.

  18. 15YHWH, the Elohim 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;
  19. 16but they mocked the messengers of Elohim, despised his words, and scoffed at his prophets, until YHWH’s wrath arose against his people, until there was no remedy.
  20. 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 infirm. He gave them all into his hand.
  21. 18All the vessels of Elohim’s house, great and small, and the treasures of YHWH’s house, and the treasures of the king and of his princes, all these he brought to Babylon.
  22. 19They burnt Elohim’s house, broke down the wall of Jerusalem, burnt all its palaces with fire, and destroyed all of its valuable vessels.
  23. 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,
  24. 21to fulfil YHWH’s word by Jeremiah’s mouth, until the land had enjoyed its Shabbats. As long as it lay desolate, it kept Shabbat, to fulfil seventy years.
  25. Cyrus Decrees the Return

    Cyrus decrees that the exiles may return and rebuild Elohim's house. The very last verse points to hope, restoration, and the Father who never gives up.

  26. 22Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that YHWH’s word by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, YHWH 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,
  27. 23“Cyrus king of Persia says, ‘YHWH, the Elohim 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 amongst you of all his people, YHWH his Elohim be with him, and let him go up.’”
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