The Last Kings and the Long Way Home.

וַיִּקְחוּ֙ עַם־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֶת־יְהוֹאָחָ֖ז בֶּן־יֹאשִׁיָּ֑הוּ וַיַּמְלִיכֻ֥הוּ תַֽחַת־אָבִ֖יו בִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃

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

בֶּן־שָׁל֧וֹשׁ וְעֶשְׂרִ֛ים שָׁנָ֖ה יוֹאָחָ֣ז בְּמָלְכ֑וֹ וּשְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה חֳדָשִׁ֔ים מָלַ֖ךְ בִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃

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

וַיְסִירֵ֥הוּ מֶֽלֶךְ־מִצְרַ֖יִם בִּֽירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם וַֽיַּעֲנֹשׁ֙ אֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ מֵאָ֥ה כִכַּר־כֶּ֖סֶף וְכִכַּ֥ר זָהָֽב׃

[3] Then the king of Egypt deposed him in Jerusalem and laid on the land a tribute of a hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold.

וַיַּמְלֵ֨ךְ מֶֽלֶךְ־מִצְרַ֜יִם אֶת־אֶלְיָקִ֣ים אָחִ֗יו עַל־יְהוּדָה֙ וִיר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם וַיַּסֵּ֥ב אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ יְהוֹיָקִ֑ים וְאֶת־יוֹאָחָ֤ז אָחִיו֙ לָקַ֣ח נְכ֔וֹ וַיְבִיאֵ֖הוּ מִצְרָֽיְמָה׃ פ

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

בֶּן־עֶשְׂרִ֨ים וְחָמֵ֤שׁ שָׁנָה֙ יְהוֹיָקִ֣ים בְּמָלְכ֔וֹ וְאַחַ֤ת עֶשְׂרֵה֙ שָׁנָ֔ה מָלַ֖ךְ בִּירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם וַיַּ֣עַשׂ הָרַ֔ע בְּעֵינֵ֖י יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהָֽיו׃

[5] Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord his God.

עָלָ֣יו עָלָ֔ה נְבוּכַדְנֶאצַּ֖ר מֶ֣לֶךְ בָּבֶ֑ל וַיַּֽאַסְרֵ֙הוּ֙ בַּֽנְחֻשְׁתַּ֔יִם לְהֹלִיכ֖וֹ בָּבֶֽלָה׃

[6] Against him came up Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and bound him in chains to take him to Babylon.

וּמִכְּלֵי֙ בֵּ֣ית יְהוָ֔ה הֵבִ֥יא נְבוּכַדְנֶאצַּ֖ר לְבָבֶ֑ל וַיִּתְּנֵ֥ם בְּהֵיכָל֖וֹ בְּבָבֶֽל׃

[7] Nebuchadnezzar also carried part of the vessels of the house of the Lord to Babylon and put them in his palace in Babylon.

וְיֶתֶר֩ דִּבְרֵ֨י יְהֽוֹיָקִ֜ים וְתֹֽעֲבֹתָ֤יו אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂה֙ וְהַנִּמְצָ֣א עָלָ֔יו הִנָּ֣ם כְּתוּבִ֗ים עַל־סֵ֛פֶר מַלְכֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וִֽיהוּדָ֑ה וַיִּמְלֹ֛ךְ יְהוֹיָכִ֥ין בְּנ֖וֹ תַּחְתָּֽיו׃ פ

[8] Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, and the abominations that he did, and what was found against him, behold, they are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah. And Jehoiachin his son reigned in his place.

בֶּן־שְׁמוֹנֶ֤ה שָׁנִים֙ יְהוֹיָכִ֣ין בְּמָלְכ֔וֹ וּשְׁלֹשָׁ֤ה חֳדָשִׁים֙ וַעֲשֶׂ֣רֶת יָמִ֔ים מָלַ֖ךְ בִּירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם וַיַּ֥עַשׂ הָרַ֖ע בְּעֵינֵ֥י יְהוָֽה׃

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

וְלִתְשׁוּבַ֣ת הַשָּׁנָ֗ה שָׁלַח֙ הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ נְבֽוּכַדְנֶאצַּ֔ר וַיְבִאֵ֣הוּ בָבֶ֔לָה עִם־כְּלֵ֖י חֶמְדַּ֣ת בֵּית־יְהוָ֑ה וַיַּמְלֵךְ֙ אֶת־צִדְקִיָּ֣הוּ אָחִ֔יו עַל־יְהוּדָ֖ה וִֽירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃ פ

[10] In the spring of the year King Nebuchadnezzar sent and brought him to Babylon, with the precious vessels of the house of the Lord , and made his brother Zedekiah king over Judah and Jerusalem.

בֶּן־עֶשְׂרִ֧ים וְאַחַ֛ת שָׁנָ֖ה צִדְקִיָּ֣הוּ בְמָלְכ֑וֹ וְאַחַ֤ת עֶשְׂרֵה֙ שָׁנָ֔ה מָלַ֖ךְ בִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃

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

וַיַּ֣עַשׂ הָרַ֔ע בְּעֵינֵ֖י יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהָ֑יו לֹ֣א נִכְנַ֗ע מִלִּפְנֵ֛י יִרְמְיָ֥הוּ הַנָּבִ֖יא מִפִּ֥י יְהוָֽה׃

[12] He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord his God. He did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet, who spoke from the mouth of the Lord .

וְ֠גַם בַּמֶּ֤לֶךְ נְבֽוּכַדְנֶאצַּר֙ מָרָ֔ד אֲשֶׁ֥ר הִשְׁבִּיע֖וֹ בֵּֽאלֹהִ֑ים וַיֶּ֤קֶשׁ אֶת־עָרְפּוֹ֙ וַיְאַמֵּ֣ץ אֶת־לְבָב֔וֹ מִשּׁ֕וּב אֶל־יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

[13] He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God. He stiffened his neck and hardened his heart against turning to the Lord , the God of Israel.

גַּ֠ם כָּל־שָׂרֵ֨י הַכֹּהֲנִ֤ים וְהָעָם֙ הִרְבּ֣וּ ׳לִמְעוֹל־לִמְעָל־מַ֔עַל׳ כְּכֹ֖ל תֹּעֲב֣וֹת הַגּוֹיִ֑ם וַֽיְטַמְּאוּ֙ אֶת־בֵּ֣ית יְהוָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר הִקְדִּ֖ישׁ בִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃

[14] All the officers of the priests and the people likewise were exceedingly unfaithful, following all the abominations of the nations. And they polluted the house of the Lord that he had made holy in Jerusalem.

וַיִּשְׁלַ֡ח יְהוָה֩ אֱלֹהֵ֨י אֲבוֹתֵיהֶ֧ם עֲלֵיהֶ֛ם בְּיַ֥ד מַלְאָכָ֖יו הַשְׁכֵּ֣ם וְשָׁל֑וֹחַ כִּֽי־חָמַ֥ל עַל־עַמּ֖וֹ וְעַל־מְעוֹנֽוֹ׃

[15] The Lord , the God of their fathers, sent persistently to them by his messengers, because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place.

וַיִּֽהְי֤וּ מַלְעִבִים֙ בְּמַלְאֲכֵ֣י הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים וּבוֹזִ֣ים דְּבָרָ֔יו וּמִֽתַּעְתְּעִ֖ים בִּנְבִאָ֑יו עַ֠ד עֲל֧וֹת חֲמַת־יְהוָ֛ה בְּעַמּ֖וֹ עַד־לְאֵ֥ין מַרְפֵּֽא׃

[16] But they kept mocking the messengers of God, despising his words and scoffing at his prophets, until the wrath of the Lord rose against his people, until there was no remedy.

וַיַּ֨עַל עֲלֵיהֶ֜ם אֶת־מֶ֣לֶךְ ׳כַּשְׂדִּיִּים׳ ״כַּשְׂדִּ֗ים״ וַיַּהֲרֹ֨ג בַּחוּרֵיהֶ֤ם בַּחֶ֙רֶב֙ בְּבֵ֣ית מִקְדָּשָׁ֔ם וְלֹ֥א חָמַ֛ל עַל־בָּח֥וּר וּבְתוּלָ֖ה זָקֵ֣ן וְיָשֵׁ֑שׁ הַכֹּ֖ל נָתַ֥ן בְּיָדֽוֹ׃

[17] Therefore he brought up against 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 aged. He gave them all into his hand.

וְ֠כֹל כְּלֵ֞י בֵּ֤ית הָאֱלֹהִים֙ הַגְּדֹלִ֣ים וְהַקְּטַנִּ֔ים וְאֹֽצְרוֹת֙ בֵּ֣ית יְהוָ֔ה וְאֹצְר֥וֹת הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ וְשָׂרָ֑יו הַכֹּ֖ל הֵבִ֥יא בָבֶֽל׃

[18] And 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.

וַֽיִּשְׂרְפוּ֙ אֶת־בֵּ֣ית הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים וַֽיְנַתְּצ֔וּ אֵ֖ת חוֹמַ֣ת יְרוּשָׁלִָ֑ם וְכָל־אַרְמְנוֹתֶ֙יהָ֙ שָׂרְפ֣וּ בָאֵ֔שׁ וְכָל־כְּלֵ֥י מַחֲמַדֶּ֖יהָ לְהַשְׁחִֽית׃ ס

[19] And they burned the house of God and broke down the wall of Jerusalem and burned all its palaces with fire and destroyed all its precious vessels.

וַיֶּ֛גֶל הַשְּׁאֵרִ֥ית מִן־הַחֶ֖רֶב אֶל־בָּבֶ֑ל וַֽיִּהְיוּ־ל֤וֹ וּלְבָנָיו֙ לַעֲבָדִ֔ים עַד־מְלֹ֖ךְ מַלְכ֥וּת פָּרָֽס׃

[20] He took into exile in Babylon those who had escaped from the sword, and they became servants to him and to his sons until the establishment of the kingdom of Persia,

לְמַלֹּ֤אות דְּבַר־יְהוָה֙ בְּפִ֣י יִרְמְיָ֔הוּ עַד־רָצְתָ֥ה הָאָ֖רֶץ אֶת־שַׁבְּתוֹתֶ֑יהָ כָּל־יְמֵ֤י הָשַּׁמָּה֙ שָׁבָ֔תָה לְמַלֹּ֖אות שִׁבְעִ֥ים שָׁנָֽה׃ פ

[21] to fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed its Sabbaths. All the days that it lay desolate it kept Sabbath, to fulfill seventy years.

וּבִשְׁנַ֣ת אַחַ֗ת לְכ֙וֹרֶשׁ֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ פָּרַ֔ס לִכְל֥וֹת דְּבַר־יְהוָ֖ה בְּפִ֣י יִרְמְיָ֑הוּ הֵעִ֣יר יְהוָ֗ה אֶת־ר֙וּחַ֙ כּ֣וֹרֶשׁ מֶֽלֶךְ־פָּרַ֔ס וַיַּֽעֲבֶר־קוֹל֙ בְּכָל־מַלְכוּת֔וֹ וְגַם־בְּמִכְתָּ֖ב לֵאמֹֽר׃ ס

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

כֹּה־אָמַ֞ר כּ֣וֹרֶשׁ׀ מֶ֣לֶךְ פָּרַ֗ס כָּל־מַמְלְכ֤וֹת הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ נָ֣תַן לִ֗י יְהוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וְהֽוּא־פָקַ֤ד עָלַי֙ לִבְנֽוֹת־ל֣וֹ בַ֔יִת בִּירוּשָׁלִַ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֣ר בִּֽיהוּדָ֑ה מִֽי־בָכֶ֣ם מִכָּל־עַמּ֗וֹ יְהוָ֧ה אֱלֹהָ֛יו עִמּ֖וֹ וְיָֽעַל׃

[23] “Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, ‘The Lord , the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever is among you of all his people, may the Lord his God be with him. Let him go up.’”