of the kings of Israel and Judah; and Jehoiachin his son reigned in his stead.

'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. 10And at the return of the year 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.

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 maiden, 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 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 broke 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 the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had been paid her sabbaths; for as long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath, to fulfil threescore and ten years.

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 the LORD his God; he 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, the God of Israel. 14Moreover all the 22Now in the first year of Cyrus chiefs of the priests, and the people, king of Persia, that the word of the transgressed very greatly after all the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah abominations of the nations; and they might be accomplished, the LORD polluted the house of the LORD which stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of He had hallowed in Jerusalem. 15And Persia, that he made a proclamation the LORD, the God of their fathers, throughout all his kingdom, and put sent to them by His messengers, send- it also in writing, saying: 23 Thus ing betimes and often; because He saith Cyrus king of Persia: All the 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 the LORD arose against His people, till there was no remedy.

kingdoms of the earth hath the LORD, 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-the LORD his God be with him-let him go up.'