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Then the people of the land took Joahaz the son of Josiah, and made him king in place of his father in Jerusalem.

The king of Egypt made Eliakim his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem, and changed his name to Jehoiakim. But Neco took Eliakim's brother Joahaz and brought him to Egypt.

Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he ruled eleven years in Jerusalem. He did what was sinful in the eyes of the Lord his God.

Nebuchadnezzar also brought some of the things of the Lord's house to Babylon and put them in his place of worship there.

Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim and the sinful things which he did, and what was found against him, are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah. His son Jehoiachin became king in his place.

In the spring of the year, King Nebuchadnezzar sent and brought him to Babylon with the objects of great worth from the Lord's house. He made his brother Zedekiah king over Judah and Jerusalem.

He did what was sinful in the eyes of the Lord his God. He had much pride in front of Jeremiah the man of God who spoke for the Lord.

And he turned against King Nebuchadnezzar who had made him make a promise by God. He was strong-willed and made his heart hard against turning to the Lord God of Israel.

The Lord, the God of their fathers, sent men to speak for Him again and again, because He had loving-pity on His people and on His house.

But the people always made fun of the men sent by God. They hated God's words and laughed at His men who spoke for God, until the Lord was very angry with His people. And there was no way for things to be better.

And he brought to Babylon all the things of the house of God, great and small, and the riches of the Lord's house, and the riches of the king and of his rulers.

He carried away to Babylon those who had not been killed by the sword. They were made to work for him and his sons until the rule of the nation of Persia.

The Lord's word by the mouth of Jeremiah came true in this way also: In the first year of King Cyrus of Persia, the Lord caused the spirit of King Cyrus to send word to all his nation, and also to write it down, saying,

"King Cyrus of Persia says, ‘The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the nations of the earth. He has chosen me to build Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever is among you of all His people, may the Lord his God be with him, and let him go up.'"

In the first year of King Cyrus of Persia, the words of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah came true. The Lord worked in the spirit of King Cyrus of Persia so that he made it known through all his nation, and also put it in writing, saying,

Whoever there is among you of all His people, may his God be with him! Let him go up to Jerusalem which is in Judah, and build again the house of the Lord, the God of Israel. He is the God Who is in Jerusalem.

Let each one who is still alive, at whatever place he may live, be helped by the men of his place with silver and gold and with good things and cattle. Let the men also give a free-will gift for the house of God in Jerusalem.'"

King Cyrus brought out the objects of the house of the Lord, which Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and put in the house of his gods.

These are the people who left the land of Babylon and returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own city. Their families had been taken away to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon.

Then Jozadak's son Jeshua and his brothers the religious leaders, and Shealtiel's son Zerubbabel and his brothers, built the altar of the God of Israel, to give burnt gifts on it. They did this as it is written in the Law of Moses, the man of God.