2Ch 36 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for 2Chr 36:1-4: 36:1-4 Jehoahaz , also known as Shallum (see Jer 22:11 ), was not Josiah’s oldest son (1 Chr 3:15 ), and the reason he was chosen as king is not explained. Pharaoh Neco immediately intervened and established Jehoahaz’s older brother Eliakim in his place and renamed him Jehoiakim .

Summary for 2Chr 36:1-4: 36:1-4 ^a Jehoahaz, also known as Shallum (see Jer 22:11 ^b), was not Josiah’s oldest son (1 Chr 3:15 ^c), and the reason he was chosen as king is not explained. Pharaoh Neco immediately intervened and established Jehoahaz’s older brother Eliakim in his place and renamed him Jehoiakim.
36:2 ^d Jehoahaz’s reign of three months was in 609 BC.
36:5 ^e Jehoiakim reigned from 609 to 598 BC.

• He did what was evil: Jeremiah characterized his reign as one of self-aggrandizement and injustice (Jer 22:13-17 ^f).
Summary for 2Chr 36:9-10: 36:9-10 ^g The Chronicler limits his record of Jehoiachin’s short reign to his exile and payment of tribute from the Temple instruments. The capture of Jehoiachin is described in the Babylonian Chronicle: “In the seventh year (of Nebuchadnezzar), the month of Kislev, the king of Akkad mustered his troops, marched to [the land west of the Jordan], and encamped against the city of Judah, and on the second day of the month of Adar he seized the city and captured the king.” Jehoiachin was thus taken captive on March 16, 597 BC. He was taken to Babylon about a month later.

• Jehoiachin remained a captive in Babylon for thirty-seven years (see 2 Kgs 25:27 ^h; Jer 52:31 ⁱ).
Summary for 2Chr 36:11-14: 36:11-14 ^j Although Jeremiah repeatedly urged Zedekiah to submit to the Babylonians rather than look for help from Egypt (Jer 25:1-11 ^k; 27:1-22 ^l; 34:1-22 ^m; 37:1–38:28 ⁿ), Zedekiah refused to humble himself and rebelled, violating his oath. 36:11 ^o Zedekiah reigned from 597 to 586 BC.
36:13 ^p an oath of loyalty in God’s name: The vassal oath imposed on him was probably similar to those known from Assyrian treaties, sworn in the name of the vassal’s god.
36:19 ^q The Temple was destroyed in August 586 BC (see 2 Kgs 25:8 ^r; Jer 52:12 ^s).
36:21 ^t The length of the captivity had been predicted by Jeremiah (Jer 25:11-12 ^u; 29:10 ^v; see study note on Ezra 6:15).

• The land finally enjoyed its Sabbath rest: See Lev 26:34-35 ^w, 43 ^x, where the punishment for disobedience is exile; the land is left unused for all the Sabbaths of which it had been deprived. The land’s time of rest was also a preparation for the time of restoration.

• the prophet: That is, Jeremiah.
Summary for 2Chr 36:22-23: 36:22-23 ^y Chronicles concludes with the verses that form the introduction to Ezra. King Cyrus of Persia permitted the community of Judah to experience a new exodus, as proclaimed by the prophet Isaiah (Isa 40:1-11 ^z).