15. Nebuchadnezzar led King Jehoiachin away as a captive to Babylon, along with the queen mother, his wives and officials, and all Jerusalem’s elite.
16. He also exiled 7,000 of the best troops and 1,000 craftsmen and artisans, all of whom were strong and fit for war.
17. Then the king of Babylon installed Mattaniah, Jehoiachin’s uncle, as the next king, and he changed Mattaniah’s name to Zedekiah.
18. Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years. His mother was Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah from Libnah.
19. But Zedekiah did what was evil in the lord’s sight, just as Jehoiakim had done.
20. These things happened because of the lord’s anger against the people of Jerusalem and Judah, until he finally banished them from his presence and sent them into exile.Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.