^18 (A)Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was ^(B)Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. ¹⁹ He did evil in the sight of the Lord, ^(C)according to all that Jehoiakim had done. ²⁰ For ^(D)through the anger of the Lord this came about in Jerusalem and Judah until He cast them out from His presence. And ^(E)Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.

Zedekiah Rules in Judah

^11 (A)Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. ¹² He did evil in the sight of the Lord his God; ^(B)he did not humble himself ^(C)before Jeremiah the prophet ^[a]who spoke for the Lord. ^13 (D)He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar who had made him swear allegiance by God. But ^(E)he stiffened his neck and hardened his heart against turning to the Lord God of Israel.

³ and send ^[a]word to the king of ^(A)Edom, to the king of ^(B)Moab, to the king of the sons of ^(C)Ammon, to the king of ^(D)Tyre and to the king of ^(E)Sidon ^[b]by the messengers who come to Jerusalem to Zedekiah king of Judah.

¹² I spoke words like all these to ^(A)Zedekiah king of Judah, saying, “Bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serve him and his people, and live!