1 Esdras 1

1 ΚΑΙ ἤγαγεν Ἰωσίας τὸ πάσχα ἐν Ἱερουσαλὴμ τῷ Κυρίῳ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἔθυσε τὸ πάσχα τῇ τεσσαρεσκαιδεκάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ τοῦ μηνὸς τοῦ πρώτου·

2 στήσας τοὺς ἱερεῖς κατʼ ἐφημερίας ἐστολισμένους ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ τοῦ Κυρίου.

3 Καὶ εἶπε τοῖς Λευίταις ἱεροδούλοις τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ, ἁγιάσαι ἑαυτοὺς τῷ Κυρίῳ ἐν τῇ θέσει τῆς ἁγίας κιβωτοῦ τοῦ Κυρίου ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ ᾧ ᾠκοδόμησε Σαλωμὼν ὁ τοῦ Δαυὶδ ὁ βασιλεύς·

4 οὐκ ἔσται ὑμῖν ἆραι ἐπʼ ὤμων αὐτήν· καὶ νῦν λατρεύετε τῷ Κυρίῳ Θεῷ ὑμῶν, καὶ θεραπεύετε τὸ ἔθνος αὐτοῦ Ἰσραήλ, καὶ ἑτοιμάσατε κατὰ τὰς πατριὰς καὶ τὰς φυλὰς ὑμῶν,

5 κατὰ τὴν γραφὴν Δαυὶδ βασιλέως Ἰσραὴλ, καὶ κατὰ τὴν μεγαλειότητα Σαλωμὼν τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ· καὶ στάντες ἐν τῷ ἁγίῳ κατὰ τὴν μεριδαρχίαν τὴν πατρικὴν ὑμῶν τῶν Λευιτῶν, τῶν ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ἀδελφῶν ὑμῶν υἱῶν Ἰσραὴλ,

6 ἐν τάξει θύσατε τὸ πάσχα, καὶ τὰς θυσίας ἑτοιμάσατε τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς ὑμῶν, καὶ ποιήσατε τὸ πάσχα κατὰ τὸ πρόσταγμα τοῦ Κυρίου τὸ δοθὲν τῷ Μωυσῇ.

7 Καὶ ἐδωρήσατο Ἰωσίας τῷ λαῷ τῷ εὑρεθέντι ἀρνῶν καὶ ἐρίφων τριάκοντα χιλιάδας, μόσχους τρισχιλίους· ταῦτα ἐκ τῶν βασιλικῶν ἐδόθη κατʼ ἐπαγγελίαν τῷ λαῷ, καὶ τοῖς ἱερεῦσι, καὶ Λευίταις.

8 Καὶ ἔδωκε Χελκίας, καὶ Ζαχαρίας, καὶ Συῆλος οἱ ἐπιστάται τοῦ ἱεροῦ τοῖς ἱερεῦσιν εἰς πάσχα πρόβατα δισχίλια ἑξακόσια, μόσχους τριακοσίους.

9 Καὶ Ἰεχονὶας, καὶ Σαμαίας, καὶ Ναθαναὴλ ὁ ἀδελφὸς, καὶ Ἀσαβίας, καὶ Ὀχίηλος, καὶ Ἰωρὰμ χιλίαρχοι ἔδωκαν τοῖς Λευίταις εἰς πάσχα πρόβατα πεντακισχίλια, μόσχους ἑπτακοσίους.

10 Καὶ ταῦτα τὰ γενόμενα, εὐπρεπῶς ἔστησαν οἱ ἱερεῖς καὶ οἱ Λευῖται,

11 ἔχοντες τὰ ἄζυμα κατὰ τὰς φυλὰς καὶ κατὰ τὰς μεριδαρχίας τῶν πατέρων ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ λαοῦ, προσενεγκεῖν τῷ Κυρίῳ κατὰ τὰ γεγραμμένα ἐν βιβλίῳ Μωυσῆ· καὶ οὕτως τὸ πρωϊνόν.

12 Καὶ ὤπτησαν τὸ πάσχα πυρὶ ὡς καθήκει, καὶ τὰς θυσίας ἥψησαν ἐν τοῖς χαλκείοις καὶ λέβησι μετʼ εὐωδίας, καὶ ἀπήνεγκαν πᾶσι τοῖς ἐκ τοῦ λαοῦ·

13 μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα ἡτοίμασαν ἑαυτοῖς τε καὶ τοῖς ἱερεῦσιν ἀδελφοῖς αὐτῶν υἱοῖς Ἀαρών·

14 οἱ γὰρ ἱερεῖς ἀνέφερον τὰ στέατα ἕως ἀωρίας· καὶ οἱ Λευῖται ἡτοίμασαν ἑαυτοῖς καὶ τοῖς ἱερεῦσιν ἀδελφοῖς αὐτῶν υἱοῖς Ἀαρών.

15 Καὶ οἱ ἱεροψάλται υἱοὶ Ἀσὰφ ἦσαν ἐπὶ τῆς τάξεως αὐτῶν, κατὰ τὰ ὑπὸ Δαυὶδ τεταγμένα, καὶ Ἀσὰφ, καὶ Ζαχαρίας, καὶ Ἐδδινοῦς ὁ παρὰ τοῦ βασιλέως.

16 Καὶ οἱ θυρωροὶ ἐφʼ ἑκάστου πυλῶνος· οὐκ ἔστι παραβῆναι ἕκαστον τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ἐφημερίαν· οἱ γὰρ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτῶν οἱ Λευῖται ἡτοίμασαν αὐτοῖς,

17 καὶ συνετελέσθη τὰ τῆς θυσίας τοῦ Κυρίου ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἀχθῆναι τὸ πάσχα,

18 καὶ προσαχθῆναι τὰς θυσίας ἐπὶ τὸ τοῦ Κυρίου θυσιαστήριον, κατὰ τὴν ἐπιταγὴν τοῦ βασιλέως Ἰωσίου.

19 Καὶ ἠγάγοσαν οἱ υἱοὶ Ἰσραὴλ οἱ εὑρεθέντες ἐν τῷ καιρῷ τούτῳ τὸ πάσχα καὶ τὴν ἑορτὴν τῶν ἀζύμων ἡμέρας ἑπτά.

20 Καὶ οὐκ ἤχθη τὸ πάσχα τοιοῦτον ἐν τῷ Ἰσραὴλ ἀπὸ τῶν χρόνων Σαμουὴλ τοῦ προφήτου.

21 Καὶ πάντες οἱ βασιλεῖς τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ οὐκ ἠγάγοσαν πάσχα τοιοῦτον, οἷον ἤγαγεν Ἰωσίας, καὶ οἱ ἱερεῖς, καὶ οἱ Λευῖται, καὶ οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι, καὶ πᾶς Ἰσραὴλ ὁ εὑρεθεὶς ἐν τῇ κατοικήσει αὐτῶν ἐν Ἱερουσαλήμ.

22 Ὀκτωκαιδεκάτῳ ἔτει βασιλεύοντος Ἰωσίου ἤχθη τὸ πάσχα τοῦτο.

23 Καὶ ὠρθώθη τὰ ἔργα Ἰωσίου ἐνώπιον τοῦ Κυρίου αὐτοῦ ἐν καρδίᾳ πλήρει εὐσεβείας.

24 Καὶ τὰ κατʼ αὐτὸν δὲ ἀναγέγραπται ἐν τοῖς ἔμπροσθεν χρόνοις, περὶ τῶν ἡμαρτηκότων καὶ ἠσεβηκότων εἰς τὸν Κύριον παρὰ πᾶν ἔθνος καὶ βασιλείαν, καὶ ἃ ἐλύπησαν αὐτὸν, ἔστι, καὶ οἱ λόγοι τοῦ Κυρίου ἀνέστησαν ἐπὶ Ἰσραήλ.

25 Καὶ μετὰ πᾶσαν τὴν πρᾶξιν ταύτην Ἰωσίου, συνέβη Φαραὼ βασιλέα Αἰγύπτου ἐλθόντα πόλεμον ἐγεῖραι ἐν Χαρκαμὺς ἐπὶ τοῦ Εὐφράτου· καὶ ἐξῆλθεν εἰς ἀπάντησιν αὐτῷ Ἰωσίας.

26 Καὶ διεπέμψατο πρὸς αὐτὸν βασιλεὺς Αἰγύπτου, λέγων, τί ἐμοὶ καὶ σοί ἐστι, βασιλεῦ τῆς Ἰουδαίας;

27 Οὐχί πρὸς σὲ ἐξαπέσταλμαι ὑπὸ Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ· ἐπὶ γὰρ τοῦ Εὐφράτου ὁ πόλεμός μου ἐστί· καὶ νῦν Κύριος μετʼ ἑμοῦ ἐστι, καὶ Κύριος μετʼ ἐνοῦ ἑπισπεύδων ἐστίν· ἀπόστηθι, καὶ μὴ ἐναντιοῦ τῷ Κυρίῳ.

28 Καὶ οὐκ ἀπέστρεψεν ἑαυτὸν Ἰωσίας ἐπὶ τὸ ἅρμα αὐτοῦ, ἀλλὰ πολεμεῖν αὐτὸν ἐπεχείρει, οὐ προσέχων ῥήμασιν Ἰερεμίου προφήτου ἐκ στόματος Κυρίου.

29 Ἀλλὰ συνεστήσατο πρὸς αὐτὸν πόλεμον ἐν τῷ πεδίῳ Μαγεδδώ· καὶ κατέβησαν οἱ ἄρχοντες πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα Ἰωσίαν.

30 Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς τοῖς παισὶν ἑαυτοῦ, ἀποστήσατέ με ἀπὸ τῆς μάχης, ἠσθένησα γὰρ λίαν· καὶ εὐθέως ἀπέστησαν αὐτὸν οἱ παῖδες αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τῆς παρατάξεως.

31 Καὶ ἀνέβη ἐπὶ τὸ ἅρμα τὸ δευτέριον αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀποκατασταθεὶς, εἰς Ἰερουσαλὴμ, μετήλλαξε τὸν βίον αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐτάφη ἐν τῷ πατρικῷ τάφῳ.

32 Καὶ ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ Ἰουδαίᾳ ἐπένθησαν τὸν Ἰωσίαν, καὶ ἐθρήνησεν Ἱερεμίας ὁ προφήτης ὑπὲρ Ἰωσίον, ὑαι οἱ προκαθήμενοι σὺν γυναιξὶν ἐθρηνοῦσαν αὐτὸν ἕως τῆς ἡμέρας ταύτης· καὶ ἐξεδόθη τοῦτο γίνεσθαι ἀεὶ εἰς ἅπαν τὸ γένος Ἰσραήλ.

33 Ταῦτα δὲ ἀναγέγραπται ἐν τῇ βίβλῳ τῶν ἱστορουμένων περὶ τῶν βασιλέων τῆς Ἰουδαίας, καὶ τὸ καθʼ ἓν πραχθὲν τῆς πράξεως Ἰωσίου, καὶ τῆς δόξης αὐτοῦ, καὶ τῆς συνέσεως αὐτοῦ ἐν τῷ νόμῳ Κυρίου· τά τε προπραχθέντα ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰ νῦν, ἱστόρηται ἐν τῷ βιβλίῳ τῶν βασιλέων Ἰσραὴλ καὶ Ἰούδα.

34 Καὶ ἀναλαβόντες οἱ ἐκ τοῦ ἔθνους τὸν Ἰεχονίαν υἱὸν Ἰωσίου, ἀνέδειξαν βασιλέα ἀντὶ Ἰωσείου τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ, ὄντα ἐτῶν εἴκοσι τριῶν.

35 Καὶ ἐβασίλευσεν ἐν Ἰσραὴλ καὶ Ἱερουσαλὴμ μῆνας τρεῖς· καὶ ἀπέστησεν αὐτὸν βασιλεὺς Αἰγύπτου τοῦ μὴ βασιλεύειν ἐν Ἱερουσαλὴμ,

36 καὶ ἐζημίωσε τὸ ἔθνος ἀργυρίου ταλάντοις ἑκατὸν καὶ χρυσίου ταλάντῳ ἑνί.

37 Καὶ ἀνέδειξε βασιλεὺς Αἰγύπτου βασιλέα Ἰωακὶμ τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ βασιλέα τῆς Ἰουδαίας καὶ Ἱερουσαλήμ.

38 Καὶ ἔδησεν Ἰωακὶμ τοὺς μεγιστᾶνας, Ζαράκην δὲ τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ συλλαβὼν ἀνήγαγεν ἐξ Αἰγύπτου.

39 Ἐτῶν δὲ ἦν εἰκοσιπέντε Ἰωακὶμ ὅτε ἐβασίλευσε τῆς Ἰουδαίας καὶ Ἱερουσαλήμ· καὶ ἐποίησε τὸ πονηρὸν ἐνώπιον Κυρίου.

40 Μετʼ αὐτὸν δὲ ἀνέβη Ναβουχοδονόσορ ὁ βασιλεὺς Βαβυλῶνος, καὶ ἔδησεν αὐτὸν ἐν χαλκείῳ δεσμῷ, καὶ ἀπήγαγεν εἰς Βαβυλῶνα.

41 Καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν ἱερῶν σκευῶν τοῦ Κυρίου λαβὼν Ναβουχοδονόσορ καὶ ἀπενέγκας, ἀπηρείσατο ἐν τῷ ναῷ αὐτοῦ ἐν Βαβυλῶνι.

42 Τὰ δὲ ἱστορηθέντα περὶ αὐτοῦ, καὶ τῆς ἀκαθαρσίας αὐτοῦ καὶ δυσσεβείας, ἀναγέγραπται ἐν τῇ βιβλῳ τῶν χρόνων τῶν βασιλέων.

43 Καὶ ἐβασίλευσεν ἀντʼ αὐτοῦ Ἰωακὶμ ὁ υἱὸς αὐτοῦ· ὅτε γὰρ ἀνεδείχθη, ἦν ἐτῶν ὀκτώ.

44 Βασιλεύει δὲ μῆνας τρεῖς καὶ ἡμέρας δέκα ἐν Ἱερουσαλὴμ, καὶ ἐποίησε τὸ πονηρὸν ἔναντι Κυρίου.

45 Καὶ μετʼ ἐνιαυτὸν ἀποστείλας Ναβουχοδονόσορ μετήγαγεν αὐτὸν εἰς Βαβυλῶνα, ἅμα τοῖς ἱεροῖς σκεύεσι τοῦ Κυρίου,

46 καὶ ἀνέδειξε Σεδεκίαν βασιλέα τῆς Ἰουδαίας καὶ Ἱερουσαλὴμ, ὄντα ἐτῶν εἴκοσι ἑνός· βασιλεύει δὲ ἔτη ἕνδεκα,

47 καὶ ἐποίησε τὸ πονηρὸν ἐνώπιον Κυρίου, καὶ οὐκ ἐνετράπη ἀπὸ τῶν ῥηθέντων λόγων ὑπὸ Ἱερεμίου τοῦ προφήτου ἐκ στόματος τοῦ Κυρίου.

48 Καὶ ὁρκισθεὶς ἀπὸ τοῦ βασιλέως Ναβουχοδονόσορ τῷ ὀνόματι Κυρίου, ἐπιορκήσας ἀπέστη· καὶ σκληρύνας αὐτοῦ τὸν τράχηλον καὶ τὴν καρδίαν αὐτοῦ, παρέβη τὰ νόμιμα Κυρίου Θεοῦ Ἰσραήλ.

49 Καὶ οἱ ἡγούμενοι δὲ τοῦ λαοῦ καὶ τῶν ἱερέων πολλὰ ἠσέβησαν καὶ ὑπὲρ πάσας τὰς ἀκαθαρσίας πάντων τῶν ἐθνῶν, καὶ ἐμίαναν τὸ ἱερὸν τοῦ Κυρίον τὸ ἁγιαζόμενον ἐν Ἱερουσαλήμ.

50 Καὶ ἀπέστειλεν ὁ Θεὸζ τῶν πατέρων αὐτῶν διὰ τοῦ ἀγγέλου αὐτοῦ μετακαλέσαι αὐτοὺς, καθότι ἐφείδετο αὐτῶν καὶ τοῦ σκηνώματος αὐτοῦ.

51 Αὐτοὶ δὲ ἐμυκτήρισαν ἐν τοῖς ἀγγέλοις αὐτοῦ·

52 καὶ ᾗ ἡμέρᾳ ἐλάλησε Κύριος, ἦσαν ἐκπαίζοντες τοὺς προφήτας αὐτοῦ, ἕως οὗ θυμῶντα αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τῷ ἔθνει αὐτοῦ διὰ τὰ δυσσεβήματα, προστάξαι ἀναβιβάσαι ἐπʼ αὐτοὺς τοὺς βασιλεῖς τῶν Χαλδαίων.

53 Οὗτοι ἀπέκτειναν τοὺς νεανίσκους αὐτῶν ἐν ῥομφαία, περικύκλῳ τοῦ ἁγίου αὐτῶν ἱεροῦ· καὶ οὐκ ἐφείσαντο νεανίσκου καὶ παρθένου, καὶ πρεσβύτου καὶ νεωτέρου, ἀλλὰ πάντας παρέδωκαν εἰς τὰς χεῖρας αὐτῶν.

54 Καὶ πάντα τὰ ἱερὰ σκεύη τοῦ Κυρίου τὰ μεγάλα καὶ τὰ μικρά, καὶ τὰς κιβωτοὺς τοῦ Κυρίου, καὶ τὰς βασιλικὰς ἀποθήκας ἀναλαβόντες ἀπήνεγκαν εἰς Βαβυλῶνα.

55 Καὶ ἐνεπύρισαν τὸν οἶκον τοῦ Κυρίου, καὶ ἔλυσαν τὰ τείχη Ἱερουσαλὴμ, καὶ τοὺς πύργους αὐτῆς ἐνεπύρισαν ἐν πυρί,

56 καὶ συνετέλεσαν πάντα τὰ ἔνδοξα αὐτῆς ἀχρειῶσαι, καὶ τοὺς ἐπιλοίπους ἀπήγαγε μετὰ ῥομφαίας εἰς Βαβυλῶνα.

57 Καὶ ἦσαν παῖδες αὐτῷ καὶ τοῖς υἱοῖς αὐτοῦ, μέχρις οὗ βασιλεῦσαι Πέρσας, εἰς ἀναπλήρωσιν ῥήματος τοῦ Κυρίου ἐν στόματι Ἱερεμίου·

58 ἕως τοῦ εὐδοκῆσαι τὴν γῆν τὰ σάββατα αὐτῆς, πάντα τὸν χρόνον τῆς ἐρημώσεως αὐτῆς, σαββατιεῖ εἰς συμπλήρωσιν ἐτῶν ἑβδομήκοντα.

1 And Josias held the feast of the passover in Jerusalem unto his Lord, and offered the passover the fourteenth day of the first month;

2 having set the priests according to their daily courses, being arrayed in long garments, in the temple of the Lord.

3 And he spake unto the Levites, the holy ministers of Israel, that they should hallow themselves unto the Lord, to set the holy ark of the Lord in the house that king Solomon the son of David had built:

4 and said , Ye shall no more bear the ark upon your shoulders: now therefore serve the Lord your God, and minister unto his people Israel, and prepare you after your families and kindreds,

5 according as David the king of Israel prescribed, and according to the magnificence of Solomon his son: and standing in the temple according to the several dignity of the families of you the Levites, who minister in the presence of your brethren the children of Israel,

6 offer the passover in order, and make ready the sacrifices for your brethren, and keep the passover according to the commandment of the Lord, which was given unto Moses.

7 And unto the people that was found there Josias gave thirty thousand lambs and kids, and three thousand calves: these things were given of the king's allowance, according as he promised, to the people, to the priests and to the Levites.

8 And Helkias, Zacharias, and Syelus, the governors of the temple, gave to the priests for the passover two thousand and six hundred sheep, and three hundred calves.

9 And Jeconias, and Samaias, and Nathanael his brother, and Assabias, and Ochiel, and Joram, captains over thousands, gave to the Levites for the passover five thousand sheep, and seven hundred calves.

10 And when these things were done, the priests and Levites, having the unleavened bread, stood in very comely order according to the kindreds,

11 and according to the several dignities of the fathers, before the people, to offer to the Lord, as it is written in the book of Moses: and thus did they in the morning.

12 And they roasted the passover with fire, as appertaineth: as for the sacrifices, they sod them in brass pots and pans with a good savour,

13 and set them before all the people: and afterward they prepared for themselves, and for the priests their brethren, the sons of Aaron.

14 For the priests offered the fat until night: and the Levites prepared for themselves, and the priests their brethren, the sons of Aaron.

15 The holy singers also, the sons of Asaph, were in their order, according to the appointment of David, to wit, Asaph, Zacharias, and Jeduthun, who was of the king's retinue.

16 Moreover the porters were at every gate; it was not lawful for any to go from his ordinary service: for their brethren the Levites prepared for them.

17 Thus were the things that belonged to the sacrifices of the Lord accomplished in that day, that they might hold the passover,

18 and offer sacrifices upon the altar of the Lord, according to the commandment of king Josias.

19 So the children of Israel which were present held the passover at that time, and the feast of sweet bread seven days.

20 And such a passover was not kept in Israel since the time of the prophet Samuel.

21 Yea, all the kings of Israel held not such a passover as Josias, and the priests, and the Levites, and the Jews, held with all Israel that were found dwelling at Jerusalem.

22 In the eighteenth year of the reign of Josias was this passover kept.

23 And the works of Josias were upright before his Lord with an heart full of godliness.

24 As for the things that came to pass in his time, they were written in former times, concerning those that sinned, and did wickedly against the Lord above all people and kingdoms, and how they grieved him exceedingly, so that the words of the Lord rose up against Israel.

25 Now after all these acts of Josias it came to pass that Pharaoh the king of Egypt came to raise war at Carcamys upon Euphrates: and Josias went out against him.

26 But the king of Egypt sent to him, saying, What have I to do with thee, O king of Judea?

27 I am not sent out from the Lord God against thee; for my war is upon Euphrates: and now the Lord is with me, yea the Lord is with me hasting me forward: depart from me, and be not against the Lord.

28 Howbeit Josias did not turn back his chariot from him, but undertook to fight with him, not regarding the words of the prophet Jeremy spoken by the mouth of the Lord:

29 but joined battle with him in the plain of Mageddo, and the princes came against king Josias.

30 Then said the king unto his servants, Carry me away out of the battle; for I am very weak. And immediately his servants took him away out of the battle.

31 Then gat he up upon his second chariot; and being brought back to Jerusalem died, and was buried in his father's sepulchre.

32 And in all Jewry they mourned for Josias, yea, Jeremy the prophet lamented for Josias, and the chief men with the women made lamentation for him unto this day: and this was given out for an ordinance to be done continually in all the nation of Israel.

33 These things are written in the book of the stories of the kings of Judah, and every one of the acts that Josias did, and his glory, and his understanding in the law of the Lord; and the things that he had done before, and the things now recited, are reported in the book of the kings of Israel and Judea.

34 And the people took Joachaz the son of Josias, and made him king instead of Josias his father when he was twenty and three years old.

35 And he reigned in Judea and in Jerusalem three months: and then the king of Egypt deposed him from reigning in Jerusalem.

36 And he set a tax upon the land of an hundred talents of silver and one talent of gold.

37 The king of Egypt also made king Joacim his brother king of Judea and Jerusalem.

38 And he bound Joacim and the nobles: but Zaraces his brother he apprehended, and brought him out of Egypt.

39 Five and twenty years old was Joacim when he was made king in the land of Judea and Jerusalem; and he did evil before the Lord.

40 Wherefore against him Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon came up, and bound him with a chain of brass, and carried him into Babylon.

41 Nabuchodonosor also took of the holy vessels of the Lord, and carried them away, and set them in his own temple at Babylon.

42 But those things that are recorded of him, and of his uncleanness and impiety, are written in the chronicles of the kings.

43 And Joacim his son reigned in his stead: he was made king being eighteen years old;

44 and reigned but three months and ten days in Jerusalem; and did evil before the Lord.

45 So after a year Nabuchodonosor sent and caused him to be brought into Babylon with the holy vessels of the Lord.

46 And made Sedecias king of Judea and Jerusalem, when he was one and twenty years old; and he reigned eleven years:

47 and he did evil also in the sight of the Lord, and cared not for the words that were spoken unto him by the prophet Jeremy from the mouth of the Lord.

48 And after that king Nabuchodonosor had made him to swear by the name of the Lord, he forswore himself, and rebelled; and hardening his neck, and his heart, he transgressed the laws of the Lord God of Israel.

49 The governors also of the people and of the priests did many things against the laws, and passed all the pollutions of all nations, and defiled the temple of the Lord, which was sanctified in Jerusalem.

50 Nevertheless the God of their fathers sent by his messenger to call them back, because he spared them and his tabernacle also.

51 But they had his messengers in derision; and, in the day that the Lord spake unto them, they made a sport of his prophets:

52 so far forth, that he, being wroth with his people for their great ungodliness, commanded the kings of the Chaldees to come up against them;

53 who slew their young men with the sword, yea, even within the compass of their holy temple, and spared neither young man nor maid, old man nor child, among them; for he delivered all into their hands.

54 And they took all the holy vessels of the Lord, both great and small, with the vessels of the ark of God, and the king's treasures, and carried them away into Babylon.

55 As for the house of the Lord, they burnt it, and brake down the walls of Jerusalem, and set fire upon her towers:

56 and as for her glorious things, they never ceased till they had consumed and brought them all to nought; and the people that were not slain with the sword he carried into Babylon:

57 who became servants to him and his children, till the Persians reigned, to fulfil the word of the Lord spoken by the mouth of Jeremy:

58 until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths, the whole time of her desolation shall she rest, until the full term of seventy years.