2 Chronicles 36
| 2 Chronicles 36 | |
|---|---|
Ezra 1 → | |
 The complete Hebrew text of the Books of Chronicles (1st and 2nd Chronicles) in the Leningrad Codex (1008 CE). | |
| Book | Books of Chronicles |
| Category | Ketuvim |
| Christian Bible part | Old Testament |
| Order in the Christian part | 14 |
2 Chronicles 36 is the thirty-sixth (and the final) chapter of the Second Book of Chronicles the Old Testament of the Christian Bible or of the second part of the Books of Chronicles in the Hebrew Bible.[1][2] The book is compiled from older sources by an unknown person or group, designated by modern scholars as "the Chronicler", and had the final shape established in late fifth or fourth century BCE.[3] This chapter belongs to the section focusing on the kingdom of Judah until its destruction by the Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar and the beginning of restoration under Cyrus the Great of Persia (2 Chronicles 10 to 36).[1] It contains the regnal accounts of the last four kings of Judah - Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin and Zedekiah - and the edict of Cyrus allowing the exiled Jews to return to Jerusalem.[4]
Text[]
This chapter was originally written in the Hebrew language and is divided into 23 verses.
Textual witnesses[]
Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in Hebrew are of the Masoretic Text tradition, which includes the Aleppo Codex (10th century), and Codex Leningradensis (1008).[5]
There is also a translation into Koine Greek known as the Septuagint, made in the last few centuries BCE. Extant ancient manuscripts of the Septuagint version include Codex Vaticanus (B; B; 4th century), and Codex Alexandrinus (A; A; 5th century).[6][a]
Old Testament references[]
- 2 Chronicles 36:1–4: 2 Kings 23:31–35[10]
- 2 Chronicles 36:5–8: 2 Kings 23:36–37[10]
- 2 Chronicles 36:9–10: 2 Kings 24:6–9[10]
- 2 Chronicles 36:11–14: 2 Kings 24:18–20; Jeremiah 52:1–3[10]
- 2 Chronicles 36:15–21: 2 Kings 25:1–7[10]
- 2 Chronicles 36:22–23: Ezra 1:1–4; Isaiah 45:1–25[10]
Analysis[]
The final chapter contains shortened history of the four final kings of Judah (to less than half the length in the Books of Kings, although there is a small amount of additions). The omissions are on the details of Jerusalem's destruction (also the reference to Manasseh's sins, 2 Kings 24:3; cf. 20 2 Chronicles 36:20), the names of the queen mothers, part of the evaluations on the kings, and some death announcements (such as the death of kings in foreign lands), but giving a more united story than the Books of Kings. The additions refer to the temple, a strong theological argument of the people's responsibility for their downfall), the deportation of the survivors of Judah (verse 20) and the mention of the Persian successors to Babylon. In particular, verse 21 contains an interpretation (instead of a "description") of the exile ('until the land had made up for its sabbaths') and part of Cyrus's edict, which is more completely cited in the opening part of the book of Ezra, allowing the deported Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple.[11]
Jehoahaz king of Judah (36:1–4)[]
The regnal account of Jehoahaz is brief and omits details of the journey to the land of Hamath as well as the concluding judgement (as with the account Abijah, the only other king to get this treatment). Mathys links this to the positive verdict in the Book of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 22:15–16).[11]
Verse 2[]
- Jehoahaz was twenty and three years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem.[12]
- "Jehoahaz": written as "Joahaz" in Masoretic Texts.[13] It could be a throne name since Jeremiah 22:11 and 1 Chronicles 3:15 wrote his name as "Shallum".[14] Both William F. Albright and E. R. Thiele dated his reign to 609 BCE,[15] making his birth in 633/632 BCE. The Babylonian Chronicles dates the battle in Harran with Assyrians and Egypt under Pharaoh Necho from Tammuz (July–August) to Elul (August–September) of 609 BCE, which would place the death of Josiah and the start of Jehoahaz reign in month of Tammuz 609 BCE or the month prior, when Egyptian army was still on the way to Harran.[16]
Verse 3[]
- And the king of Egypt put him down at Jerusalem, and condemned the land in an hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold.[17]
- "A hundred talents": about 3¾ tons, or 3.4 metric tons.[18]
- "A talent": about 75 pounds, or 34 kilograms.[19]
Jehoiakim king of Judah (36:5–8)[]
The regnal account of Jehoiakim is much reduced compared to the Book of Kings: omitting the attacks of the Chaldeans, Arameans, Moabites, and Ammonites (2 Kings 24:2) and adding the information about Nebuchadnezzar's attack in 597 BCE, placed Jehoiakim in fetters and intended to take him to Babylon, although it is unclear how far the journey was, since the Hebrew text allows multiple interpretations (verse 7). More attention is given to the fate of the temple and its equipment (cf. verses 10, 18–19) which links to Daniel 1:2.[11]
Verse 5[]
- Jehoiakim was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem: and he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord his God.[20]
Jehoiachin king of Judah (36:5–8)[]
The regnal account of Jehoiachin focuses on the deportation of the king along with temple equipments (cf. verse 7).[11] The Babylonian Chronicles record 2 Adar (16 March), 597 BCE, as the date that Nebuchadnezzar captured Jerusalem, putting an end to the reign of Jehoaichin and installing Zedekiah as king of Judah (verse 10).[22]
Verse 9[]
- Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king, and he reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem. He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord.[23]
- "Jehoiachin" the son of Jehoiakim. His existence was attested by tablets found near the Ishtar Gate of ancient Babylon (now in Iraq), such as the Jehoiachin's Rations Tablets, dated to c. 592 BCE, mentioning his name in cuneiform (Akkadian: