Question 1

Who was Zedekiah in this passage and how long did he reign?

Accepted Answer

Zedekiah was the last king of Judah before Jerusalem fell. He became king when he was twenty‑one years old and reigned for eleven years in Jerusalem. He was set on the throne by the king of Babylon after a previous king had been taken away. His mother’s name was Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah from the town of Libnah, which links him to the same family as an earlier king. His reign is remembered not for faithfulness, but for doing evil and for the rebellion that led to final judgment on the nation.

Question 2

What does it mean that Zedekiah did evil in the sight of the Lord?

Accepted Answer

When the passage says Zedekiah did evil in the sight of the Lord, it means he lived and ruled in ways that went against God’s commands, just like the kings before him. He did not turn away from the sins that had already brought trouble on Judah. Instead of listening to God’s word and humbling himself, he walked in the same disobedience that marked Jehoiakim’s reign. This evil was not hidden from God. It is pictured as happening right before God’s eyes, and it helped bring on the final judgment against Jerusalem.

Question 3

What does through the anger of the Lord it came to pass in Jerusalem and Judah mean?

Accepted Answer

The phrase “through the anger of the Lord it came to pass in Jerusalem and Judah” explains why things were falling apart. God had warned His people many times, but they kept turning away from Him. Because of ongoing sin and refusal to listen, God’s anger is shown by letting hard events come on the nation. Their troubles were not random politics. God allowed poor choices and unwise moves, like Zedekiah’s rebellion, as part of His judgment. His anger here is not a burst of emotion, but His settled response to long‑term disobedience.

Question 4

What does cast them out from his presence mean in these verses?

Accepted Answer

“Cast them out from his presence” means God was removing His people from the place where He had chosen to dwell with them. Jerusalem and the temple were signs that God’s presence was with Judah. Because of their sin, He allowed them to be taken from the land and handed over to their enemies. Being sent away from His presence was both physical, through exile to Babylon, and spiritual, showing loss of favor and nearness. It marks a very serious stage of judgment, where God no longer shields them from the full result of their choices.

Question 5

Why did Zedekiah rebel against the king of Babylon if he was so weak?

Accepted Answer

Zedekiah had been placed on the throne by the king of Babylon and was under him. Humanly speaking, rebelling against such a strong ruler was foolish, because Judah did not have the strength to win. The passage explains this rebellion as part of God’s anger. God gave them over to choices that would speed up their fall. Zedekiah’s pride and stubborn heart led him to break with Babylon instead of accepting his place and seeking God in humility. His rebellion became the spark that brought the final siege and ruin of Jerusalem.

Question 6

What was happening in Jerusalem and Judah during Zedekiah’s reign?

Accepted Answer

During Zedekiah’s reign, Jerusalem and Judah were under the shadow of Babylon’s power. A large part of the people, including leaders and skilled workers, had already been taken away. The city was weaker and poorer than before. Instead of turning back to God in this time of trouble, the king followed the same evil pattern as earlier rulers. The passage shows a nation nearing its end in the land, with God’s anger growing, and the final outcome being that they would be cast out from His presence through conquest and exile.

Question 7

What does this passage teach about God’s character and judgment?

Accepted Answer

This passage shows that God is patient, but He does not ignore ongoing sin. After many years of evil kings and broken warnings, He allows judgment to fall. His anger appears in letting a stubborn king make choices that lead to ruin. God’s judgment includes removing gifts His people had taken for granted, like the land, the city, and the sense of His nearness. At the same time, the story shows that history is not out of control. Even foreign rulers and political moves are under God’s hand, serving His righteous purposes.

Question 8

How can this description of Zedekiah’s rebellion speak to us today?

Accepted Answer

This passage warns about hardening the heart when God has already sent many warnings. Zedekiah had clear examples of what sin brought on earlier kings, yet he repeated their path and added reckless rebellion. For us, it is a reminder not to ignore what God has already shown in our lives and in the lives of others. Turning from God’s ways often leads to choices that harm us and those around us. Instead of stubbornness, this passage calls us to humility, listening to God’s word, and seeking His mercy while there is still time.

2 Kings 24:18

Zedekiah was twenty and one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.

Zedekiah Reigns in Judah

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2 Kings 24:18

Zedekiah was twenty and one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.

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Zedekiah Reigns in Judah

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