2 Chronicles 36:14-17

36:14 All the leaders of the priests and people became more unfaithful and committed the same horrible sins practiced by the nations. ¹  They defiled the Lord’s temple which he had consecrated in Jerusalem.

The Babylonians Destroy Jerusalem

36:15 The Lord God of their ancestors ²  continually warned them through his messengers, ³  for he felt compassion for his people and his dwelling place. 36:16 But they mocked God’s messengers, despised his warnings, ⁴  and ridiculed his prophets. ⁵  Finally the Lord got very angry at his people and there was no one who could prevent his judgment. ⁶  36:17 He brought against them the king of the Babylonians, who slaughtered ⁷  their young men in their temple. ⁸  He did not spare ⁹  young men or women, or even the old and aging. God ¹⁰  handed everyone over to him.

2 Chronicles 36:20

36:20 He deported to Babylon all who escaped the sword. They served him and his sons until the Persian kingdom rose to power.

¹ tn Heb “like the abominable practices of the nations.”

² tn Heb “fathers.”

³ tn Heb “and the Lord God of their fathers sent against them by the hand of his messengers, getting up early and sending.”

⁴ tn Heb “his words.”

⁵ tn All three verbal forms (“mocked,” “despised,” and “ridiculed”) are active participles in the Hebrew text, indicating continual or repeated action. They made a habit of rejecting God’s prophetic messengers.

⁶ tn Heb “until the anger of the Lord went up against his people until there was no healer.”

⁷ tn Heb “killed with the sword.”

⁸ tn Heb “in the house of their sanctuary.”

⁹ tn Or “show compassion to.”

¹⁰ tn Heb “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.