Judah was just as idolatrous and evil as Israel. Even though King Hezekiah destroyed the altars dedicated to foreign gods and turned Judah back to the worship of the one, true God, the nation would soon turn away again. Under King Manasseh, the altars were rebuilt and the Lord was provoked to anger. In 2 Kings 21:10-15, the Lord promised the destruction of Judah.

After the death of Manasseh and the short reign of his son Amon, King Josiah began his reign. When Josiah read the Book of the Law he was greatly grieved over the sins of Judah. He, like Hezekiah, destroyed the altar to the foreign gods and restored true worship in Judah. The Bible records that there was no king before or after Josiah who responded to the reading of the Word as he did. However, despite his efforts, Judah was still on the path to destruction.

After Josiah’s death, Jehoiakim was put in power by Pharaoh Necho II. Jehoiakim was a wicked king and did evil in the sight of God. In addition, he taxed the people heavily in order to pay tribute to Egypt. It was in the last years of Jehoiakim, in 598 BC, that Babylon first attacked Judah and finally destroyed Jerusalem in 587 BC.

Babylon was the nation that God had strengthened in order to take Judah into captivity. The Israelites would be punished for their years of idolatry and faithlessness. According to the prophet Jeremiah, the exile would last for 70 years and then the people could come home. And as always happens when the Lord promises something, this thing too came to pass.

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