In year 11 of Jehoiakim [(which was year 8 of Nebuchadnezzar)], which was Year 3327, HaShem sent Chaldean troops and they captured him, and he died on the way, and his corpse was cast out to the heat by day and to the frost by night [(as prophesied in Yirmiyahu 36)]. This is the order of Jehoiakim's years according to the plain meaning of Scripture in II Kings [(chapter 24)], according to one of the three approaches that the Radak wrote [(Tzeda LaDerech)].

Jehoiachin son of Jehoiakim, also called in another place Yechoniah, became king after his father at age 18 [(II Kings 24)]. And in Divrei HaYamim it writes age eight. The Radak explained that his father Jehoiakim made him king during his lifetime for 12 years. And Jehoiachin reigned after his father's death in Year 3327 for three months [(and ten days, Divrei HaYamim II 36)].

And Nebuchadnezzar came upon him in year 8 of his reign [(of Nebuchadnezzar)] and in Yirmiyahu [(chapter 52)] it writes "in year seven," and Ralbag explained that he served him for seven complete years and in year eight he exiled Jehoiachin. [And Rashi wrote in Yirmiyahu that year seven was the exile of Yechoniah, and in the Book of Kings it says year eight, meaning eight years since Nebuchadnezzar reigned was year seven since he conquered Jehoiakim as a servant (see Year 3319). (And in Avodat Shmuel on II Kings 24 it writes year eight of Jehoiachin's reign who reigned unlawfully for seven years and twelve months during his father's lifetime)]. And ten thousand with him and the craftsmen and gatekeepers [(II Kings 24)].

And in the same section below it says seven thousand and the craftsmen and gatekeepers one thousand. [(And Rashi explained that the second verse clarifies. In Yirmiyahu (chapter 52) it says: "This is the people whom Nebuchadnezzar exiled in year seven: Jews three thousand and twenty-three." Say from now that three thousand were from the tribe of Judah and seven thousand from Benjamin and the remaining tribes, and also in Seder Olam our teachers taught so, and so forth)].

The Radak explained that the ten thousand mentioned here is a total number, of which seven thousand were from Benjamin and three thousand from Judah [(and 22 were not included in the count)] (Tzeda LaDerech). [But in Seder Olam and in Shir HaShirim they wrote that he exiled Jehoiachin and 18,000. They explained it simply: 7,000 and 12,000, and the craftsmen and gatekeepers one thousand equals 18,000].

Seraiah was Yirmiyahu's 22nd descendant, and Baruch a prophet. And then Nebuchadnezzar took with him Zedekiah, his father's brother, son of Josiah, and this was the fifth exile of Israel [(Shir HaShirim). See Sefer Sod Orchot Olam, the story of the House of David which is relevant to copy here]. Yechoniah's grave is in the city of Kupah [(Benjamin of Tudela)], he built the city of Ukbara [(Megillah)].

Darius was born in Year 3327 [(see Year 3389)].

Zedekiah son of Josiah, brother of Jehoiakim, he is Mattaniah whom the king of Babylon made king in place of Yechoniah and changed his name to Zedekiah. [(And in Tzeda LaDerech he erred in writing that Zedekiah son of King Jehoiakim was the one he made king in place of his brother Jehoiachin - he was misled by what is written (Divrei HaYamim II 36:10) "and he made Zedekiah his brother king." The word "his brother" refers to Jehoiachin. But Rashi wrote that he was the brother of Jehoiakim, and similarly (II Kings 24) "and the king of Babylon made Mattaniah (he is Zedekiah) his uncle, king in place of Jehoiachin" (Keritot 5b), and so forth)].

Nebuchadnezzar made him king in Year 3327 when he was 21 years old, and he reigned for 11 years [(II Kings 24)] until the Temple was destroyed [(Tzeda LaDerech). And he was also called Shallum (Horayot 11b) (Keritot 5b) (see Year 3316)]. Yehotzadak, brother of Ezra the Scribe, was Yirmiyahu's 22nd descendant, and Yechezkel were prophets in Jerusalem, and Baruch remained in Babylon [(Shir HaShirim). And in Moed Katan chapter 16, Zedekiah was called Cushi because he was distinguished in his deeds and completely righteous.

And in Tosafot Sanhedrin 28b that he was completely righteous, but in Scripture we do not find more than 21 times that he commanded to raise Yirmiyahu from the pit. Zedekiah swore to Nebuchadnezzar and transgressed his oath and his eyes were blinded. His rectification was like a dog that the river swore that it would not know evil from its coverings and transgressed its oath, and Nebuchadnezzar repaid to the land "clap your hands daughter of Zion," and now it knew evil from its tithes (Bereishit).

His grave is in the city of Tidba (Benjamin of Tudela)].