The Fall of Jerusalem

¹ In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and his entire army came against Jerusalem and besieged it. ² In the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, the ninth day of the month, the city’s walls were breached.

³ All the leaders of the king of Babylon came in and sat in the middle gate: Nergal Sharezer, Samgarnebo, Sarsechim, Rabsaris, Nergal Sharezer, Rabmag, with all the rest of the leaders of the king of Babylon.

⁴ When Zedekiah the king of Judah and all the men of war saw the king of Babylon’s leaders, they fled. They left the city by night, by the way of the king’s garden, through the gate between the two walls, continuing out toward the plains of Arabah. ⁵ But the army of the Chaldeans pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho. When they had taken him, they brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to Riblah in the land of Hamath, and he pronounced judgment on him.

⁶ Then the king of Babylon killed Zedekiah’s sons in Riblah before his eyes. The king of Babylon also killed all the nobles of Judah. ⁷ Moreover he put out Zedekiah’s eyes and bound him in fetters, to carry him to Babylon.

⁸ The Chaldeans burned the king’s house down and the houses of the people and broke down the walls of Jerusalem. ⁹ Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard gathered the remnant of the people who remained in the city and took them into Babylon, including the deserters who had defected to him and the remnant of the people who remained. ¹⁰ But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left the poor people, who had nothing in the land of Judah and gave them vineyards and fields at the same time.

Jeremiah Delivered

¹¹ Now Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon commanded Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard concerning Jeremiah, saying, ¹² “Take him and take care of him. Do no harm to him, but do for him as he tells you.”

¹³ So Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, along with Nebushazban, Rabsaris, and Nergal Sharezer, Rabmag, and all the chief officials of the king of Babylon, ¹⁴ sent for Jeremiah and took him from the court of the guard, and committed him to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, that he should take him home. So he lived among the people.

¹⁵ Now the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, while he was confined to the court of the guard, saying, ¹⁶ “Go and speak to Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, saying, ‘The Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: “I will bring my words on this city for disaster and not for good, and they will be accomplished before you in that day. ¹⁷ But I will deliver you in that day,” says the Lord, “and you will not be given into the hand of the men of whom you are afraid. ¹⁸ For I will surely save you, and you will not fall by the sword, but you will escape with your life, because you have put your trust in me,” says the Lord.’ ”

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