1In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army came against Jerusalem and besieged it. (2Ki 25:1; Jer 52:4)2In the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, on the ninth day of the month, a breach was made in the city.3Then all the officials of the king of Babylon came and sat in the middle gate: Nergal-sar-ezer of Samgar, Nebu-sar-sekim the Rab-saris, Nergal-sar-ezer the Rab-mag, with all the rest of the officers of the king of Babylon. (2Ki 18:17; Jer 1:15; Jer 38:17; Jer 38:22; Jer 39:13)4When Zedekiah king of Judah and all the soldiers saw them, they fled, going out of the city at night by way of the king’s garden through the gate between the two walls; and they went toward the Arabah. (De 1:1)5But the army of the Chaldeans pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho. And when they had taken him, they brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, at Riblah, in the land of Hamath; and he passed sentence on him. (Jos 5:10; 2Ki 23:33; Eze 17:15)6The king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah at Riblah before his eyes, and the king of Babylon slaughtered all the nobles of Judah. (Jer 39:5; Jer 52:10)7He put out the eyes of Zedekiah and bound him in chains to take him to Babylon. (Jer 32:4; Eze 12:13)8The Chaldeans burned the king’s house and the house of the people, and broke down the walls of Jerusalem. (Ne 1:3; Ps 80:12; Isa 5:5; Jer 21:10)9Then Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, carried into exile to Babylon the rest of the people who were left in the city, those who had deserted to him, and the people who remained. (Ge 37:36; 2Ki 25:8; Jer 37:13; Jer 40:1; Jer 52:12)10Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, left in the land of Judah some of the poor people who owned nothing, and gave them vineyards and fields at the same time. (2Ki 25:12; Jer 40:7)
The Lord Delivers Jeremiah
11Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon gave command concerning Jeremiah through Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, saying,12“Take him, look after him well, and do him no harm, but deal with him as he tells you.” (Jer 40:4)13So Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, Nebushazban the Rab-saris, Nergal-sar-ezer the Rab-mag, and all the chief officers of the king of Babylon (Jer 39:3)14sent and took Jeremiah from the court of the guard. They entrusted him to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, that he should take him home. So he lived among the people. (2Ki 22:3; 2Ki 22:12; 2Ki 25:22; Jer 32:2; Jer 37:12; Jer 38:28; Jer 40:5; Jer 40:11; Jer 41:1; Jer 41:6; Jer 43:6)15The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah while he was shut up in the court of the guard: (Jer 36:5; Jer 38:13)16“Go, and say to Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will fulfill my words against this city for harm and not for good, and they shall be accomplished before you on that day. (Jer 14:11; Jer 21:10; Jer 38:7; Da 9:12)17But I will deliver you on that day, declares the Lord, and you shall not be given into the hand of the men of whom you are afraid. (Jer 22:25)18For I will surely save you, and you shall not fall by the sword, but you shall have your life as a prize of war, because you have put your trust in me, declares the Lord.’” (Ps 25:2; Ps 37:40; Jer 21:9; Jer 45:5)
Jeremiah 39
New International Version
from Biblica1In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his whole army and laid siege to it.2And on the ninth day of the fourth month of Zedekiah’s eleventh year, the city wall was broken through.3Then all the officials of the king of Babylon came and took seats in the Middle Gate: Nergal-Sharezer of Samgar, Nebo-Sarsekim a chief officer, Nergal-Sharezer a high official and all the other officials of the king of Babylon.4When Zedekiah king of Judah and all the soldiers saw them, they fled; they left the city at night by way of the king’s garden, through the gate between the two walls, and headed towards the Arabah.[1]5But the Babylonian[2] army pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho. They captured him and took him to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he pronounced sentence on him.6There at Riblah the king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes and also killed all the nobles of Judah.7Then he put out Zedekiah’s eyes and bound him with bronze shackles to take him to Babylon.8The Babylonians[3] set fire to the royal palace and the houses of the people and broke down the walls of Jerusalem.9Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard carried into exile to Babylon the people who remained in the city, along with those who had gone over to him, and the rest of the people.10But Nebuzaradan the commander of the guard left behind in the land of Judah some of the poor people, who owned nothing; and at that time he gave them vineyards and fields.11Now Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had given these orders about Jeremiah through Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard:12‘Take him and look after him; don’t harm him but do for him whatever he asks.’13So Nebuzaradan the commander of the guard, Nebushazban a chief officer, Nergal-Sharezer a high official and all the other officers of the king of Babylon14sent and had Jeremiah taken out of the courtyard of the guard. They handed him over to Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, to take him back to his home. So he remained among his own people.15While Jeremiah had been confined in the courtyard of the guard, the word of the Lord came to him:16‘Go and tell Ebed-Melek the Cushite, “This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: I am about to fulfil my words against this city – words concerning disaster, not prosperity. At that time they will be fulfilled before your eyes.17But I will rescue you on that day, declares the Lord; you will not be given into the hands of those you fear.18I will save you; you will not fall by the sword but will escape with your life, because you trust in me, declares the Lord.” ’
Jeremiah 39
King James Version
1In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, came Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon and all his army against Jerusalem, and they besieged it.2And in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, the ninth day of the month, the city was broken up.3And all the princes of the king of Babylon came in, and sat in the middle gate, even Nergalsharezer, Samgarnebo, Sarsechim, Rabsaris, Nergalsharezer, Rabmag, with all the residue of the princes of the king of Babylon.4And it came to pass, that when Zedekiah the king of Judah saw them, and all the men of war, then they fled, and went forth out of the city by night, by the way of the king' garden, by the gate betwixt the two walls: and he went out the way of the plain.5But the Chaldeans'army pursued after them, and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho: and when they had taken him, they brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he gave judgment upon him.6Then the king of Babylon slew the sons of Zedekiah in Riblah before his eyes: also the king of Babylon slew all the nobles of Judah.7Moreover he put out Zedekiah' eyes, and bound him with chains, to carry him to Babylon.8And the Chaldeans burned the king' house, and the houses of the people, with fire, and brake down the walls of Jerusalem.9Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive into Babylon the remnant of the people that remained in the city, and those that fell away, that fell to him, with the rest of the people that remained.10But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left of the poor of the people, which had nothing, in the land of Judah, and gave them vineyards and fields at the same time.11Now Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon gave charge concerning Jeremiah to Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, saying,12Take him, and look well to him, and do him no harm; but do unto him even as he shall say unto thee.13So Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard sent, and Nebushasban, Rabsaris, and Nergalsharezer, Rabmag, and all the king of Babylon' princes;14Even they sent, and took Jeremiah out of the court of the prison, and committed him unto Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan, that he should carry him home: so he dwelt among the people.15Now the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah, while he was shut up in the court of the prison, saying,16Go and speak to Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring my words upon this city for evil, and not for good; and they shall be accomplished in that day before thee.17But I will deliver thee in that day, saith the LORD: and thou shalt not be given into the hand of the men of whom thou art afraid.18For I will surely deliver thee, and thou shalt not fall by the sword, but thy life shall be for a prey unto thee: because thou hast put thy trust in me, saith the LORD.
Jeremiah 39
New International Reader’s Version
from Biblica1Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, marched out against Jerusalem. He came with all his armies and attacked it. It was in the ninth year that Zedekiah was king of Judah. It was in the tenth month.2The city wall was broken through. It happened on the ninth day of the fourth month. It was in the 11th year of Zedekiah’s rule.3All the officials of the king of Babylon came. They took seats near the Middle Gate. Nergal-Sharezer from Samgar was there. Nebo-Sarsekim, a chief officer, was also there. So was Nergal-Sharezer, a high official. And all the other officials of the king of Babylon were there too.4King Zedekiah and all the soldiers saw them. Then they ran away. They left the city at night. They went by way of the king’s garden. They went out through the gate between the two walls. And they headed towards the Arabah Valley.5But the armies of Babylon chased them. They caught up with Zedekiah in the plains near Jericho. They captured him there. And they took him to Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon. He was at Riblah in the land of Hamath. That’s where Nebuchadnezzar decided how Zedekiah would be punished.6The king of Babylon killed the sons of Zedekiah at Riblah. He forced Zedekiah to watch it with his own eyes. He also killed all the nobles of Judah.7Then he poked out Zedekiah’s eyes. He put him in bronze chains. And he took him to Babylon.8The Babylonians set the royal palace on fire. They also set fire to the houses of the people. And they broke down the walls of Jerusalem.9Nebuzaradan was commander of the royal guard. Some people still remained in the city. But he took them away to Babylon as prisoners. He also took along those who had gone over to his side. And he took the rest of the people.10Nebuzaradan, the commander of the guard, left some of the poor people of Judah behind. They didn’t own anything. So at that time he gave them vineyards and fields.11Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, had given orders about Jeremiah. He had given them to Nebuzaradan, the commander of the royal guard. Nebuchadnezzar had said,12‘Take him. Look after him. Don’t harm him. Do for him anything he asks.’13So that’s what Nebuzaradan, the commander of the guard, did. Nebushazban and Nergal-Sharezer were with him. So were all the other officers of the king of Babylon. Nebushazban was a chief officer. Nergal-Sharezer was a high official. All these men14sent for Jeremiah. They had him taken out of the courtyard of the guard. They turned him over to Gedaliah. Gedaliah was the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan. They told Gedaliah to take Jeremiah back to his home. So Jeremiah remained among his own people.15A message from the LORD came to Jeremiah. It came while he was being kept in the courtyard of the guard. The LORD said,16‘Go. Speak to Ebed-Melek the Cushite. Tell him, “The LORD who rules over all is the God of Israel. He says, ‘I am about to make the words I spoke against this city come true. I will not give success to it. Instead, I will bring horrible trouble on it. At that time my words will come true. You will see it with your own eyes.17But I will save you on that day,’ announces the LORD. ‘You will not be handed over to those you are afraid of.18I will save you. You will not be killed by a sword. Instead, you will escape with your life. That’s because you trust in me,’ announces the LORD.” ’