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.” ’
1Yahuda Kralı Sidkiya'nın dokuzuncu yılının onuncu ayında Babil Kralı Nebukadnessar bütün ordusuyla Yeruşalim önlerine gelerek kenti kuşattı. (2Ki 25:1; Jer 52:4)2Sidkiya'nın krallığının on birinci yılında, dördüncü ayın dokuzuncu günü kent surlarında gedik açıldı.3Yeruşalim ele geçirilince[1] Babil Kralı'nın bütün komutanları -Samgarlı Nergal-Sareser, askeri danışman Nebo- Sarsekim, baş görevli Nergal-Sareser ve bütün öteki görevliler- içeri girip Orta Kapı'da oturdular.4Yahuda Kralı Sidkiya'yla askerler onları görünce kaçtılar. Gece kral bahçesinin yolundan iki duvarın arasındaki kapıdan kaçarak Arava yoluna çıktılar.5Ama artlarına düşen Kildani ordusu Eriha ovalarında Sidkiya'ya yetişti, onu yakalayıp Hama topraklarında, Rivla'da Babil Kralı Nebukadnessar'ın huzuruna çıkardılar. Nebukadnessar onun hakkında karar verdi:6Rivla'da Sidkiya'nın gözü önünde oğullarını, sonra da bütün Yahuda ileri gelenlerini öldürttü.7Sidkiya'nın gözlerini oydu, zincire vurup Babil'e götürdü.8Kildaniler sarayla halkın evlerini ateşe verdiler, Yeruşalim surlarını yıktılar.9Komutan Nebuzaradan kentte sağ kalanları, kendi safına geçen kaçakları ve geri kalan halkı Babil'e sürgün etti.10Ancak hiçbir şeyi olmayan bazı yoksulları Yahuda'da bıraktı, onlara bağ ve tarla verdi.
Yeremya Özgür Bırakılıyor
11Babil Kralı Nebukadnessar, muhafız birliği komutanı Nebuzaradan aracılığıyla Yeremya'yla ilgili şu buyruğu verdi:12‹‹Onu sorumluluğun altına al, ona iyi bak, hiç zarar verme, senden ne dilerse yap.››13Bunun üzerine muhafız birliği komutanı Nebuzaradan, askeri danışman Nebuşazban, baş görevli Nergal-Sareser ve Babil Kralı'nın öbür görevlileri14adam gönderip Yeremya'yı muhafız avlusundan getirttiler. Evine geri götürmesi için Şafan oğlu Ahikam oğlu Gedalya'nın koruyuculuğuna verdiler. Böylece Yeremya halkı arasında yaşamını sürdürdü.15Yeremya daha muhafız avlusunda tutukluyken RAB ona şöyle seslenmişti:16‹‹Git, Kûşlu Ebet-Melek'e de ki, ‹İsrail'in Tanrısı, Her Şeye Egemen RAB şöyle diyor: Bu kent üzerine yarar değil, zarar verecek sözlerimi yerine getirmek üzereyim. O gün olanları sen de göreceksin.17Ama o gün seni kurtaracağım diyor RAB. Korktuğun adamların eline teslim edilmeyeceksin.18Seni kesinlikle kurtaracağım, kılıçla öldürülmeyeceksin. Hiç değilse canını kurtarmış olacaksın. Çünkü bana güvendin, diyor RAB.› ››