1In 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
English Standard Version
The Fall of Jerusalem
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)