39:1 This is how Jerusalem was taken: In 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.
39:2 And on the ninth day of the fourth month of Zedekiah’s eleventh year, the city wall was broken through.
39:3 Then 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.
39:4 When 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 toward the Arabah.
39:5 But the Babylonian 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.
39:6 There at Riblah the king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes and also killed all the nobles of Judah.
39:7 Then he put out Zedekiah’s eyes and bound him with bronze shackles to take him to Babylon.
39:8 The Babylonians set fire to the royal palace and the houses of the people and broke down the walls of Jerusalem.
39:9 Nebuzaradan 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.
39:10 But 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.
39:11 Now Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had given these orders about Jeremiah through Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard:
39:12 “Take him and look after him; don’t harm him but do for him whatever he asks.”
39:13 So Nebuzaradan the commander of the guard, Nebushazban a chief officer, Nergal-Sharezer a high official and all the other officers of the king of Babylon
39:14 sent and had Jeremiah taken out of the courtyard of the guard. They turned 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.
39:15 While Jeremiah had been confined in the courtyard of the guard, the word of the LORD came to him:
39:16 “Go and tell Ebed-Melech the Cushite, ‘This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: I am about to fulfill my words against this city through disaster, not prosperity. At that time they will be fulfilled before your eyes.
39:17 But I will rescue you on that day, declares the LORD; you will not be handed over to those you fear.
39:18 I will save you; you will not fall by the sword but will escape with your life, because you trust in me, declares the LORD.’”
39:1 And when Jerusalem was captured (in the ninth year of Zedekiah the king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon and his whole army came to Jerusalem and besieged it;
39:2 In the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, the ninth day of the month, a breach was made in the city),
39:3 All the princes of the king of Babylon came and sat down in the middle gate: Nergal-sharezer, Samgar-nebu, Sar-sechim the Rab-saris, Nergal-sharezer the Rab-mag, and all the rest of the princes of the king of Babylon.
39:4 And when Zedekiah the king of Judah and all the men of war saw them, they fled and went out from the city by night by way of the king s garden through the gate between the two walls; and he went out by the way toward the Arabah.
39:5 And the army of the Chaldeans pursued after them, and they overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho; and when they had taken him, they brought him up to Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath, and he pronounced judgments on him.
39:6 Then the king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes at Riblah; the king of Babylon also slaughtered all the nobles of Judah.
39:7 And he put out Zedekiah s eyes and bound him with bronze fetters to bring him to Babylon.
39:8 And the Chaldeans burned the king s house and the houses of the people with fire and broke down the walls of Jerusalem.
39:9 And the rest of the people who remained in the city, both the deserters who deserted to him and the rest of the people who remained, Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard carried away into exile to Babylon.
39:10 But some of the poorest people who had nothing, Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard left in the land of Judah and gave them vineyards and fields at that time.
39:11 And Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon commanded concerning Jeremiah through Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard, saying,
39:12 Take him and look after him, and do no evil to him, but deal with him just as he tells you.
39:13 So Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard sent men, and Nebushazban the Rab-saris and Nergal-sharezer the Rab-mag and all the chief officers of the king of Babylon
39:14 Also sent men and took Jeremiah from the court of the guard and gave him to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, to take him home. And he dwelt among the people.
39:15 Now the word of Jehovah had come to Jeremiah when he was shut up in the court of the guard, saying,
39:16 Go and speak to Ebed-melech the Cushite, saying, Thus says Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, I am about to bring My words against this city for evil and not for good; and they will come to pass before you on that day.
39:17 But I will deliver you on that day, declares Jehovah, and you will not be given into the hand of the men of whom you are afraid.
39:18 For I will surely save you, and you will not fall by the sword, but you will have your own life as spoil, because you have put your trust in Me, declares Jehovah.