1Now when Jerusalem
was captured
2 ain the ninth
year
of Zedekiah
king
of Judah
, in the tenth
month
, Nebuchadnezzar
king
of Babylon
and all
his army
came
to Jerusalem
and laid
siege
to it;
in the eleventh year
of Zedekiah
, in the fourth
month
, in the ninth
day of the month
, the city
wall was abreached
.
Then all the aofficials
of the king
of Babylon
came
in and sat
down
at the bMiddle
Gate
: Nergal-sar-ezer
, Samgar-nebu
, Sar-sekim
the 1Rab-saris
, Nergal-sar-ezer
the 2Rab-mag
, and all
the rest
of the officials
of the king
of Babylon
.
When Zedekiah
the king
of Judah
and all
the men
of war
saw
them, they afled
and went
out of the city
at night
by way
of the king's
garden
through the gate
bbetween
the two walls
; and he went
out toward
the 1Arabah
.
But the army of the aChaldeans
pursued
them and overtook
Zedekiah
in the bplains
of Jericho
; and they seized
him and brought
him up to Nebuchadnezzar
king
of Babylon
at cRiblah
in the land
of Hamath
, and he passed
sentence
on him.
Then the aking of Babylon
slew
the sons
of Zedekiah
bbefore his eyes
at Riblah
; the king
of Babylon
also slew
all
the cnobles
of Judah
.
He then ablinded Zedekiah's
eyes
and bound
him in bfetters
of bronze
to bring
him to cBabylon
.
The Chaldeans also aburned
with fire
the king's
palace
and the houses
of the people
, and they bbroke
down
the walls
of Jerusalem
.
As for the rest of the people
who were left
in the city
, the 1 adeserters
who
had gone
over
to him and bthe rest
of the people
who remained
, cNebuzaradan
the dcaptain
of the bodyguard
carried
them into exile
in Babylon
.
But some of the apoorest
people
who
had
nothing
, aNebuzaradan
the captain
of the bodyguard
left
behind
in the land
of Judah
, and gave
them vineyards
and fields
1at that time
.
Now Nebuchadnezzar king
of Babylon
gave
orders
about
aJeremiah
through
Nebuzaradan
the captain
of the bodyguard
, saying
,
"Take him and 1look
after
him, and ado
nothing
harmful
to him, but rather
deal
with him just
as he tells
you."
So Nebuzaradan the captain
of the bodyguard
sent
word, along with Nebushazban
the 1Rab-saris
, and Nergal-sar-ezer
the 2Rab-mag
, and all
the leading
officers
of the king
of Babylon
;
they even sent and atook
Jeremiah
out of the court
of the guardhouse
and entrusted
him to bGedaliah
, the son
of cAhikam
, the son
of Shaphan
, to take
him home
. So he stayed
among
the people
.
Now the word of the LORD
had come
to Jeremiah
while he was aconfined
in the court
of the guardhouse
, saying
,
"Go and speak
to aEbed-melech
the Ethiopian
, saying
, `Thus
says
the LORD
of hosts
, the God
of Israel
, "Behold
, I am about to bring
My words
on this
city
bfor disaster
and not for 1prosperity
; and they will ctake
place
before
you on that day
.
"But I will adeliver you on that day
," declares
the LORD
, "and you will not be given
into the hand
of the men
whom
you dread
.
"For I will certainly rescue
you, and you will not fall
by the sword
; but you will have
your own alife
as booty
, because
you have btrusted
in Me," declares
the LORD
.' "