¹⁴ He carried all Jerusalem into exile:^(A) all the officers and fighting men,^(B) and all the skilled workers and artisans—a total of ten thousand. Only the poorest^(C) people of the land were left.

¹⁵ Nebuchadnezzar took Jehoiachin^(D) captive to Babylon. He also took from Jerusalem to Babylon the king’s mother,^(E) his wives, his officials and the prominent people^(F) of the land. ¹⁶ The king of Babylon also deported to Babylon the entire force of seven thousand fighting men, strong and fit for war, and a thousand skilled workers and artisans.^(G)

³ Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, chief of his court officials, to bring into the king’s service some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility^(A)— ⁴ young men without any physical defect, handsome,^(B) showing aptitude for every kind of learning,^(C) well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace. He was to teach them the language^(D) and literature of the Babylonians.^[a]