The Fall of Jerusalem

39 In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem with his whole army and laid siege to it. ² In the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, on the ninth day of the month, a breach was made in the city wall. ³ All the officers of the king of Babylon entered and sat down in the middle gate: Nergal Sharezer the staff officer,^[a] Nebo Sarsekim a chief officer,^[b] Nergal Sharezer a high official,^[c] and all the other officials of the king of Babylon. ⁴ When Zedekiah king of Judah and all the soldiers saw them, they fled and left the city at night by way of the king’s garden through the gate between the two walls. Then they went toward the Arabah.

⁵ But the Chaldean army pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in the plains by Jericho. After they had captured him, they brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath and passed judgment on him. ⁶ The king of Babylon killed Zedekiah’s sons in front of his eyes at Riblah, and he also killed the nobles of Judah. ⁷ Then he put out Zedekiah’s eyes and bound him with bronze shackles and sent him to Babylon. ⁸ The Chaldeans burned down the king’s palace and the houses of the people. They also broke down the walls of Jerusalem. ⁹ Then Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard,^[d] carried into exile the rest of the people who remained in the city, along with those who had deserted, as well as the rest of the people. ¹⁰ But Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, left behind in the land of Judah some of the poor people, who owned nothing, and he then gave them vineyards and fields.

Jeremiah Is Released

¹¹ Now Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon gave orders to Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, concerning Jeremiah. He said, ¹² “Take him, look after him, and do him no harm. Do for him whatever he wants.”

¹³ So Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, Nebushazban the chief officer,^[e] Nergal Sharezer a high official,^[f] and all the other officials of the king of Babylon ¹⁴ sent for Jeremiah and had him taken out of the courtyard of the guard. They entrusted him to Gedaliah son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, to take him to his house. So he remained among his people.

¹⁵ While Jeremiah had still been imprisoned in the courtyard of the guard, the word of the Lord had come to him: ¹⁶ “Go and tell Ebed Melek the Cushite that this is what the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says. Watch, I am going to fulfill my words against this city for evil and not for good. They are going to be fulfilled before your eyes. ¹⁷ But I will deliver you on that day, declares the Lord, and you will not be handed over to those you fear. ¹⁸ I will certainly save you. You will not fall by the sword. You will escape with your life, because you have put your trust in me, declares the Lord.”