52 4 Jerusalem is taken. 10 Zedekiah’s sons are killed before his face, and his eyes put out. 13 The city is burned. 31 Jehoiachin is brought forth of prison, and fed like a king.

Zedekiah (A)was one and twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem, and his mother’s name was Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.

And he did evil in the eyes of the Lord, according to all that Jehoiakim had done.

[a]Doubtless because the wrath of the Lord was against Jerusalem and Judah, till he had cast them out from his presence, therefore Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babel.

(B)But in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month the tenth day of the month came Nebuchadnezzar King of Babel, he and all his host against Jerusalem, and pitched against it, and built forts against it round about.

So the city was besieged unto the eleventh year of the king Zedekiah.

Now in the fourth month, the ninth day of the month, the famine was sore in the city, so that there was no more bread for the people of the land.

Then the city was broken up, and all the men of war fled, and went out of the city by night, by the [b]way of the gate between the two walls, which was by the King’s garden: (now the Chaldeans were by the city round about) and they went by the way of the wilderness.

But the army of the Chaldeans pursued after the king, and took Zedekiah in the desert of Jericho, and all the host was scattered from him.

Then they took the King and carried him up unto the king of Babel to Riblah in the land of Hamath, [c]where he gave judgment upon him.

10 And the king of Babel slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes: he slew also all the princes of Judah in Riblah.

11 Then he put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and the king of Babel bound him in chains, and carried him to Babel, and put him in prison till the day of his death.

12 Now in the fifth month in the [d]tenth day of the month (which was the nineteenth year of the king Nebuchadnezzar King of Babel) came Nebuzaradan chief steward which [e]stood before the king of Babel in Jerusalem,

13 And burnt the House of the Lord, and the King’s house, and all the houses of Jerusalem, and all the great houses burnt he with fire.

14 And all the army of the Chaldeans that were with the chief steward, brake down all the walls of Jerusalem round about.

15 Then Nebuzaradan the chief steward carried away captive certain of the poor of the people, and the residue of the people that remained in the city, and those that were fled, and fallen to the King of Babel, with the rest of the multitude.

16 But Nebuzaradan the chief steward left certain of the poor of the land, to dress the vines, and to till the land.

17 Also the [f]pillars of brass that were in the House of the Lord, and the bases, and the brazen Sea, that was in the House of the Lord, the Chaldeans brake, and carried all the brass of them to Babel.

18 The pots also and the [g]besoms, and the instruments of music, and the basins, and the incense dishes, and all the vessels of brass wherewith they ministered, took they away.

19 And the bowls, and the ashpans, and the basins, and the pots, and the candlesticks, and the incense dishes, and the cups, and all that was of gold, and that was of silver, took the chief steward away,

20 With the two pillars, one Sea, and twelve brazen bulls, that were under the bases, which King Solomon had made in the House of the Lord: the brass of all these vessels was without [h]weight.

21 And concerning the pillars, the height of one pillar was eighteen cubits, and a thread of twelve cubits did compass it, and the thickness thereof was four fingers: it was hollow.

22 And a chapiter of brass was upon it, and the height of one chapiter was five cubits with network, and pomegranates upon the chapiters round about, all of brass: the second pillar also, and the pomegranates were like unto these.

23 And there were ninety and six pomegranates on a side: and all the pomegranates upon the network were an [i]hundred round about.

24 And the chief steward took Seraiah the chief Priest, and Zephaniah [j]the second Priest, and the three keepers of the door.

25 He took also out of the city an Eunuch, which had the oversight of the men of war, and [k]seven men that were in the King’s presence, which were found in the city, and Sopher captain of the host, who mustered the people of the land, and threescore men of the people of the land, that were found in the midst of the city.

26 Nebuzaradan the chief steward took them, and brought them to the King of Babel to Riblah.

27 And the king of Babel smote them, and slew them in Riblah, in the land of Hamath: thus Judah was carried away captive out of his own land.

28 ¶ This is the people, whom Nebuchadnezzar carried away captive, in the [l]seventh year, even three thousand Jews, and three and twenty.

29 In the [m]eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar, he carried away captive from Jerusalem eight hundred thirty and two [n]persons.

30 In the three and twentieth year of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuzaradan the chief steward carried away captive of the Jews seven hundred forty and five persons: all the persons were four thousand and six hundred.

31 And in the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin King of Judah, in the twelfth month, in the five and twentieth day of the month, Evil-Merodach king of Babel, in the first year of his reign, [o]lifted up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah, and brought him out of prison,

32 And spake kindly unto him, and set his throne above the throne of the Kings, that were with him in Babel,

33 And changed his prison [p]garments, and he did continually eat bread before him all the days of his life.

34 His portion was a [q]continual portion given him of the king of Babel, every day a certain, all the days of his life until he died.

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 52:3 So the Lord punished sin by sin, and gave him up to his rebellious heart, till he had brought the enemy upon him to lead him away and his people.
  2. Jeremiah 52:7 Read Jer. 39:4.
  3. Jeremiah 52:9 Read 2 Kings 25:6; Jer. 39:5.
  4. Jeremiah 52:12 In 2 Kings 25:8, it is called the seventh day, because the fire began then, and so continued to the tenth.
  5. Jeremiah 52:12 That is, which was his servant, as 2 Kings 25:8.
  6. Jeremiah 52:17 Of these pillars, read 1 Kings 7:15.
  7. Jeremiah 52:18 Which were also made of brass, as 1 Kings 7:45.
  8. Jeremiah 52:20 It was so much in quantity.
  9. Jeremiah 52:23 But because of the roundness, no more could be seen but ninety and six.
  10. Jeremiah 52:24 Which served in the high Priest’s stead, if he had any necessary impediment.
  11. Jeremiah 52:25 In 2 Kings 25:19, is read but of five: those were the most excellent, and the other two, which were not so noble, are not there mentioned with them.
  12. Jeremiah 52:28 Which was the latter end of the seventh year of his reign, and the beginning of the eighth.
  13. Jeremiah 52:29 In the latter end also of that year, and the beginning of the nineteenth.
  14. Jeremiah 52:29 Hebrew, souls.
  15. Jeremiah 52:31 That is, restored him to liberty and honor.
  16. Jeremiah 52:33 And gave him princely apparel.
  17. Jeremiah 52:34 That is he had allowance in the court, and thus at length he had rest and quietness because he obeyed Jeremiah the Prophet, whereas the others were cruelly ordered, that would not obey him.

The Fall of Jerusalem(A)(B)(C)

52 Zedekiah(D) was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years. His mother’s name was Hamutal daughter of Jeremiah; she was from Libnah.(E) He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, just as Jehoiakim(F) had done. It was because of the Lord’s anger that all this happened to Jerusalem and Judah,(G) and in the end he thrust them from his presence.(H)

Now Zedekiah rebelled(I) against the king of Babylon.

So in the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign, on the tenth(J) day of the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem(K) with his whole army. They encamped outside the city and built siege works(L) all around it.(M) The city was kept under siege until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah.

By the ninth day of the fourth month the famine in the city had become so severe that there was no food for the people to eat.(N) Then the city wall was broken through, and the whole army fled.(O) They left the city at night through the gate between the two walls near the king’s garden, though the Babylonians[a] were surrounding the city. They fled toward the Arabah,[b] but the Babylonian[c] army pursued King Zedekiah and overtook him in the plains of Jericho. All his soldiers were separated from him and scattered, and he was captured.(P)

He was taken to the king of Babylon at Riblah(Q) in the land of Hamath,(R) where he pronounced sentence on him. 10 There at Riblah the king of Babylon killed the sons(S) of Zedekiah before his eyes; he also killed all the officials of Judah. 11 Then he put out Zedekiah’s eyes, bound him with bronze shackles and took him to Babylon, where he put him in prison till the day of his death.(T)

12 On the tenth day of the fifth(U) month, in the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan(V) commander of the imperial guard, who served the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. 13 He set fire(W) to the temple(X) of the Lord, the royal palace and all the houses(Y) of Jerusalem. Every important building he burned down. 14 The whole Babylonian army, under the commander of the imperial guard, broke down all the walls(Z) around Jerusalem. 15 Nebuzaradan the commander of the guard carried into exile(AA) some of the poorest people and those who remained in the city, along with the rest of the craftsmen[d] and those who had deserted(AB) to the king of Babylon. 16 But Nebuzaradan left behind(AC) the rest of the poorest people of the land to work the vineyards and fields.

17 The Babylonians broke up the bronze pillars,(AD) the movable stands(AE) and the bronze Sea(AF) that were at the temple of the Lord and they carried all the bronze to Babylon.(AG) 18 They also took away the pots, shovels, wick trimmers, sprinkling bowls,(AH) dishes and all the bronze articles used in the temple service.(AI) 19 The commander of the imperial guard took away the basins, censers,(AJ) sprinkling bowls, pots, lampstands,(AK) dishes(AL) and bowls used for drink offerings(AM)—all that were made of pure gold or silver.(AN)

20 The bronze from the two pillars, the Sea and the twelve bronze bulls(AO) under it, and the movable stands, which King Solomon had made for the temple of the Lord, was more than could be weighed.(AP) 21 Each pillar was eighteen cubits high and twelve cubits in circumference[e]; each was four fingers thick, and hollow.(AQ) 22 The bronze capital(AR) on top of one pillar was five cubits[f] high and was decorated with a network and pomegranates(AS) of bronze all around. The other pillar, with its pomegranates, was similar. 23 There were ninety-six pomegranates on the sides; the total number of pomegranates(AT) above the surrounding network was a hundred.(AU)

24 The commander of the guard took as prisoners Seraiah(AV) the chief priest, Zephaniah(AW) the priest next in rank and the three doorkeepers.(AX) 25 Of those still in the city, he took the officer in charge of the fighting men, and seven royal advisers. He also took the secretary(AY) who was chief officer in charge of conscripting the people of the land, sixty of whom were found in the city. 26 Nebuzaradan(AZ) the commander took them all and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah. 27 There at Riblah,(BA) in the land of Hamath, the king had them executed.

So Judah went into captivity, away(BB) from her land. 28 This is the number of the people Nebuchadnezzar carried into exile:(BC)

in the seventh year, 3,023 Jews;

29 in Nebuchadnezzar’s eighteenth year,

832 people from Jerusalem;

30 in his twenty-third year,

745 Jews taken into exile(BD) by Nebuzaradan the commander of the imperial guard.

There were 4,600 people in all.(BE)

Jehoiachin Released(BF)

31 In the thirty-seventh year of the exile of Jehoiachin(BG) king of Judah, in the year Awel-Marduk became king of Babylon, on the twenty-fifth day of the twelfth month, he released Jehoiachin king of Judah and freed him from prison. 32 He spoke kindly to him and gave him a seat of honor higher than those of the other kings who were with him in Babylon. 33 So Jehoiachin put aside his prison clothes and for the rest of his life ate regularly at the king’s table.(BH) 34 Day by day the king of Babylon gave Jehoiachin a regular allowance(BI) as long as he lived, till the day of his death.

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 52:7 Or Chaldeans; also in verse 17
  2. Jeremiah 52:7 Or the Jordan Valley
  3. Jeremiah 52:8 Or Chaldean; also in verse 14
  4. Jeremiah 52:15 Or the populace
  5. Jeremiah 52:21 That is, about 27 feet high and 18 feet in circumference or about 8.1 meters high and 5.4 meters in circumference
  6. Jeremiah 52:22 That is, about 7 1/2 feet or about 2.3 meters