New Living Translation

New King James Version

The Fall of Jerusalem

In Januarya of the ninth year of King Zedekiah’s reign, King Nebuchadnezzarb of Babylon came with his entire army to besiege Jerusalem.

1

The Fall of Jerusalem

In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army came against Jerusalem, and besieged it.

2

Two and a half years later, on July 18c in the eleventh year of Zedekiah’s reign, a section of the city wall was broken down.

2

In the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, on the ninth day of the month, the [a]city was penetrated.

3

All the officers of the Babylonian army came in and sat in triumph at the Middle Gate: Nergal-sharezer of Samgar, and Nebo-sarsekim,d a chief officer, and Nergal-sharezer, the king’s adviser, and all the other officers of the king of Babylon.

3

Then all the princes of the king of Babylon came in and sat in the Middle Gate: Nergal-Sharezer, Samgar-Nebo, Sarsechim, [b]Rabsaris, Nergal-Sarezer, [c]Rabmag, with the rest of the princes of the king of Babylon.

4

When King Zedekiah of Judah and all the soldiers saw that the Babylonians had broken into the city, they fled. They waited for nightfall and then slipped through the gate between the two walls behind the king’s garden and headed toward the Jordan Valley.e

4

So it was, when Zedekiah the king of Judah and all the men of war saw them, that they fled and went out of the city by night, by way of the king’s garden, by the gate between the two walls. And he went out by way of the [d]plain.

5

But the Babylonianf troops chased them and overtook Zedekiah on the plains of Jericho. They captured him and took him to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, who was at Riblah in the land of Hamath. There the king of Babylon pronounced judgment upon Zedekiah.

5

But the Chaldean army pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho. And when they had captured him, they brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, to Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he pronounced judgment on him.

6

The king of Babylon made Zedekiah watch as he slaughtered his sons at Riblah. The king of Babylon also slaughtered all the nobles of Judah.

6

Then the king of Babylon killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes in Riblah; the king of Babylon also killed all the nobles of Judah.

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Then he gouged out Zedekiah’s eyes and bound him in bronze chains to lead him away to Babylon.

7

Moreover he put out Zedekiah’s eyes, and bound him with bronze [e]fetters to carry him off to Babylon.

8

Meanwhile, the Babylonians burned Jerusalem, including the royal palace and the houses of the people, and they tore down the walls of the city.

8

And the Chaldeans burned the king’s house and the houses of the people with fire, and broke down the walls of Jerusalem.

9

Then Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, took as exiles to Babylon the rest of the people who remained in the city, those who had defected to him, and everyone else who remained.

9

Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive to Babylon the remnant of the people who remained in the city and those who defected to him, with the rest of the people who remained.

10

But Nebuzaradan allowed some of the poorest people to stay behind in the land of Judah, and he assigned them to care for the vineyards and fields.

10

But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left in the land of Judah the poor people, who had nothing, and gave them vineyards and fields [f]at the same time.

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Jeremiah Remains in Judah

King Nebuchadnezzar had told Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, to find Jeremiah.

11

Jeremiah Goes Free

Now Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon gave charge concerning Jeremiah to Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, saying,

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“See that he isn’t hurt,” he said. “Look after him well, and give him anything he wants.”

12

“Take him and look after him, and do him no harm; but do to him just as he says to you.”

13

So Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard; Nebushazban, a chief officer; Nergal-sharezer, the king’s adviser; and the other officers of Babylon’s king

13

So Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard sent Nebushasban, Rabsaris, Nergal-Sharezer, Rabmag, and all the king of Babylon’s chief officers;

14

sent messengers to bring Jeremiah out of the prison. They put him under the care of Gedaliah son of Ahikam and grandson of Shaphan, who took him back to his home. So Jeremiah stayed in Judah among his own people.

14

then they sent someone to take Jeremiah from the court of the prison, and committed him to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, that he should take him home. So he dwelt among the people.

15

The LORD had given the following message to Jeremiah while he was still in prison:

15

Meanwhile the word of the Lord had come to Jeremiah while he was shut up in the court of the prison, saying,

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“Say to Ebed-melech the Ethiopian,g ‘This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: I will do to this city everything I have threatened. I will send disaster, not prosperity. You will see its destruction,

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“Go and speak to Ebed-Melech the Ethiopian, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: “Behold, I will bring My words upon this city for adversity and not for good, and they shall be performed in that day before you.

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but I will rescue you from those you fear so much.

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But I will deliver you in that day,” says the Lord, “and you shall not be given into the hand of the men of whom you are afraid.

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Because you trusted me, I will give you your life as a reward. I will rescue you and keep you safe. I, the LORD, have spoken!’”

18

For I will surely deliver you, and you shall not fall by the sword; but your life shall be as a prize to you, because you have put your trust in Me,” says the Lord.’ ”

Parallel

New Living Translation

New King James Version

Jeremiah 39

Jeremiah 39