1 I n the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign, on the tenth day of the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came with all his army against Jerusalem and laid siege to it, and they built siege works against it round about.

Now it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army came against Jerusalem and encamped against it; and they built a siege wall against it all around.

2 T he city was besieged until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah.

So the city was besieged until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah.

3 O n the ninth day of the fourth month the famine was complete in the city; there was no food for the people of the land.

By the ninth day of the fourth month the famine had become so severe in the city that there was no food for the people of the land.

4 T hen the city was broken through; the king and all the warriors fled by night by way of the gate between the two walls by the king’s garden, though the Chaldeans were round about the city. went by the way toward the Arabah (the plain).

Then the city wall was broken through, and all the men of war fled at night by way of the gate between two walls, which was by the king’s garden, even though the Chaldeans were still encamped all around against the city. And the king went by way of the plain.

5 T he Chaldean army pursued the king and overtook him in the plains of Jericho. All his army was scattered from him.

But the army of the Chaldeans pursued the king, and they overtook him in the plains of Jericho. All his army was scattered from him.

6 S o they captured Zedekiah and brought him to the king of Babylon at Riblah, and sentence was passed on him.

So they took the king and brought him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah, and they pronounced judgment on him.

7 A nd they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes and put out the eyes of Zedekiah and bound him in double fetters and carried him to Babylon.

Then they killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, put out the eyes of Zedekiah, bound him with bronze fetters, and took him to Babylon.

8 O n the seventh day of the fifth month of the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, Nebuzaradan, captain of the Babylonian king’s guard, came to Jerusalem.

And in the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month (which was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon), Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, a servant of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem.

9 H e burned the house of the Lord, the king’s house, and all the houses of Jerusalem; every great house he burned down.

He burned the house of the Lord and the king’s house; all the houses of Jerusalem, that is, all the houses of the great, he burned with fire.

10 A ll the army of the Chaldeans who were with the captain of the guard broke down the walls around Jerusalem.

And all the army of the Chaldeans who were with the captain of the guard broke down the walls of Jerusalem all around.

11 N ow the rest of the people left in the city and the deserters who fell away to the king of Babylon, along with the rest of the multitude, Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried into exile.

Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive the rest of the people who remained in the city and the defectors who had deserted to the king of Babylon, with the rest of the multitude.

12 B ut the captain of the guard left some of the poorest of the land to be vinedressers and soil tillers.

But the captain of the guard left some of the poor of the land as vinedressers and farmers.

13 T he bronze pillars in the Lord’s house and bases and the bronze Sea the Chaldeans smashed and carried the bronze to Babylon.

The bronze pillars that were in the house of the Lord, and the carts and the bronze Sea that were in the house of the Lord, the Chaldeans broke in pieces, and carried their bronze to Babylon.

14 A nd they took away the pots, shovels, snuffers, dishes for incense, all the bronze vessels used in the temple service,

They also took away the pots, the shovels, the trimmers, the spoons, and all the bronze utensils with which the priests ministered.

15 T he firepans, and bowls. Such things as were of gold the captain of the guard took away as gold, and what was of silver as silver.

The firepans and the basins, the things of solid gold and solid silver, the captain of the guard took away.

16 T he two pillars, the one Sea, and the bases, which Solomon had made for the house of the Lord, the bronze of all these articles was incalculable.

The two pillars, one Sea, and the carts, which Solomon had made for the house of the Lord, the bronze of all these articles was beyond measure.

17 T he height of the one pillar was eighteen cubits, and upon it was a capital of bronze. The height of the capital was three cubits; a network and pomegranates round about the capital were all of bronze. And the second pillar had the same as these, with a network.

The height of one pillar was eighteen cubits, and the capital on it was of bronze. The height of the capital was three cubits, and the network and pomegranates all around the capital were all of bronze. The second pillar was the same, with a network.

18 T he captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the threshold.

And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah the second priest, and the three doorkeepers.

19 A nd out of the city he took an officer who was in command of the men of war and five men of the king’s personal advisors, who were found in the city, and the scribe of the captain of the army who mustered the people of the land and sixty men of the people who were found in the city.

He also took out of the city an officer who had charge of the men of war, five men of the king’s close associates who were found in the city, the chief recruiting officer of the army, who mustered the people of the land, and sixty men of the people of the land who were found in the city.

20 N ebuzaradan the captain of the guard took these and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah.

So Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, took these and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah.

21 T he king of Babylon smote and killed them at Riblah in the land of Hamath. So Judah was taken into exile.

Then the king of Babylon struck them and put them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. Thus Judah was carried away captive from its own land. Gedaliah Made Governor of Judah

22 O ver the people whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had left in the land of Judah he appointed as governor Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan.

Then he made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, governor over the people who remained in the land of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had left.

23 A nd when all the captains of the forces and their men heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah governor, they came with their men to Gedaliah at Mizpah, namely, Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan son of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah son of the Maacathite.

Now when all the captains of the armies, they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah governor, they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah—Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, Johanan the son of Careah, Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah the son of a Maachathite, they and their men.

24 A nd Gedaliah swore to them and their men, saying, Do not be afraid of the Chaldean officials. Dwell in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it shall be well with you.

And Gedaliah took an oath before them and their men, and said to them, “Do not be afraid of the servants of the Chaldeans. Dwell in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it shall be well with you.”

25 B ut in the seventh month Ishmael son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, of the royal family, came with ten men and smote and killed Gedaliah and the Jews and the Chaldeans who were with him at Mizpah.

But it happened in the seventh month that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, of the royal family, came with ten men and struck and killed Gedaliah, the Jews, as well as the Chaldeans who were with him at Mizpah.

26 T hen all the people, both small and great, and the captains of the forces arose and went to Egypt, for they were afraid of the Chaldeans.

And all the people, small and great, and the captains of the armies, arose and went to Egypt; for they were afraid of the Chaldeans. Jehoiachin Released from Prison

27 A nd in the thirty-seventh year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, on the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth month, Evil-merodach king of Babylon, in the year that he began to reign, showed favor to Jehoiachin king of Judah and released him from prison;

Now it came to pass in the thirty-seventh year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, that Evil-Merodach king of Babylon, in the year that he began to reign, released Jehoiachin king of Judah from prison.

28 H e spoke kindly to him and ranked him above the kings with him in Babylon.

He spoke kindly to him, and gave him a more prominent seat than those of the kings who were with him in Babylon.

29 J ehoiachin put off his prison garments, and he dined regularly at the king’s table the remainder of his life.

So Jehoiachin changed from his prison garments, and he ate bread regularly before the king all the days of his life.

30 A nd his allowance, a continual one, was given him by the king, every day a portion, for the rest of his life.

And as for his provisions, there was a regular ration given him by the king, a portion for each day, all the days of his life.