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.

On the tenth day of the tenth month in the ninth year of his rule, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and all his army came against Jerusalem. His army set up their tents around the city, and built a wall all around it.

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

The city had the army of Babylon around it 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.

On the ninth day of the fourth month, there was no food left in the city. There was no more 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 was broken into. All the men of war ran away during the night between the two walls beside the king’s garden. The Babylonians were all around the city, but the men left by the way of the Arabah.

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

Then the Babylonian army went after the king and came to him in the plains of Jericho. All his army ran away from him.

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

The Babylonians took the king and brought him to the king of Babylon at Riblah. And Nebuchadnezzar told him how he must be punished.

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.

They killed Zedekiah’s sons in front of his eyes. Then they put out Zedekiah’s eyes and tied him up in chains, and brought him to Babylon. The House of God Is Destroyed

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.

On the seventh day of the fifth month, in the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, Nebuzaradan came to Jerusalem. He was the captain of the soldiers, a servant of the king of Babylon.

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, the king’s house, and all the houses of Jerusalem. He burned every great house 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 Babylonian army who were with the captain of the soldiers broke down the walls around Jerusalem.

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 soldiers carried away to Babylon the rest of the people who were left in the city. And he carried away the soldiers who had run away from the battle.

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 soldiers left behind some of the very poor people of the land to take care of the vines and to plow the fields.

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 Babylonians broke in pieces the brass pillars in the house of the Lord. And they broke in pieces the stands and the brass pool which were in the house of the Lord. Then they carried the brass 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 took away the pots, the tools for digging, the things for putting out the lamps, the dishes for special perfume, and all the brass dishes used for the work of the Lord’s house.

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.

And they took away the fire-holders and the wash-pots. The captain of the soldiers took away what was made of fine gold and what was made of fine silver.

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 brass of the two pillars, the one pool, and the stands which Solomon had made for the Lord’s house, was too much to weigh.

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.

One pillar was five times taller than a man. The brass top piece on it was three cubits tall. A network and pomegranates made of brass were all around the top piece. And the second pillar had the same, with a network. People of Judah Are Taken to Babylon

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

Then the captain of the soldiers took Seraiah the head religious leader, and Zephaniah the religious leader next in power. And he took the three men who were keepers of the door.

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.

From the city he took a captain who led the men of war, and five men found in the city who had spoken with the king about what should be done. He took the captain of the army, who called together the people of the land. And he took sixty men 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.

Nebuzaradan the captain of the soldiers took them 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 killed them. He put them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. So Judah was taken away from its land. Gedaliah Is Leader 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.

King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had left some people in the land of Judah. He chose Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, to rule over them.

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.

All the captains of the armies and their men heard that the king of Babylon had chosen Gedaliah to be leader. So they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah. The captains who came with their men were Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, Johanan the son of Kareah, Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah the son of Maacathite.

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.

Gedaliah made a promise to them and their men. He said to them, “Do not be afraid of the Babylonian leaders. Live in the land and work for the king of Babylon. Then it will 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 in the seventh month Ishmael came. He was the son of Nethaniah, son of Elishama, of the king’s family. He came with ten men and killed Gedaliah and the Jews and Babylonians 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.

Then all the people, both small and great, and the captains of the armies left and went to Egypt. For they were afraid of the Babylonians.

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;

On the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth month, in the thirty-seventh year since King Jehoiachin of Judah was taken away from his land, Evil-merodach became the king of Babylon. He showed favor to King Jehoiachin of Judah, and let him out of prison that year.

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

He spoke kind words to him, and set his throne above the thrones 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.

Jehoiachin changed from his prison clothes. And he ate with the king all the rest 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.

The King gave him a share of food every day for the rest of his life.