1 O n 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.

And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came, he, and all his host, against Jerusalem, and pitched against it; and they built forts against it round about.

2 T he city had the army of Babylon around it until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah.

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

3 O n 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.

And on the ninth day of the fourth month the famine prevailed in the city, and there was no bread for the people of the land.

4 T hen 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.

And the city was broken up, and all the men of war fled by night by the way of the gate between two walls, which is by the king’s garden: (now the Chaldees were against the city round about:) and the king went the way toward the plain.

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

And the army of the Chaldees pursued after the king, and overtook him in the plains of Jericho: and all his army were scattered from him.

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

So they took the king, and brought him up to the king of Babylon to Riblah; and they gave judgment upon him.

7 T hey 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

And they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him with fetters of brass, and carried him to Babylon.

8 O n 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.

And in the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month, which is the nineteenth year of king Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, came Nebuzar-adan, captain of the guard, a servant of the king of Babylon, unto Jerusalem:

9 H e burned the house of the Lord, the king’s house, and all the houses of Jerusalem. He burned every great house with fire.

and he burnt the house of the Lord, and the king’s house, and all the houses of Jerusalem, and every great man’s house burnt he with fire.

10 A nd all the Babylonian army who were with the captain of the soldiers broke down the walls around Jerusalem.

And all the army of the Chaldees, that were with the captain of the guard, brake down the walls of Jerusalem round about.

11 T hen 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.

Now the rest of the people that were left in the city, and the fugitives that fell away to the king of Babylon, with the remnant of the multitude, did Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard carry away.

12 B ut 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.

But the captain of the guard left of the poor of the land to be vinedressers and husbandmen.

13 T he 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.

And the pillars of brass that were in the house of the Lord, and the bases, and the brasen sea that was in the house of the Lord, did the Chaldees break in pieces, and carried the brass of them to Babylon.

14 T hey 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.

And the pots, and the shovels, and the snuffers, and the spoons, and all the vessels of brass wherewith they ministered, took they away.

15 A nd 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.

And the firepans, and the bowls, and such things as were of gold, in gold, and of silver, in silver, the captain of the guard took away.

16 T he 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.

The two pillars, one sea, and the bases which Solomon had made for the house of the Lord; the brass of all these vessels was without weight.

17 O ne 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

The height of the one pillar was eighteen cubits, and the chapiter upon it was brass: and the height of the chapiter three cubits; and the wreathen work, and pomegranates upon the chapiter round about, all of brass: and like unto these had the second pillar with wreathen work.

18 T hen 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.

And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the door:

19 F rom 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.

and out of the city he took an officer that was set over the men of war, and five men of them that were in the king’s presence, which were found in the city, and the principal scribe of the host, which mustered the people of the land, and threescore men of the people of the land that were found in the city:

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

and Nebuzar-adan captain of the guard took these, and brought them to the king of Babylon to Riblah:

21 T hen 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

and the king of Babylon smote them, and slew them at Riblah in the land of Hamath. So Judah was carried away out of their land.

22 K ing 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.

And as for the people that remained in the land of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had left, even over them he made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, ruler.

23 A ll 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.

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

24 G edaliah 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.”

And Gedaliah sware to them, and to their men, and said unto them, Fear not to be the servants of the Chaldees: 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 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.

But it came to pass in the seventh month, that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, of the seed royal, came, and ten men with him, and smote Gedaliah, that he died, and the Jews and the Chaldees that were with him at Mizpah.

26 T hen 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.

And all the people, both small and great, and the captains of the armies, arose, and came to Egypt: for they were afraid of the Chaldees.

27 O n 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.

And it came to pass in the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month, that Evil-merodach king of Babylon in the year that he began to reign did lift up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah out of prison;

28 H e spoke kind words to him, and set his throne above the thrones of the kings who were with him in Babylon.

and he spake kindly to him, and set his throne above the throne of the kings that were with him in Babylon;

29 J ehoiachin changed from his prison clothes. And he ate with the king all the rest of his life.

and changed his prison garments: and he did eat bread continually before him all the days of his life.

30 T he King gave him a share of food every day for the rest of his life.

And his allowance was a continual allowance given him of the king, a daily rate for every day, all the days of his life.