The Fall of Jerusalem
(2 Kings 25:1–12; 2 Chronicles 36:15–21)

1In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army came against Jerusalem and laid siege against it. 2And in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, on the ninth day of the month, the city was broken through.

3And all the officials of the king of Babylon came in and sat in the Middle Gate: Of Nergal-sharezer of Samgar, Nebo-sarsekim† the Rabsaris,† Nergal-sharezer the Rabmag,† and all the rest of the officials of the king of Babylon.

And it came to pass when Zedekiah the king of Judah and all the men of war saw them, that they fled and went out by night from the city by the way of the king’s garden, by the gate between the two walls; and he went out by way of the Arabah.† And the army of the Chaldeans† pursued after them, and they overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho. And they seized him, and they brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, to Riblah in the land of Hamath, and he spoke against him judgment.

And the king of Babylon killed the sons of Zedekiah in Riblah before his eyes; and also the king of Babylon killed all the nobles of Judah. And he put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and he bound him with bronze fetters to bring him to Babylon.

And the house of the king, and the houses of the people, the Chaldeans burned with fire, and they tore down the walls of Jerusalem.

And the remnant of the people, those remaining in the city, and those falling away who fell to him, and the remainder of the people that remained, Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guards exiled to Babylon. And Nebuzaradan the captain of the guards left some of the poor of the people, who not a thing was unto them in the land of Judah, and he gave to them vineyards and fields at that time.

Jeremiah Delivered

And Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon gave a charge concerning Jeremiah to Nebuzaradan the captain of the guards, saying: “Take him and look after him, and you will not do to him anything evil. But instead, as he speaks to you, so do to him.

And Nebuzaradan the captain of the guards sent Nebushasban,† Rab-saris, and Nergal-shar-ezer, Rab-mag, and all chief officers of the king of Babylon, 14and they sent and took Jeremiah from the court of the guard, and they gave him over to Gedaliah son of Ahikam son of Shaphan, to bring him forth to the house. And he dwelt in the midst of the people.

15And the word of YHWH came to Jeremiah in his being shut up in the court of the guard, saying: 16“Go and speak to Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, saying, thus says YHWH of Hosts, the God of Israel: ‘Behold I will bring My words against this city, for evil and not for good, and they will come to pass before you in that day. 17And I will deliver you in that day, a declaration of YHWH, and you will not be given into the hand of the men of whom you are afraid. 18For I will surely rescue you by the sword, and you will not fall; and your life will be unto you as a prize, because you have put your trust in Me!’” A declaration of YHWH.

Footnotes:

3 Or Nergal-sharezer, Samgar-nebo, Sarsekim
3 Hebrew Rab-saris is the title of the chief eunuch in the Assyrian military; also in verse 13.
3 Hebrew Rab-mag is the title of the chief soothsayer or chief of princes in the Assyrian military; also in verse 13.
4 Or the Jordan Valley
5 That is, the Babylonians; also in verse 8
13 Nebushazban is possibly a variant of Nebo-sarsekim; see verse 3.