1It happened when Jerusalem was taken, (in the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army against Jerusalem, and besieged it; 2in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, the ninth day of the month, a breach was made in the city). 3Then all the officials of the king of Babylon came in, and sat in the Middle Gate, Nergal-sar-ezer of Samgar, Nebu-sar-sekim the Rab-saris, Nergal-sar-ezer the Rab-mag, with all the rest of the officers of the king of Babylon. 4It happened that, when Zedekiah the king of Judah and all the men of war saw them, then they fled, and went forth out of the city by night, by the way of the king's garden, through the gate between the two walls; and he went out toward the Arabah. 5But the army of the Chaldeans pursued after them, and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho: and when they had taken him, they brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to Riblah in the land of Hamath; and he gave judgment on him. 6Then the king of Babylon killed the sons of Zedekiah in Riblah before his eyes: also the king of Babylon killed all the nobles of Judah. 7Moreover he put out Zedekiah's eyes, and bound him in fetters, to carry him to Babylon. 8The Chaldeans burned the king's house, and the houses of the people, with fire, and broke down the walls of Jerusalem. 9Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive into Babylon the residue of the people who remained in the city, the deserters also who fell away to him, and the residue of the people who remained. 10But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left of the poor of the people, who had nothing, in the land of Judah, and gave them vineyards and fields at the same time.

11Now Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon commanded Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard concerning Jeremiah, saying, 12"Take him, and look well to him, and do him no harm; but do to him even as he shall tell you." 13So Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard sent, and Nebushazban the Rab-saris, Nergal-sar-ezer the Rab-mag and all the chief officers of the king of Babylon; 14they sent, and took Jeremiah out of the court of the guard, and committed him to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, that he should carry him home: so he lived among the people.

15Now the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, while he was shut up in the court of the guard, saying, 16"Go, and speak to Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, saying, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: "Look, I will bring my words on this city for disaster, and not for prosperity; and they shall be fulfilled before you in that day. 17But 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. 18For I will surely save you, and you shall not fall by the sword, but your life will be given to you as a reward; because you have put your trust in me,"' says the LORD."