Jeremiah 39
1 In the ninth year of Zedekiah the king of Judah, in the tenth month, that Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon came with all his army against Jerusalem, and they besieged it.
In the ninth year and tenth month of Zedekiah king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came with all his army against Jerusalem and besieged it.
2 [And] in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, on the ninth day of the month, was the city broken in.
In the eleventh year and fourth month of Zedekiah, on the ninth day of the month, the city was broken into.
3 And then came all the princes of the king of Babylon, and sat down in the middle gate; [namely, ] Neregal-sharezer, Samgar-nebu, Sarsechim, the chief of the eunuchs, Neregal-sharezer, the chief of the magi, with all the residue of the princes of the king of Babylon.
Then all the officials of the king of Babylon came and sat in the middle gate: Nebo-Sarsekim, Samgar Nebo, and Sarsechim, an important official. Nebo-Sarsekim was a high official and all the rest were the officials of the king of Babylon.
4 And it came to pass when Zedekiah the king of Judah saw them, and all the men of war, that they fled, and went forth out of the city by night, by the way of the king's garden, by the gate between the two walls: and he went out by the way of the plain.
It happened that when Zedekiah, king of Judah, and all his fighting men saw them, they fled. They went out at night from the city by the king's garden path, through the gate between the two walls. The king went out in the direction of the Arabah.
5 But the army of the Chaldeans pursued after them, and they overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho; and they took him, and brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon to Riblah in the land of Chamath: and he called him to account.
But the army of Chaldeans pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of the Jordan River valley near Jericho. Then they captured him and brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, at Riblah in the land of Hamath, where Nebuchadnezzar passed sentence on him.
6 And the king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah in Riblah before his eyes; also all the nobles of Judah did the king of Babylon slaughter.
The king of Babylon slaughtered Zedekiah's sons before his own eyes at Riblah. He also slaughtered all the noblemen of Judah.
7 And the eyes of Zedekiah did he blind; and he bound him with brazen fetters, to carry him to Babylon.
Then he put out Zedekiah's eyes and bound him in bronze chains in order to take him to Babylon.
8 And the house of the king, and the houses of the people did the Chaldeans burn with fire, and the walls of Jerusalem did they pull down.
Then the Chaldeans burned the king's house and the people's houses. They also tore down the walls of Jerusalem.
9 And the rest of the people that remained in the city, and those who had run away that had run away to him, with the rest of the people that remained, did Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carry off into exile to Babylon.
Nebuzaradan, the commander of the king's bodyguards, took into exile the rest of the people who were left in the city. This included the people who had deserted to the Chaldeans and the rest of the people who were left in the city.
10 But of the poorest of the people, who had nothing, did Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard leave some in the land of Judah, and gave them vineyards and arable fields at the same time.
But Nebuzaradan the commander of the king's bodyguards allowed the poorest people who had nothing for themselves to remain in the land of Judah. He gave them vineyards and fields on that same day.
11 And Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon gave charge concerning Jeremiah through means of Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, saying,
Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had given an order about Jeremiah to Nebuzaradan the commander of the king's bodyguards. He had said,
12 Take him, and direct thy eyes to him, and do him not the least harm; but as he may speak unto thee, even so do thou with him.
“Take him and care for him. Do not harm him. Do for him anything he tells you.”
13 Then sent Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, and Nebushazban, the chief of the eunuchs, and Neregal-sharezer, the chief of the magi, and all the chiefs of the king of Babylon, —
So Nebuzaradan the commander of the king's bodyguards, Nebushazban the high eunuch, Nergal-Sharezer the high official, and all the most important officials of the king of Babylon sent men out.
14 Even they sent, and took Jeremiah out of the court of the prison, and they committed him unto Gedalyahu the son of Achikam the son of Shaphan, to carry him home: and he remained in the midst of the people.
Their men took Jeremiah from the courtyard of the guard and entrusted him to Gedaliah son of Ahikam son of Shaphan, to take him home, so Jeremiah stayed among the people.
15 But unto Jeremiah was come the word of the Lord while he was shut up in the court of the prison, saying,
Now the word of Yahweh came to Jeremiah while he was under arrest in the courtyard of the guard, saying,
16 Go and say to 'Ebed-melech the Cushi as followeth, Thus hath said the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, Behold, I will bring my words [to fulfillment] against this city for evil, and not for good; and they shall be accomplished before thee on that day.
“Speak to Ebed-Melek the Cushite and say, 'Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel, says this: See, I am about to carry out my words against this city for disaster and not for good. For they will all come true before you on that day.
17 But I will deliver thee on that day, saith the Lord; and thou shalt not be given up into the hand of the men of whom thou hast dread.
But I will rescue you on that day—this is Yahweh's declaration—and you will not be given into the hand of the men whom you fear.
18 For I will surely let thee escape, and thou shalt not fall by the sword; but thy life shall be unto thee as a booty; because thou hast put thy trust in me, saith the Lord.
For I will certainly rescue you. You will not fall by the sword. You will escape with your life, since you trust in me—this was Yahweh's declaration.'”
