< 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.
2 [And] in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, on the ninth day of the month, was the city broken in.
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.
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.
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.
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.
7 And the eyes of Zedekiah did he blind; and he bound him with brazen fetters, to carry 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.
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.
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.
11 And Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon gave charge concerning Jeremiah through means of Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, saying,
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.
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, —
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.
15 But unto Jeremiah was come the word of the Lord while he was shut up in the court of the prison, 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.
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.
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.
