Jeremiah 39
1 It 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;
After King Zedekiah had been ruling Judah for almost nine years, King Nebuchadnezzar came in January with his army, and they surrounded Jerusalem.
2 in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, the ninth day of the month, a breach was made in the city).
One and a half years later, after Zedekiah had been ruling for almost eleven years, on July 18, [soldiers from Babylonia] broke through the city [wall. Then they rushed in and captured the city].
3 Then 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.
Then all the officers of the king of Babylon came in and sat down at the Middle Gate [to decide what they would do to the city. They included] Nergal-Sharezer from Samgar, Nebo-Sarsekim who was one of the chief army officers, another Nergal-Sharezer, the king’s advisor, and many other officials.
4 It 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.
When King Zedekiah and all his soldiers realized that [the army of Babylonia had broken into the city], they fled. [They waited until] it was dark. Then they went out of the city through the king’s garden, through the gate that was between the two walls. Then they started [running] toward the Jordan River Valley.
5 But 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.
But the soldiers from Babylonia pursued the king, and they caught him on the plains near Jericho. They took him to the King of Babylon, who was at Riblah [town] in the Hamath [region]. There the king of Babylon told [his soldiers what] they should do to punish Zedekiah.
6 Then 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.
They forced Zedekiah to watch while they killed his sons and all the officials from Judah.
7 Moreover he put out Zedekiah's eyes, and bound him in fetters, to carry him to Babylon.
[Then] they gouged out Zedekiah’s eyes. They fastened him with bronze chains and took him to Babylon.
8 The Chaldeans burned the king's house, and the houses of the people, with fire, and broke down the walls of Jerusalem.
[Meanwhile, ] the Babylonian army burned the palace and all the other buildings in Jerusalem. And they tore down the city walls.
9 Then 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.
Then Nebuzaradan, the captain of the [king’s] bodyguards, forced to go to Babylon [most of] the other people who remained in the city and the Jews who had joined the soldiers of Babylonia.
10 But 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.
But he allowed some of the very poor people to remain in Judah, and he gave them vineyards and fields [to take care of].
11 Now Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon commanded Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard concerning Jeremiah, saying,
King Nebuchadnezzar had [previously] told Nebuzaradan to find me. He said,
12 "Take him, and look well to him, and do him no harm; but do to him even as he shall tell you."
“Make sure that no one harms him. Take care of him, and do for him whatever he requests you to do.”
13 So 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;
So he and Nebushazban, who was one of their chief officers, and Nergal-Sharezer the king’s advisor, and other officers of the King of Babylon
14 they 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.
sent [some men] to bring me out of the courtyard outside of the palace. They took me to Gedaliah who was the son of Ahikam and grandson of Shaphan. Then Gedaliah took me to my home, and I stayed [in Judah] among [my own] people [who had been allowed to remain there].
15 Now the word of YHWH came to Jeremiah, while he was shut up in the court of the guard, saying,
While I was [still] being guarded in the palace courtyard, Yahweh gave me this message:
16 "Go, and speak to Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, saying, 'Thus says YHWH 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.
“Say this to Ebed-Melech, the official from Ethiopia: ‘This is what the Commander of the armies of angels, the God whom [we] Israelis [worship], says: “I will do to this city everything that I said that I would do. I will not enable the people to prosper; I will cause them to experience disasters. You will see Jerusalem being destroyed,
17 But I will deliver you in that day, says YHWH; and you shall not be given into the hand of the men of whom you are afraid.
but I will rescue you from the people whom you are afraid of.
18 For 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 YHWH."
You trusted me, so I will save you. You will not be killed by [your enemies’] swords; you will remain alive. [That will surely happen because I], Yahweh, have said it.’”
