< Jeremiah 39 >

1 In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, came Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon and all his force against Jerusalem, and they besieged it.
In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his entire army and laid siege to the city.
2 In the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month on the ninth of the month, was the city broken into.
And on the ninth day of the fourth month of Zedekiah’s eleventh year, the city was breached.
3 Then came in all the princes of the king of Babylon, and sat in the middle gate, —Nergal-sharezer, Samgar-nebo, Sarsechim, chief eunuch Nergal-sharezer, chief soothsayer, and all the residue of the princes of the king of Babylon.
Then all the officials of the king of Babylon entered and sat in the Middle Gate: Nergal-sharezer of Samgar, Nebo-sarsekim the Rabsaris, Nergal-sharezer the Rabmag, and all the rest of the officials of the king of Babylon.
4 And it came to pass as soon as Zedekiah king of Judah and all the men of war saw them, that they fled, and went forth by night out of the city, by way of the king’s garden, through the gate between the two walls, —and he went forth by way of the waste plain.
When Zedekiah king of Judah and all the soldiers saw them, they fled. They left the city at night by way of the king’s garden, through the gate between the two walls, and they went out along the route to the Arabah.
5 But the force of the Chaldeans pursued them, and overtook Zedekiah in the waste plains of Jericho, and when they had taken him, they brought him up unto Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, to Riblah, in the land of Hamath, —and pronounced upon him sentences of judgment.
But the army of the Chaldeans pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho. They seized him and brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he pronounced judgment on him.
6 And the king of Babylon slew the sons of Zedekiah, in Riblah before his eyes, —and all the nobles of Judah, did the king of Babylon slay;
There at Riblah the king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and he also killed all the nobles of Judah.
7 and the eyes of Zedekiah, did he put out, and bound him with fetters of bronze to bring him into Babylon.
Then he put out Zedekiah’s eyes and bound him with bronze chains 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, brake they down;
The Chaldeans set fire to the palace of the king and to the houses of the people, and they broke down the walls of Jerusalem.
9 and the remnant of the people who were left in the city, and the disheartened who fell away unto him, and the remnant of the people who were left, did Nebuzaradan chief of the royal executioners, take captive to Babylon.
Then Nebuzaradan captain of the guard carried away to Babylon the remnant of the people who had remained in the city, along with the deserters who had defected to him.
10 But of the poor people, who had, nothing, did Nebuzaradan chief of the royal executioners, leave remaining in the land of Judah, and gave them vineyards and ploughed fields on the same day.
But Nebuzaradan left behind in the land of Judah some of the poor people who had no property, and at that time he gave them vineyards and fields.
11 Then Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon gave command, concerning Jeremiah, —through Nebuzaradan chief of the royal executioners saying:
Now Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had given orders about Jeremiah through Nebuzaradan captain of the guard, saying,
12 Take him and, thine eyes, set thou upon him, and do not unto him any harmful thing, —but just as he shall speak unto thee, so, shalt thou do with him.
“Take him, look after him, and do not let any harm come to him; do for him whatever he says.”
13 So Nebuzaradan chief of the royal executioners, sent, also Nebushazban, chief of the eunuchs, and Nergal-sharezer chief of the magi, and all the chiefs of the king of Babylon;
So Nebuzaradan captain of the guard, Nebushazban the Rabsaris, Nergal-sharezer the Rabmag, and all the captains of the king of Babylon
14 yea they sent and fetched Jeremiah out of the guard-court, and delivered him unto Gedaliah son of Ahikam son of Shaphan, to bring him forth into a home, so he dwelt in the midst of the people.
had Jeremiah brought from the courtyard of the guard, and they turned him over to Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, to take him home. So Jeremiah remained among his own people.
15 Now unto Jeremiah, had come the word of Yahweh, while he was yet shut up in the guard-court, saying:
And while Jeremiah had been confined in the courtyard of the guard, the word of the LORD had come to him:
16 Go and speak to Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, saying, —Thus saith Yahweh of hosts God of Israel, Behold me! bringing about my words against this city, for, calamity—and not for blessing, —and they shall come to pass before thee, in that day.
“Go and tell Ebed-melech the Cushite that this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: ‘I am about to fulfill My words against this city for harm and not for good, and on that day they will be fulfilled before your eyes.
17 But I will deliver thee in that day, Declareth Yahweh, —and thou shalt not be given up into the hand of the men from the face of whom, thou, mightest shrink with fear.
But I will deliver you on that day, declares the LORD, and you will not be delivered into the hands of the men whom you fear.
18 For I will, surely, deliver, thee, and by the sword, shalt thou not fall, —but thou shalt have thine own life as a spoil, Because thou hast trusted in me, Declareth Yahweh.
For I will surely rescue you so that you do not fall by the sword. Because you have trusted in Me, you will escape with your life like a spoil of war, declares the LORD.’”

< Jeremiah 39 >