Jeremiah 52
1 Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became the King [of Judah]. He ruled in Jerusalem for eleven years. His mother was Hamutal, the daughter of [a man named] Jeremiah from Libnah [town].
| בֶּן־עֶשְׂרִ֨ים וְאַחַ֤ת שָׁנָה֙ צִדְקִיָּ֣הוּ בְמָלְכֹ֔ו וְאַחַ֤ת עֶשְׂרֵה֙ שָׁנָ֔ה מָלַ֖ךְ בִּירֽוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם וְשֵׁ֣ם אִמֹּ֔ו חֲמִיטַל (חֲמוּטַ֥ל) בַּֽת־יִרְמְיָ֖הוּ מִלִּבְנָֽה׃ |
2 Zedekiah did [many] things that Yahweh says are evil, like [his father] Jehoiakim had done.
| וַיַּ֥עַשׂ הָרַ֖ע בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה כְּכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֖ה יְהֹויָקִֽים׃ |
3 [The events that are summarized here happened] because Yahweh was angry with [the people of] Jerusalem and [of other places in] Judah, and finally he (exiled them/forced them to go to other countries) [and said that he did not want to have anything to do with] them any more. Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.
| כִּ֣י ׀ עַל־אַ֣ף יְהוָ֗ה הָֽיְתָה֙ בִּירוּשָׁלַ֣͏ִם וִֽיהוּדָ֔ה עַד־הִשְׁלִיכֹ֥ו אֹותָ֖ם מֵעַ֣ל פָּנָ֑יו וַיִּמְרֹ֥ד צִדְקִיָּ֖הוּ בְּמֶ֥לֶךְ בָּבֶֽל׃ |
4 [So, ] on January 15, when Zedekiah had been ruling for almost nine years, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon led his entire army to attack Jerusalem. They surrounded the city and built dirt ramps up to the top of the city walls [to enable them to attack the city].
| וַיְהִי֩ בַשָּׁנָ֨ה הַתְּשִׁעִ֜ית לְמָלְכֹ֗ו בַּחֹ֣דֶשׁ הָעֲשִׂירִי֮ בֶּעָשֹׂ֣ור לַחֹדֶשׁ֒ בָּ֠א נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּ֨ר מֶֽלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֜ל ה֤וּא וְכָל־חֵילֹו֙ עַל־יְר֣וּשָׁלַ֔͏ִם וַֽיַּחֲנ֖וּ עָלֶ֑יהָ וַיִּבְנ֥וּ עָלֶ֛יהָ דָּיֵ֖ק סָבִֽיב׃ |
5 They continued to surround Jerusalem until Zedekiah had been ruling for almost eleven years.
| וַתָּבֹ֥א הָעִ֖יר בַּמָּצֹ֑ור עַ֚ד עַשְׁתֵּ֣י עֶשְׂרֵ֣ה שָׁנָ֔ה לַמֶּ֖לֶךְ צִדְקִיָּֽהוּ׃ |
6 When Zedekiah had been ruling for almost eleven years, by July 18 of that year, the (famine/lack of food) in the city had become very severe, and there was no [more] food for the people [to eat].
| בַּחֹ֤דֶשׁ הָֽרְבִיעִי֙ בְּתִשְׁעָ֣ה לַחֹ֔דֶשׁ וַיֶּחֱזַ֥ק הָרָעָ֖ב בָּעִ֑יר וְלֹא־הָיָ֥ה לֶ֖חֶם לְעַ֥ם הָאָֽרֶץ׃ |
7 Then [the soldiers of Babylonia] broke through [a section of] the city wall, and all the [Israeli] soldiers fled. But because the city was surrounded by soldiers from Babylonia, [Zedekiah and the Israeli] soldiers [waited until] it became dark. Then they left the city through the gate between the two walls behind the king’s garden. Then they ran towards the Jordan River Valley.
| וַתִּבָּקַ֣ע הָעִ֗יר וְכָל־אַנְשֵׁ֣י הַמִּלְחָמָ֡ה יִבְרְחוּ֩ וַיֵּצְא֨וּ מֵהָעִ֜יר לַ֗יְלָה דֶּ֜רֶךְ שַׁ֤עַר בֵּין־הַחֹמֹתַ֙יִם֙ אֲשֶׁר֙ עַל־גַּ֣ן הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וְכַשְׂדִּ֥ים עַל־הָעִ֖יר סָבִ֑יב וַיֵּלְכ֖וּ דֶּ֥רֶךְ הָעֲרָבָֽה׃ |
8 But the soldiers of Babylonia pursued King Zedekiah, and they caught up with him on the plains near Jericho. [He was alone because] all his men had deserted him and had scattered.
| וַיִּרְדְּפ֤וּ חֵיל־כַּשְׂדִּים֙ אַחֲרֵ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וַיַּשִּׂ֥יגוּ אֶת־צִדְקִיָּ֖הוּ בְּעַֽרְבֹ֣ת יְרֵחֹ֑ו וְכָל־חֵילֹ֔ו נָפֹ֖צוּ מֵעָלָֽיו׃ |
9 The soldiers of Babylonia took him to the king of Babylon, who was at Riblah in the Hamath [region]. There the king of Babylon told [his soldiers what] they should do to punish Zedekiah.
| וַֽיִּתְפְּשׂוּ֙ אֶת־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וַיַּעֲל֨וּ אֹתֹ֜ו אֶל־מֶ֧לֶךְ בָּבֶ֛ל רִבְלָ֖תָה בְּאֶ֣רֶץ חֲמָ֑ת וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר אִתֹּ֖ו מִשְׁפָּטִֽים׃ |
10 They forced Zedekiah to watch while they killed his sons and all the officials from Judah.
| וַיִּשְׁחַ֧ט מֶֽלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֛ל אֶת־בְּנֵ֥י צִדְקִיָּ֖הוּ לְעֵינָ֑יו וְגַ֛ם אֶת־כָּל־שָׂרֵ֥י יְהוּדָ֖ה שָׁחַ֥ט בְּרִבְלָֽתָה׃ |
11 [Then] they gouged out Zedekiah’s eyes. They fastened him with bronze chains and took him to Babylon. They put him in a prison, and he remained there until the day that he died.
| וְאֶת־עֵינֵ֥י צִדְקִיָּ֖הוּ עִוֵּ֑ר וַיַּאַסְרֵ֣הוּ בַֽנְחֻשְׁתַּ֗יִם וַיְבִאֵ֤הוּ מֶֽלֶךְ־בָּבֶל֙ בָּבֶ֔לָה וַיִּתְּנֵ֥הוּ בְבֵית־ (בֵֽית)־הַפְּקֻדֹּ֖ת עַד־יֹ֥ום מֹותֹֽו׃ |
12 On August 17 of that year, which was when King Nebuchadnezzar had been ruling for almost 19 years, Nebuzaradan, who was the captain of the king’s bodyguards and one of the king’s officials, arrived in Jerusalem.
| וּבַחֹ֤דֶשׁ הֽ͏ַחֲמִישִׁי֙ בֶּעָשֹׂ֣ור לַחֹ֔דֶשׁ הִ֗יא שְׁנַת֙ תְּשַֽׁע־עֶשְׂרֵ֣ה שָׁנָ֔ה לַמֶּ֖לֶךְ נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּ֣ר מֶֽלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֑ל בָּ֗א נְבֽוּזַרְאֲדָן֙ רַב־טַבָּחִ֔ים עָמַ֛ד לִפְנֵ֥י מֶֽלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֖ל בִּירוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃ |
13 He [commanded his soldiers to] burn down the temple of Yahweh, the king’s palace, and all the houses in Jerusalem. They [also] destroyed all the important buildings [in the city].
| וַיִּשְׂרֹ֥ף אֶת־בֵּית־יְהוָ֖ה וְאֶת־בֵּ֣ית הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וְאֵ֨ת כָּל־בָּתֵּ֧י יְרוּשָׁלַ֛͏ִם וְאֶת־כָּל־בֵּ֥ית הַגָּדֹ֖ול שָׂרַ֥ף בָּאֵֽשׁ׃ |
14 Then he supervised the soldiers from Babylonia while they tore down the walls on all sides of Jerusalem.
| וְאֶת־כָּל־חֹמֹ֥ות יְרוּשָׁלַ֖͏ִם סָבִ֑יב נָֽתְצוּ֙ כָּל־חֵ֣יל כַּשְׂדִּ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֖ר אֶת־רַב־טַבָּחִֽים׃ |
15 Then Nebuzaradan (forced to go/exiled) [to Babylon] some of the poorest people, those Israelis who had said they would support the king of Babylon, the rest of the craftsmen, and other people who had remained in Jerusalem.
| וּמִדַּלֹּ֨ות הָעָ֜ם וְֽאֶת־יֶ֥תֶר הָעָ֣ם ׀ הַנִּשְׁאָרִ֣ים בָּעִ֗יר וְאֶת־הַנֹּֽפְלִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֤ר נָֽפְלוּ֙ אֶל־מֶ֣לֶךְ בָּבֶ֔ל וְאֵ֖ת יֶ֣תֶר הָֽאָמֹ֑ון הֶגְלָ֕ה נְבוּזַרְאֲדָ֖ן רַב־טַבָּחִֽים׃ |
16 But Nebuzaradan allowed some of the very poor people to remain [in Judah] to take care of the vineyards and fields.
| וּמִדַּלֹּ֣ות הָאָ֔רֶץ הִשְׁאִ֕יר נְבוּזַרְאֲדָ֖ן רַב־טַבָּחִ֑ים לְכֹרְמִ֖ים וּלְיֹגְבִֽים׃ |
17 The soldiers from Babylonia broke [into pieces] the [huge] bronze pillars that were in front of the temple, and the [large] bronze water tank, and the [ten bronze water] carts, and they took all the bronze to Babylon.
| וְאֶת־עַמּוּדֵ֨י הַנְּחֹ֜שֶׁת אֲשֶׁ֣ר לְבֵית־יְהוָ֗ה וְֽאֶת־הַמְּכֹנֹ֞ות וְאֶת־יָ֧ם הַנְּחֹ֛שֶׁת אֲשֶׁ֥ר בְּבֵית־יְהוָ֖ה שִׁבְּר֣וּ כַשְׂדִּ֑ים וַיִּשְׂא֥וּ אֶת־כָּל־נְחֻשְׁתָּ֖ם בָּבֶֽלָה׃ |
18 They also took away the basins [for holding the ashes from the burned sacrifices], the shovels [for cleaning out the ashes], the tools for snuffing out the wicks of the lamps, the basins [for holding the blood of the sacrificed animals], the dishes [for incense], and all the [other] bronze items that were used when sacrifices were made at the temple.
| וְאֶת־הַ֠סִּרֹות וְאֶת־הַיָּעִ֨ים וְאֶת־הַֽמְזַמְּרֹ֜ות וְאֶת־הַמִּזְרָקֹ֣ת וְאֶת־הַכַּפֹּ֗ות וְאֵ֨ת כָּל־כְּלֵ֧י הַנְּחֹ֛שֶׁת אֲשֶׁר־יְשָׁרְת֥וּ בָהֶ֖ם לָקָֽחוּ׃ |
19 Nebuzaradan also [told his soldiers to] take away the small bowls, the dishes for burning incense, the basins, pots, lampstands, bowls [for incense], and the bowls used for pouring out the wine offerings. They took all the other items that were made of pure gold or silver.
| וְאֶת־הַ֠סִּפִּים וְאֶת־הַמַּחְתֹּ֨ות וְאֶת־הַמִּזְרָקֹ֜ות וְאֶת־הַסִּירֹ֣ות וְאֶת־הַמְּנֹרֹ֗ות וְאֶת־הַכַּפֹּות֙ וְאֶת־הַמְּנַקִיֹ֔ות אֲשֶׁ֤ר זָהָב֙ זָהָ֔ב וַאֲשֶׁר־כֶּ֖סֶף כָּ֑סֶף לָקַ֖ח רַב־טַבָּחִֽים׃ |
20 The bronze from the two pillars, the [large water] tank and the twelve statues of oxen that were beneath it, and the water carts, was more/heavier than they could weigh. Those things had been made for the temple during the time that Solomon was the king.
| הָעַמּוּדִ֣ים ׀ שְׁנַ֗יִם הַיָּ֤ם אֶחָד֙ וְהַבָּקָ֞ר שְׁנֵים־עָשָׂ֤ר נְחֹ֙שֶׁת֙ אֲשֶׁר־תַּ֣חַת הַמְּכֹנֹ֔ות אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָׂ֛ה הַמֶּ֥לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה לְבֵ֣ית יְהוָ֑ה לֹא־הָיָ֣ה מִשְׁקָ֔ל לִנְחֻשְׁתָּ֖ם כָּל־הַכֵּלִ֥ים הָאֵֽלֶּה׃ |
21 Each of the pillars was (27 feet/8 meters) tall and (18 feet/5.5 meters) around. They were hollow, and each had sides/walls that were (3 in./8 cm.) thick.
| וְהָעַמּוּדִ֗ים שְׁמֹנֶ֨ה עֶשְׂרֵ֤ה אַמָּה֙ קֹומָה (קֹומַת֙) הָעַמֻּ֣ד הָאֶחָ֔ד וְח֛וּט שְׁתֵּים־עֶשְׂרֵ֥ה אַמָּ֖ה יְסֻבֶּ֑נּוּ וְעָבְיֹ֛ו אַרְבַּ֥ע אַצְבָּעֹ֖ות נָבֽוּב׃ |
22 The bronze head on the top of each pillar was (7-1/2 feet/over 2 meters) high and was decorated all around with a bronze [network of figures that represented] pomegranates.
| וְכֹתֶ֨רֶת עָלָ֜יו נְחֹ֗שֶׁת וְקֹומַ֨ת הַכֹּתֶ֥רֶת הָאַחַת֮ חָמֵ֣שׁ אַמֹּות֒ וּשְׂבָכָ֨ה וְרִמֹּונִ֧ים עַֽל־הַכֹּותֶ֛רֶת סָבִ֖יב הַכֹּ֣ל נְחֹ֑שֶׁת וְכָאֵ֛לֶּה לַֽעַמּ֥וּד הַשֵּׁנִ֖י וְרִמֹּונִֽים׃ |
23 There was a total of 100 figures of pomegranates on the network at the top, 96 of which could be seen from the ground.
| וַיִּֽהְיוּ֙ הָֽרִמֹּנִ֔ים תִּשְׁעִ֥ים וְשִׁשָּׁ֖ה ר֑וּחָה כָּל־הָרִמֹּונִ֥ים מֵאָ֛ה עַל־הַשְּׂבָכָ֖ה סָבִֽיב׃ |
24 When Nebuzaradan [returned to Babylon], he took [with him as prisoners] Seraiah the Supreme Priest, Zephaniah who was Seraiah’s deputy, and the three men who guarded the entrances [to the temple].
| וַיִּקַּ֣ח רַב־טַבָּחִ֗ים אֶת־שְׂרָיָה֙ כֹּהֵ֣ן הָרֹ֔אשׁ וְאֶת־צְפַנְיָ֖ה כֹּהֵ֣ן הַמִּשְׁנֶ֑ה וְאֶת־שְׁלֹ֖שֶׁת שֹׁמְרֵ֥י הַסַּֽף׃ |
25 He found [some other] people who were [hiding] in the city. [So] from them he took a commander of the army [of Judah], seven of the king’s advisors, the army commander’s chief secretary who was in charge of recruiting [soldiers for the army], and 60 [other] soldiers.
| וּמִן־הָעִ֡יר לָקַח֩ סָרִ֨יס אֶחָ֜ד אֲֽשֶׁר־הָיָ֥ה פָקִ֣יד ׀ עַל־אַנְשֵׁ֣י הַמִּלְחָמָ֗ה וְשִׁבְעָ֨ה אֲנָשִׁ֜ים מֵרֹאֵ֤י פְנֵי־הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נִמְצְא֣וּ בָעִ֔יר וְאֵ֗ת סֹפֵר֙ שַׂ֣ר הַצָּבָ֔א הַמַּצְבִּ֖א אֶת־עַ֣ם הָאָ֑רֶץ וְשִׁשִּׁ֥ים אִישׁ֙ מֵעַ֣ם הָאָ֔רֶץ הַֽנִּמְצְאִ֖ים בְּתֹ֥וךְ הָעִֽיר׃ |
26 Nebuzaradan took them all to the king of Babylon, [who was still] at Riblah.
| וַיִּקַּ֣ח אֹותָ֔ם נְבוּזַרְאֲדָ֖ן רַב־טַבָּחִ֑ים וַיֹּ֧לֶךְ אֹותָ֛ם אֶל־מֶ֥לֶךְ בָּבֶ֖ל רִבְלָֽתָה׃ |
27 There at Riblah in the Hamath region, the king of Babylon commanded that they [all] be executed. [Many of the people of] Judah were (forced to leave/exiled from) their own land.
| וַיַּכֶּ֣ה אֹותָם֩ מֶ֨לֶךְ בָּבֶ֧ל וַיְמִתֵ֛ם בְּרִבְלָ֖ה בְּאֶ֣רֶץ חֲמָ֑ת וַיִּ֥גֶל יְהוּדָ֖ה מֵעַ֥ל אַדְמָתֹֽו׃ |
28 The number of people who were captured and sent to Babylon at that time, when Nebuchadnezzar had been ruling for almost seven years, was 3,023.
| זֶ֣ה הָעָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֶגְלָ֖ה נְבֽוּכַדְרֶאצַּ֑ר בִּשְׁנַת־שֶׁ֕בַע יְהוּדִ֕ים שְׁלֹ֥שֶׁת אֲלָפִ֖ים וְעֶשְׂרִ֥ים וּשְׁלֹשָֽׁה׃ |
29 Then, when he had been ruling for almost 18 years, his [soldiers] took 832 [more Israeli people to Babylonia].
| בִּשְׁנַ֛ת שְׁמֹונֶ֥ה עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה לִנְבֽוּכַדְרֶאצַּ֑ר מִיר֣וּשָׁלַ֔͏ִם נֶ֕פֶשׁ שְׁמֹנֶ֥ה מֵאֹ֖ות שְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים וּשְׁנָֽיִם׃ |
30 When he had been ruling almost 23 years, he sent Nebuzaradan [to Jerusalem again], and he brought back 745 [more Israelis to Babylonia]. That was a total of 4,600 Israelis [who were taken to Babylonia].
| בִּשְׁנַ֨ת שָׁלֹ֣שׁ וְעֶשְׂרִים֮ לִנְבֽוּכַדְרֶאצַּר֒ הֶגְלָ֗ה נְבֽוּזַרְאֲדָן֙ רַב־טַבָּחִ֔ים יְהוּדִ֕ים נֶ֕פֶשׁ שְׁבַ֥ע מֵאֹ֖ות אַרְבָּעִ֣ים וַחֲמִשָּׁ֑ה כָּל־נֶ֕פֶשׁ אַרְבַּ֥עַת אֲלָפִ֖ים וְשֵׁ֥שׁ מֵאֹֽות׃ פ |
31 After King Jehoiachin of Judah had been in prison [in Babylon] for almost thirty-seven years, Evil-Merodach became the king of Babylon. He was kind to Jehoiachin and ordered that he be released from prison. That was on March 31 of the year that Evil-Merodach became king.
| וַיְהִי֩ בִשְׁלֹשִׁ֨ים וָשֶׁ֜בַע שָׁנָ֗ה לְגָלוּת֙ יְהֹויָכִ֣ן מֶֽלֶךְ־יְהוּדָ֔ה בִּשְׁנֵי֤ם עָשָׂר֙ חֹ֔דֶשׁ בְּעֶשְׂרִ֥ים וַחֲמִשָּׁ֖ה לַחֹ֑דֶשׁ נָשָׂ֡א אֱוִ֣יל מְרֹדַךְ֩ מֶ֨לֶךְ בָּבֶ֜ל בִּשְׁנַ֣ת מַלְכֻתֹ֗ו אֶת־רֹאשׁ֙ יְהֹויָכִ֣ין מֶֽלֶךְ־יְהוּדָ֔ה וַיֹּצֵ֥א אֹותֹ֖ו מִבֵּ֥ית הַכְּלִיא (הַכְּלֽוּא)׃ |
32 He [always] spoke kindly to Jehoiachin and gave him a position in which he was honored more than [all] the other kings [who had been exiled/taken to Babylon].
| וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר אִתֹּ֖ו טֹבֹ֑ות וַיִּתֵּן֙ אֶת־כִּסְאֹ֔ו מִמַּ֗עַל לְכִסֵּ֧א מְלָכִים (הַמְּלָכִ֛ים) אֲשֶׁ֥ר אִתֹּ֖ו בְּבָבֶֽל׃ |
33 He [supplied new clothes] for Jehoiachin, to replace the clothes that he had been wearing in prison. [He also allowed] Jehoiachin to eat with him every day, all during the rest of his life.
| וְשִׁנָּ֕ה אֵ֖ת בִּגְדֵ֣י כִלְאֹ֑ו וְאָכַ֨ל לֶ֧חֶם לְפָנָ֛יו תָּמִ֖יד כָּל־יְמֵ֥י חַיָּֽו׃ |
34 Every day, the King [of Babylon] gave him some money [to buy the things that he needed. That continued] until the day that Jehoiachin died.
| וַאֲרֻחָתֹ֗ו אֲרֻחַת֩ תָּמִ֨יד נִתְּנָה־לֹּ֜ו מֵאֵ֧ת מֶֽלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֛ל דְּבַר־יֹ֥ום בְּיֹומֹ֖ו עַד־יֹ֣ום מֹותֹ֑ו כֹּ֖ל יְמֵ֥י חַיָּֽיו׃ |
