Jeremiah 39
1 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.
And it came to pass when Jerusalem was taken, in the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon and all his army came against Jerusalem, and besieged it.
2 In the eleventh year and fourth month of Zedekiah, on the ninth day of the month, the city was broken into.
In the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, the ninth day of the month, a breach was made in the city.
3 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.
And all the princes of the king of Babylon came in, and sat in the middle gate, to wit, Nergal-sharezer, Samgar-nebo, Sarsechim, Rab-saris, Nergal-sharezer, Rab-mag, with all the rest of the princes of the king of Babylon.
4 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.
And it came to pass 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.
5 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.
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 Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon to Riblah in the land of Hamath, and he gave judgment upon him.
6 The king of Babylon slaughtered Zedekiah's sons before his own eyes at Riblah. He also slaughtered all the noblemen of Judah.
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.
7 Then he put out Zedekiah's eyes and bound him in bronze chains in order to take him to Babylon.
Moreover he put out Zedekiah's eyes, and bound him in fetters to carry him to Babylon.
8 Then the Chaldeans burned the king's house and the people's houses. They also tore down the walls of Jerusalem.
And the Chaldeans burned the king's house, and the houses of the people, with fire, and broke down the walls of Jerusalem.
9 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.
Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive into Babylon the residue of the people that remained in the city, the deserters also that fell away to him, and the residue of the people that remained.
10 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.
But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left of the poor of the people, that had nothing, in the land of Judah, and gave them vineyards and fields at the same time.
11 Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had given an order about Jeremiah to Nebuzaradan the commander of the king's bodyguards. He had said,
Now Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon gave charge concerning Jeremiah to Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, saying,
12 “Take him and care for him. Do not harm him. Do for him anything he tells you.”
Take him, and look well to him, and do him no harm, but do to him even as he shall say to thee.
13 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.
So Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard sent, and Nebushazban, Rab-saris, and Nergal-sharezer, Rab-mag, and all the chief officers of the king of Babylon.
14 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.
And 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 dwelt among the people.
15 Now the word of Yahweh came to Jeremiah while he was under arrest in the courtyard of the guard, saying,
Now the word of Jehovah came to Jeremiah while he was shut up in the court of the guard, saying,
16 “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.
Go, and speak to Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, saying, Thus says Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will bring my words upon this city for evil, and not for good, and they shall be accomplished before thee in that day.
17 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.
But I will deliver thee in that day, says Jehovah, and thou shall not be given into the hand of the men of whom thou are afraid.
18 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.'”
For I will surely save thee, and thou shall not fall by the sword, but thy life shall be for a prey to thee, because thou have put thy trust in me, says Jehovah.
