1 The Walls of Jerusalem Torn Down 39:1Ch38:28b in Heb Now when Jerusalem was captured 39:1Ch39:1in Heb in the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his military force came to Jerusalem and laid siege to it;
2 in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, in the ninthdayof the month, the city was breached.
3 Then all the officials of the king of Babylon came in and sat down at the Middle Gate: Nergal-sar-ezer, Samgar-nebu, Sar-sekim the 39:3Lit chief official Rab-saris, Nergal-sar-ezerthe 39:3Title of a high official Rab-mag, and all the rest of the officials of the king of Babylon.
4 Now it happened that when Zedekiah the king of Judah and all the men of war saw them, they fled and went out of the city at night by way of the king’s garden through the gate between the two walls; and he went out toward the 39:4Jordan valley Arabah.
5 But the military force of the Chaldeans pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in the 39:5Same Heb root as Arabah in39:4 plains of Jericho; and they took him and brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath, and he spoke judgment on him.
6 Then the king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes at Riblah; the king of Babylon also slaughtered all the nobles of Judah.
7 He then blinded Zedekiah’s eyes and bound him in fetters of bronze to bring him to Babylon.
8 The Chaldeans also burned with fire the house of the king and the houses of the people, and they tore down the walls of Jerusalem.
9 And as for the rest of the people who remained in the city, the 39:9Lit fallers who had fallen defectors who had gone over to him and the rest of the people who remained, Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard tookthemaway into exile in Babylon.
10 But some of the poorest people who had nothing, Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard hadthemremain in the land of Judah and gave them vineyards and fields 39:10Lit on that day at that time.Jeremiah Delivered
11 Now Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon gave a command about Jeremiah through Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard, saying,
12 “Take him and set your eyesto lookafter him and do nothing harmful to him, but rather deal with him just as he speaks to you.”
13 So Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard sentword, along with Nebushazban the 39:13Lit chief official Rab-saris and Nergal-sar-ezer the 39:13Title of a high official Rab-mag and all the leading officers of the king of Babylon;
14 they even sent and took Jeremiah out of the court of the guard and gave him over to Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, to take him home. So he stayed among the people.
15 Now the word of Yahweh had come to Jeremiah while he was confined in the court of the guard, saying,
16 “Go and speak to Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, saying, ‘Thus says Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, “Behold, I am about to bring My words on this city for 39:16Lit evil calamity and not for 39:16Lit good prosperity; and they will take place before you on that day.
17 But I will deliver you on that day,” declares Yahweh, “and you will not be given into the hand of the men of whom you are terrified.
18 For I will certainly provide you escape, and you will not fall by the sword; but you will have yourownlife as spoil because you have trusted in Me,” declares Yahweh.’ ”