Jeremiah 39
39
The Fall of Jerusalem
1In January#39:1a Hebrew In the tenth month, of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar. A number of events in Jeremiah can be cross-checked with dates in surviving Babylonian records and related accurately to our modern calendar. This event occurred on January 15, 588 b.c.; see 52:4a and the note there. of the ninth year of King Zedekiah’s reign, King Nebuchadnezzar#39:1b Hebrew Nebuchadrezzar, a variant spelling of Nebuchadnezzar; also in 39:5, 11. of Babylon came with his entire army to besiege Jerusalem. 2Two and a half years later, on July 18#39:2 Hebrew On the ninth day of the fourth month. This day was July 18, 586 b.c.; also see note on 39:1a. in the eleventh year of Zedekiah’s reign, a section of the city wall was broken down. 3All the officers of the Babylonian army came in and sat in triumph at the Middle Gate: Nergal-sharezer of Samgar, and Nebo-sarsekim,#39:3 Or Nergal-sharezer, Samgar-nebo, Sarsekim. a chief officer, and Nergal-sharezer, the king’s adviser, and all the other officers of the king of Babylon.
4When King Zedekiah of Judah and all the soldiers saw that the Babylonians had broken into the city, they fled. They waited for nightfall and then slipped through the gate between the two walls behind the king’s garden and headed toward the Jordan Valley.#39:4 Hebrew the Arabah.
5But the Babylonian#39:5 Or Chaldean; similarly in 39:8. troops chased them and overtook Zedekiah on the plains of Jericho. They captured him and took him to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, who was at Riblah in the land of Hamath. There the king of Babylon pronounced judgment upon Zedekiah. 6The king of Babylon made Zedekiah watch as he slaughtered his sons at Riblah. The king of Babylon also slaughtered all the nobles of Judah. 7Then he gouged out Zedekiah’s eyes and bound him in bronze chains to lead him away to Babylon.
8Meanwhile, the Babylonians burned Jerusalem, including the royal palace and the houses of the people, and they tore down the walls of the city. 9Then Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, took as exiles to Babylon the rest of the people who remained in the city, those who had defected to him, and everyone else who remained. 10But Nebuzaradan allowed some of the poorest people to stay behind in the land of Judah, and he assigned them to care for the vineyards and fields.
Jeremiah Remains in Judah
11King Nebuchadnezzar had told Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, to find Jeremiah. 12“See that he isn’t hurt,” he said. “Look after him well, and give him anything he wants.” 13So Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard; Nebushazban, a chief officer; Nergal-sharezer, the king’s adviser; and the other officers of Babylon’s king 14sent messengers to bring Jeremiah out of the prison. They put him under the care of Gedaliah son of Ahikam and grandson of Shaphan, who took him back to his home. So Jeremiah stayed in Judah among his own people.
15The Lord had given the following message to Jeremiah while he was still in prison: 16“Say to Ebed-melech the Ethiopian,#39:16 Hebrew the Cushite. ‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: I will do to this city everything I have threatened. I will send disaster, not prosperity. You will see its destruction, 17but I will rescue you from those you fear so much. 18Because you trusted me, I will give you your life as a reward. I will rescue you and keep you safe. I, the Lord, have spoken!’”
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Jeremiah 39: NLT
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Jeremiah 39
39
Jerusalem Is Captured
(2 Kings 25:1–12; 2 Chronicles 36:19–21; Jeremiah 52:4–16)
1In the tenth month of Zedekiah’s ninth year as king of Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon attacked Jerusalem with his entire army and blockaded it. 2On the ninth day of the fourth month of Zedekiah’s eleventh year as king, they broke into the city.
3Then all the officers of the king of Babylon came in and sat in Middle Gate: Nergal (the quartermaster), Samgar Nebo (the chief officer), Nergal (the quartermaster and the chief fortuneteller), and all the rest of the officers of the king of Babylon.
4When King Zedekiah 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 took the road to the plain ⌞of Jericho⌟. 5The Babylonian army pursued them and caught up with Zedekiah in the plain of Jericho. They arrested him and brought him to Babylon’s King Nebuchadnezzar at Riblah in the territory of Hamath. The king of Babylon passed sentence on him. 6The king of Babylon slaughtered Zedekiah’s sons as Zedekiah watched at Riblah. He also slaughtered all the leaders of Judah. 7Then he blinded Zedekiah, put him in bronze shackles, and took him to Babylon.
8The Babylonians burned down the royal palace and the people’s homes, and they tore down the walls of Jerusalem. 9Nebuzaradan, Babylon’s captain of the guard, captured the few people left in the city, those who surrendered to him, and the rest of the people. 10But Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, left some poor people who had nothing in the land of Judah. At that time he gave them vineyards and farms.
11King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon gave Nebuzaradan an order concerning Jeremiah. He said, 12“Take him, and look after him. Don’t harm him in any way, but do for him whatever he asks.” 13Nebuzaradan (the captain of the guard), Nebushazban (the chief official), Nergal (the quartermaster and the chief fortuneteller), and all the other leaders of the king of Babylon sent for Jeremiah. 14They took Jeremiah out of the courtyard of the prison and handed him over to Gedaliah, son of Ahikam and grandson of Shaphan, to take him home. So he lived among the people.
15While Jeremiah was still confined in the courtyard of the prison, the Lord spoke his word to him. The Lord said, 16“Say to Ebed Melech from Sudan, ‘This is what the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says: I’m going to carry out my threat against this city by bringing disaster on it instead of prosperity. At that time these things will happen as you watch. 17But at that time I will rescue you, declares the Lord. You will not be handed over to those you fear. 18I will certainly rescue you. You will not die in war. You will escape with your life because you trusted me, declares the Lord.’ ”
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