Jeremiah 39
39
Jerusalem Is Captured by the Babylonians
(Jeremiah 52.4-16; 2 Kings 25.1-12)
1-3In the tenth month#39.1-3 the tenth month: Tebeth, the tenth month of the Hebrew calendar, from about mid-December to mid-January. of the ninth year that Zedekiah#39.1-3 Zedekiah: See the note at 1.3. was king of Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar#39.1-3 Nebuchadnezzar: See the note at 21.2. and the Babylonian army began their attack on Jerusalem. They kept the city surrounded for a year and a half. Then, on the ninth day of the fourth month#39.1-3 fourth month: Tammuz, the fourth month of the Hebrew calendar, from about mid-June to mid-July. of the eleventh year that Zedekiah was king, they broke through the city walls.
After Jerusalem was captured,#39.1-3 After Jerusalem was captured: This phrase is from 38.28. Nebuchadnezzar's highest officials,#39.1-3 highest officials: The Hebrew text gives Nergal Sharezer's title as “the Rabmag,” and Nebo Sarsechim's title as “the Rabsaris,” but the exact meaning of the titles and the duties of these offices are not known. including Nebo Sarsechim#39.1-3 Nebo Sarsechim: Probably another form of the name Nebushazban (see verse 13). and Nergal Sharezer from Simmagir,#39.1-3 Nergal Sharezer from Simmagir: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text. Probably Nebuchadnezzar's son-in-law, who was king of Babylonia 560–556 b.c. It is also possible that the Hebrew text mentions a second official named Nergal Sharezer. took their places at Middle Gate to show they were in control of the city.#39.1-3 took their places … control of the city: The rulers and leaders often sat in the broad open area at the gate of a city to take care of official business and hold trials.
4When King Zedekiah and his troops saw that Jerusalem had been captured, they tried to escape from the city that same night. They went to the king's garden, where they slipped through the gate between the two city walls#39.4 the gate between the two city walls: The construction of the city walls at this point is not known. and headed toward the Jordan River valley. 5But the Babylonian troops caught up with them near Jericho. They arrested Zedekiah and took him to the town of Riblah in the land of Hamath, where Nebuchadnezzar put him on trial, then found him guilty, 6and gave orders for him to be punished. Zedekiah's sons were killed there in front of him, and so were the leaders of Judah's ruling families. 7Then his eyes were poked out, and he was put in chains, so he could be dragged off to Babylonia.
8Meanwhile, the Babylonian army had burned the houses in Jerusalem, including#39.8 the houses in Jerusalem, including: Or “the temple and.” the royal palace, and they had broken down the city walls. 9Nebuzaradan, the Babylonian officer in charge of the guards, led away everyone from the city as prisoners, even those who had deserted to Nebuchadnezzar. 10Only the poorest people who owned no land were left behind in Judah, and Nebuzaradan gave them fields and vineyards.
11Nebuchadnezzar had given the following orders to Nebuzaradan: 12“Find Jeremiah and keep him safe. Take good care of him and do whatever he asks.”
13Nebuzaradan, Nebushazban, Nergal Sharezer, and the other officers of King Nebuchadnezzar 14sent some of their troops to bring me from the courtyard of the royal palace guards. They put me in the care of Gedaliah son of Ahikam#39.14 son of Ahikam: Hebrew “son of Ahikam and grandson of Shaphan.” and told him to take me to my home. And so I was allowed to stay with the people who remained in Judah.
The Lord Promises To Protect Ebedmelech
15While I was a prisoner in the courtyard of the palace guard, the Lord told me to say 16to Ebedmelech from Ethiopia:#39.16 Ethiopia: See the note at 38.7,8.
I am the Lord All-Powerful, the God of Israel. I warned everyone that I would bring disaster, not prosperity, to this city. Now very soon I will do what I said, and you will see it happen. 17-18But because you trusted me,#39.17,18 you trusted me: See 38.7-13, where Ebedmelech helped Jeremiah. I will protect you from the officials of Judah, and when Judah is struck by disaster, I will rescue you and keep you alive. I, the Lord, have spoken.
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Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)
© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.
Jeremiah 39
39
Jerusalem Captured
1Now regarding the capture of Jerusalem: In the ninth year of [the reign of] Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army came against Jerusalem and besieged it; [Jer 52:4-27] 2and in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, on the ninth day of the month, they breached the wall and broke into the city. 3Then all the officials of the king of Babylon came in and sat in the Middle Gate [establishing both military control of the city and their authority to judge the captives]: Nergal-sar-ezer, Samgar-nebu, Sar-sekim the Rab-saris (chief of the eunuchs), and #39:3 Nergal-sar-ezer the Rab-mag, the son-in-law of Nebuchadnezzar, ascended to the Babylonian throne in 560 b.c. after causing the death of Nebuchadnezzar’s son, Evil-merodach. Nergal-sar-ezer then ruled the Babylonian Empire until 556 b.c.Nergal-sar-ezer the Rab-mag (chief of the magicians), with all the rest of the officials of the king of Babylon. 4When Zedekiah the king of Judah and all the men of war saw them, they fled and escaped from the city at night by way of the king’s garden, through the gate between the two walls; and the king went out toward the Arabah (Jordan Valley). 5But the Chaldean (Babylonian) army pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho. When they had seized him, they brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon at Riblah in the [Aramean] land of Hamath, where he passed sentence on him. 6Then at Riblah the king of Babylon killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes; the king of Babylon also killed all the nobles of Judah. 7Moreover, he blinded Zedekiah and bound him with bronze shackles to take him to Babylon. [Ezek 12:13] 8The Chaldeans also burned down the king’s palace and the houses of the people, and they broke down the walls of Jerusalem. 9Then Nebuzaradan the [chief executioner and] captain of the bodyguard took the rest of the people who remained in the city, along with those who had deserted and surrendered to him, and the rest of the [so-called better class of] people who were left and carried them into exile in Babylon. 10But Nebuzaradan the [Babylonian] captain of the bodyguard left behind in the land of Judah some of the poor people who had nothing, and gave them vineyards and fields at that time.
Jeremiah Spared
11Now Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon gave orders concerning Jeremiah through Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard, saying, 12“Take him and look after him; do nothing to harm him, but rather deal with him just as he asks of you.” 13So Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard sent word, along with Nebushazban the Rab-saris (chief of the high officials), and Nergal-sar-ezer the Rab-mag (chief of the magicians), and all the leading officers of the king of Babylon; 14they even sent and took Jeremiah out of the court of the guardhouse and entrusted him to Gedaliah [a prominent citizen], the son of Ahikam [who had once saved Jeremiah’s life], the son of Shaphan, to take him home [with him to Mizpah]. So Jeremiah [was released and] lived among the people. [Jer 26:24]
15Now the word of the Lord had come to Jeremiah while he was [still] confined in the court of the guardhouse, saying, 16“Go and speak to Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, “Behold, I am about to bring My words [of judgment] against this city through disaster and not for good; and they will take place before you on that day. 17But I will #39:17 Lit deliver.protect you [Ebed-melech] on that day,” says the Lord, “and you will not be handed over to the men of whom you are afraid. [Jer 38:7-13] 18For I will certainly rescue you; and you will not fall by the sword, but you will have your [own] life as a reward of battle, because you have placed your trust in Me,” says the Lord.’ ”
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