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
The Fall of Jerusalem
1 # For ver. 1-10, see ch. 52:4-16; 2 Kgs. 25:1-12 In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army came against Jerusalem and besieged it. 2In the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, on the ninth day of the month, a breach was made in the city. 3Then all #ch. 38:17, 18, 22 the officials of the king of Babylon came #[ch. 1:15] and sat in the middle gate: Nergal-sar-ezer of Samgar, Nebu-sar-sekim #ver. 13; 2 Kgs. 18:17the Rab-saris, Nergal-sar-ezer the Rab-mag, with all the rest of the officers of the king of Babylon. 4When Zedekiah king of Judah and all the soldiers saw them, they fled, going out of the city at night by way of the king’s garden through the gate between the two walls; and they went toward #See Deut. 1:1the Arabah. 5But the army of the Chaldeans pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in #Josh. 5:10 the plains of Jericho. And when they had taken him, they brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, at #See 2 Kgs. 23:33 Riblah, in the land of Hamath; #[Ezek. 17:15]and he passed sentence on him. 6The king of Babylon #ch. 52:10 slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah at #[See ver. 5 above]Riblah before his eyes, and the king of Babylon #ch. 52:10 slaughtered all the nobles of Judah. 7#[ch. 32:4; Ezek. 12:13]He put out the eyes of Zedekiah and bound him in chains to take him to Babylon. 8#See ch. 21:10 The Chaldeans burned the king’s house and the house of the people, #Neh. 1:3; [Ps. 80:12; Isa. 5:5]and broke down the walls of Jerusalem. 9Then #ch. 40:1; 52:12; 2 Kgs. 25:8 Nebuzaradan, the #Gen. 37:36 captain of the guard, carried into exile to Babylon the rest of the people who were left in the city, #See ch. 37:13those who had deserted to him, and the people who remained. 10Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, #ch. 40:7; 2 Kgs. 25:12left in the land of Judah some of the poor people who owned nothing, and gave them vineyards and fields at the same time.
The Lord Delivers Jeremiah
11Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon gave command concerning Jeremiah through Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, saying, 12#ch. 40:4“Take him, look after him well, and do him no harm, but deal with him as he tells you.” 13So #[ver. 3]Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, Nebushazban the Rab-saris, Nergal-sar-ezer the Rab-mag, #[ver. 3]and all the chief officers of the king of Babylon 14sent and took Jeremiah from #ch. 38:28; See ch. 32:2 the court of the guard. They entrusted him to #ch. 43:6; See ch. 40:5-9, 11-16; 41:1-4, 6; 2 Kgs. 25:22-25 Gedaliah the son of #2 Kgs. 22:12 Ahikam, son of #2 Kgs. 22:3 Shaphan, that he should take him home. So #ch. 37:12he lived among the people.
15The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah #ch. 36:5; 38:13while he was shut up in the court of the guard: 16“Go, and say to #See ch. 38:7 Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: #Dan. 9:12 Behold, I will fulfill my words against this city for harm and #ch. 21:10; [ch. 14:11]not for good, and they shall be accomplished before you on that day. 17But I will deliver you on that day, declares the Lord, and you shall not be given into the hand of the men #ch. 22:25of whom you are afraid. 18For I will surely save you, and you shall not fall by the sword, but you shall have your #ch. 21:9; 45:5 life as a prize of war, #Ps. 25:2; 37:40because you have put your trust in me, declares the Lord.’”
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