Jeremiah 39
39
The Capture of Jerusalem. When Jerusalem was taken, 1in the ninth year of Zedekiah,#Jer 52:4–16; 2 Kgs 25:1–12; Ez 24:1. king of Judah, in the tenth month,#In the ninth year…in the tenth month: the month Tebet (mid-December to mid-January) of the year 589/588 B.C., according to the Babylonian calendar, whose New Year began in March/April. Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, and all his army marched against Jerusalem and placed it under siege. 2In the eleventh year of Zedekiah, on the ninth day of the fourth month,#In the eleventh year…the ninth day of the fourth month: in July, 587 B.C. the city wall was breached. 3All the princes of the king of Babylon came and took their seats at the middle gate: Nergal-sharezer of Simmagir, a chief officer; Nebushazban, a high dignitary; and all the rest of the princes of the king of Babylon.#The Babylonian officers act as a military tribunal or government, headed by Nergal-sharezer, Nebuchadnezzar’s son and successor. 4When Zedekiah, king of Judah, and all his warriors saw this, they fled, leaving the city at night by way of the king’s garden,#By way of the king’s garden: along the southeast side of the city; the royal garden was in the Kidron Valley. A gate between the two walls: the southernmost city gate, at the end of the Tyropoeon Valley. The Arabah: the southern Jordan Valley. Zedekiah was perhaps trying to escape across the Jordan when he was captured near Jericho. through a gate between the two walls. He went in the direction of the Arabah,#Jer 52:7. 5but the Chaldean army pursued them; they caught up with Zedekiah in the wilderness near Jericho and took him prisoner. They brought him to Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, in Riblah,#Riblah: Nebuchadnezzar’s headquarters north of Damascus; Pharaoh Neco had once used the town as a military post (2 Kgs 23:33). in the land of Hamath, and he pronounced sentence upon him.#Jer 32:4–5; 38:18. 6The king of Babylon executed the sons of Zedekiah at Riblah before his very eyes; the king of Babylon also executed all the nobles of Judah.#Jer 34:21. 7He then blinded Zedekiah and bound him in chains to bring him to Babylon.#Jer 32:4–5; Ez 12:13.
8The Chaldeans set fire to the king’s house and the houses of the people and tore down the walls of Jerusalem.#Jer 21:10; 34:2; 52:13. 9Nebuzaradan, captain of the bodyguard, deported to Babylon the rest of the people left in the city, those who had deserted to him, and the rest of the workers.#2 Kgs 25:11. 10But Nebuzaradan, captain of the bodyguard, left in the land of Judah some of the poor who had nothing and at the same time gave them vineyards and farms.#2 Kgs 25:12, 22.
Jeremiah Released to Gedaliah’s Custody. 11Concerning Jeremiah, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, gave these orders through Nebuzaradan, captain of the bodyguard: 12“Take him and look after him; do not let anything happen to him. Whatever he may ask, you must do for him.”#Jer 40:4. 13Thereupon Nebuzaradan, captain of the bodyguard, and Nebushazban, a high dignitary, and Nergal-sharezer, a chief officer, and all the nobles of the king of Babylon, 14had Jeremiah taken out of the courtyard of the guard and entrusted to Gedaliah, son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, to bring him home. And so he remained among the people.#Jer 26:24; 38:28.
A Word of Comfort for Ebed-melech. 15While Jeremiah was still imprisoned in the court of the guard, the word of the Lord came to him: 16Go, tell this to Ebed-melech the Ethiopian: Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: See, I am now carrying out my words against this city, for evil and not for good; this will happen in your presence on that day.#Jer 21:10; Dn 9:12. 17But on that day I will deliver you—oracle of the Lord; you shall not be handed over to the men you dread. 18I will make certain that you escape and do not fall by the sword. Your life will be your spoils of war because you trusted in me—oracle of the Lord.#Jer 45:5; Ps 25:3; 37:40.
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Jeremiah 39: NABRE
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Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc
Jeremiah 39
39
The Fall of Jerusalem
1This is how Jerusalem was captured: Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his whole army. He surrounded the city to attack it. This was during the tenth month of the ninth year Zedekiah was king of Judah. 2This lasted until the ninth day of the fourth month in Zedekiah’s eleventh year. Then the city wall was broken through. 3And all the officers of the king of Babylon came into Jerusalem. They sat down at the Middle Gate. They were Nergal-Sharezer of the district of Samgar; Nebo-Sarsekim, a chief officer; Nergal-Sharezer, an important leader; and all the other important officers.
4When Zedekiah king of Judah and all his soldiers saw them, they ran away. They left Jerusalem at night and went out from the king’s garden. They went through the gate that was between the two walls. Then they headed toward the Jordan Valley. 5But the Babylonian army chased them. They caught up with Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho. They captured him and took him to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar was at Riblah in the land of Hamath. There Nebuchadnezzar passed his sentence on Zedekiah. 6There at Riblah the king of Babylon killed Zedekiah’s sons as he watched. And Nebuchadnezzar killed all the important officers of Judah as Zedekiah watched. 7Then he put out Zedekiah’s eyes. He put bronze chains on Zedekiah and took him to Babylon.
8The Babylonians set fire to the palace. And they set fire to the houses of the people of Jerusalem. And they broke down the walls around Jerusalem. 9Nebuzaradan was commander of the king’s special guards. He took the people left in Jerusalem as captives. He also took those captives who had surrendered to him earlier. And he took the rest of the people of Jerusalem. He carried them all away to Babylon. 10But Nebuzaradan, commander of the guard, left some of the poor people of Judah behind. They were the people who owned nothing. So on that day he gave them vineyards and fields.
11Nebuchadnezzar had given these orders about Jeremiah through Nebuzaradan, commander of the guard: 12“Find Jeremiah and take care of him. Do not hurt him. Give him whatever he asks for.” 13So these men sent for Jeremiah: Nebuzaradan, commander of the guards; Nebushazban, a chief officer; Nergal-Sharezer, an important leader; and all the other officers of the king of Babylon. 14They had Jeremiah taken out of the courtyard of the guard. They turned him over to Gedaliah son of Ahikam son of Shaphan. Gedaliah had orders to take Jeremiah back home. So they took him home, and he stayed among his own people.
15While Jeremiah was guarded in the courtyard, the Lord spoke his word to him: 16“Jeremiah, go and tell Ebed-Melech the Cushite this message: ‘This is what the Lord of heaven’s armies, the God of Israel, says: Very soon I will make my words about Jerusalem come true. They will come true through disaster, not through good times. You will see everything come true with your own eyes. 17But I will save you on that day, Ebed-Melech, says the Lord. You will not be handed over to the people you fear. 18I will surely save you, Ebed-Melech. You will not die from a sword. But you will escape and live. This will happen because you have trusted in me, says the Lord.’”
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