Chapter 39

In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, came¹ Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon and all his army against Jerusalem, and they besieged⁴ it.

[And] in the eleventh ⁶²⁴⁰ year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, the ninth [day] of the month, the city was broken up.⁹⁰

And all the princes of the king of Babylon came in,⁴ and sat⁴ in the middle gate, [even] Nergalsharezer, Samgarnebo, Sarsechim, Rabsaris, Nergalsharezer, Rabmag, with all the residue of the princes of the king of Babylon.

And it came to pass, [that] when Zedekiah the king of Judah saw¹ them, and all the men of war, then they fled,⁴ and went forth⁴ out of the city by night, by the way of the king's garden, by the gate betwixt the two walls: and he went out⁴ the way of the plain.

But the Chaldeans' army pursued⁴ after them, and overtook⁵⁵ Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho: and when they had taken⁴ him, they brought him up⁵⁵ to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he gave¹⁷ judgment upon him.

Then the king of Babylon slew⁴ the sons of Zedekiah in Riblah before his eyes: also the king of Babylon slew¹ all the nobles of Judah.

Moreover he put out¹⁴ Zedekiah's eyes, and bound⁴ him with chains, to carry⁵³ him to Babylon.

And the Chaldeans burned¹ the king's house, and the houses of the people, with fire, and brake down¹ the walls of Jerusalem.

Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive⁵² into Babylon the remnant of the people that remained¹² in the city, and those that fell away,⁶ that fell¹ to him, with the rest of the people that remained.¹²

But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left⁵² of the poor of the people, which had nothing, ³⁹⁷² in the land of Judah, and gave⁴ them vineyards and fields at the same time.

Now Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon gave charge¹⁷ concerning Jeremiah to Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, saying,²

Take³ him, and look well ^{7760 3} to him, and do⁴ him no harm; ⁷⁴⁵¹ but do³ unto him even as he shall say¹⁷ unto thee.

So Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard sent,⁴ and Nebushasban, Rabsaris, and Nergalsharezer, Rabmag, and all the king of Babylon's princes;

Even they sent,⁴ and took⁴ Jeremiah out of the court of the prison, and committed⁴ him unto Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan, that he should carry⁵³ him home: so he dwelt⁴ among the people.

Now the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah, while he was shut up⁷ in the court of the prison, saying,²

Go² and speak¹ to Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, saying,² Thus saith¹ the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring⁵⁶ my words upon this city for evil, and not for good; and they shall be [accomplished] in that day before thee.

But I will deliver⁵² thee in that day, saith⁷ the LORD: and thou shalt not be given¹¹ into the hand of the men of whom thou [art] afraid.⁵

For I will surely¹⁵ deliver¹⁷ thee, and thou shalt not fall⁴ by the sword, but thy life shall be for a prey unto thee: because thou hast put thy trust¹ in me, saith⁷ the LORD.