Jeremiah 39
The Walls of Jerusalem Torn Down
391Now when Jerusalem was captured 2,ain the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his military force came to Jerusalem and laid siege to it; 2in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, in the ninth day of the month, the city was abreached. 3Then all the aofficials of the king of Babylon came in and sat down at the bMiddle Gate: Nergal-sar-ezer, Samgar-nebu, Sar-sekim the 1Rab-saris, Nergal-sar-ezer the 2Rab-mag, and all the rest of the officials of the king of Babylon. 4Now it happened that when Zedekiah the king of Judah and all the men of war saw them, they afled and went out of the city at night by way of the king’s garden through the gate bbetween the two walls; and he went out toward the 1Arabah. 5But the military force of the aChaldeans pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in the 1,bplains of Jericho; and they took him and brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon at cRiblah in the land of Hamath, and he spoke judgment on him. 6Then the aking of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah bbefore his eyes at Riblah; the king of Babylon also slaughtered all the cnobles of Judah. 7He then ablinded Zedekiah’s eyes and bound him in bfetters of bronze to bring him to cBabylon. 8The Chaldeans also aburned with fire the house of the king and the houses of the people, and they btore down the walls of Jerusalem. 9And as for the rest of the people who remained in the city, the 1,adefectors who had gone over to him and bthe rest of the people who remained, cNebuzaradan the dcaptain of the bodyguard took them away into exile in Babylon. 10But some of the apoorest people who had nothing, bNebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard had them remain in the land of Judah and gave them vineyards and fields 1at that time.
Jeremiah Delivered
11Now Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon gave a command about aJeremiah through Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard, saying, 12“Take him and set your eyes to look after him and ado nothing harmful to him, but rather deal with him just as he speaks to you.” 13So Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard sent word, along with Nebushazban the 1Rab-saris and Nergal-sar-ezer the 2Rab-mag and all the leading officers of the king of Babylon; 14they even sent and atook Jeremiah out of the court of the guard and gave him over to bGedaliah, the son of cAhikam, the son of Shaphan, to take him home. So he stayed among the people.
15Now the word of Yahweh had come to Jeremiah while he was aconfined in the court of the guard, saying, 16“Go and speak to aEbed-melech the Ethiopian, saying, ‘Thus says Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, “Behold, I am about to bring My words on this city bfor 1calamity and not for 2prosperity; and they will ctake place before you on that day. 17“But I will adeliver you on that day,” declares Yahweh, “and you will not be given into the hand of the men of whom you are terrified. 18“For I will certainly provide you escape, and you will not fall by the sword; but you will have your own alife as spoil because you have btrusted in Me,” declares Yahweh.’”