Dual Panel1Now when<3512> Jerusalem<3389> was captured<3920> in the ninth<8671> year<8141> of Zedekiah<6667> king<4428> of Judah<3063>, in the tenth<6224> month<2320>, Nebuchadnezzar<5019> king<4428> of Babylon<894> and all<3605> his army<2428> came<935> to Jerusalem<3389> and laid<6696> siege<6696> to it;
2in the eleventh<6249><6240> year<8141> of Zedekiah<6667>, in the fourth<7243> month<2320>, in the ninth<8672> day of the month<2320>, the city<5892> wall was breached<1234>.
3Then all<3605> the officials<8269> of the king<4428> of Babylon<894> came<935> in and sat<3427> down<3427> at the Middle<8432> Gate<8179>: Nergal-sar-ezer<5371>, Samgar-nebu<5562>, Sar-sekim<8310> the Rab-saris<7249>, Nergal-sar-ezer<5371> the Rab-mag<7248>, and all<3605> the rest<7611> of the officials<8269> of the king<4428> of Babylon<894>.
4When<3512> Zedekiah<6667> the king<4428> of Judah<3063> and all<3605> the men<376> of war<4421> saw<7200> them, they fled<1272> and went<3318> out of the city<5892> at night<3915> by way<1870> of the king's<4428> garden<1588> through the gate<8179> between<996> the two walls<2346>; and he went<3318> out toward<1870> the Arabah<6160>.
5But the army<2428> of the Chaldeans<3778> pursued<7291> them and overtook<5381> Zedekiah<6667> in the plains<6160> of Jericho<3405>; and they seized<3947> him and brought<5927> him up to Nebuchadnezzar<5019> king<4428> of Babylon<894> at Riblah<7247> in the land<776> of Hamath<2574>, and he passed<1696> sentence<1696> on him.
6Then the king<4428> of Babylon<894> slew<7819> the sons<1121> of Zedekiah<6667> before his eyes<5869> at Riblah<7247>; the king<4428> of Babylon<894> also slew<7819> all<3605> the nobles<2715> of Judah<3063>.
7He then blinded<5786> Zedekiah's<6667> eyes<5869> and bound<631> him in fetters<5178> of bronze<5178> to bring<935> him to Babylon<894>.
8The Chaldeans<3778> also burned<8313> with fire<784> the king's<4428> palace<1004> and the houses<1004> of the people<5971>, and they broke<5422> down<5422> the walls<2346> of Jerusalem<3389>.
9As for the rest<3499> of the people<5971> who were left<7604> in the city<5892>, the deserters<5307> who<834> had gone<5307> over<5307> to him and the rest<3499> of the people<5971> who remained<7604>, Nebuzaradan<5018> the captain<7227> of the bodyguard<2876> carried<1540> them into exile<1540> in Babylon<894>.
10But some<4480> of the poorest<1800> people<5971> who<834> had<369> nothing<369><3972>, Nebuzaradan<5018> the captain<7227> of the bodyguard<2876> left<7604> behind<7604> in the land<776> of Judah<3063>, and gave<5414> them vineyards<3754> and fields<3010> at that time<3117>.
11Now Nebuchadnezzar<5019> king<4428> of Babylon<894> gave<6680> orders<6680> about<5921> Jeremiah<3414> through<3027> Nebuzaradan<5018> the captain<7227> of the bodyguard<2876>, saying<559>,
12"Take<3947> him and look<5869><7760> after<5921> him, and do<6213> nothing<408><3972> harmful<7451> to him, but rather<3588><518> deal<6213> with him just<3512> as he tells<1696> you."
13So Nebuzaradan<5018> the captain<7227> of the bodyguard<2876> sent<7971> word, along with Nebushazban<5021> the Rab-saris<7249>, and Nergal-sar-ezer<5371> the Rab-mag<7248>, and all<3605> the leading<7227> officers<7227> of the king<4428> of Babylon<894>;
14they even sent<7971> and took<3947> Jeremiah<3414> out of the court<2691> of the guardhouse<4307> and entrusted<5414> him to Gedaliah<1436>, the son<1121> of Ahikam<296>, the son<1121> of Shaphan<8227>, to take<3318> him home<1004>. So he stayed<3427> among<8432> the people<5971>.
15Now the word<1697> of the LORD<3068> had come<1961> to Jeremiah<3414> while he was confined<6113> in the court<2691> of the guardhouse<4307>, saying<559>,
16"Go<1980> and speak<559> to Ebed-melech<5663> the Ethiopian<3569>, saying<559>, 'Thus<3541> says<559> the LORD<3068> of hosts<6635>, the God<430> of Israel<3478>, "Behold<2009>, I am about to bring<935> My words<1697> on this<384> city<5892> for disaster<7463> and not for prosperity<2899>; and they will take<1961> place<1961> before<6440> you on that day<3117>.
17"But I will deliver<5337> you on that day<3117>," declares<5002> the LORD<3068>, "and you will not be given<5414> into the hand<3027> of the men<376> whom<834> you dread<3016>.
18"For I will certainly<4422> rescue<4422> you, and you will not fall<5307> by the sword<2719>; but you will have<1961> your own life<5315> as booty<7998>, because<3588> you have trusted<982> in Me," declares<5002> the LORD<3068>.'"