Dual Panel1King <04428> Nebuchadnezzar <05019> of Babylon <0894> came <0935> against <0413> Jerusalem <03389> with his whole <03605> army <02428> and laid siege <06696> to <05921> it. The siege began in the tenth <06224> month <02320> of the ninth <08671> year <08141> that Zedekiah <06667> ruled over <04428> Judah <03063>.
2It lasted until the ninth <08672> day of the fourth <07243> month <02320> <02320> of Zedekiah’s <06667> eleventh <06240> <06249> year <08141>. On that day they broke <01234> through the city <05892> walls.
3Then Nergal-Sharezer <05371> of Samgar, Nebo-Sarsekim <08310> <05562>, who was a chief officer <07249>, Nergal-Sharezer <05371>, who was a high official <07248>, and all <03605> the other <07611> officers <08269> of the king <04428> of Babylon <0894> <0894> came <0935> and set up quarters <03427> in the Middle <08432> Gate <08179>.
4When King <04428> Zedekiah <06667> of Judah <03063> and all <03605> his soldiers <04421> <0582> saw <07200> them, they tried to escape <01272>. They departed <03318> from <04480> the city <05892> during the night <03915>. They took a path <01870> through the king’s <04428> garden <01588> and passed out through the gate <08179> between <0996> the two walls <02346>. Then they headed <03318> for <01870> the Jordan Valley <06160>.
5But the Babylonian <03778> army <02428> chased <07291> after <0310> them. They caught up <05381> with Zedekiah <06667> in the plains <06160> of Jericho <03405> and captured <03947> him. They took <05927> him to <0413> King <04428> Nebuchadnezzar <05019> of Babylon <0894> at Riblah <07247> in the territory <0776> of Hamath <02574> and Nebuchadnezzar passed <01696> sentence <04941> on him there.
6There at Riblah <07247> the king <04428> of Babylon <0894> had Zedekiah’s <06667> sons <01121> put to death <07819> while Zedekiah was forced to watch <05869>. The king <04428> of Babylon <0894> also had all <03605> the nobles <02715> of Judah <03063> put to death <07819>.
7Then he had Zedekiah’s <06667> eyes <05869> put out <05786> and had him bound <0631> in chains <05178> to be led off <0935> to Babylon <0894>.
8The Babylonians <03778> burned down <08313> the royal <04428> palace <01004>, the temple of the Lord, and the people’s <05971> homes <01004>, and they tore down <05422> the wall <02346> of Jerusalem <03389>.
9Then Nebuzaradan <05018>, the captain <07227> of the royal guard <02876>, took captive <01540> the rest <03499> of the people <05971> who were left <07604> in the city <05892>. He carried <05307> them off <05307> to Babylon <0894> along with the people <05971> who <0834> had deserted <05307> to <05921> him.
10But he left behind <07604> in the land <0776> of Judah <03063> some <04480> of the poor <01800> people <05971> who <0834> owned nothing <03972> <0369>. He gave <05414> them fields <03010> and vineyards <03754> at that <01931> time <03117>.
11Now King <04428> Nebuchadnezzar <05019> of Babylon <0894> had issued orders <06680> concerning <05921> Jeremiah <03414>. He had passed them on through <03027> Nebuzaradan <05018>, the captain <07227> of his royal guard <02876>,
12“Find <03947> Jeremiah and look out <07760> <05869> for <05921> him. Do not <0408> do <06213> anything <03972> to harm <07451> him, but <0518> do <06213> with <05973> him whatever <0834> he tells <01696> you.”
13So Nebuzaradan <05018>, the captain <07227> of the royal guard <02876>, Nebushazban <05021>, who was a chief officer <07249>, Nergal-Sharezer <05371>, who was a high official <07248>, and all <03605> the other officers <07227> of the king <04428> of Babylon <0894>
14sent <07971> and had Jeremiah <03414> brought <03947> from the courtyard <02691> of the guardhouse <04307>. They turned <05414> him over <05414> to <0413> Gedaliah <01436>, the son <01121> of Ahikam <0296> and the grandson <01121> of Shaphan <08227>, to take <03318> him home <01004> with <0413> him. But Jeremiah stayed <03427> among <08432> the people <05971>.
15Now the Lord <03068> had spoken to <0413> Jeremiah <03414> while he was <01961> still confined <06113> in the courtyard <02691> of the guardhouse <04307>,
16“Go <01980> and tell <0559> Ebed-Melech <05663> the Ethiopian <03569>, ‘The Lord <03068> God <0430> of Israel <03478> who rules over all <06635> says <0559>, “I will carry out <0935> against <0413> this <02063> city <05892> what I promised <01697>. It will mean disaster <07451> and not <03808> good fortune <02896> for it. When that <03117> disaster <01931> happens <01961>, you will be there to see it.
17But I will rescue <05337> you when it <01931> happens <03117>. I, the Lord <03068>, affirm <05002> it! You will not <03808> be handed over <03027> <05414> to those <0376> whom <0834> you <0859> fear <03016>.
18I will certainly save <04422> <04422> you. You will not <03808> fall <05307> victim to violence <02719>. You will escape <01961> with your life <07998> <05315> because <03588> you trust <0982> in me. I, the Lord <03068>, affirm <05002> it!”’”