Old Testament

Jeremiah 39
The Fall of Jerusalem
391In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem with his whole army and laid siege to it. 2In the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, on the ninth day of the month, a breach was made in the city wall. 3All the officers of the king of Babylon entered and sat down in the middle gate: Nergal Sharezer the staff officer,[] Nebo Sarsekim a chief officer,[] Nergal Sharezer a high official,[] and all the other officials of the king of Babylon. 4When Zedekiah king of Judah and all the soldiers saw them, they fled and left the city at night by way of the king's garden through the gate between the two walls. Then they went toward the Arabah.
5But the Chaldean army pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in the plains by Jericho. After they had captured him, they brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath and passed judgment on him. 6The king of Babylon killed Zedekiah's sons in front of his eyes at Riblah, and he also killed the nobles of Judah. 7Then he put out Zedekiah's eyes and bound him with bronze shackles and sent him to Babylon. 8The Chaldeans burned down the king's palace and the houses of the people. They also broke down the walls of Jerusalem. 9Then Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard,[] carried into exile the rest of the people who remained in the city, along with those who had deserted, as well as the rest of the people. 10But Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, left behind in the land of Judah some of the poor people, who owned nothing, and he then gave them vineyards and fields.
Jeremiah Is Released
11Now Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon gave orders to Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, concerning Jeremiah. He said, 12“Take him, look after him, and do him no harm. Do for him whatever he wants.”
13So Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, Nebushazban the chief officer,[] Nergal Sharezer a high official,[] and all the other officials of the king of Babylon 14sent for Jeremiah and had him taken out of the courtyard of the guard. They entrusted him to Gedaliah son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, to take him to his house. So he remained among his people.
15While Jeremiah had still been imprisoned in the courtyard of the guard, the word of the Lord had come to him: 16“Go and tell Ebed Melek the Cushite that this is what the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says. Watch, I am going to fulfill my words against this city for evil and not for good. They are going to be fulfilled before your eyes. 17But I will deliver you on that day, declares the Lord, and you will not be handed over to those you fear. 18I will certainly save you. You will not fall by the sword. You will escape with your life, because you have put your trust in me, declares the Lord.”

Footnotes

  • 39:3 Hebrew samgar, or in Akkadian sin magir. Samgar may be a title or a title based on a place name.
  • 39:3 Hebrew rab saris
  • 39:3 Hebrew rab mag. Jeremiah uses accurate Akkadian titles and personal names that have been found in Babylonian cuneiform tablets. This demonstrates that Jeremiah had firsthand knowledge about the Babylonian personnel involved in the destruction of Jerusalem.
  • 39:9 Or the chief executioner
  • 39:13 Hebrew rab saris
  • 39:13 Hebrew rab mag.