1
And it came to pass when Jerusalem was taken, in the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah , in the tenth month , came Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon and all his army against Jerusalem , and they besieged it.
2
In the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month , on the ninth of the month , the city was broken into;
3
and all the princes of the king of Babylon came in, and sat in the middle gate : Nergal-sharezer, Samgar-nebu, Sarsechim, chief chamberlain, Nergal-sharezer, chief magian, and all the rest of the princes of the king of Babylon .
4
And it came to pass when Zedekiah the king of Judah and all the men of war saw them, that they fled , and went forth out of the city by night , by the way of the king's garden , by the gate between the two walls; and he went out the way of the plain .
5
And the army of the Chaldeans pursued after them, and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho ; and they took him, and brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon , unto Riblah in the land of Hamath; and he pronounced judgment upon him.
6
And the king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah in Riblah before his eyes , and the king of Babylon slaughtered all the nobles of Judah ;
7
and he put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him with chains of brass , to carry him to Babylon .
8
And the Chaldeans burned the king's house and the houses of the people with fire , and broke down the walls of Jerusalem .
9
And Nebuzar-adan the captain of the body-guard carried away captive into Babylon the rest of the people that were left in the city , and the deserters that had deserted to him, with the rest of the people that were left.
10
But Nebuzar-adan the captain of the body-guard left [certain] of the people, the poor who had nothing, in the land of Judah , and gave them vineyards and fields at the same time.
11
And Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon had given charge concerning Jeremiah by Nebuzar-adan the captain of the body-guard , saying,
12
Take him, and keep an eye upon him, and do him no harm ; but do unto him even as he shall say unto thee.
13
So Nebuzar-adan the captain of the body-guard sent , and Nebushazban, chief chamberlain, and Nergal-sharezer, chief magian, and all the king of Babylon 's princes,
14
even they sent , and took Jeremiah out of the court of the guard and committed him to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan, that he should conduct him away home . And he dwelt among the people.
15
And the word of Jehovah came unto Jeremiah , while he was shut up in the court of the guard, saying,
16
Go and speak to Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, saying, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts , the God of Israel : Behold, I will bring my words upon this city for evil , and not for good , and they shall come to pass before thy face in that day .
17
And I will deliver thee in that day , saith Jehovah ; and thou shalt not be given into the hand of the men of whom thou art afraid;
18
for I will certainly save thee, and thou shalt not fall by the sword , but thou shalt have thy life for a prey; for thou hast put thy confidence in me, saith Jehovah .