The Fall of Jerusalem

52 (A)Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned for eleven years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was [a](B)Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of (C)Libnah. He did (D)evil in the sight of the Lord, in accordance with everything that (E)Jehoiakim had done. For because of the (F)anger of the Lord this came about in Jerusalem and Judah, until He drove them out from His presence. And Zedekiah (G)revolted against the king of Babylon. (H)Now it came about in the ninth year of his reign, on the tenth day of the tenth month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came, he and all his army, against Jerusalem, camped against it, and built a [b](I)bulwark all around [c]it. (J)So the city was under siege until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah. On the ninth day of the (K)fourth month the (L)famine was so severe in the city that there was no food for the people of the land. Then the city was (M)breached, and all the (N)warriors fled and left the city at night by way of the gate between the two walls which was by the king’s garden, though the Chaldeans were [d](O)all around the city. And they went by way of the Arabah. But the army of the Chaldeans pursued the king and (P)overtook Zedekiah in the [e]desert plains of Jericho, and all his army was scattered from him. Then they captured the king and (Q)brought him up to the king of Babylon at (R)Riblah in the land of (S)Hamath, and he [f]passed sentence on him. 10 And the king of Babylon (T)slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and he also slaughtered all the commanders of Judah in Riblah. 11 Then he (U)blinded the eyes of Zedekiah; and the king of Babylon bound him with bronze shackles and brought him to Babylon and put him in prison until the day of his death.

12 (V)Now on the tenth day of the fifth month, which was the (W)nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, (X)Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard, who [g]was in the service of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. 13 And he (Y)burned the house of the Lord, the (Z)king’s house, and all the houses of Jerusalem; even every large house he burned with fire. 14 So the entire army of the Chaldeans who were with the captain of the guard (AA)tore down all the walls around Jerusalem. 15 Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard (AB)took into exile some of the poorest of the people, the rest of the people who were left in the city, the (AC)deserters who had deserted to the king of Babylon, and the rest of the craftsmen. 16 But (AD)Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left some of the poorest of the land to be vinedressers and farmers.

17 Now the bronze (AE)pillars which belonged to the house of the Lord and the (AF)stands and the bronze [h](AG)sea, which were in the house of the Lord, the Chaldeans smashed to pieces and carried all their bronze to Babylon. 18 They also took the (AH)pots, the shovels, the snuffers, the basins, the [i]pans, and all the bronze vessels which were used in temple service. 19 The captain of the guard also took the (AI)bowls, the firepans, the basins, the pots, the lampstands, the [j]pans, and the drink offering bowls, whatever was fine gold, and whatever was fine silver. 20 The two pillars, the one [k]sea, and the twelve bronze bulls that were under [l]the sea, and the stands, which King Solomon had made for the house of the Lord—the bronze of all these vessels was (AJ)beyond weight. 21 As for the pillars, the (AK)height of each pillar was [m]eighteen cubits, and [n]it was twelve cubits in (AL)circumference and four fingers in thickness, and hollow. 22 Also, a (AM)capital of bronze was on top of it; and the height of each capital was [o]five cubits, with latticework and (AN)pomegranates on the capital all around, all of bronze. And the second pillar was like these, including pomegranates. 23 There were ninety-six [p]exposed pomegranates; all (AO)the pomegranates numbered a hundred on the latticework all around.

24 Then the captain of the guard took (AP)Seraiah the chief priest and (AQ)Zephaniah the second priest, with the three [q](AR)officers of the temple. 25 He also took from the city one official who was overseer of the warriors, seven [r]of the (AS)king’s advisers who were found in the city, the scribe of the commander of the army who mustered the people of the land, and sixty men from the people of the land who were found inside the city. 26 Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguards took them and (AT)brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah. 27 Then the king of Babylon (AU)struck them and put them to death in Riblah in the land of Hamath. So Judah was (AV)led into exile from its land.

28 These are the people whom (AW)Nebuchadnezzar took into exile: in the [s]seventh year 3,023 Jews; 29 in the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar 832 persons from Jerusalem; 30 in the twenty-third year of Nebuchadnezzar, (AX)Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard took into exile 745 Jewish people; there were 4,600 people in all.

31 (AY)Now it came about in the thirty-seventh year of the exile of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the twenty-fifth of the month, that [t]Evil-merodach king of Babylon, in the first year of his reign, [u](AZ)showed favor to Jehoiachin king of Judah and brought him out of prison. 32 (BA)Then he spoke kindly to him and set his throne above the thrones of the kings who were with him in Babylon. 33 So [v]Jehoiachin (BB)changed his prison clothes, and [w](BC)had his meals in [x]the king’s presence regularly all the days of his life. 34 And as his allowance, a (BD)regular allowance was given to him by the king of Babylon, a portion for each day, all the days of his life until the day of his death.

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 52:1 Another reading is Hamital
  2. Jeremiah 52:4 I.e., a defensive wall
  3. Jeremiah 52:4 Lit against it
  4. Jeremiah 52:7 Lit against the city on every side
  5. Jeremiah 52:8 Heb Arabah
  6. Jeremiah 52:9 Lit spoke judgments with
  7. Jeremiah 52:12 Lit stood before the king
  8. Jeremiah 52:17 I.e., large basin
  9. Jeremiah 52:18 Or spoons for incense
  10. Jeremiah 52:19 Or spoons for incense
  11. Jeremiah 52:20 As in LXX and Syriac; MT omits the sea; i.e., large basin
  12. Jeremiah 52:20 As in LXX and Syriac; MT omits the sea; i.e., large basin
  13. Jeremiah 52:21 About 27 ft. high and 18 ft. in circumference or 8 m and 5.4 m
  14. Jeremiah 52:21 Lit a thread of 12 cubits would encircle it
  15. Jeremiah 52:22 About 7.5 ft. or 2.3 m
  16. Jeremiah 52:23 Lit windward
  17. Jeremiah 52:24 Lit keepers of the door
  18. Jeremiah 52:25 Lit men of those seeing the king’s face
  19. Jeremiah 52:28 Or possibly seventeenth
  20. Jeremiah 52:31 Or Awil-Marduk (“Man of Marduk”)
  21. Jeremiah 52:31 Lit lifted up the head of
  22. Jeremiah 52:33 Lit he
  23. Jeremiah 52:33 Lit ate bread
  24. Jeremiah 52:33 Lit his presence

52 Zedekiah was one and twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.

And he did that which was evil in the eyes of the Lord, according to all that Jehoiakim had done.

For through the anger of the Lord it came to pass in Jerusalem and Judah, till he had cast them out from his presence, that Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.

And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon came, he and all his army, against Jerusalem, and pitched against it, and built forts against it round about.

So the city was besieged unto the eleventh year of king Zedekiah.

And in the fourth month, in the ninth day of the month, the famine was sore in the city, so that there was no bread for the people of the land.

Then the city was broken up, and all the men of war fled, and went forth out of the city by night by the way of the gate between the two walls, which was by the king's garden; (now the Chaldeans were by the city round about:) and they went by the way of the plain.

But the army of the Chaldeans pursued after the king, and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho; and all his army was scattered from him.

Then they took the king, and carried him up unto the king of Babylon to Riblah in the land of Hamath; where he gave judgment upon him.

10 And the king of Babylon slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes: he slew also all the princes of Judah in Riblah.

11 Then he put out the eyes of Zedekiah; and the king of Babylon bound him in chains, and carried him to Babylon, and put him in prison till the day of his death.

12 Now in the fifth month, in the tenth day of the month, which was the nineteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, came Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, which served the king of Babylon, into Jerusalem,

13 And burned the house of the Lord, and the king's house; and all the houses of Jerusalem, and all the houses of the great men, burned he with fire:

14 And all the army of the Chaldeans, that were with the captain of the guard, brake down all the walls of Jerusalem round about.

15 Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive certain of the poor of the people, and the residue of the people that remained in the city, and those that fell away, that fell to the king of Babylon, and the rest of the multitude.

16 But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left certain of the poor of the land for vinedressers and for husbandmen.

17 Also the pillars of brass that were in the house of the Lord, and the bases, and the brasen sea that was in the house of the Lord, the Chaldeans brake, and carried all the brass of them to Babylon.

18 The caldrons also, and the shovels, and the snuffers, and the bowls, and the spoons, and all the vessels of brass wherewith they ministered, took they away.

19 And the basons, and the firepans, and the bowls, and the caldrons, and the candlesticks, and the spoons, and the cups; that which was of gold in gold, and that which was of silver in silver, took the captain of the guard away.

20 The two pillars, one sea, and twelve brasen bulls that were under the bases, which king Solomon had made in the house of the Lord: the brass of all these vessels was without weight.

21 And concerning the pillars, the height of one pillar was eighteen cubits; and a fillet of twelve cubits did compass it; and the thickness thereof was four fingers: it was hollow.

22 And a chapiter of brass was upon it; and the height of one chapiter was five cubits, with network and pomegranates upon the chapiters round about, all of brass. The second pillar also and the pomegranates were like unto these.

23 And there were ninety and six pomegranates on a side; and all the pomegranates upon the network were an hundred round about.

24 And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the door:

25 He took also out of the city an eunuch, which had the charge of the men of war; and seven men of them that were near the king's person, which were found in the city; and the principal scribe of the host, who mustered the people of the land; and threescore men of the people of the land, that were found in the midst of the city.

26 So Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard took them, and brought them to the king of Babylon to Riblah.

27 And the king of Babylon smote them, and put them to death in Riblah in the land of Hamath. Thus Judah was carried away captive out of his own land.

28 This is the people whom Nebuchadrezzar carried away captive: in the seventh year three thousand Jews and three and twenty:

29 In the eighteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar he carried away captive from Jerusalem eight hundred thirty and two persons:

30 In the three and twentieth year of Nebuchadrezzar Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive of the Jews seven hundred forty and five persons: all the persons were four thousand and six hundred.

31 And it came to pass in the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, in the five and twentieth day of the month, that Evilmerodach king of Babylon in the first year of his reign lifted up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah, and brought him forth out of prison.

32 And spake kindly unto him, and set his throne above the throne of the kings that were with him in Babylon,

33 And changed his prison garments: and he did continually eat bread before him all the days of his life.

34 And for his diet, there was a continual diet given him of the king of Babylon, every day a portion until the day of his death, all the days of his life.