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Jeremiah 39
Contemporary English Version

Jerusalem Is Captured by the Babylonians

(Jeremiah 52.4-16; 2 Kings 25.1-12)

39 1-3 In the tenth month[a] of the ninth year that Zedekiah[b] was king of Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar[c] and the Babylonian army began their attack on Jerusalem. They kept the city surrounded for a year and a half. Then, on the ninth day of the fourth month[d] of the eleventh year that Zedekiah was king, they broke through the city walls.

After Jerusalem was captured,[e] Nebuchadnezzar's highest officials,[f] including Nebo Sarsechim[g] and Nergal Sharezer from Simmagir,[h] took their places at Middle Gate to show they were in control of the city.[i]

4 When King Zedekiah and his troops saw that Jerusalem had been captured, they tried to escape from the city that same night. They went to the king's garden, where they slipped through the gate between the two city walls[j] and headed toward the Jordan River valley. 5 But the Babylonian troops caught up with them near Jericho. They arrested Zedekiah and took him to the town of Riblah in the land of Hamath, where Nebuchadnezzar put him on trial, then found him guilty, 6 and gave orders for him to be punished. Zedekiah's sons were killed there in front of him, and so were the leaders of Judah's ruling families. 7 Then his eyes were poked out, and he was put in chains, so he could be dragged off to Babylonia.

8 Meanwhile, the Babylonian army had burned the houses in Jerusalem, including[k] the royal palace, and they had broken down the city walls. 9 Nebuzaradan, the Babylonian officer in charge of the guards, led away everyone from the city as prisoners, even those who had deserted to Nebuchadnezzar. 10 Only the poorest people who owned no land were left behind in Judah, and Nebuzaradan gave them fields and vineyards.

11 Nebuchadnezzar had given the following orders to Nebuzaradan: 12 “Find Jeremiah and keep him safe. Take good care of him and do whatever he asks.”

13 Nebuzaradan, Nebushazban, Nergal Sharezer, and the other officers of King Nebuchadnezzar 14 sent some of their troops to bring me from the courtyard of the royal palace guards. They put me in the care of Gedaliah son of Ahikam[l] and told him to take me to my home. And so I was allowed to stay with the people who remained in Judah.

The Lord Promises To Protect Ebedmelech

15 While I was a prisoner in the courtyard of the palace guard, the Lord told me to say 16 to Ebedmelech from Ethiopia:[m]

I am the Lord All-Powerful, the God of Israel. I warned everyone that I would bring disaster, not prosperity, to this city. Now very soon I will do what I said, and you will see it happen. 17-18 But because you trusted me,[n] I will protect you from the officials of Judah, and when Judah is struck by disaster, I will rescue you and keep you alive. I, the Lord, have spoken.

Footnotes

  1. 39.1-3 the tenth month: Tebeth, the tenth month of the Hebrew calendar, from about mid-December to mid-January.
  2. 39.1-3 Zedekiah: See the note at 1.3.
  3. 39.1-3 Nebuchadnezzar: See the note at 21.2.
  4. 39.1-3 fourth month: Tammuz, the fourth month of the Hebrew calendar, from about mid-June to mid-July.
  5. 39.1-3 After Jerusalem was captured: This phrase is from 38.28.
  6. 39.1-3 highest officials: The Hebrew text gives Nergal Sharezer's title as “the Rabmag,” and Nebo Sarsechim's title as “the Rabsaris,” but the exact meaning of the titles and the duties of these offices are not known.
  7. 39.1-3 Nebo Sarsechim: Probably another form of the name Nebushazban (see verse 13).
  8. 39.1-3 Nergal Sharezer from Simmagir: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text. Probably Nebuchadnezzar's son-in-law, who was king of Babylonia 560–556 b.c. It is also possible that the Hebrew text mentions a second official named Nergal Sharezer.
  9. 39.1-3 took their places … control of the city: The rulers and leaders often sat in the broad open area at the gate of a city to take care of official business and hold trials.
  10. 39.4 the gate between the two city walls: The construction of the city walls at this point is not known.
  11. 39.8 the houses in Jerusalem, including: Or “the temple and.”
  12. 39.14 son of Ahikam: Hebrew “son of Ahikam and grandson of Shaphan.”
  13. 39.16 Ethiopia: See the note at 38.7,8.
  14. 39.17,18 you trusted me: See 38.7-13, where Ebedmelech helped Jeremiah.
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Jeremiah 39
New International Version

39 1 In the ninth year of Zedekiah(A) king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar(B) king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his whole army and laid siege(C) to it. 2 And on the ninth day of the fourth(D) month of Zedekiah’s eleventh year, the city wall(E) was broken through.(F) 3 Then all the officials(G) of the king of Babylon came and took seats in the Middle Gate: Nergal-Sharezer of Samgar, Nebo-Sarsekim a chief officer, Nergal-Sharezer a high official and all the other officials of the king of Babylon. 4 When Zedekiah king of Judah and all the soldiers saw them, they fled; they left the city at night by way of the king’s garden, through the gate between the two walls,(H) and headed toward the Arabah.[a](I)

5 But the Babylonian[b] army pursued them and overtook Zedekiah(J) in the plains of Jericho. They captured(K) him and took him to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon at Riblah(L) in the land of Hamath, where he pronounced sentence on him. 6 There at Riblah the king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes and also killed all the nobles(M) of Judah. 7 Then he put out Zedekiah’s eyes(N) and bound him with bronze shackles to take him to Babylon.(O)

8 The Babylonians[c] set fire(P) to the royal palace and the houses of the people and broke down the walls(Q) of Jerusalem. 9 Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard carried into exile to Babylon the people who remained in the city, along with those who had gone over to him,(R) and the rest of the people.(S) 10 But Nebuzaradan the commander of the guard left behind in the land of Judah some of the poor people, who owned nothing; and at that time he gave them vineyards and fields.

11 Now Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had given these orders about Jeremiah through Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard: 12 “Take him and look after him; don’t harm(T) him but do for him whatever he asks.” 13 So Nebuzaradan the commander of the guard, Nebushazban a chief officer, Nergal-Sharezer a high official and all the other officers(U) of the king of Babylon 14 sent and had Jeremiah taken out of the courtyard of the guard.(V) They turned him over to Gedaliah(W) son of Ahikam,(X) the son of Shaphan,(Y) to take him back to his home. So he remained among his own people.(Z)

15 While Jeremiah had been confined in the courtyard of the guard, the word of the Lord came to him: 16 “Go and tell Ebed-Melek(AA) the Cushite, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: I am about to fulfill my words(AB) against this city—words concerning disaster,(AC) not prosperity. At that time they will be fulfilled before your eyes. 17 But I will rescue(AD) you on that day, declares the Lord; you will not be given into the hands of those you fear. 18 I will save(AE) you; you will not fall by the sword(AF) but will escape with your life,(AG) because you trust(AH) in me, declares the Lord.’”

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 39:4 Or the Jordan Valley
  2. Jeremiah 39:5 Or Chaldean
  3. Jeremiah 39:8 Or Chaldeans
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