The Fall of Jerusalem
Jeremiah 39In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army came against Jerusalem, and besieged it. In the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, the ninth day of the month, a breach was made in the city. All the princes of the king of Babylon came in and sat in the middle gate: Nergal Sharezer, Samgarnebo, Sarsechim the Rabsaris, Nergal Sharezer the Rabmag, with all the rest of the princes of the king of Babylon. When Zedekiah the king of Judah and all the men of war saw them, then they fled and went out of the city by night, by the way of the king’s garden, through the gate between the two walls; and he went out toward the Arabah.
But the army of the Chaldeans pursued them, and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho. When they had taken him, they brought him before Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to Riblah in the land of Hamath, and he pronounced judgment on him. Then the king of Babylon killed Zedekiah’s sons in Riblah before his eyes. The king of Babylon also killed all the nobles of Judah. Then he put out Zedekiah’s eyes and bound him in copper shackles to take him to Babylon.
The Chaldeans burned the king’s house and the people’s houses with fire and broke down the walls of Jerusalem. Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive into Babylon the rest of the people who remained in the city, the deserters also who fell away to him, and the rest of the people who remained. But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left of the poor of the people, who had nothing, in the land of Judah, and gave them vineyards and fields at the same time.
Nebuchadnezzar Frees Jeremiah
Now Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon commanded Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard concerning Jeremiah, saying, “Take him and keep an eye on him. Don’t harm him, but rather do for him whatever he tells you.”
So Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, Nebushazban, Rabsaris, and Nergal Sharezer, Rabmag, and all the chief officers of the king of Babylon sent for and took Jeremiah from the court of the guard, and committed him to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, to bring him home. So he lived among the people.
Now the word of YHWH came to Jeremiah while he was shut up in the court of the guard, saying, “You are to go and speak to Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, saying, ‘YHWH Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “I am about to bring my words on this city for disaster, and not for good. They will take place before your face on that day. But I will rescue you in that day,” says YHWH, “and you will not be given into the hand of the men of whom you fear. For I will save-save you. You won’t fall by the sword, but you will escape with your life, because you have put your trust in me,” says YHWH.’”