Jeremiah 39

Modern

Literal

The Fall of Jerusalem

¹In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his entire army and laid siege to the city.

¹In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army came against Jerusalem and laid siege against it.

²And on the ninth day of the fourth month of Zedekiah’s eleventh year, the city was breached.

²And in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, on the ninth day of the month, the city was broken through.

³Then all the officials of the king of Babylon entered and sat in the Middle Gate: Nergal-sharezer of Samgar, Nebo-sarsekim^a the Rabsaris,^b Nergal-sharezer the Rabmag,^c and all the rest of the officials of the king of Babylon.

³And all the officials of the king of Babylon came in and sat in the Middle Gate: Of Nergal-sharezer of Samgar, Nebo-sarsekim the Rabsaris, Nergal-sharezer the Rabmag, and all the rest of the officials of the king of Babylon.

⁴When 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, and they went out along the route to the Arabah.^a

⁴And it came to pass when Zedekiah the king of Judah and all the men of war saw them, that they fled and went out by night from the city by the way of the king’s garden, by the gate between the two walls; and he went out by way of the Arabah.

⁵But the army of the Chaldeans^a pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho. They seized him and brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he pronounced judgment on him.

⁵And the army of the Chaldeans pursued after them, and they overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho. And they seized him, and they brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, to Riblah in the land of Hamath, and he spoke against him judgment.

⁶There at Riblah the king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and he also killed all the nobles of Judah.

⁶And the king of Babylon killed the sons of Zedekiah in Riblah before his eyes; and also the king of Babylon killed all the nobles of Judah.

⁷Then he put out Zedekiah’s eyes and bound him with bronze chains to take him to Babylon.

⁷And he put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and he bound him with bronze fetters to bring him to Babylon.

⁸The Chaldeans set fire to the palace of the king and to the houses of the people, and they broke down the walls of Jerusalem.

⁸And the house of the king, and the houses of the people, the Chaldeans burned with fire, and they tore down the walls of Jerusalem.

⁹Then Nebuzaradan captain of the guard carried away to Babylon the remnant of the people who had remained in the city, along with the deserters who had defected to him.

⁹And the remnant of the people, those remaining in the city, and those falling away who fell to him, and the remainder of the people that remained, Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guards exiled to Babylon.

¹⁰But Nebuzaradan left behind in the land of Judah some of the poor people who had no property, and at that time he gave them vineyards and fields.

¹⁰And Nebuzaradan the captain of the guards left some of the poor of the people, who not a thing was unto them in the land of Judah, and he gave to them vineyards and fields at that time.

Jeremiah Delivered

¹¹Now Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had given orders about Jeremiah through Nebuzaradan captain of the guard, saying,

¹¹And Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon gave a charge concerning Jeremiah to Nebuzaradan the captain of the guards, saying:

¹²“Take him, look after him, and do not let any harm come to him; do for him whatever he says.”

¹²“Take him and look after him, and you will not do to him anything evil. But instead, as he speaks to you, so do to him.

¹³So Nebuzaradan captain of the guard, Nebushazban^a the Rabsaris, Nergal-sharezer the Rabmag, and all the captains of the king of Babylon

¹³And Nebuzaradan the captain of the guards sent Nebushasban, Rab-saris, and Nergal-shar-ezer, Rab-mag, and all chief officers of the king of Babylon,

¹⁴had Jeremiah brought from the courtyard of the guard, and they turned him over to Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, to take him home. So Jeremiah remained among his own people.

¹⁴and they sent and took Jeremiah from the court of the guard, and they gave him over to Gedaliah son of Ahikam son of Shaphan, to bring him forth to the house. And he dwelt in the midst of the people.

¹⁵And while Jeremiah had been confined in the courtyard of the guard, the word of the LORD had come to him:

¹⁵And the word of YHWH came to Jeremiah in his being shut up in the court of the guard, saying:

¹⁶“Go and tell Ebed-melech the Cushite that this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: ‘I am about to fulfill My words against this city for harm and not for good, and on that day they will be fulfilled before your eyes.

¹⁶“Go and speak to Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, saying, thus says YHWH of Hosts, the God of Israel: ‘Behold I will bring My words against this city, for evil and not for good, and they will come to pass before you in that day.

¹⁷But I will deliver you on that day, declares the LORD, and you will not be delivered into the hands of the men whom you fear.

¹⁷And I will deliver you in that day, a declaration of YHWH, and you will not be given into the hand of the men of whom you are afraid.

¹⁸For I will surely rescue you so that you do not fall by the sword. Because you have trusted in Me, you will escape with your life like a spoil of war, declares the LORD.’”

¹⁸For I will surely rescue you by the sword, and you will not fall; and your life will be unto you as a prize, because you have put your trust in Me!’” A declaration of YHWH.