Geremia 52
Conferenza Episcopale Italiana
VI. APPENDICI
La catastrofe di Gerusalemme e il favore reso a Ioiachin
52 Sedecìa aveva ventun'anni quando divenne re e regnò undici anni a Gerusalemme; sua madre si chiamava Camitàl figlia di Geremia ed era di Libna. 2 Egli fece ciò che dispiace al Signore, proprio come aveva fatto Ioiakìm.
3 Ma, a causa dell'ira del Signore, in Gerusalemme e in Giuda le cose arrivarono a tal punto che il Signore li scacciò dalla sua presenza. Sedecìa si era ribellato al re di Babilonia.
4 Allora nel decimo mese dell'anno nono del suo regno, il dieci del mese, venne Nabucodònosor re di Babilonia con tutto l'esercito contro Gerusalemme. Costoro si accamparono intorno ad essa e costruirono attorno opere d'assedio. 5 La città rimase assediata fino all'undecimo anno del re Sedecìa.
6 Nel quarto mese, il nove del mese, mentre la fame dominava nella città e non c'era più pane per la popolazione, 7 fu aperta una breccia nella città. Allora tutti i soldati fuggirono, uscendo dalla città di notte per la via della porta fra le due mura, che era presso il giardino del re e, mentre i Caldei erano intorno alla città, presero la via dell'Araba.
8 Le truppe dei Caldei però inseguirono il re e raggiunsero Sedecìa nelle steppe di Gerico; allora tutto il suo esercito lo abbandonò e si disperse. 9 Il re fu catturato e condotto a Ribla nel paese di Amat presso il re di Babilonia che pronunziò la sentenza contro di lui. 10 Il re di Babilonia fece sgozzare i figli di Sedecìa sotto i suoi occhi e fece sgozzare anche tutti i capi di Giuda in Ribla; 11 cavò gli occhi a Sedecìa e lo fece legare con catene e condurre a Babilonia, dove lo tenne in carcere fino alla sua morte.
12 Nel quinto mese, il dieci del mese, essendo l'anno decimonono del regno di Nabucodònosor re di Babilonia, Nabuzaradàn, capo delle guardie, che prestava servizio alla presenza del re di Babilonia, entrò a Gerusalemme. 13 Egli incendiò il tempio del Signore e la reggia e tutte le case di Gerusalemme, diede alle fiamme anche tutte le case dei nobili. 14 Tutto l'esercito dei Caldei, che era con il capo delle guardie, demolì tutte le mura intorno a Gerusalemme.
15 Il resto del popolo che era stato lasciato in città, i disertori che erano passati al re di Babilonia e quanti eran rimasti degli artigiani, Nabuzaradàn, capo delle guardie, li deportò: 16 dei più poveri del paese Nabuzaradàn, capo delle guardie ne lasciò una parte come vignaioli e come campagnoli. 17 I Caldei fecero a pezzi le colonne di bronzo che erano nel tempio, le basi a ruote e il mare di bronzo che era nel tempio e ne portarono tutto il bronzo in Babilonia. 18 Essi presero ancora le caldaie, le palette, i coltelli, i bacini per l'aspersione, le coppe e tutti gli arredi di bronzo che servivano al culto. 19 Il capo delle guardie prese ancora i bicchieri, i bracieri, i bacini, le caldaie, i candelabri, le coppe e i calici, quanto era d'oro e d'argento. 20 Quanto alle due colonne, all'unico mare, ai dodici buoi di bronzo che erano sotto di esso e alle basi a ruote, cose che aveva fatto il re Salomone per il tempio del Signore, non si poteva calcolare quale fosse il peso del bronzo di tutti questi arredi. 21 Delle colonne poi una sola era alta diciotto cubiti e ci voleva un filo di dodici cùbiti per misurarne la circonferenza; il suo spessore era di quattro dita, essendo vuota nell'interno. 22 Su di essa c'era un capitello di bronzo e l'altezza di un capitello era di cinque cùbiti; tutto intorno al capitello c'erano un reticolato per lato e melagrane, il tutto di bronzo; così era anche l'altra colonna. 23 Le melagrane erano novantasei; tutte le melagrane intorno al reticolato ammontavano a cento.
24 Il capo delle guardie fece prigioniero Seraià, sacerdote capo, e il secondo sacerdote Sofonia insieme con tre custodi della soglia. 25 Dalla città egli fece prigionieri un funzionario, che era a capo dei soldati, e sette uomini fra i più familiari del re, i quali furono trovati in città, e l'aiutante del capo dell'esercito che arruolava la gente del paese, e sessanta uomini della gente del paese, che furono trovati nella città. 26 Nabuzaradàn, capo delle guardie, li prese e li condusse presso il re di Babilonia, a Ribla. 27 Il re di Babilonia li fece percuotere e uccidere a Ribla, nel paese di Amat. Così fu deportato Giuda dal suo paese.
28 Questa è la gente che Nabucodònosor deportò: nell'anno settimo tremilaventitrè Giudei; 29 nell'anno decimo ottavo di Nabucodònosor furono deportati da Gerusalemme ottocentotrentadue persone; 30 nell'anno ventitreesimo di Nabucodònosor, Nabuzaradàn capo delle guardie deportò settecentoquarantacinque Giudei: in tutto quattromilaseicento persone.
31 Ora, nell'anno trentasettesimo della deportazione di Ioiachìn re di Giuda, nel decimosecondo mese, il venticinque del mese, Evil-Merodàch re di Babilonia, nell'anno della sua ascesa al regno, fece grazia a Ioiachìn re di Giuda e lo fece uscire dalla prigione. 32 Gli parlò con benevolenza e pose il seggio di lui al di sopra dei seggi dei re che si trovavano con lui a Babilonia. 33 Gli cambiò le vesti da prigioniero e Ioiachìn mangiò sempre il cibo alla presenza di lui per tutti i giorni della sua vita. 34 Il suo sostentamento, come sostentamento abituale, gli era fornito dal re di Babilonia ogni giorno, fino al giorno della sua morte, per tutto il tempo della sua vita.
Jeremiah 52
New International Version
The Fall of Jerusalem(A)(B)(C)
52 Zedekiah(D) was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years. His mother’s name was Hamutal daughter of Jeremiah; she was from Libnah.(E) 2 He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, just as Jehoiakim(F) had done. 3 It was because of the Lord’s anger that all this happened to Jerusalem and Judah,(G) and in the end he thrust them from his presence.(H)
Now Zedekiah rebelled(I) against the king of Babylon.
4 So in the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign, on the tenth(J) day of the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem(K) with his whole army. They encamped outside the city and built siege works(L) all around it.(M) 5 The city was kept under siege until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah.
6 By the ninth day of the fourth month the famine in the city had become so severe that there was no food for the people to eat.(N) 7 Then the city wall was broken through, and the whole army fled.(O) They left the city at night through the gate between the two walls near the king’s garden, though the Babylonians[a] were surrounding the city. They fled toward the Arabah,[b] 8 but the Babylonian[c] army pursued King Zedekiah and overtook him in the plains of Jericho. All his soldiers were separated from him and scattered, 9 and he was captured.(P)
He was taken to the king of Babylon at Riblah(Q) in the land of Hamath,(R) where he pronounced sentence on him. 10 There at Riblah the king of Babylon killed the sons(S) of Zedekiah before his eyes; he also killed all the officials of Judah. 11 Then he put out Zedekiah’s eyes, bound him with bronze shackles and took him to Babylon, where he put him in prison till the day of his death.(T)
12 On the tenth day of the fifth(U) month, in the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan(V) commander of the imperial guard, who served the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. 13 He set fire(W) to the temple(X) of the Lord, the royal palace and all the houses(Y) of Jerusalem. Every important building he burned down. 14 The whole Babylonian army, under the commander of the imperial guard, broke down all the walls(Z) around Jerusalem. 15 Nebuzaradan the commander of the guard carried into exile(AA) some of the poorest people and those who remained in the city, along with the rest of the craftsmen[d] and those who had deserted(AB) to the king of Babylon. 16 But Nebuzaradan left behind(AC) the rest of the poorest people of the land to work the vineyards and fields.
17 The Babylonians broke up the bronze pillars,(AD) the movable stands(AE) and the bronze Sea(AF) that were at the temple of the Lord and they carried all the bronze to Babylon.(AG) 18 They also took away the pots, shovels, wick trimmers, sprinkling bowls,(AH) dishes and all the bronze articles used in the temple service.(AI) 19 The commander of the imperial guard took away the basins, censers,(AJ) sprinkling bowls, pots, lampstands,(AK) dishes(AL) and bowls used for drink offerings(AM)—all that were made of pure gold or silver.(AN)
20 The bronze from the two pillars, the Sea and the twelve bronze bulls(AO) under it, and the movable stands, which King Solomon had made for the temple of the Lord, was more than could be weighed.(AP) 21 Each pillar was eighteen cubits high and twelve cubits in circumference[e]; each was four fingers thick, and hollow.(AQ) 22 The bronze capital(AR) on top of one pillar was five cubits[f] high and was decorated with a network and pomegranates(AS) of bronze all around. The other pillar, with its pomegranates, was similar. 23 There were ninety-six pomegranates on the sides; the total number of pomegranates(AT) above the surrounding network was a hundred.(AU)
24 The commander of the guard took as prisoners Seraiah(AV) the chief priest, Zephaniah(AW) the priest next in rank and the three doorkeepers.(AX) 25 Of those still in the city, he took the officer in charge of the fighting men, and seven royal advisers. He also took the secretary(AY) who was chief officer in charge of conscripting the people of the land, sixty of whom were found in the city. 26 Nebuzaradan(AZ) the commander took them all and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah. 27 There at Riblah,(BA) in the land of Hamath, the king had them executed.
So Judah went into captivity, away(BB) from her land. 28 This is the number of the people Nebuchadnezzar carried into exile:(BC)
in the seventh year, 3,023 Jews;
29 in Nebuchadnezzar’s eighteenth year,
832 people from Jerusalem;
30 in his twenty-third year,
745 Jews taken into exile(BD) by Nebuzaradan the commander of the imperial guard.
There were 4,600 people in all.(BE)
Jehoiachin Released(BF)
31 In the thirty-seventh year of the exile of Jehoiachin(BG) king of Judah, in the year Awel-Marduk became king of Babylon, on the twenty-fifth day of the twelfth month, he released Jehoiachin king of Judah and freed him from prison. 32 He spoke kindly to him and gave him a seat of honor higher than those of the other kings who were with him in Babylon. 33 So Jehoiachin put aside his prison clothes and for the rest of his life ate regularly at the king’s table.(BH) 34 Day by day the king of Babylon gave Jehoiachin a regular allowance(BI) as long as he lived, till the day of his death.
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 52:7 Or Chaldeans; also in verse 17
- Jeremiah 52:7 Or the Jordan Valley
- Jeremiah 52:8 Or Chaldean; also in verse 14
- Jeremiah 52:15 Or the populace
- Jeremiah 52:21 That is, about 27 feet high and 18 feet in circumference or about 8.1 meters high and 5.4 meters in circumference
- Jeremiah 52:22 That is, about 7 1/2 feet or about 2.3 meters
Jeremiah 52
New King James Version
The Fall of Jerusalem Reviewed(A)
52 Zedekiah was (B)twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of (C)Libnah. 2 He also did evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all that Jehoiakim had done. 3 For because of the anger of the Lord this happened in Jerusalem and Judah, till He finally cast them out from His presence. Then Zedekiah (D)rebelled against the king of Babylon.
4 Now it came to pass in the (E)ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army came against Jerusalem and encamped against it; and they built a siege wall against it all around. 5 So the city was besieged until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah. 6 By the fourth month, on the ninth day of the month, the famine had become so severe in the city that there was no food for the people of the land. 7 Then the city wall was broken through, and all the men of war fled and went out of the city at night by way of the gate between the two walls, which was by the king’s garden, even though the Chaldeans were near the city all around. And they went by way of the [a]plain.
8 But the army of the Chaldeans pursued the king, and they overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho. All his army was scattered from him. 9 (F)So they took the king and brought him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath, and he pronounced judgment on him. 10 (G)Then the king of Babylon killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes. And he killed all the princes of Judah in Riblah. 11 He also (H)put out the eyes of Zedekiah; and the king of Babylon bound him in [b]bronze fetters, took him to Babylon, and put him in prison till the day of his death.
The Temple and City Plundered and Burned
12 (I)Now in the fifth month, on the tenth day of the month ((J)which was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon), (K)Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, who served the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. 13 He burned the house of the Lord and the king’s house; all the houses of Jerusalem, that is, all the houses of the great, he burned with fire. 14 And all the army of the Chaldeans who were with the captain of the guard broke down all the walls of Jerusalem all around. 15 (L)Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive some of the poor people, the rest of the people who remained in the city, the defectors who had deserted to the king of Babylon, and the rest of the craftsmen. 16 But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left some of the poor of the land as vinedressers and farmers.
17 (M)The (N)bronze pillars that were in the house of the Lord, and the carts and the bronze Sea that were in the house of the Lord, the Chaldeans broke in pieces, and carried all their bronze to Babylon. 18 They also took away (O)the pots, the shovels, the trimmers, the [c]bowls, the spoons, and all the bronze utensils with which the priests ministered. 19 The basins, the firepans, the bowls, the pots, the lampstands, the spoons, and the cups, whatever was solid gold and whatever was solid silver, the captain of the guard took away. 20 The two pillars, one Sea, the twelve bronze bulls which were under it, and the carts, which King Solomon had made for the house of the Lord—(P)the bronze of all these articles was beyond measure. 21 Now concerning the (Q)pillars: the height of one pillar was eighteen [d]cubits, a measuring line of twelve cubits could measure its circumference, and its thickness was [e]four fingers; it was hollow. 22 A capital of bronze was on it; and the height of one capital was five cubits, with a network and pomegranates all around the capital, all of bronze. The second pillar, with pomegranates was the same. 23 There were ninety-six pomegranates on the sides; (R)all the pomegranates, all around on the network, were one hundred.
The People Taken Captive to Babylonia
24 (S)The captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, (T)Zephaniah the second priest, and the three doorkeepers. 25 He also took out of the city an [f]officer who had charge of the men of war, seven men of the king’s close associates who were found in the city, the principal scribe of the army who mustered the people of the land, and sixty men of the people of the land who were found in the midst of the city. 26 And Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard took these and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah. 27 Then the king of Babylon struck them and put them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. Thus Judah was carried away captive from its own land.
28 (U)These are the people whom Nebuchadnezzar carried away captive: (V)in the seventh year, (W)three thousand and twenty-three Jews; 29 (X)in the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar he carried away captive from Jerusalem eight hundred and thirty-two persons; 30 in the twenty-third year of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive of the Jews seven hundred and forty-five persons. All the persons were four thousand six hundred.
Jehoiachin Released from Prison(Y)
31 (Z)Now it came to pass in the thirty-seventh year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the twenty-fifth day of the month, that [g]Evil-Merodach king of Babylon, in the first year of his reign, (AA)lifted[h] up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah and brought him out of prison. 32 And he spoke kindly to him and gave him a more prominent seat than those of the kings who were with him in Babylon. 33 So [i]Jehoiachin changed from his prison garments, (AB)and he ate bread regularly before the king all the days of his life. 34 And as for his provisions, there was a regular ration given him by the king of Babylon, a portion for each day until the day of his death, all the days of his life.
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 52:7 Or Arabah; the Jordan Valley
- Jeremiah 52:11 shackles
- Jeremiah 52:18 basins
- Jeremiah 52:21 18 inches each
- Jeremiah 52:21 3 inches
- Jeremiah 52:25 Lit. eunuch
- Jeremiah 52:31 Or Awil-Marduk; lit. The Man of Marduk
- Jeremiah 52:31 Showed favor to
- Jeremiah 52:33 Lit. he
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.