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

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

And on the ninth day of the fourth month the famine prevailed in the city, and there was no bread for the people of the land.

And the city was broken up, and all the men of war fled by night by the way of the gate between two walls, which is by the king's garden: (now the Chaldees were against the city round about:) and the king went the way toward the plain.

And the army of the Chaldees pursued after the king, and overtook him in the plains of Jericho: and all his army were scattered from him.

So they took the king, and brought him up to the king of Babylon to Riblah; and they gave judgment upon him.

And they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him with fetters of brass, and carried him to Babylon.

And in the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month, which is the nineteenth year of king Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, came Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, a servant of the king of Babylon, unto Jerusalem:

And he burnt the house of the Lord, and the king's house, and all the houses of Jerusalem, and every great man's house burnt he with fire.

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

11 Now the rest of the people that were left in the city, and the fugitives that fell away to the king of Babylon, with the remnant of the multitude, did Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carry away.

12 But the captain of the guard left of the poor of the land to be vinedressers and husbandmen.

13 And 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, did the Chaldees break in pieces, and carried the brass of them to Babylon.

14 And the pots, and the shovels, and the snuffers, and the spoons, and all the vessels of brass wherewith they ministered, took they away.

15 And the firepans, and the bowls, and such things as were of gold, in gold, and of silver, in silver, the captain of the guard took away.

16 The two pillars, one sea, and the bases which Solomon had made for the house of the Lord; the brass of all these vessels was without weight.

17 The height of the one pillar was eighteen cubits, and the chapiter upon it was brass: and the height of the chapiter three cubits; and the wreathen work, and pomegranates upon the chapiter round about, all of brass: and like unto these had the second pillar with wreathen work.

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

19 And out of the city he took an officer that was set over the men of war, and five men of them that were in the king's presence, which were found in the city, and the principal scribe of the host, which mustered the people of the land, and threescore men of the people of the land that were found in the city:

20 And Nebuzaradan captain of the guard took these, and brought them to the king of Babylon to Riblah:

21 And the king of Babylon smote them, and slew them at Riblah in the land of Hamath. So Judah was carried away out of their land.

22 And as for the people that remained in the land of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had left, even over them he made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, ruler.

23 And when all the captains of the armies, they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah governor, there came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, even Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan the son of Careah, and Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah the son of a Maachathite, they and their men.

24 And Gedaliah sware to them, and to their men, and said unto them, Fear not to be the servants of the Chaldees: dwell in the land, and serve the king of Babylon; and it shall be well with you.

25 But it came to pass in the seventh month, that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, of the seed royal, came, and ten men with him, and smote Gedaliah, that he died, and the Jews and the Chaldees that were with him at Mizpah.

26 And all the people, both small and great, and the captains of the armies, arose, and came to Egypt: for they were afraid of the Chaldees.

27 And it came to pass in the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month, that Evilmerodach king of Babylon in the year that he began to reign did lift up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah out of prison;

28 And he spake kindly to him, and set his throne above the throne of the kings that were with him in Babylon;

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

30 And his allowance was a continual allowance given him of the king, a daily rate for every day, all the days of his life.

Sitio de Jerusalén

25 (A)Y aconteció que en el noveno año de su reinado, en el décimo mes, el día diez del mes, vino Nabucodonosor, rey de Babilonia, él y todo su ejército contra Jerusalén(B), acampó contra ella y construyó un muro de asedio alrededor de[a] ella(C). Y la ciudad estuvo sitiada hasta el undécimo año del rey Sedequías. A los nueve días del mes cuarto el hambre era tan grande en la ciudad que no había alimento[b] para el pueblo de la tierra(D). Y al ser abierta una brecha en la ciudad(E), todos los hombres de guerra huyeron de noche por el camino de la puerta entre las dos murallas, junto al jardín del rey(F), estando los caldeos alrededor de la ciudad, y se fueron[c] por el camino del Arabá. Pero el ejército de los caldeos persiguió al rey y lo alcanzó en los llanos de Jericó, y todo su ejército se dispersó[d] de su lado. Entonces capturaron al rey y lo trajeron al rey de Babilonia(G) en Ribla, y este lo sentenció[e](H). Y degollaron a los hijos de Sedequías en su presencia, y a Sedequías le sacó los ojos, lo ató con cadenas de bronce y lo llevó a Babilonia(I).

Cautiverio de Judá

En el mes quinto, a los siete días del mes, en el año diecinueve de[f] Nabucodonosor, rey de Babilonia, vino a Jerusalén Nabuzaradán, capitán de la guardia(J), siervo del rey de Babilonia(K). Y quemó la casa del Señor, la casa del rey y todas las casas de Jerusalén; prendió fuego a toda casa grande(L). 10 Todo el ejército de los caldeos que estaba con el capitán de la guardia derribó las murallas alrededor de Jerusalén(M); 11 y al resto del pueblo que había quedado en la ciudad, a los desertores que se habían pasado al rey de Babilonia y al resto de la multitud, los llevó en cautiverio Nabuzaradán, capitán de la guardia(N). 12 Pero el capitán de la guardia dejó a algunos de los más pobres del país para que fueran viñadores y labradores(O).

13 Los caldeos hicieron pedazos las columnas de bronce que estaban en la casa del Señor, y las basas y el mar(P) de bronce que estaban en la casa del Señor, y llevaron el bronce[g] a Babilonia(Q). 14 También se llevaron las ollas, las palas, las despabiladeras, las cucharas, y todos los utensilios de bronce que se usaban en el servicio del templo(R). 15 El capitán de la guardia se llevó además los incensarios y los tazones, lo que era de oro puro y lo que era de plata pura. 16 En cuanto a las dos columnas, el[h] mar y las basas que Salomón había hecho para la casa del Señor; no era posible calcular el peso del bronce de todos estos objetos(S). 17 (T)La altura de una columna era de dieciocho codos[i], y tenía sobre ella un capitel de bronce; la altura del capitel era de tres codos[j], con una obra de malla y granadas alrededor del capitel, todo de bronce. Y la segunda columna era igual[k] con obra de malla.

18 Entonces el capitán de la guardia tomó al sumo sacerdote Seraías(U) y al segundo sacerdote Sofonías(V) y a los tres oficiales del templo[l]. 19 Y de la ciudad tomó a un oficial que estaba encargado de los hombres de guerra, y a cinco hombres de los consejeros[m] del rey que se hallaban en la ciudad(W), y al escriba del capitán[n] del ejército, que alistaba a la gente del país, y a sesenta hombres del pueblo de la tierra que se hallaban en la ciudad. 20 Nabuzaradán, capitán de la guardia, los tomó y los llevó al rey de Babilonia en Ribla(X). 21 Entonces los hirió el rey de Babilonia y les dio muerte en Ribla, en la tierra de Hamat. Así Judá fue llevado al cautiverio, lejos de[o] su tierra(Y).

22 Y en cuanto al pueblo que quedó en la tierra de Judá, al que Nabucodonosor, rey de Babilonia, había dejado, puso sobre ellos a Gedalías, hijo de Ahicam, hijo de Safán(Z). 23 (AA)Cuando todos los capitanes de tropas, ellos y sus hombres, oyeron que el rey de Babilonia había nombrado gobernador a Gedalías, vinieron a este[p] en Mizpa(AB): Ismael, hijo de Netanías, Johanán, hijo de Carea, Seraías, hijo de Tanhumet netofatita, y Jaazanías, hijo del maacateo, ellos y sus hombres. 24 Y Gedalías les hizo un juramento, a ellos y a sus hombres, y les dijo: No temáis a los siervos de los caldeos; habitad en la tierra y servid al rey de Babilonia, y os irá bien.

25 Pero sucedió que en el séptimo mes, Ismael, hijo de Netanías, hijo de Elisama, de la familia[q] real, vino con diez hombres[r] e hirió a Gedalías, y este murió junto con los judíos y los caldeos que estaban con él en Mizpa(AC). 26 Entonces todo el pueblo, desde el menor hasta el mayor, y los capitanes de las tropas se levantaron y se fueron a Egipto(AD), porque temían a los caldeos.

Joaquín honrado en Babilonia

27 (AE)Y aconteció que en el año treinta y siete del cautiverio de Joaquín, rey de Judá, en el mes duodécimo, a los veintisiete días del mes(AF), Evil-merodac, rey de Babilonia, en el año en que comenzó a reinar, sacó[s] de la prisión a Joaquín, rey de Judá(AG); 28 y le habló con benevolencia y puso su trono por encima de los tronos de los reyes(AH) que estaban con él en Babilonia. 29 Le cambió sus vestidos de prisión, y comió[t] en la presencia del rey[u] siempre[v], todos los días de su vida(AI); 30 y para su sustento, se le dio de continuo una ración de parte del rey, una porción para cada día, todos los días de su vida(AJ).

Footnotes

  1. 2 Reyes 25:1 Lit., contra
  2. 2 Reyes 25:3 O, pan
  3. 2 Reyes 25:4 Así en algunos mss. y versiones antiguas; en el T.M., se fue
  4. 2 Reyes 25:5 O, fue dispersado
  5. 2 Reyes 25:6 Lit., ellos pronunciaron juicio con él
  6. 2 Reyes 25:8 Lit., del rey
  7. 2 Reyes 25:13 Lit., bronce de ellos
  8. 2 Reyes 25:16 Lit., el un
  9. 2 Reyes 25:17 Un codo equivale aprox. a 45 cm.
  10. 2 Reyes 25:17 Un codo equivale aprox. a 45 cm.
  11. 2 Reyes 25:17 Lit., como estas
  12. 2 Reyes 25:18 Lit., guardianes del umbral
  13. 2 Reyes 25:19 Lit., de los que veían el rostro
  14. 2 Reyes 25:19 O, escriba, un capitán
  15. 2 Reyes 25:21 Lit., de sobre
  16. 2 Reyes 25:23 Lit., Gedalías
  17. 2 Reyes 25:25 Lit., simiente
  18. 2 Reyes 25:25 Lit., y diez hombres con él
  19. 2 Reyes 25:27 Lit., levantó la cabeza
  20. 2 Reyes 25:29 Lit., comió pan
  21. 2 Reyes 25:29 Lit., en su presencia
  22. 2 Reyes 25:29 Lit., continuamente

25 So in the ninth year of Zedekiah’s rule, on the tenth day of the tenth month, Babylon’s King Nebuchadnezzar attacked Jerusalem with his entire army. He camped beside the city and built a siege wall all around it. The city was under attack until King Zedekiah’s eleventh year. On the ninth day of the month, the famine in the city got so bad that no food remained for the common people. Then the enemy broke into the city. All the soldiers fled[a] by night using the gate between the two walls near the King’s Garden. The Chaldeans were surrounding the city, so the soldiers ran toward the desert plain. But the Chaldean army chased King Zedekiah and caught up with him in the Jericho plains. His entire army deserted him. So the Chaldeans captured the king and brought him back to the Babylonian king, who was at Riblah. There his punishment was determined. Zedekiah’s sons were slaughtered right before his eyes. Then he was blinded, put in bronze chains, and taken off to Babylon.

On the seventh day of the fifth month in the nineteenth year of Babylon’s King Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuzaradan arrived at Jerusalem. He was the commander of the guard and an official of the Babylonian king. He burned down the Lord’s temple, the royal palace, and all of Jerusalem’s houses. He burned down every important building. 10 The whole Chaldean army under the commander of the guard tore down the walls surrounding Jerusalem. 11 Then Nebuzaradan the commander of the guard exiled the people who were left in the city, those who had already surrendered to Babylon’s king, and the rest of the population. 12 The commander of the guard left some of the land’s poor people behind to work the vineyards and be farmers. 13 The Chaldeans shattered the bronze columns, the stands, and the bronze Sea that were in the Lord’s temple. They carried the bronze off to Babylon. 14 They also took the pots, the shovels, the wick trimmers, the dishes, and all the bronze items that had been used in the temple. 15 The commander of the guard took the fire pans and the sprinkling bowls, which were made of pure gold and pure silver. 16 The bronze in all these objects—the two pillars, the Sea, and the stands that Solomon had made for the Lord’s temple—was too heavy to weigh. 17 Each pillar was twenty-seven feet high. The bronze capital on top of the first pillar was four and a half feet high. Decorative lattices and pomegranates, all made from bronze, were around the capital. And the second pillar was decorated with lattices just like the first.

18 The commander of the guard also took away Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah the priest next in rank, and the three doorkeepers. 19 Of those still left in the city, Nebuzaradan took away an officer who was in charge of the army and five royal advisors who were discovered in the city. He also took away the secretary of the officer responsible for drafting the land’s people to fight, as well as sixty people who were discovered in the city. 20 Nebuzaradan the commander of the guard took all of these people and brought them to the Babylonian king at Riblah. 21 The king of Babylon struck them down, killing them in Riblah in the land of Hamath.

So Judah was exiled from its land.

Gedaliah governs Judah

22 Babylon’s King Nebuchadnezzar put Gedaliah, Ahikam’s son and Shaphan’s grandson, in charge of the people he had left behind in the land of Judah. 23 All the army officers and their soldiers heard that the Babylonian king had appointed Gedaliah as governor, so they came with their men to Gedaliah at Mizpah. The officers were Ishmael, Nethaniah’s son; Johanan, Kareah’s son; Seraiah, Tanhumeth’s son who was a Netophathite; and Jaazaniah, Maacathite’s son. 24 Gedaliah made a solemn pledge to them and their soldiers, telling them, “Don’t be afraid of the Chaldean officials. Stay in the land and serve the Babylonian king, and things will go well for you.”

25 But in the seventh month, Ishmael, Nethaniah’s son and Elishama’s grandson, who was from the royal family, came with ten soldiers, and they struck Gedaliah, and he died. They also killed the Judeans and the Chaldeans who were with him at Mizpah. 26 Then all the people, young and old, along with the army officers, departed for Egypt because they were afraid of the Chaldeans.

Jehoiachin in Babylon

27 In the year that Awil-merodach[b] became king of Babylon, he released Judah’s King Jehoiachin from prison. This happened in the thirty-seventh year of the exile of King Jehoiachin, on the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth month. 28 Awil-merodach spoke kindly to Jehoiachin and seated him above the other kings who were with him in Babylon. 29 So Jehoiachin took off his prisoner clothes and ate regularly in the king’s presence for the rest of his life. 30 At the king’s command, a regular food allowance was given to him every day for the rest of his life.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 25:4 LXX, cf Jer 52:7; MT lacks fled.
  2. 2 Kings 25:27 Awil-merodach means Man of Marduk in Akkadian.