25 So in the ninth^(A) year of Zedekiah’s reign, on the tenth day of the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar^(B) king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his whole army. He encamped outside the city and built siege works^(C) all around it. ² The city was kept under siege until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah.

³ By the ninth day of the fourth^[a] month the famine^(D) in the city had become so severe that there was no food for the people to eat. ⁴ Then the city wall was broken through,^(E) and the whole army fled at night through the gate between the two walls near the king’s garden, though the Babylonians^[b] were surrounding^(F) the city. They fled toward the Arabah,^{[c] 5} but the Babylonian^[d] army pursued the king and overtook him in the plains of Jericho. All his soldiers were separated from him and scattered,^{(G) 6} and he was captured.^(H)

He was taken to the king of Babylon at Riblah,^(I) where sentence was pronounced on him. ⁷ They killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes. Then they put out his eyes, bound him with bronze shackles and took him to Babylon.^(J)

⁸ On the seventh day of the fifth month, in the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard, an official of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. ⁹ He set fire^(K) to the temple of the Lord, the royal palace and all the houses of Jerusalem. Every important building he burned down.^{(L) 10} The whole Babylonian army under the commander of the imperial guard broke down the walls^(M) around Jerusalem. ¹¹ Nebuzaradan the commander of the guard carried into exile^(N) the people who remained in the city, along with the rest of the populace and those who had deserted to the king of Babylon.^{(O) 12} But the commander left behind some of the poorest people^(P) of the land to work the vineyards and fields.

¹³ The Babylonians broke^(Q) up the bronze pillars, the movable stands and the bronze Sea that were at the temple of the Lord and they carried the bronze to Babylon. ¹⁴ They also took away the pots, shovels, wick trimmers, dishes^(R) and all the bronze articles^(S) used in the temple service. ¹⁵ The commander of the imperial guard took away the censers and sprinkling bowls—all that were made of pure gold or silver.^(T)

¹⁶ The bronze from the two pillars, the Sea and the movable stands, which Solomon had made for the temple of the Lord, was more than could be weighed. ¹⁷ Each pillar^(U) was eighteen cubits^[e] high. The bronze capital on top of one pillar was three cubits^[f] high and was decorated with a network and pomegranates of bronze all around. The other pillar, with its network, was similar.

¹⁸ The commander of the guard took as prisoners Seraiah^(V) the chief priest, Zephaniah^(W) the priest next in rank and the three doorkeepers.^{(X) 19} Of those still in the city, he took the officer in charge of the fighting men, and five royal advisers. He also took the secretary who was chief officer in charge of conscripting the people of the land and sixty of the conscripts who were found in the city. ²⁰ Nebuzaradan the commander took them all and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah. ²¹ There at Riblah,^(Y) in the land of Hamath, the king had them executed.^(Z)

So Judah went into captivity,^(AA) away from her land.^(AB)

²² Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon appointed Gedaliah^(AC) son of Ahikam,^(AD) the son of Shaphan, to be over the people he had left behind in Judah. ²³ When all the army officers and their men heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah as governor, they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah—Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan son of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, Jaazaniah the son of the Maakathite, and their men. ²⁴ Gedaliah took an oath to reassure them and their men. “Do not be afraid of the Babylonian officials,” he said. “Settle down in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will go well with you.”

²⁵ In the seventh month, however, Ishmael son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, who was of royal blood, came with ten men and assassinated^(AE) Gedaliah and also the men of Judah and the Babylonians who were with him at Mizpah.^{(AF) 26} At this, all the people from the least to the greatest, together with the army officers, fled to Egypt^(AG) for fear of the Babylonians.

Jehoiachin Released^(AH)

²⁷ In the thirty-seventh year of the exile of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the year Awel-Marduk became king of Babylon, he released Jehoiachin^(AI) king of Judah from prison. He did this on the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth month. ²⁸ He spoke kindly^(AJ) to him and gave him a seat of honor^(AK) higher than those of the other kings who were with him in Babylon. ²⁹ So Jehoiachin put aside his prison clothes and for the rest of his life ate regularly at the king’s table.^{(AL) 30} Day by day the king gave Jehoiachin a regular allowance as long as he lived.^(AM)

4 The Spirit^(A) clearly says that in later times^(B) some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits^(C) and things taught by demons. ² Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.^{(D) 3} They forbid people to marry^(E) and order them to abstain from certain foods,^(F) which God created^(G) to be received with thanksgiving^(H) by those who believe and who know the truth. ⁴ For everything God created is good,^(I) and nothing is to be rejected^(J) if it is received with thanksgiving, ⁵ because it is consecrated by the word of God^(K) and prayer.

⁶ If you point these things out to the brothers and sisters,^[a] you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, nourished on the truths of the faith^(L) and of the good teaching that you have followed.^{(M) 7} Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales;^(N) rather, train yourself to be godly.^{(O) 8} For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things,^(P) holding promise for both the present life^(Q) and the life to come.^{(R) 9} This is a trustworthy saying^(S) that deserves full acceptance. ¹⁰ That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God,^(T) who is the Savior of all people,^(U) and especially of those who believe.

¹¹ Command and teach these things.^{(V) 12} Don’t let anyone look down on you^(W) because you are young, but set an example^(X) for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith^(Y) and in purity. ¹³ Until I come,^(Z) devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture,^(AA) to preaching and to teaching. ¹⁴ Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy^(AB) when the body of elders^(AC) laid their hands on you.^(AD)

¹⁵ Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. ¹⁶ Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save^(AE) both yourself and your hearers.

Psalm 129

A song of ascents.