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. He set fire(A) to the temple of the Lord, the royal palace and all the houses of Jerusalem. Every important building he burned down.(B) 10 The whole Babylonian army under the commander of the imperial guard broke down the walls(C) around Jerusalem. 11 Nebuzaradan the commander of the guard carried into exile(D) the people who remained in the city, along with the rest of the populace and those who had deserted to the king of Babylon.(E) 12 But the commander left behind some of the poorest people(F) of the land to work the vineyards and fields.

13 The Babylonians broke(G) 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(H) and all the bronze articles(I) 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.(J)

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(K) was eighteen cubits[a] high. The bronze capital on top of one pillar was three cubits[b] 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(L) the chief priest, Zephaniah(M) the priest next in rank and the three doorkeepers.(N) 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,(O) in the land of Hamath, the king had them executed.(P)

So Judah went into captivity,(Q) away from her land.(R)

22 Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon appointed Gedaliah(S) son of Ahikam,(T) 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(U) Gedaliah and also the men of Judah and the Babylonians who were with him at Mizpah.(V) 26 At this, all the people from the least to the greatest, together with the army officers, fled to Egypt(W) for fear of the Babylonians.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 25:17 That is, about 27 feet or about 8.1 meters
  2. 2 Kings 25:17 That is, about 4 1/2 feet or about 1.4 meters

Jerusalem Destroyed

On(A) the seventh day of the fifth month, which was the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan, the commander of the guards, a servant of the king of Babylon, entered Jerusalem.(B) He burned the Lord’s temple,(C) the king’s palace,(D) and all the houses of Jerusalem; he burned down(E) all the great houses. 10 The whole Chaldean army with the commander of the guards tore down the walls(F) surrounding Jerusalem. 11 Nebuzaradan, the commander of the guards, deported the rest of the people who were left in the city, the deserters who had defected to the king of Babylon, and the rest of the population.(G) 12 But the commander of the guards left some of the poorest of the land to be vinedressers and farmers.(H)

13 Now(I) the Chaldeans broke into pieces the bronze pillars(J) of the Lord’s temple, the water carts, and the bronze reservoir,(K) which were in the Lord’s temple, and carried the bronze to Babylon.(L) 14 They also took the pots, the shovels, the wick trimmers, the dishes, and all the bronze articles used in temple service.(M) 15 The commander of the guards took away the firepans and the sprinkling basins—whatever was gold or silver.(N)

16 As for the two pillars, the one reservoir, and the water carts that Solomon had made for the Lord’s temple, the weight of the bronze of all these articles was beyond measure.(O) 17 One pillar was 27 feet[a] tall and had a bronze capital on top of it. The capital, encircled by a grating and pomegranates of bronze, stood five feet[b] high. The second pillar was the same, with its own grating.(P)

18 The commander of the guards(Q) also took away Seraiah(R) the chief priest, Zephaniah(S) the priest of the second rank, and the three doorkeepers. 19 He took a court official who had been appointed over the warriors from the city; five trusted royal aides[c](T) found in the city; the secretary of the commander of the army, who enlisted the people of the land for military duty; and 60 men from the common people[d] who were found within the city. 20 Nebuzaradan, the commander of the guards, took them and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah.(U) 21 The king of Babylon put them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. So Judah went into exile from its land.(V)

Gedaliah Made Governor

22 Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon appointed Gedaliah(W) son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, over the rest of the people he left in the land of Judah.(X) 23 When all the commanders of the armies—they and their men—heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah, they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah.(Y) The commanders included Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan son of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah son of the Maacathite—they and their men.(Z) 24 Gedaliah swore an oath to them and their men, assuring them, “Don’t be afraid of the servants of the Chaldeans. Live in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will go well for you.”(AA)

25 In the seventh month, however, Ishmael son of Nethaniah, son of Elishama, of the royal family, came with 10 men and struck down Gedaliah, and he died. Also, they killed the Judeans and the Chaldeans who were with him at Mizpah.(AB) 26 Then all the people, from the youngest to the oldest, and the commanders of the army, left and went to Egypt, for they were afraid of the Chaldeans.(AC)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 25:17 Lit 18 cubits
  2. 2 Kings 25:17 Lit three cubits
  3. 2 Kings 25:19 Lit five men who look on the king’s face
  4. 2 Kings 25:19 Lit the people of the land

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.

Read full chapter