2 Kings 24:20-25:7
New Living Translation
20 These things happened because of the Lord’s anger against the people of Jerusalem and Judah, until he finally banished them from his presence and sent them into exile.
The Fall of Jerusalem
Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.
25 So on January 15,[a] during the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon led his entire army against Jerusalem. They surrounded the city and built siege ramps against its walls. 2 Jerusalem was kept under siege until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah’s reign.
3 By July 18 in the eleventh year of Zedekiah’s reign,[b] the famine in the city had become very severe, and the last of the food was entirely gone. 4 Then a section of the city wall was broken down. Since the city was surrounded by the Babylonians,[c] the soldiers waited for nightfall and escaped[d] through the gate between the two walls behind the king’s garden. Then they headed toward the Jordan Valley.[e]
5 But the Babylonian[f] troops chased the king and overtook him on the plains of Jericho, for his men had all deserted him and scattered. 6 They captured the king and took him to the king of Babylon at Riblah, where they pronounced judgment upon Zedekiah. 7 They made Zedekiah watch as they slaughtered his sons. Then they gouged out Zedekiah’s eyes, bound him in bronze chains, and led him away to Babylon.
Footnotes
- 25:1 Hebrew on the tenth day of the tenth month, of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar. A number of events in 2 Kings can be cross-checked with dates in surviving Babylonian records and related accurately to our modern calendar. This day was January 15, 588 B.c.
- 25:3 Hebrew By the ninth day of the [fourth] month [in the eleventh year of Zedekiah’s reign] (compare Jer 39:2; 52:6 and the notes there). This day was July 18, 586 B.c.; also see note on 25:1.
- 25:4a Or the Chaldeans; also in 25:13, 25, 26.
- 25:4b As in Greek version (see also Jer 39:4; 52:7); Hebrew lacks escaped.
- 25:4c Hebrew the Arabah.
- 25:5 Or Chaldean; also in 25:10, 24.
2 Kings 24:20-25:7
International Standard Version
20 because through the Lord’s anger these things happened[a] to Jerusalem and Judah until he threw them from his presence.
Nebuchadnezzar Captures Jerusalem
20 Zedekiah then rebelled against the king of Babylon, 25 1 so on the tenth day of the tenth month of the ninth year of Zedekiah’s[b] reign, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and his entire army approached Jerusalem, attacked it, encamped against it, and built a siege wall that surrounded the city. 2 The city remained under siege until the eleventh year of the reign of[c] King Zedekiah. 3 By the ninth day of the fourth[d] month, the resulting[e] famine had become so severe in the city that no food remained for the people who lived in the land. 4 The city was breached, and the entire army left during the night through the gate that stood between the two walls beside the royal garden, even though the Chaldeans had surrounded the city. They escaped through the Arabah, 5 but the Chaldean army pursued the king and overtook him in the Jericho plains, where his entire army was scattered. 6 The Chaldeans captured the king and brought him to Riblah, where the king of Babylon determined his sentence. 7 They executed Zedekiah’s sons in his presence, blinded Zedekiah, bound him with bronze chains, and transported him to Babylon.
Footnotes
- 2 Kings 24:20 The Heb. lacks these things
- 2 Kings 25:1 Lit. his; but cf. 25:3, which suggests it refers to Zedekiah
- 2 Kings 25:2 The Heb. lacks the reign of
- 2 Kings 25:3 The Heb. lacks fourth; but cf. Jer. 52:6
- 2 Kings 25:3 The Heb. lacks resulting
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