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.

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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

(A)In the fifth month, on (B)the seventh day of the month—that was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon—Nebuzaradan, the captain of the bodyguard, a servant of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. (C)And he burned the house of the Lord (D)and the king's house and all the houses of Jerusalem; every great house he burned down. 10 And all the army of the Chaldeans, who were with the captain of the guard, (E)broke down the walls around Jerusalem. 11 (F)And the rest of the people who were left in the city and the deserters who had deserted to the king of Babylon, together with the rest of the multitude, Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried into exile. 12 But the captain of the guard left (G)some of the poorest of the land to be vinedressers and plowmen.

13 (H)And the pillars (I)of bronze that were in the house of the Lord, and (J)the stands and (K)the bronze sea that were in the house of the Lord, the Chaldeans broke in pieces and carried the bronze to Babylon. 14 (L)And they took away the pots and the shovels and the snuffers and the dishes for incense and all the vessels of bronze used in the temple service, 15 the fire pans also and the bowls. What was of gold the captain of the guard took away as gold, and what was of silver, as silver. 16 As for the two pillars, the one sea, and the stands that Solomon had made for the house of the Lord, (M)the bronze of all these vessels was beyond weight. 17 (N)The height of the one pillar was eighteen cubits,[a] and on it was a capital of bronze. The height of the capital was three cubits. A latticework and pomegranates, all of bronze, were all around the capital. And the second pillar had the same, with the latticework.

18 (O)And the captain of the guard took (P)Seraiah the chief priest and (Q)Zephaniah the second priest and the three keepers of the threshold; 19 and from the city he took an officer who had been in command of the men of war, and (R)five men of the king's council who were found in the city; and the secretary of the commander of the army, who mustered the people of the land; and sixty men of the people of the land, who were found in the city. 20 And Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard took them and brought them to the king of Babylon at (S)Riblah. 21 And the king of Babylon struck them down and put them to death at (T)Riblah in the land of Hamath. (U)So Judah was taken into exile out of its land.

Gedaliah Made Governor of Judah

22 And over the people who remained in the land of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had left, he appointed (V)Gedaliah the son of (W)Ahikam, son of Shaphan, governor. 23 (X)Now when all the captains and their men heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah governor, they came with their men to Gedaliah at (Y)Mizpah, namely, Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah the son of the Maacathite. 24 And Gedaliah swore to them and their men, saying, “Do not be afraid because of the Chaldean officials. Live in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it shall be well with you.” 25 (Z)But in the seventh month, (AA)Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, son of Elishama, of the royal family, came with ten men and struck down Gedaliah and put him to death along with the Jews and the Chaldeans who were with him at Mizpah. 26 (AB)Then all the people, both small and great, and the captains of the forces arose and went to Egypt, for they were afraid of the Chaldeans.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 25:17 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters