Jerusalem’s Fall Explained

²¹ In the twelfth year of our exile, in the tenth month on the fifth day, a man who had escaped^(A) from Jerusalem came to me and said, “The city has fallen!^(B)”

² On the fifth of the month—it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin^(A)—

¹⁰ The whole Babylonian army under the commander of the imperial guard broke down the walls^(A) around Jerusalem.

The Temple Area Restored

40 In the twenty-fifth year of our exile, at the beginning of the year, on the tenth of the month, in the fourteenth year after the fall of the city^(A)—on that very day the hand of the Lord was on me^(B) and he took me there.

A Lament Over Pharaoh

32 In the twelfth year, in the twelfth month on the first day, the word of the Lord came to me:^(A)

²⁶ on that day a fugitive will come to tell you^(A) the news. ²⁷ At that time your mouth will be opened; you will speak with him and will no longer be silent.^(B) So you will be a sign to them, and they will know that I am the Lord.^(C)”

⁴ So in the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign, on the tenth^(A) day of the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem^(B) with his whole army. They encamped outside the city and built siege works^(C) all around it.^{(D) 5} The city was kept under siege until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah.

⁶ By the ninth day of the fourth month the famine in the city had become so severe that there was no food for the people to eat.^{(E) 7} Then the city wall was broken through, and the whole army fled.^(F) They left the city at night through the gate between the two walls near the king’s garden, though the Babylonians^[a] were surrounding the city. They fled toward the Arabah,^{[b] 8} but the Babylonian^[c] army pursued King Zedekiah and overtook him in the plains of Jericho. All his soldiers were separated from him and scattered, ⁹ and he was captured.^(G)

He was taken to the king of Babylon at Riblah^(H) in the land of Hamath,^(I) where he pronounced sentence on him. ¹⁰ There at Riblah the king of Babylon killed the sons^(J) of Zedekiah before his eyes; he also killed all the officials of Judah. ¹¹ Then he put out Zedekiah’s eyes, bound him with bronze shackles and took him to Babylon, where he put him in prison till the day of his death.^(K)

¹² On the tenth day of the fifth^(L) month, in the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan^(M) commander of the imperial guard, who served the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. ¹³ He set fire^(N) to the temple^(O) of the Lord, the royal palace and all the houses^(P) of Jerusalem. Every important building he burned down. ¹⁴ The whole Babylonian army, under the commander of the imperial guard, broke down all the walls^(Q) around Jerusalem.

39 ¹ In the ninth year of Zedekiah^(A) king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar^(B) king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his whole army and laid siege^(C) to it. ² And on the ninth day of the fourth^(D) month of Zedekiah’s eleventh year, the city wall^(E) was broken through.^{(F) 3} Then all the officials^(G) of the king of Babylon came and took seats in the Middle Gate: Nergal-Sharezer of Samgar, Nebo-Sarsekim a chief officer, Nergal-Sharezer a high official and all the other officials of the king of Babylon. ⁴ When Zedekiah king of Judah and all the soldiers saw them, they fled; they left the city at night by way of the king’s garden, through the gate between the two walls,^(H) and headed toward the Arabah.^[a](I)

⁵ But the Babylonian^[b] army pursued them and overtook Zedekiah^(J) in the plains of Jericho. They captured^(K) him and took him to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon at Riblah^(L) in the land of Hamath, where he pronounced sentence on him. ⁶ There at Riblah the king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes and also killed all the nobles^(M) of Judah. ⁷ Then he put out Zedekiah’s eyes^(N) and bound him with bronze shackles to take him to Babylon.^(O)

⁸ The Babylonians^[c] set fire^(P) to the royal palace and the houses of the people and broke down the walls^(Q) of Jerusalem.

¹⁷ He brought up against them the king of the Babylonians,^[a](A) who killed their young men with the sword in the sanctuary, and did not spare young men^(B) or young women, the elderly or the infirm.^(C) God gave them all into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar.^{(D) 18} He carried to Babylon all the articles^(E) from the temple of God, both large and small, and the treasures of the Lord’s temple and the treasures of the king and his officials. ¹⁹ They set fire^(F) to God’s temple^(G) and broke down the wall^(H) of Jerusalem; they burned all the palaces and destroyed^(I) everything of value there.^(J)

²⁰ He carried into exile^(K) to Babylon the remnant, who escaped from the sword, and they became servants^(L) to him and his successors until the kingdom of Persia came to power. ²¹ The land enjoyed its sabbath rests;^(M) all the time of its desolation it rested,^(N) until the seventy years^(O) were completed in fulfillment of the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah.