²⁴ The commander of the guard took as prisoners Seraiah^(A) the chief priest, Zephaniah^(B) the priest next in rank and the three doorkeepers.^{(C) 25} Of those still in the city, he took the officer in charge of the fighting men, and seven royal advisers. He also took the secretary^(D) who was chief officer in charge of conscripting the people of the land, sixty of whom were found in the city. ²⁶ Nebuzaradan^(E) the commander took them all and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah. ²⁷ There at Riblah,^(F) in the land of Hamath, the king had them executed.

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

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,^(A) and headed toward the Arabah.^[a](B)

⁵ But the Babylonian^[b] army pursued them and overtook Zedekiah^(C) in the plains of Jericho. They captured^(D) him and took him to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon at Riblah^(E) 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^(F) of Judah. ⁷ Then he put out Zedekiah’s eyes^(G) and bound him with bronze shackles to take him to Babylon.^(H)

Judgment on Jerusalem and Judah

¹⁸ The commander of the guard took as prisoners Seraiah^(A) the chief priest, Zephaniah^(B) the priest next in rank and the three doorkeepers.^{(C) 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,^(D) in the land of Hamath, the king had them executed.^(E)

So Judah went into captivity,^(F) away from her land.^(G)

⁴ Then the city wall was broken through,^(A) and the whole army fled at night through the gate between the two walls near the king’s garden, though the Babylonians^[a] were surrounding^(B) the city. They fled toward the Arabah,^{[b] 5} but the Babylonian^[c] army pursued the king and overtook him in the plains of Jericho. All his soldiers were separated from him and scattered,^{(C) 6} and he was captured.^(D)

He was taken to the king of Babylon at Riblah,^(E) 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.^(F)